Author: Anadolu Agency

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned of a deepening crisis in South Sudan, describing the situation as a “perfect storm” of conflict, humanitarian disaster, and economic collapse. “Let’s not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people,” Guterres said at the UN headquarters in New York. “A security emergency-with intensifying clashes; aerial bombing of civilians, including women and children; and an ever-growing regional dimension to the conflict,” he said. He stressed that the country’s political turmoil had worsened with the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar,…

Germany’s intelligence service BND has issued a stark warning about Russia’s potential military attack on a NATO country in the near future, German public broadcasters reported Friday. According to WDR and NDR television channels, the German military and BND intelligence service have informed political authorities that Russia will have the military capability to wage “large-scale conventional warfare” by the end of this decade. “Russia sees itself in a systemic conflict with the West and is prepared to implement its imperialistic goals through military force, even beyond Ukraine,” said the report, which drew on recent intelligence findings, satellite surveillance, and economic…

Greenland is expected to announce a four-party unity government on Friday, local media reported Thursday. The Demokraatit party, the winner of the most recent elections, will form the coalition with the Siumut, Inuit Ataqatigiit and Atassut parties, according to public broadcaster KNR and the newspaper Sermitsiaq. Together, the four parties won around 75% of the seats in parliament. Only one party-Naleraq, which favors greater cooperation with the US-will be in the opposition. The government formation coincides with a high-profile visit by a US delegation, including Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. The…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that Russia is trying to insert additional conditions into a Black Sea maritime security deal negotiated by the US between Moscow and Kyiv in Saudi Arabia earlier this week. The US announced separate agreements Tuesday with Russia and Ukraine to “ensure safe navigation” in the Black Sea and a halt to strikes on each other’s energy facilities for 30 days following talks in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Moscow and Kyiv later confirmed the agreements, though the Kremlin said they would take effect as soon as certain restrictions and sanctions on Russia are lifted.…

US Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Thursday that he will force votes next week on halting nearly $9 billion in new military aid for Israel after it broke a ceasefire in Gaza with large-scale strikes that have added hundreds of new deaths to an already grim death toll. Sanders said he would force votes on two resolutions of disapproval to block the sales of certain offensive weaponry proposed by the Trump administration, which combined total some $8.8 billion. The senior independent senator said the bombs and other munitions would enable Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “extremist government to continue its destruction of…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called on international leaders to keep sanctions on Russia “as long as the aggression and occupation continue.” Speaking at the Leaders’ Summit on Support for Ukraine in France, Zelenskyy thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for their commitment, and warned that lifting sanctions now would “be a disaster for diplomacy,” as Moscow continues to reject ceasefire proposals and impose “unrealistic conditions.” “Sanctions are one of the few real tools the world has to pressure Russia into serious talks,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia breaks its promises way too often-we can’t take…

Russia and the US are discussing a new agreement as part of efforts to revive the Black Sea Initiative, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday in Moscow. “The outlines of a new agreement are currently under discussion,” ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated during a briefing, referring to recent Russian-American talks in Riyadh. Following expert consultations between the two sides in the Saudi capital, the Kremlin announced that both countries had agreed to ensure the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative. The deal aims to guarantee safe maritime navigation and prevent the use of commercial ships for military purposes. However, Moscow…

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday called for US involvement in future Ukraine peace talks. Participating in the EU Summit in Paris, Meloni reaffirmed European and Western support for Ukraine’s sovereignty. Meloni emphasized the importance of continuing collaboration with the United States to end the conflict, according to a statement from the Italian Presidency. During the summit, Meloni reiterated the need for “solid and credible security guarantees” for Ukraine, suggesting that such guarantees should be rooted in the Euro-Atlantic context, drawing parallels to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, according to the statement. Additionally, the summit addressed the potential…

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday rejected any easing of sanctions on Russia, saying recent developments have shown that Moscow is “currently not interested in real peace.” Speaking to reporters in Paris after the Ukraine summit of European leaders, Scholz affirmed that Germany and its allies would maintain their support for Ukraine while ceasefire negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow continue. “We have seen how the negotiations have gone so far, and Russia has added new demands after each round. This clearly demonstrates that Russia is currently not interested in real peace,” Scholz said, calling for heightened pressure on Moscow to…

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump will feel “cheated” and “betrayed” if Russia does not provide a “clear answer” regarding a proposed truce in Ukraine. “If Russia does not provide a clear answer, then, rightfully, President Trump will feel cheated and betrayed, and he will have to react,” Macron said at a press conference after the EU Summit in Paris. Macron also urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to play “a fully active role” in fostering peace, citing China’s diplomatic ties with Russia and previous peace efforts with Brazil. “I hope President Xi can help…