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March
Slovakia says willing to provide Ukraine S-300s if NATO fills gap
Written by Nur Yasmin
Slovakia's defense minister said on Thursday that his country was willing to provide Ukraine with S-300 air defenses if NATO allies find a substitute, but his visiting U.S. counterpart told reporters he had nothing to announce on that.
Ukraine has appealed to Western nations for air defenses to help repel a Russian military onslaught, now in its fourth week.
"We have been in discussion with U.S., Ukraine and also other allies on the possibility to deploy, send or give the S-300 to Ukrainians and we are willing to do so," Slovakia's Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad told a news conference.
"But willing to do so immediately when we have a proper replacement."
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was speaking alongside Nad, declined to say whether the United States might be willing to fill the gap.
"I don't have any announcements for you this afternoon. These are things that we will continue to work with all of our allies on. And certainly this is not just a U.S. issue, it's a NATO issue," Austin said, without elaborating.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced an additional $800 million in security assistance, including weapons to take down Russian planes and tanks. read more
But the kinds of air defenses deployed in Slovakia are highly sought after by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
NATO member Slovakia has one battery of the S-300 air defence system, inherited from the Soviet era after the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993.
It expects to get Patriot missile defenses as part of a new NATO battle group that has just been agreed to be deployed in the country as part of NATO's reinforcements on the alliance's eastern flank.
But the Slovaks don't see that as sufficient, given it will not be their system and it is not clear how long it will be based in the country.
Slovakia shares a 98-kilometer (61-mile) border with Ukraine.
The country also operates a small fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets, also dependent on Russian servicing.
"We were discussing various options for how to fill in this gap if we decided not to use MiG-29s anymore," Nad said, adding that Slovakia was expected to get Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N) F-16 fighter jets in 2024. (reuters)
March
France is at 'tipping point' in era of crisis, Macron says as he targets second term
Written by Nur Yasmin
President Emmanuel Macron vowed on Thursday to steer the country through what he called a new era of crisis if he wins a second term in next month's election, saying the world is at a "tipping point" where France can make a difference.
Opinion polls show Macron's longtstanding lead over rival candidates has grown in recent weeks, with voters approving of his diplomatic efforts before and during the Ukraine war. He is seen winning the first round of the election on April 10 and beating any opponent in a run-off on April 24th.
"We are at a tipping point where we can make a real difference," Macron told a news conference, highlighting the war on the European Union's doorstep and the global challenge of climate change. read more
He said his plans for a second term are "anchored in the moment that is ours, that of the return of tragedy in history".
Making France a more self-sufficient country will be a key objective, he said, as he started outlining his platform, with proposals ranging from "investing massively" toward France's agricultural and industrial independence to pushing ahead with building more nuclear reactors and strengthening the army.
Macron said he wanted to build a "European metaverse" to compete with U.S. tech giants and make Europe more independent on that front too.
There will also be subsidies for home improvements and other measures to fight climate change, for example ensuring access to affordable electric vehicles, including through leasing programmes.
Until now, little had emerged about Macron's campaign platform, aside from plans to raise the retirement age to 65 and scrap a TV license fee.
With economic growth surging and unemployment falling, Macron can point to data to show he has rebooted the euro zone's second biggest economy since he took office in 2017. read more
"I had promised to lower unemployment, (and) despite the crises we did it," he said, adding that if re-elected he would continue to reform the labour market with the aim of wiping out unemployment.
He said he will also open up more spots to study in university.
Opinion polls in recent weeks show Macron winning up to 30.5% of the vote in the first round, up from around 25% last month.
But even if he goes on to win re-election, Macron will need his centrist La Republique en Marche (LaRem) party - which has failed in all recent local elections - and its allies to win a parliamentary election in June if he is to have a strong base to implement his policies.
It has been an unusual presidential campaign, first dominated by the rise of a new far-right candidate, Eric Zemmour, and now largely overshadowed by the war in Ukraine. (reuters)
March
Kremlin says neutral Ukraine like Austria is possible compromise
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a neutral Ukraine with its own army along the lines of Austria or Sweden was being looked at as a possible compromise in talks with Kyiv.
