Europe and the US need each other and are “stronger together”, the secretary-general of Nato has said.

Jens Stoltenberg was speaking at a ceremony marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary.

While the US provided Europe with security, he said it also needed the militaries, intelligence and diplomatic leverage of its European allies.

“I don’t believe in America alone just as I don’t believe in Europe alone,” Mr Stoltenberg said.

“I believe in America and Europe together in Nato, because we are stronger and safer together.”

The Nato chief’s remarks came as the alliance considered a €100bn (£86bn) five-year fund to provide long-term military support for Ukraine, so aid to Kyiv is not jeopardised by political changes either in the US or other Nato states.

A US package worth $60bn (£47bn) has been stalled in Congress for months because of resistance from Republican lawmakers, as well as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has spoken of ending the war “in one day”.

During his speech, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato must be “doing something right”, as it had grown from 12 countries at its inception to 32. Its newest members Sweden and Finland abandoned their neutrality and joined the alliance as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to the speech that relations between Russia and Nato had “slid to the level of direct confrontation” as the alliance was already “involved” in the conflict around Ukraine.

The Nato chief’s remarks came as the alliance considered a €100bn (£86bn) five-year fund to provide long-term military support for Ukraine, so aid to Kyiv is not jeopardised by political changes either in the US or other Nato states.

A US package worth $60bn (£47bn) has been stalled in Congress for months because of resistance from Republican lawmakers, as well as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has spoken of ending the war “in one day”.

During his speech, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato must be “doing something right”, as it had grown from 12 countries at its inception to 32. Its newest members Sweden and Finland abandoned their neutrality and joined the alliance as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to the speech that relations between Russia and Nato had “slid to the level of direct confrontation” as the alliance was already “involved” in the conflict around Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters support for Ukraine within the alliance is “rock solid” and that he believes Ukraine will eventually become a member of Nato, Reuters reported.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters at Nato headquarters that while he did not want to “spoil [Nato]’s birthday party”, his country needed help in improving its air defences – specifically Patriot missiles.

“Saving Ukrainian lives, saving the Ukrainian economy and saving Ukrainian cities depends on the availability of Patriots and other air defence systems,” Mr Kuleba said.

Lacking air superiority and faced with formidable Russian defences, Ukraine’s counter-offensive ground to a halt last year and is now at risk of being outgunned on the front line in the east.

The US has given Ukraine more financial aid than any other Nato state- more than $44bn (£34bn) since the 2022 invasion, according to the White House in December. However, its aid has now become caught up in a political row months before the presidential election.

Republican candidate Donald Trump has often criticised the level of spending. He has also long complained that the US has shouldered a greater financial burden than the rest of the alliance.

Fewer than two-thirds of Nato members are on course to reach their 2% funding goal.

Highlighting the importance of Nato’s European allies to the US, Mr Stoltenberg noted it was America’s allies that came to its help after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. That was the only occasion that a key principle of the alliance has been invoked, in which an attack on one ally is seen as an attack on all.

Nato allies closest to Russia have stepped up efforts to boost their armed forces.

Norway is increasing its number of conscripted soldiers, while Denmark says it intends to extend conscription to women and increase the duration of service. Latvia and Sweden recently restarted military service, while Lithuania brought it back after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Norway is increasing the number of conscripted soldiers, while Denmark says it intends to extend conscription to women and increase the duration of service. Latvia and Sweden recently restarted military service, while Lithuania brought it back after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

By Laura Gozzi – BBC News

L’article Analysis. Europe and US need each other, Nato chief Stoltenberg says est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

China foreign ministry says US is ‘biggest threat to world peace, stability and development’ after spying accusations.

China has accused the United States of being “the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development”, in response to accusations by the heads of security services in Washington and London that Chinese spying is a global threat and China is threatening international order.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s comments on Thursday came a day after the head of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the leader of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, raised fresh alarms about the Chinese government, warning business leaders that Beijing is determined to steal their technology for competitive gain.

