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Europe
Hungary
09.05.2025 Ukraine today announced it had ordered two Hungarian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, responding to Budapest’s earlier expulsion of Ukrainian diplomats over espionage claims. The move follows Hungary’s decision to expel two Ukrainian diplomats accused of spying. Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó said the individuals had been working under diplomatic cover at the Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest. The accusations came after Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claimed it had dismantled a Hungarian spy network operating inside the country, detaining two Ukrainian military veterans allegedly recruited by Hungarian intelligence to gather information on western defense lines. Szijjártó dismissed the allegations as propaganda, stating that Hungary had yet to receive official evidence from Kyiv. Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, Hungary has maintained a neutral stance, refraining from sending military aid to Ukraine. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
France
09.05.2025 France, Poland sign strategic treaty to boost Franco-Polish ties, defense cooperation. French President Macron says 'agreement to help accelerate joint investments in European defense industrial base, including in production of weapons, ammunition'. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
Romania
May 9, 2025 The EU and NATO state Romania should be compensated for aiding Ukraine, ’hard-right’ presidential frontrunner Simion said late yesterday, during a televised presidential debate with Dan. The eurosceptic nationalist Simion, 38, opposes military aid to Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and says he is 'aligned with' U.S. President Trump's Make America Great Again movement. Romania's president has a semi-executive role that includes commanding the armed forces and chairing the security council that decides on military aid. The president can also veto important EU votes that require unanimity. I will vote for the interest of the Romanian state without prioritising other states, Simion said during the debate. Our position towards Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is one of neutrality not escalation, not supplying weapons. For the donated Patriot system and other spending by Romanians there should be reciprocity, he said. To date, Romania has donated a Patriot air defence battery to Kyiv, is training Ukrainian fighter pilots and has enabled the export of 30 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain through its Black Sea port of Constanta. Simion suggested he would veto Brussels military aid to Ukraine. Analysts have said a Simion victory could isolate Romania, erode private investment and destabilise NATO's eastern flank, where Bucharest plays a key role in providing logistical support to Ukraine. ’Under the ReArm Europe plan, the EU is looking to boost military spending by 800 billion euros ($876 billion) over the next four years, via loosening fiscal rules on defence investment and joint borrowing for large defence projects against the EU budget’. Simion said that for defence we have NATO, not the EU. (Source: Reuters - United Kingdom)
2025.05.09 Romania’s 19 million voters will elect a new president on the 18th of May from among Simion and Dan, who have advanced to the second round. Guaranteeing the rights of the Hungarian minority living in Romania and the use of the Szekler flag were among the topics discussed in the first televised debate between the two remaining candidates in the Romanian presidential election - Dan, liberal candidate and independent mayor of Bucharest, and Simion, ultra-nationalist candidate and President of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). The candidates were asked what guarantees they would offer to the Hungarian minority living in Romania as head of state in the spirit of the country’s relations with its western neighbor, Hungary, to ensure that they can freely express their ethnic identity. And would they support the display of the Szekler flag at local cultural or sporting events? The Szekler flag has become a symbol of autonomy for the Hungarian community in Romania. Its public display has been a recurring source of tension between local authorities and the Romanian state. In Dan’s opinion, the use of a “symbol of territorial autonomy” should not be allowed at official events. Simion considers himself a representative of the sovereigntist movement. His politics differ sharply from those of leaders like Viktor Orbán or Giorgia Meloni. Simion’s nationalism often takes an openly antagonistic tone toward ethnic minorities - particularly Hungarians - rather than focusing primarily on defending national interests within the EU. His version of sovereigntism is more exclusionary and inflammatory, raising concerns that it could deepen ethnic tensions rather than simply affirm national identity. His opponent reminded Simion, who began his public career in the stands of sports stadiums, that Romanian fan communities have chanted anti-Hungarian slogans at football matches on numerous occasions in recent years. I would like to ask Mr. Simion if he was there, Dan inquired. Simion did not answer the question. (Source: Hungary Today / MTI)
European Union
May 9, 2025 'The fear of a new war is increasingly worrying Europeans'. ’Russia is looking more threatening than ever’. According to Ipsos’ monthly What Worries the World report, more and more Europeans fear the prospect of war. Frontline countries in Central Europe are most concerned. Concerns are particularly widespread in Poland (39%). The Netherlands, Germany and France are also seeing significant increases in the share of respondents who picked war as a top 3 concern (29%; 27%; 25%) . Hungary: 5%. Fears of war are less widespread in other parts of the world, with an average of 12 percent of respondents naming it a top concern across 29 countries. In South America, with less than five percent of respondents were in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Peru naming war as a top concern. (Source: bne IntelliNews - Germany)