"This is a variant that is currently being discussed and which could really be seen a compromise," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on day 21 of what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine.
Peskov was commenting on remarks from Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's chief negotiator, who earlier told state TV: "Ukraine is offering an Austrian or Swedish version of a neutral demilitarized state, but at the same time a state with its own army and navy."
Ukraine has not confirmed it is willing to discuss neutrality. It says it is ready to negotiate to end the war, but not to surrender or accept Russian ultimatums.
March
Japan says will remove more COVID restrictions as new infections ebb
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan said on Wednesday it is lifting COVID-19 restrictions imposed on Tokyo and 17 other prefectures as a wave of infections caused by the Omicron variant ebbs.
An Omicron wave led to record infection rates in the capital and throughout Japan in February, the nation's deadliest wave of the pandemic so far. Tokyo logged 10,221 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, down 13.6% from a week earlier.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a news conference that quasi-emergency restrictions would be lifted as of March 21 and the country would slowly return to normal.
After a slow start, the government's COVID-19 vaccine booster programme has accelerated, with about 71% of Japan's vulnerable elderly population having received a third dose.
The so-called quasi-state of emergency curbs currently applied in 18 of Japan's 47 prefectures centred on limiting hours for eateries and other businesses.
Officials in the western prefecture of Osaka had considered requesting an extension of the restrictions due to high hospitalisations, but ultimately decided to let them expire.
The measures have weighed on the economy, particularly the service sector.
"A certain amount of services demand will be unleashed if the curbs are lifted as households have quite a lot of savings now and it coincides with the spring holidays," said Daiju Aoki, chief Japan economist at UBS SuMi TRUST Wealth Management.
Health experts have said the current Omicron wave is not over, and new variants could emerge at any time. But the restrictions, used repeatedly during the two-year pandemic, have lost their effectiveness on public behaviour, said Tohoku University professor Hitoshi Oshitani.
"We need to have a different strategy to suppress the transmission at this stage," said Oshitani, a lead advisor on the government's pandemic response. "It's still premature to discuss a kind of exit strategy from this virus." (reuters)
March
Saudi king receives new pacemaker battery, leaves hospital - royal court
Written by Nur Yasmin
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz left a hospital in Riyadh after undergoing medical tests and replacement of his heart pacemaker battery, the royal court said on Wednesday.
State television aired a video clip of the 86-year-old monarch walking using a cane with his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, close by.
The treatment plan calls for King Salman to "rest for several days", said the royal court statement on state media.
King Salman, the custodian of Islam's holiest sites, became ruler of the world's top oil exporter in 2015 after spending more than 2-1/2 years as the crown prince and deputy premier.
He underwent gallbladder surgery in 2020. (reuters)
March
Ukraine's Zelenskiy to call on U.S. Congress for more help
Written by Nur Yasmin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday is set to make an urgent appeal to the U.S. Congress for more help in fending off a Russian invasion that has brought death and destruction and sent a wave of refugees fleeing his country.
Zelenskiy's virtual address to members of the House of Representatives and Senate, scheduled for 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT), comes a day after he made a plea to Canada's parliament for more Western sanctions on Russia and the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
A no-fly zone is a step that U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO allies have resisted out of a fear of escalating the war that began with Russia's Feb. 24 invasion. Biden on Tuesday signed into law $13.6 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine to help it obtain more weaponry and for humanitarian assistance.
Zelenskiy has sought in recent weeks to shore up support for his country in various speeches to foreign audiences, also including the European Parliament and the British Parliament.
Support for Ukraine is a rare instance in which Republicans and Democrats have aligned in a sharply divided Congress, with some lawmakers in both parties urging Biden to go further in helping Ukraine. There is some bipartisan support in Congress for rushing combat aircraft to Ukraine.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday told reporters he does not expect Zelenskiy to ask for direct U.S. engagement or for a no-fly zone, which could require NATO forces to fire on Russian aircraft.