The heightened tone from Beijing also comes ahead of a meeting on Saturday between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Group of 20 (G20) leading rich and developing nations’ ministers summit in Bali, Indonesia.

“The relevant US politician has been playing up the so-called China threat to smear and attack China,” Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing when asked about FBI Director Christopher Wray’s comments denouncing economic espionage and hacking operations by China and the Chinese government’s efforts to stifle dissent abroad.

“Facts have fully proven that the US is the biggest threat to world peace, stability and development,” Zhao said.

“We urge this US official to have the right perspective, see China’s developments in an objective and reasonable manner and stop spreading lies and stop making irresponsible remarks,” he said.

‘Covert pressure across the globe’

Wray’s speech was particularly notable because it took place at MI5’s London headquarters and alongside the British agency’s director-general, Ken McCallum, in an intended show of Western solidarity.

“We consistently see that it’s the Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security, and by ‘our,’ I mean both of our nations, along with our allies in Europe and elsewhere,” Wray told attendees on Wednesday at the meeting of business leaders and officials.

MI5’s McCallum said the Chinese government and its “covert pressure across the globe” amounts to “the most game-changing challenge we face”.

In his response, Zhao said British intelligence was “simply projecting their own dishonourable behaviour onto China”.

“The head of the British intelligence service should cast away [his] evil in mind, come out of the dark room and see the sunshine, and not always hold on to the zero-sum thinking or set up so-called imaginary enemies,” he said.

Zhao on Wednesday slammed Blinken’s comments at last week’s NATO summit in Spain, in which the US secretary of state accused China of “seeking to undermine the rules-based international order”.

Under President Xi Jinping, head of the ruling Communist Party, China has assumed an increasingly aggressive foreign policy, joining with Russia in seeking to undermine the influence of the US and its allies.

Beijing has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – which is expected to dominate the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting – while condemning Western sanctions against Moscow and accusing Washington and NATO of provoking the conflict.

World Opinions – Aljazeera – Agencies

L’article Debate. China blasts US, British intelligence services over spying claims est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

The Finnish government officially announced its intention to join NATO on Sunday, as Sweden’s ruling party was to hold a decisive meeting that could pave the way for a joint application.

Less than three months after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the move is a stunning reversal of Finland’s policy on military non-alignment dating back more than 75 years.

Sweden, which has been militarily non-aligned for more than two centuries, is expected to follow suit with a similar announcement, possibly on Monday.

“Today, the President of the Republic and the Government’s Foreign Policy Committee have jointly agreed that Finland will apply for NATO membership, after consulting parliament,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Sunday.

“This is a historic day. A new era is opening”, Niinisto said.

Despite last-minute objections by Turkey, NATO members are on “good track” in their discussions on welcoming Sweden and Finland into the Western military alliance, Croatia’s foreign minister, Gordan Grlic Radman, said as he arrived for talks with NATO counterparts in Berlin.

Finland’s parliament will convene to debate the membership proposal on Monday.

“We hope the parliament will confirm the decision to apply for NATO membership during the coming days. It will be based on a strong mandate”, premier Marin said.

An overwhelming majority of Finnish MPs back the decision after Marin’s Social Democratic Party on Saturday said it was in favour of joining.

“Hopefully, we can send our applications next week together with Sweden,” Marin had said on Saturday.

The two Nordic countries broke their strict neutralities after the end of the Cold War by joining the EU and becoming partners to NATO in the 1990s, solidifying their affiliation with the West.

But the concept of full NATO membership was a non-starter in the countries until the war in Ukraine saw public and political support for joining the alliance soar.

Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia, has been leading the charge, while Sweden appears anxious at being the only non-NATO country around the Baltic Sea.

Finland is also Sweden’s closest defence cooperation partner.

Many Swedish politicians have said their support is conditional on Finland joining.

On Saturday, the Finnish head of state phoned his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin to inform him of his country’s desire to join NATO, in a conversation described as “direct and straightforward”.

