Author: Anadolu Agency

Saudi Arabia has confirmed that alcohol will not be sold at the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which it will be hosting across five cities. “Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country. At the moment, we don’t allow alcohol, but plenty of fun can be had without it. It’s not 100% necessary,” the Saudi ambassador to the UK, Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, told British digital radio station LBC News on Thursday. “If you want to drink after you leave, you’re welcome to, but at the moment, we don’t have alcohol,” he added. Emphasizing cultural differences, Al…

The European Commission criticized US President Donald Trump’s proposed “reciprocal” trade policy on Friday, calling it a step in the “wrong direction” and warning that it threatens global economic stability. “The European Commission views President Trump’s proposed ‘reciprocal’ trade policy as a step in the wrong direction,” the commission said in a statement. The statement reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to an “open and predictable” global trading system, arguing that tariffs harm businesses, stifle growth, and fuel inflation. “Tariffs are taxes. By imposing tariffs, the US is taxing its own citizens, raising costs for businesses and increasing economic uncertainty,” it said.…

Investigative American journalist Michael Shellenberger was called to testify before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday regarding allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the CIA funded the 2019 impeachment effort against President Donald Trump. Shellenberger first addressed the issue on Feb. 6 on the social media platform X, explaining how the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) played a central role in leading the impeachment effort. “USAID’s defenders say it’s about charity and development in poor nations. It’s not. It’s a $40 billion driver of regime change abroad. And now the…

NATO membership has never been promised to Ukraine as part of a peace deal, the alliance chief said Friday. “It has never been said before, and not even in that Washington summit statement, that when a peace deal would be done on Ukraine, that in that peace deal, it should be NATO, full stop. That is not the case,” Mark Rutte told reporters at the Munich Security Conference. He stressed that it “has never been promised to Ukraine” that NATO membership would “be part of the outcome.” Rutte added that things should go “step by step,” and the first step…

Germany’s defense minister sharply criticized the Trump administration on Friday for undermining Ukraine’s position ahead of possible peace negotiations with Russia. At the Munich Security Conference, Boris Pistorius told reporters that statements from US officials following President Donald Trump’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin had weakened Kyiv’s negotiating position. “In my view, it’s unfortunate that the Trump administration has taken two important negotiating issues off the table, namely Ukraine’s NATO membership and the question of what territorial changes in Ukraine might look like. I think that was a mistake,” Pistorius said. “It would have been much better to talk…

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Friday reiterated Kyiv’s commitment to joining NATO, emphasizing the country’s role in Euro-Atlantic security during talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Ahead of a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, Umerov held discussions with Rutte, whom he described as a “great friend of Ukraine.” “Ukraine does not abandon its strategic course — we see our future in NATO,” Umerov said. “This is our security priority, and our army is already an essential part of Euro-Atlantic security.” He briefed Rutte on the development of Ukraine’s defense-industrial base and plans to enhance military capabilities, stressing that Ukraine strengthens…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talked with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday, expressing gratitude for Britain’s continued support and leadership in the face of ongoing security challenges. “I thanked him for all the UK’s support and emphasized that we deeply value Britain’s leadership,” Zelenskyy wrote on X after his phone call with Starmer. He briefed Starmer on his recent discussions with US President Donald Trump and engagements with American officials, highlighting the importance of coordination between Ukrainian, American, European, and global partners to achieve concrete security outcomes. “The security of each nation depends on strengthening our collective security,” Zelenskyy…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that the US does not have a clear plan to end the war in Ukraine, stressing the need for stronger military support and decisive Western action against Russia. “I don’t think that the US has a ready plan to end the war,” Zelensky told reporters in Munich, ahead of his planned talks with US Vice President J.D. Vance on the situation in Ukraine. He also reiterated that if Ukraine is not accepted into NATO, the country must expand its army to 1.5 million soldiers equipped with modern weaponry to ensure national security. Zelensky…

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Friday there is an Arab-supported Egyptian plan that aims to rebuild the Gaza Strip without displacing its Palestinian residents. Safadi made the statement during his meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris on the sidelines of a conference on Syria hosted by France, according to the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. The statement quoted both top diplomats as opposing the relocation of Palestinians, opposing US President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and displace its residents to Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere. The two foreign ministers also discussed efforts to maintain the ceasefire in…

The Spanish foreign minister stressed Friday that Gazans must go back and live in the Gaza Strip, pledging his country will do everything possible to help with the reconstruction of the coastal enclave. “We really want this ceasefire to become permanent, and I am really happy to see that the release of hostages has (been) reinstated again,” Jose Manuel Albares told Anadolu on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in the southeastern German city. Albares noted that a permanent ceasefire is in everyone’s best interests, including Israeli security. “Of course, the Palestinians of Gaza must go back and live…