"But there are a lot of weapons that are extremely effective at controlling the air," McConnell said, citing warplanes that Poland has offered to provide Ukraine.
The speech will be broadcast live, unlike a private conversation Zelenskiy held on March 5 with U.S. lawmakers during which he made a plea for aircraft to help Ukraine fend off aerial attacks by Russia.
"We are not asking for much. We are asking for justice, for real support," Zelenskiy told Canadian lawmakers on Tuesday. read more
The United Nations estimates that around 3 million people have fled Ukraine, mostly women and children, and are seeking safety in neighboring countries, mainly Poland.
Biden has announced a ban on Russian oil and other energy imports and has called for a suspension of Russia's trading status that affords its exported products lower tariffs in the international arena. The House is attempting to pass legislation responding to Biden's request this week.
HISTORIC VISITS
It is rare for foreign leaders to address the U.S. Congress during wartime. A famous example came in 1941, when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke to Congress just weeks after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the United States into World War Two. Churchill warned that "many disappointments and unpleasant surprises await us."
In 2015, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to Congress opposing an international deal aimed at discouraging Iran from developing nuclear weapons as the matter was being debated in Washington.
The first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress was King Kalakaua of Hawaii in 1874, before Hawaii became a state.
Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1992 addressed Congress. Yeltsin's upbeat speech proclaimed: "We have left behind the period when America and Russia looked at each other through gun sights, ready to pull the trigger at any time."
But the sanctions leveled by the United States and its allies against Russia following the invasion and moves to shore up Ukraine's military capability have brought back memories of the decades-long Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union to which Yeltsin had referred. (Reuters)
March
Suspected N.Korea missile 'explodes in mid-air' after launch near Pyongyang
Written by Nur Yasmin
North Korea launched a suspected missile that appeared to explode shortly after liftoff in the skies over Pyongyang on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, amid reports that the nuclear-armed North was seeking to test-fire its largest missile yet.
The United States and South Korea have warned that North Korea may be preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at full range for the first time since 2017, in violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. read more
The projectile was fired from the international airport in Sunan, outside the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.
"It is presumed that it failed immediately after launch," the statement said. It was presumed to be a ballistic missile and seemed to explode in mid-air while still in its booster phase, at an altitude below 20 kilometres (12 miles), a JCS official told Reuters.
A U.S. Department of State spokesperson said it was a "ballistic missile launch" and condemned it as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, but declined to comment when asked about the reported failure.
Debris fell in or near Pyongyang after the failed test, Seoul-based NK News reported, citing unnamed witnesses and a photograph of the test showing a red-tinted ball of smoke at the end of a zig-zagging plume that traced the rocket's launch trajectory in the sky above the city.
The failed launch underscored the danger behind North Korea's decision to use an airport so close to heavily populated civilian areas as a site for test firing large missiles, analysts said. read more
In 2017, an intermediate-range ballistic missile launched from another location in North Korea failed shortly after liftoff and crashed into an industrial or agriculture complex in the city of Tokchon.
The Sunan airport has been the site of several recent launches, including on Feb. 27 and March 5. North Korea said those tests were for developing components of a reconnaissance satellite and did not identify what rocket it used, but Seoul and Washington said they were tests of a new ICBM system.
SERIES OF NEW MISSILE TESTS
Reclusive North Korea has fired missiles at an unprecedented frequency this year, conducting its ninth weapons test on March 5, drawing condemnation from the United States, South Korea and Japan. read more
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier led military exercises in the Yellow Sea, and air defence artillery at Osan air base in South Korea intensified drills in response to the increased North Korean missile activity, U.S. forces in Asia said on Tuesday. read more
South Korean Defence Minister Suh Wook and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera called for maintaining strong defence posture during Suh's visit to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, the largest U.S. overseas military base.
"Our combined military forces provide a credible military deterrence to any adversary or threat who oppose us," LaCamera said, according to a statement released by USFK.