“Avoiding tensions was considered important,” Niinisto said in a statement after the call.

But Putin responded by warning that joining NATO “would be a mistake since there is no threat to Finland’s security”, according to a Kremlin statement.

Moscow has repeatedly warned both countries of consequences if they join NATO.

Niinisto said Sunday that while Helsinki expects Russia to respond to its decision, “little by little, I’m beginning to think that we’re not going to face actual military operations.”

“After the phone call with Putin, I think so even more.”

No other choice

According to recent polls, the number of Finns who want to join the alliance has risen to over three-quarters, almost triple the level seen before the war in Ukraine.

In Sweden, support has also risen dramatically, to around 50 percent — with about 20 percent against.

Sweden’s Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, were meeting Sunday to decide whether the party should abandon its historic stance against joining, last reaffirmed at the party’s annual congress in November.

A green light from the party would secure a firm parliamentary majority in favour of joining.

While the party’s leading politicians have seemed ready to reverse the decision, critical voices within have denounced the change in policy as rushed.

But analysts say it is unlikely that the party will oppose the move.

NATO membership needs to be approved and ratified by all 30 members of the alliance.

While Finland and Sweden claim to have received favourable signals from Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday expressed hostility to the idea.

Turkey’s objections, directed in particular at Stockholm, focus on what it considers to be the countries’ leniency towards the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is on the EU’s list of terrorist organisations.

Niinisto said Sunday he was “prepared to have a new discussion with President Erdogan about the problems he has raised”.

At NATO’s meeting in Berlin, Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok said he was “absolutely certain that we will find a solution”, while Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said “the signs don’t look bad” for Sweden and Finland.

World Opinions+ Agencies

L’article Finland announces ‘historic’ NATO bid, Sweden expected to follow suit est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

President Putin says Russia is ready for talks on confidence-building measures, but the West needs to heed its main demands.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is “ready to work further” with the West on security issues to de-escalate tensions over Ukraine, but emphasised the need for the West to heed Russia’s main demands.

He spoke on Tuesday during a news conference following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow.

Scholz said at the briefing that he agrees with Russia’s assessment that there is still a chance to avert war over Ukraine and that “diplomatic options are far from exhausted”.

Meanwhile, some troops in Russia’s military districts adjacent to Ukraine returned to their bases after completing drills, Russia’s defence ministry was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying, a move that could de-escalate friction between Moscow and the West.

Blinken told Lavrov US needs to see credible de-escalation: State Department

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov the US has ongoing concerns about Russia’s ability to launch an invasion of Ukraine and needs to see “verifiable, credible, meaningful de-escalation.”

“While further Russian aggression against Ukraine would result in a swift, severe, and united Transatlantic response, we remain committed to the diplomatic path and believe that a window remains to resolve the crisis peacefully,” Blinken told Lavrov, according to the statement.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Putin says ready for talks on security, NATO concerns est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

Nato leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels have warned of the military threat posed by China, saying its behaviour is a “systemic challenge”.

China, they said, was rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, was “opaque” about its military modernisation and was co-operating militarily with Russia.

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg warned China was “coming closer” to Nato in military and technological terms.

But he stressed the alliance did not want a new Cold War with China.

Nato is a powerful political and military alliance between 30 European and North American countries. It was established after World War Two in response to the threat of communist expansion.

In recent years, the alliance came under strain as leaders debated its purpose and funding.

Tensions grew during the presidency of Donald Trump, who complained about his country’s financial contributions to the alliance and questioned the US commitment to defend European partners.

It is his successor Joe Biden’s first Nato meeting since taking office, and the new president has sought to reassert American backing for the 72-year-old alliance.

Mr Biden said Nato was critically important for “US interests” and the alliance had a “sacred obligation” to observe Article 5 of its founding treaty, which commits members to defend each other from attack.

Asked about his forthcoming summit with Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Wednesday, he described the Russian president as a “worthy adversary”.

