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Europe
Poland
13-Mar-2025 Poland's President Duda, discussing with Kellogg, U.S. President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, 'has called on the U.S. to deploy nuclear weapons on Polish territory' 'to deter Russia', The Financial Times reported today. (Source: CGTN - China)
March 13, 2025 The Polish Ministry of Defense 'is set to sign a $6.2 billion contract to acquire 180 South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tanks (MBT) manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. MBT's main armament consists of a Rheinmetall 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun, produced under license in South Korea. 'That follows a previous contract inked in August 2022 for an equal number of the advanced MBTs from Seoul. The Polish Army has received just under half of the vehicles, with the final ninety-six set to arrive later this year. 'In addition, South Korea provided the Eastern European NATO member with 219 K9 self-propelled howitzers, forty-eight KAI FA-50 light attack aircraft, and 218 K239 Chunmoo mobile multiple launch Rocket System (MLRS). That initial deal was valued at $12.4 billion. 'The agreement will be finalized next month, and deliveries of additional tanks will continue over the next four years. Still, that timeline could be truncated if a planned domestic manufacturing center, where the K2 would be produced under license, is approved. Warsaw has already worked with Seoul on adapting the K239 Chumoo MLRS, locally designated the Homar-K. It is mounted on the domestically made Jelcz 8×8 chassis, which replaced the South Korean-made Doosan chassis. It was further outfitted with the Polish TOPAZ Integrated Combat Management System. 'As Warsaw receives the South Korean MBTs, it will continue to supply Ukraine with its aging T-72 and PT-71 tanks. 'Kyiv has already received around 280 T-72M and T-72M1 tanks from Poland and nearly 200 more from the Czech Republic (Source: The National Interest - U.S.)
by Suciu, a Michigan-based writer
European Parliament
March 13, 2025 Belgian federal police conducted raids on 21 addresses in Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia and in Portugal in the early hours today, as part of a corruption probe involving the European Parliament on preliminary charges of active corruption, forgery of documents, money laundering; around 15 former and current MEPs are “on the radar” of the investigators, according to investigative news outlet Follow the Money and Belgian publications Le Soir and Knack. Several individuals have been arrested. (Source: Politico - Headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, U.S., owned by a company based in Berlin, Germany)
Note: ’Related Tags: Corruption; Cyber Espionage; CybersecurityData / privacy; EU affairs; Lobbying; MEPsMoneylaundering; Telecoms. Related Organization: Huawei’.
European Union
(13 March 2025) Hungary has threatened to block the EU’s renewal of sanctions imposed on about 2,000 Russians unless oligarch Fridman is removed from the list. /Photo/ (Source: Financial Times - United Kingdom)
Russia
Mar 13 2025 Russian President Putin today said Russia agrees in principle with the U.S.-led ceasefire plan brokered by the White House, backed by Ukraine earlier this week, but stopped short of signing up to any deal, arguing that it needed further negotiation and must lead to enduring peace. “We are in favor of it but there are nuances,” he said when asked about the 30-day ceasefire deal. “The idea [of a ceasefire] itself is correct and we are certainly supporting it, but there are issues that need to be discussed. I think that we need to talk to our American colleagues and partners. Maybe call President Trump and discuss it together. But we support the very idea of ending this conflict through peaceful means,” he said. “Hopefully they all want to end this nightmare,” U.S. President Trump said today, speaking during a press briefing with NATO Secretary-General Rutte. Putin also said a deal must “proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of this crisis.” Putin also questioned whether the 30 days would be used to supply weapons or train newly mobilized units, and how potential violations of a ceasefire would be monitored. Earlier indications from Russian officials appeared to indicate the country would not immediately sign up to the U.S.-led deal. Ushakov, a Russian presidential aide, did not confirm or deny but noted that a truce would give Ukraine a chance to boost its forces, calling the plan 'a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more.' The draft deal would see all Russian and Ukrainian military activities cease, potentially beyond the 30-day term by mutual agreement. It also requires the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children "to Russia.” The U.S. immediately lifted its pause on sharing intelligence and military aid with Ukraine following its sign-up to the deal. Analysts say that Russia is now advancing slowly but steadily in Ukraine. Putin also said today that if the U.S. and Russia struck an energy sector cooperation agreement then Russia could provide a gas pipeline for Europe, benefiting the Continent with cheaper energy prices. European natural gas futures dated to April were 3.5% lower following his comments. (Source: CNBC - U.S.)