North Korea's newest and largest ICBM system, the Hwasong-17, was first unveiled at a military parade in 2020 and reappeared at a defence exhibition in October 2021.
The Feb. 27 and March 5 launches did not demonstrate the missile's full range, and analysts said the North might have used only one stage of the missile or adjusted its fuel volume to fly at lower altitudes.
North Korea has not tested an ICBM or nuclear bomb since 2017, but has said that it could resume such testing because denuclearisation talks with the United States are stalled.
The government also appears to be restoring some tunnels at its shuttered nuclear test site, U.S. and South Korean officials said last week. read more
REGIONAL RESPONSE
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan voiced Washington's serious concerns about the recent escalatory actions" by North Korea during discussions with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday, while holding talks that focused on Ukraine. read more
Last week, the United States and 10 other countries bemoaned the failure of the U.N. Security Council to condemn North Korea's repeated missile launches. read more
Washington imposed fresh North Korea-related sanctions on Friday, targeting Russian individuals and companies after the two recent launches. read more
Russia and China, which backed U.N. sanctions after North Korea's last ICBM and nuclear tests in 2017, have since argued that sanctions should be eased to encourage dialogue. (reuters)
March
The United States and other NATO members said on Wednesday they would keep helping Ukraine fight off Russia's invasion, while also adapting the alliance's own security to the "new reality" triggered by the war.
Diplomats and military analysts estimate that NATO allies have sent more than 20,000 anti-tank and other weapons to Ukraine since the invasion started on Feb. 24.
"We remain united in our support of Ukraine," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said as he arrived at an emergency meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels. "We support their ability to defend themselves and will continue to support them."
NATO countries will continue to deliver weapons to Ukraine even as those deliveries could become the target of Russian attacks, Dutch defence minister Kajsa Ollongren told reporters, adding: "Ukraine has the right to defend itself."
Ukraine is not a member of NATO. Although it has repeatedly said it wants to join to benefit from its protection, Kyiv said on Tuesday it understood it does not have an open door to NATO membership and was seeking other types of security guarantees. read more
Ministers will also hear from their Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov, who is expected to plead for more weapons from individual NATO countries, as Russian attacks on Ukraine's cities continue and the Russian military seeks control of Kyiv.
Ahead of a summit of NATO leaders on March 24, NATO defence ministers are also set to tell military commanders at Wednesday's meeting to draw up plans for new ways to deter Russia, including more troops and missile defences in eastern Europe.
EASTERN FLANK
While at least 10 of NATO's biggest member states, including the United States, Britain and France, have deployed more troops, ships and warplanes to its eastern flank and put more on stand-by, the alliance must still consider how to face up to a new security situation in Europe over the medium term.
"We need to reset our military posture for this new reality," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday. "Ministers will start an important discussion on concrete measures to reinforce our security for the longer term, in all domains."
Russian missiles hit a Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland on March 13, bringing the invasion right up to NATO's doorstep.
Those missiles were fired from Russia, the United States has said, underscoring Moscow's ability to hit NATO's eastern allies. The United States has also warned of undefined consequences for Moscow if Russia were to launch a chemical attack in Ukraine.
NATO, founded in 1949 to contain a military threat from the Soviet Union, is not treaty-bound to defend Ukraine. But it must defend its 30 allies.
However, diplomats say NATO wants to avoid directly stating its plans, or what would trigger its "Article 5" collective defence pledge, saying "strategic ambiguity" is also a defensive instrument against any Russian aggression.
"The surprise for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin was the West was so united. He didn't believe that. He has the wrong picture about western countries," Estonian Defense Minister Kalle Laanet said as he arrived at the NATO meeting.
"We can't be afraid, we have to stay calm, because Putin would like to see that everybody is afraid." (Reuters)
March
UK's Johnson in Gulf to ask Saudi and UAE to pump more oil
Written by Nur Yasmin
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday ahead of talks with United Arab Emirates and Saudi leaders to secure more oil flows from the Gulf and increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine.