Russia
10.05.2025 Russian President Putin is open to holding talks with new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz if Berlin expresses readiness, Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said today, following Merz’s indication that he may speak with the Russian leader by phone amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western nations. Peskov said that the Kremlin observes “many contradictory statements from Europe,” adding: 'They are generally more confrontational in nature than aimed at trying to somehow revive our relations.' (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
09.05.2025 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today attended the military parade at the Red Square in Moscow, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Also, the premier went on Facebook and posted a video from this military parade. (Source: News.am - Armenia)
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09.05.2025 The topic of gas supplies to European countries is being raised during the talks between Moscow and Washington, Russian presidential aide Ushakov confirms. (Source: News.am - Armenia)
Asia
India
May 09, 2025 7:35 AM Blasts rang out across the Indian city of Jammu late yesterday, during what the government said was a Pakistani drone and missile attack on military stations around the Kashmir region. Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the international border in J&K today, India's Ministry of Defence said, citing places in and near the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Sirens sounded and red flashes and projectiles erupted in the night sky above Jammu for about 2-1/2 hours. Two days of fighting have killed nearly four dozen people. Indian TV channels also showed flares and flashes in the sky above Jaisalmer city in Rajasthan state, which shares a border with the southern Pakistani province of Sindh. In a statement, Islamabad denied attacking Pathankot in India's Punjab state, Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley and Jaisalmer. Electricity in Jammu was slowly being restored after a blackout during the attack. Eight missiles, fired from Pakistan at the Jammu region towns of Satwari, Samba, Ranbir Singh Pura and Arnia, were intercepted by air defence units. The US Consulate General in Pakistan's Lahore ordered staff to shelter in place. India and Pakistan gained independence from colonial Britain in 1947. The countries have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir, and clashed many times. The neighbours, which both claim Kashmir in full and rule over parts of it, separately acquired nuclear weapons in the 1990s. (Source: AsiaOne – Singapore)
Pakistan
(Friday), May 9, 2025 at 10:30 JST Global militaries to study India-Pakistan fighter jet battle. A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday. There was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets. A dogfight between Chinese-made Pakistani jets and French-made Indian Rafale fighters will be closely scrutinized by militaries - including in China and the United States - seeking insights that could offer an edge in future conflicts. U.S. President Trump in March awarded Boeing the contract to build the U.S. Air Force’s most sophisticated fighter jet yet, which would likely include stealth, advanced sensors and cutting-edge engines. Social media posts focused on the performance of China’s PL-15 air-to-air missile against the Meteor, a radar-guided air-to-air missile produced by European group MBDA. There has been no official confirmation that these weapons were used. There are conflicting reports on whether Pakistan has the domestic version of the PL-15 from the PLAAF, China’s air force, or the lower-range export version publicly unveiled in 2021. Pakistan most likely has the export version. The French and Americans would likely be hoping for similar intelligence from India. Western analysts and industry sources said crucial details remained unclear including whether the Meteor was carried and the type and amount of training the pilots had received. Arms firms would also be anxious to separate technical performance from operational factors. A defense industry source from a Western country operating the Meteor said an online picture of a seeker appeared to feature the component of a missile that had missed its target. The Meteor’s range has not been officially published. European nations are exploring a mid-life upgrade for the Meteor, which specialist publication Janes says could involve propulsion and guidance, but analysts say progress has been slow. The United States is developing the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile via Lockheed Martin partly in response to the PL-15 and its beyond-visual-range performance - part of a broader reset of Western priorities toward China. (Source: The Asahi Shimbun - Japan / Reuters - United Kingdom)
North America
United States
5/10/2025 White House spokeswoman Kelly said Trump and his team had been “laser-focused on delivering peace around the world and stopping bad actors from doing harm to Americans and our allies.” “Their approach has been successful - Houthis agreed to a cease-fire, 47 Americans detained abroad have come home, 'NATO countries are increasing defense spending', China is deterred, and we are closer to peace in the Russia-Ukraine War than ever before,” she said. Today, Trump said the U.S. helped broker a cease-fire between India and Pakistan, after growing clashes in which both countries said they were acting defensively. The de-escalation appeared shaky but if it holds, it would mark a diplomatic success for Trump. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have proven more intractable. (Source: MSN / WSJ = U.S.)
