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Europe
France
Tuesday 11 March 2025 Army chiefs from more than 30 countries met in Paris today, for talks on creating an international force to deter future Russian aggression once a ceasefire is established. They include troop size, location and, crucially, military options in the event of a transgression. A French military official said the talks included nearly all 32 Nato countries – notably without the United States – as well as Commonwealth nations and Asian powers Japan and South Korea. France’s defence minister, Lecornu, said ahead of the meeting that Ukraine’s own army remained the main security guarantee for the country, adding that France ’will refuse any demilitarisation of the Ukrainian army’. Dutch defence minister Brekelmans said that it’s a dream for Putin, and it’s a nightmare for the rest of Europe Putin will continue his aggressive efforts to increase the influence and the territory of the Russian empire towards his dream to re-establish a Russkiy Mir, or a Russian world. Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk laid out some details around his plan for voluntary large-scale military training of Poland’s adult population in 2026, and expand the target to be able to train 100,000 people in 2027. Those taking part in the month-long training get a one-off salary of 6,000 Polish złoty (£1,200) – with the scheme open to all adults aged between 18 and 60. (Source: Independent - United Kingdom)
Germany
March 11, 2025 Germany hosts about 20 U.S. B-61 nuclear bombs at the Büchel airbase. For much of the past few decades, „a majority of Germans were in favor of getting these nuclear weapons out of Germany”. ’Berlin needs an ambitious nuclear policy rethink that includes a push to recreate nuclear sharing 'at the European level' - with the continent’s nuclear powers, France and the U.K.’ Leaders of Germany and Poland have already expressed openness to concrete nuclear sharing arrangements, like having French capabilities stationed in German or Polish soil. Members engaged in nuclear sharing would contribute financially to the burden of maintaining the French and British nuclear arsenal. For Europeanizing extended deterrence and nuclear sharing, one option would be to recreate NATO’s nuclear planning group at the European level, with France and the U.K. ’The EU could be collectively represented through the European Council president or the EU foreign affairs chief’;) ’The only other option for Germany’ aside from a ’European nuclear umbrella’ would be to pursue its own nuclear weapons. At this stage, given the „political fallout”, the financial burden and the time that it would take to make a German bomb ’is not a cost-effective alternative’. Germany needs to recommit to civilian nuclear research. Germany’s likely next chancellor CDU leader Merz calls for switching to hoping for the best and still preparing for the worst. ’Uncomfortable this might be for many in Germany’, this 'strategy has to include a Plan B' for nuclear deterrence for the possible end of the U.S. nuclear umbrella. (Source: Foreign Policy – U.S.)
by Benner, a co-founder and the director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin.
Romania
(11 March 2025) Romanian ’far-right’ Georgescu has lost his appeal against a ruling barring him from participating in May's presidential election. The Constitutional Court issued the final ruling today afternoon. A large crowd who were gathered outside the court in Bucharest shouted "traitors" and "we are going nowhere". They chanted ’Georgescu is president’ and "freedom". (Source: BBC - United Kingdom)
Russia
Mar 11, 2025 Speaking at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, Kremlin spokesman Peskov cautioned against people getting excited about the prospect of Musk cutting off the Ukrainian military from his Starlink communications system or about Trump's decision last week to suspend military aid to Kyiv. "Don't rush to put on rose-tinted spectacles," Peskov told the audience. "We always need to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. And we must always be ready to defend our interests." Peskov said that Russia was achieving its aims on the battlefield in Ukraine, regardless of what decisions the U.S. was taking. He said the amount of weapons circulating in Ukraine was so large that Kyiv had enough to keep fighting for many months despite the suspension of U.S. deliveries. (Source: The Straits Times - Singapore / Reuters - United Kingdom)
March 11, 2025 Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defense systems shot down 337 Ukrainian drones - 91 drones over the Moscow region, 126 over the Kursk region, 25 over the Belgorod region, 22 over the Ryazan region, 10 over the Kaluga region, eight each over the Lipetsk and Oryol regions, six over the Voronezh region, and three over the Nizhny Novgorod region. overnight. By 8:45 a.m. local time today, Russian air defense forces had shot down 74 drones heading toward the capital. In the Moscow region, two people were killed and 14 others injured in the attack in the towns of Vidnoye, Domodedovo, and Ramenskoye, as well as the villages of Yam and Sapronovo. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) imposed temporary restrictions at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky airports. (Source: Meduza, based in Riga, Latvia)
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