With Britain, like much of the West, facing spiralling energy prices, Johnson is keen to encourage producers to increase output and secure other supplies to try to help consumers and reduce reliance on Russian exports.
So far Saudi Arabia and the UAE, whose close ties with Washington are under strain, have snubbed U.S. pleas to ramp up oil production to tame soaring crude prices that threaten global recession after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The world must wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons and starve Putin's addiction to oil and gas," Johnson said before his meetings. "Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are key international partners in that effort."
The two Gulf states are among the few OPEC oil exporters with spare oil capacity to raise output and potentially offset supply losses from Russia. But they have tried to steer a neutral stance between Western allies and Moscow, their partner in an oil producers' grouping known as OPEC+.
The group has been raising output gradually each month by 400,000 barrels a day, resisting pressure to act more quickly.
The UAE, where Johnson was due to meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, remains committed to the OPEC+ deal, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. read more
The wealthy Gulf state has deepened ties with Moscow and Beijing in the last few years and abstained last month in a U.S.-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, which Russia has described as a "special military operation".
SAUDI EXECUTIONS
Johnson's planned talks in Saudi Arabia with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will make him only the second major Western leader to visit the kingdom since journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 killing by Saudi government agents in Istanbul.
His visit also comes four days after Saudi Arabia executed 81 men, the largest number in a single day for decades, for offences ranging from joining militant groups to holding "deviant beliefs".
Asked about criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record, Johnson said: "I've raised all those issues many, many times over the past ... and I'll raise them all again today.
"But we have long, long standing relationships with this part of the world and we need to recognise the very important relationship that we have ... and not just in hydrocarbons."
The search for new energy supplies has put into doubt Britain's push to drive down emissions to meet its net zero target by 2050, with officials looking at ways to increase oil and gas production at home, as well as abroad.
During the visit, Saudi Arabia, the third-largest supplier of diesel to Britain, will also confirm that its alfanar Group will invest 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) in the Lighthouse Green Fuels Project in Teeside, northeastern England, which hopes to produce sustainable aviation fuel from waste at scale. (Reuters)
March
Pakistan's PM Khan in danger from no-confidence move, key ally says
Written by Nur Yasmin
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is in danger of losing his coalition partners in a no-confidence vote sought by the opposition, a key ally has said, flagging a "tilt" by his partners in government towards their opponents.
The threat of political turmoil in the nuclear-armed nation is growing as the opposition looks to oust the cricketer-turned-politician in a vote that could come as soon as this month after the no-confidence motion unveiled in parliament last week.
"He is in 100% danger," Pervaiz Elahi, the head of one of the four parties in Khan's ruling coalition, told television broadcaster HUM News late on Tuesday.
"They all have got a tilt toward opposition," the veteran politician added in an interview, referring to the four parties, which have a total of 20 seats in the lower house of parliament.
Without them, Khan's party, which has 155 seats in the lower house, would fall short of the 172 needed to retain power.
Khan's ministers have said Elahi would not part ways with the government, while other coalition partners have said they were weighing their options. A spokesman for Elahi's party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pakistan's opposition seeks to throw out Khan after rallying thousands of people on a campaign that he has mismanaged the economy, governance and foreign policy. No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed his term in office. read more
The joint opposition consists of major parties such as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former prime ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, and has a strength of nearly 163 in the lower house.
It needs a simple majority of 172 to prevail in the no-confidence vote.
"They have the required number ... even more than that," Elahi said about the opposition.
Elahi, the speaker of the assembly in the largest province of Punjab has been negotiating with the opposition over the make-up of the next government in case of Khan's fall.
The opposition and political analysts say Khan has fallen out with Pakistan's powerful military whose support they see as critical for any political party to attain power in the way the former cricket star's upstart party did four years ago.
Khan and the military deny the accusations.
Amid the numbers game, both sides have called for protest sit-in rallies outside parliament in Islamabad, the capital, ahead of the voting, which analysts say has strengthened the prospect of clashes and violence. (reuters)