Saturday 10 May 2025 22:11 BST President Trump, hailing a successful U.S.-mediated ceasefire between India and Pakistan today, brought flashbacks to his inauguration day address and desire to be seen as a “peacemaker.” Sandwiched between promises to build the strongest military the world has ever seen and a desire for an expansionist America, Trump said: „We will measure our success, not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into. My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That’s what I want to be, a peacemaker and a unifier.” He also revisited some of his familiar grievances about how unfairly he has been treated - President Trump has made no secret that one thing he really desires is a Nobel Peace Prize. He has complained about not getting one for almost a decade and is particularly galled by the fact that President Obama was awarded one after just nine months in office for working toward ’the great climatic challenges.’ On the campaign trail last year, Trump said: If I were named Obama, I would have had the Nobel Prize given to me in 10 seconds. Former Trump national security adviser, turned vocal opponent, Bolton told: Trump felt if Obama got it for not doing anything, why should he not get it? Trump said in one of his many public airing of grievances, in February, during an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,: “They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.” Indeed, the president has been nominated for the award by Republican allies in early 2024. New York Rep. Tenney put Trump forward for the honor for his role in the Abraham Accords treaty that normalized relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. And yet, nothing came of the nomination - it was instead awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors dedicated to advocating for nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. This year Russia’s war on Ukraine is now in its third year, and Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza has continued for more than 18 months. The president made grandiose promises to end the former in 24 hours and quickly restore stability in the latter case. Both conflicts grind on, with a fragile two-month ceasefire in Gaza coming to a catastrophic end in March. Adding further to the tense global situation, India and Pakistan entered the most serious military escalation between the two nuclear powers in years in April. As cross-border missile and drone attacks escalated, the U.S. engaged with officials on both sides to lower tensions. In this case, there was quick progress. Shortly before 8 a.m. East Coast time today, May 10, the president took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to triumphantly announce: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Secretary of State Rubio and Vice President Vance, who recently visited India, reportedly did the heavy lifting, with Rubio tweeting a few minutes later: “Over the past 48 hours, [Vice President] Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shebbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Munir, and National Security Advisors Doval and Malik.” Vance added: Great work from the President’s team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire. Saudi Arabia and Turkey both played an important role in securing the deal, according to Pakistan's foreign minister Dar. The chiefs of military operations on both sides have spoken, according to Indian foreign secretary Misri. However, it is Trump himself who announced the ceasefire and claimed credit for the U.S. in de-escalating the situation, although there are reports today that the ceasefire has already been violated. At the same time this was happening today, there was also progress in Europe, with Ukraine and European leaders agreeing to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire on May 12 with the backing of Trump, threatening Russian President Putin with new massive sanctions if he failed to comply. Today’s announcement of a unified approach was made by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland, and Ukraine at a meeting in Kyiv, after which they held a phone call with Trump. President Trump, who still says he wants a rapid path toward peace, has not yet said anything publicly himself on the course of action, perhaps not keen to try and claim any credit until Russia comes to the table. Being the weekend, shortly after his post on the ceasefire in South Asia, Trump left the White House for a round of golf at his club in Virginia. Any consideration for international recognition of Trump’s diplomatic record needs to be weighed against his failure to stop the fighting in Gaza - and his disturbing vision of its future - as well as threats to take back the Panama Canal and annex Greenland with possible military force. (Source: The Independent - United Kingdom)
May 9, 2025 The United States Department of State has a lengthy database of travel advisories, divided into four categories. Level 4 travel advisory is the most severe, warning Americans to simply "Do Not Travel" to those locations. This category of warning usually applies to active armed conflicts or countries that are enemies of the United States or have little to no diplomatic relationship with the United States. Yesterday, the State Department reaffirmed one of those Level 4 travel advisories, reminding travelers not to travel to Russia "for any reason" due to the following issues: Danger associated with the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine; The risk of harassment or wrongful detention by Russian security officials; The arbitrary enforcement of local laws; The possibility of terrorism. The U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has reduced its staff and the Russian government has restricted travel for embassy personnel. All U.S. consulates in Russia have suspended operations, including consular services. (Source: The Tribune – newspaper, covers San Luis Obispo County, California, U.S.)
May 09, 2025 Singer’s Elliott Management is kicking the tires on a deal: buying a stake in the Bulgarian extension of TurkStream—Russia’s last functioning gas pipeline that carries Russian natural gas into Europe. (Source: Oilprice - United Kingdom)
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