In another development, the Nato leaders also agreed to pay to keep Kabul airport running as the US and its allies withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

Why is Nato focusing on China?

According to the summit’s communiqué (concluding statement), China’s “stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to Alliance security”.

“We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation,” it says.

Mr Stoltenberg told reporters: “We’re not entering a new Cold War and China is not our adversary, not our enemy.”

But, he added, “we need to address together, as the alliance, the challenges that the rise of China poses to our security”.

China is one of the world’s leading military and economic powers, whose ruling Communist Party has a tight grip on politics, daily life and much of society.

Nato has become increasingly concerned about the growing military capabilities of China, which it sees as a threat to the security and democratic values of its members.

In recent years, the alliance has also grown wary of China’s activities in Africa, where it has set up army bases.

World Opinions News – bbc

L’article Nato warns of military challenge posed by China est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.

US President Joe Biden has launched his first official overseas trip with a warning to Russia that it faces “robust and meaningful” consequences if it engages in “harmful activities”.

Mr Biden made clear his intention to strengthen ties with US allies, following strained relations under the Trump administration.

President Biden arrived in the UK on Wednesday.

He will meet PM Boris Johnson to agree a new “Atlantic Charter”.

The pact will be a modern version of the one agreed between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt in 1941, with a focus on challenges including climate change and security.

The BBC’s political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, says the two are aiming to refresh a vital relationship, after the turbulence of the Trump years and the pressures of the pandemic.

During a packed eight-day European visit Mr Biden will meet the Queen at Windsor Castle, attend a G7 leaders’ meeting, and join his first Nato summit as president.

At the end of his trip Mr Biden is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva.

The White House has indicated that he intends to cover a “full range of pressing issues” with his Russian counterpart, including arms control, climate change, Russian military involvement in Ukraine, Russia’s cyber-hacking activities and the jailing of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.

Three organisations linked to Mr Navalny were outlawed by a Moscow court on Wednesday for being “extremist”.

Addressing US troops and their families at the RAF Mildenhall airbase in Suffolk on Wednesday, where he landed before travelling on to Cornwall, Mr Biden said he would deliver a clear message to Mr Putin.

“We’re not seeking conflict with Russia,” he said. “We want a stable and predictable relationship … but I’ve been clear: The United States will respond in a robust and meaningful way if the Russian government engages in harmful activities.”

Ties between Washington and Moscow are at a low point over a variety of issues. In April, Mr Putin accused Western powers of trying to “pick on” Russia and warned them not to cross a “red line”.

Mr Biden said that “at every point” during his first overseas trip as president he wanted to make it clear that “the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges, and the issues that matter most to our future”.

Other leaders of the G7 (Group of Seven) will arrive in Cornwall, south-west England, on Friday and meetings will take place over the weekend.

The G7 is made up of the world’s seven largest so-called advanced economies – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US – plus the EU.

The main topic of conversation will be Covid recovery, including “a stronger global health system that can protect us all from future pandemics”.

In an article for the Times, Boris Johnson said the G7 would “begin the framing of a new global treaty on pandemic preparedness so the world is never caught out in the same way again”.

The Biden administration has said it plans to provide 500 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to about 100 countries over the next two years.

The G7 agenda also includes climate change and trade.

Mr Biden is expected to warn that the UK-EU trade row could endanger peace in Northern Ireland. He will call on fellow leaders to protect the gains of the Good Friday agreement.

At the end of the summit, the UK – as the host nation – will publish a document outlining what has been agreed by the leaders.

After the G7, Mr Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will meet the Queen at Windsor Castle before flying to Brussels for talks with Nato on Monday and the EU on Tuesday.

US ties with Nato were strained under Donald Trump, but Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg – visiting the White House on Monday – hailed Mr Biden’s “powerful commitment” to America’s allies.

World Opinions – bbc

L’article Analysis. Biden warns Russia against ‘harmful activities’ at start of first official trip est apparu en premier sur زوايا ميادين | Mayadin Columns.