LAGOS MARCH 9TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Sweden on Thursday formally joined NATO as the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality as concerns about Russian aggression in Europe have spiked following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Secretary of State Antony Blinken presided at a ceremony in which Sweden’s “instrument…
LAGOS MAY 4RG (NEWSRANGERS)-Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis has floated the idea that he wants to take a trip to Kyiv to try to broker a ceasefire. But now he says he would prefer to go to Moscow to try to talk some sense into Vladimir Putin, who he has…
LAGOS MARCH 10TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The Department of Defense on Wednesday explained its reasoning for rejecting Poland’s recent offer to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets into U.S. custody for delivery to Ukraine, describing the proposal as “high risk.” “The intelligence community has assessed that the transfer of MiG-29s to Ukraine may be mistaken as escalatory and could result…
LAGOS MARCH 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed willingness to discuss Russia’s demands for Kyiv to recognize annexed Crimea and the breakaway pro-Moscow territories in an interview with ABC News published Tuesday. “I think that items regarding temporarily occupied territories and pseudo-republics not recognized by anyone but Russia, we can discuss and find a…
LAGOS FEBRUARY 26TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Russia has warned of “military consequences” if Finland and Sweden join Nato, after their leaders held talks with the alliance in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign affairs spokesman, said at her weekly briefing that all members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, including…
LAGOS FEBRUARY 24TH (NEWSRANGERS)-President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, charging that Russian leader Vladimir Putin “chose this war” and that his country will bear the consequences of his action. The sanctions target Russian banks, oligarchs and high-tech sectors, Biden said. The United States…
LAGOS JUNE 6TH (NEWSRANGERS)-US President Donald Trump has approved a plan to withdraw 9,500 American troops from bases in Germany by September, US media say. Mr Trump, who has long complained that European members of Nato should spend more on their own defence, reportedly wants US troop levels capped at 25,000. Troops would either be…