13 Mar 2025 'A bombshell new document, which was uncovered by the Washington Post, allegedly shows Putin has no intention of signing up to deal and ending the war, even temporarily. Putin's demands: Weakened US at the negotiating table; Complete dismantling of Zelenskyy's government; No resolution until 2026; Creation of new buffer zone; No European peacekeeping troops; No Nato membership for Ukraine; Sovereignty over 'stolen land'. (Source: Daily Star - United Kingdom)
March 13, 2025 Russia has laid out a list of demands to U.S. authorities that need to be met in order for the war in Ukraine to end. /Video/ (Source: Fox News - U.S.; „Reuters - United Kingdom and The Associated Press - U.S. contributed”).
March 13, 2025 Trump's envoy arrives in Russia for Ukraine ceasefire talks. Kremlin spokesperson Peskov did not say whether Witkoff would meet with Russian President Putin. /Video/ (Source: ABC News – U.S.)
March 13, 2025 Russia has send a list of demands to the US for a ceasefire deal to end the war against Ukraine. (Source: The Week – India)
Mar 13, 2025 The Kremlin said that U.S. negotiators were flying to Russia. It said Kremlin foreign policy adviser Ushakov and U.S. National Security Adviser Waltz had spoken by phone yesterday. /Photo/ (Source: The Straits Times - Singapore / Reuters - United Kingdom)
Thu, 13 Mar, 2025 Russian President Putin met General Gerasimov during his visit to military headquarters in the Kursk region yesterday and spoke to military commanders there. Russian forces have driven the Ukrainian army out of Sudzha, the biggest town in Russia’s Kursk border region. /Photo/ (Source: Irish Examiner / The Associated Press)
North America
United States
Mar 13, 2025 President Trump’s Ukraine policy is strengthening NATO and investing America in Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity. It is doing so in a way that is realistic and is intended actually to work rather than sound nice. There is a difference between alliances and free ridership. He believes allies must contribute meaningfully to the alliance. ’The European Commission pledged to raise the area’s military spending by nearly $200 billion a year in the aftermath of supposedly disastrous meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky. This demonstrates that the meeting was a great success for the perspective of what the U.S. has been trying to do for years - get the EU to take its own defense seriously’. In just the past few days, Germany ’has made plans for hundreds of billions of dollars in additional defense spending in coming years’. Britain will raise defense spending to 2.5% of the budget in 2017. Other European allies are following suit. The U.S. was the principal backstop for Europe’s regional defense. 'The continent' allowed itself to be invaded by migrants, „spend vast amounts on social programs”, and an ’ever-stronger Brussels bureaucracy’. Europe’s adoption of Trump’s agenda would normally be depicted as a strengthening of the Atlantic alliance, which indeed it is. Recent events show that the U.S. takes the NATO alliance extremely seriously. NATO and Europe have not been abandoned, but shocked to their senses by the president’s brash manner. But they simply did not get the message when it was delivered in calmer tones. Trump understands that paper promises are worthless and suggested a new approach to cementing alliances - by creating real joint interests. The mineral deal between the two countries makes the U.S. directly invested in Ukraine’s territorial integrity, an interest that will exist across administrations. (Source: The Heritage Fundation, based in Washington D.C, U.S.)
By Kontorovich, Senior Research Fellow, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom
March 13, 2025 NATO Secretary General Rutte visited the White House today. Pledges from European and allied nations to increase defense spending coincide with negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. /Video/ (Source: Fox News, „The Associated Press contributed” = U.S.)
03/13/25 Today, in the Oval Office, during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Rutte, President Trump expressed confidence the United States would annex Greenland, even suggesting the head of the NATO alliance could be a key player in facilitating the acquisition. “And I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought before but I’m sitting with a man that could be very instrumental". You know, Mark, we need that for international security, Trump said, gesturing to Rutte. Rutte agreed that Greenland and the Arctic Circle are critical for security reasons, noting that China and Russia have a growing presence in the region. But he said any discussion about Trump’s attempts to acquire Greenland were outside of his purview. (Source: The Hill - U.S.)
Thu, Mar 13, 2025 The US president said last week that "to further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we've already started doing it". Trump has reportedly ordered the US military to come up with plans to increase the number of troops in Panama as part of his mission to "reclaim" the canal. US Southern Command chief Admiral Holsey sent draft strategies to Defence Secretary Hegseth this week ahead of his visit to Panama next month. /Photo/ (Source: Express - United Kingdom)
Global
13 March 2025 From Michigan to Hungary, foreign factories are facing local pushback. (Source: Rest of World - U.S.)
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