German Green Party leader criticizes some Easter peace march calls
Brantner told the weekly edition of the Berlin-based taz newspaper that while the desire for peace is shared, she believes being left-wing means being anti-imperialist and supporting those who are attacked rather than the aggressors.
She stressed that the imperialist forces today are those of Russian President Vladimir Putin and noted that US President Donald Trump shows similar tendencies.
Brantner stated that Putin is destroying the European peace order, which dictates that national borders must not be changed by force. She warned that if Putin prevails, it would lead to a return to dark times, asserting that increased protection of Ukraine is also peacekeeping for Europe.
Organizers expect thousands of participants at the traditional Easter marches on Saturday. Over the Easter weekend, around 100 demonstrations, rallies, bike convoys and other actions are planned, the Peace Cooperative network in the western city of Bonn announced in advance.
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17 minutes ago
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This Ukrainian startup makes drones — and soon, cruise missiles — to strike deep inside Russia
When a Ukrainian-made drone attacked an ammunition depot in Russia last September, it showcased Kyiv's determination to strike deep behind enemy lines and the prowess of its defense industry. The moment was especially gratifying for the woman in charge of manufacturing the drones that flew more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to carry out this mission. For months after, Russia no longer had the means to keep up devastating glide bomb attacks like the one that had just targeted her native city of Kharkiv. 'Fighting in the air is our only real asymmetric advantage on the battlefield at the moment. We don't have as much manpower or money as they have,' said Iryna Terekh, head of production at Fire Point. Terekh spoke as she surveyed dozens of 'deep-strike drones' that had recently come off the assembly line and would soon be used by Ukrainian forces to attack arms depots, oil refineries and other targets vital to the Kremlin's war machine and economy. Spurred by its existential fight against Russia — and limited military assistance from Western allies — Ukraine has fast become a global center for defense innovation. The goal is to match, if not outmuscle, Russia's capabilities — and Fire Point is one of the companies leading the way. The Associated Press was granted an exclusive look inside one of Fire Point's dozens of covert factories. In a sprawling warehouse where rock music blared, executives showed off their signature FP-1 exploding drones that can travel up to 1,600 kilometers (994 miles). They also touted publicly for the first time a cruise missile they are developing that is capable of traveling 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles), and which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes will be mass-produced by the end of the year. Even as U.S. President Donald Trump presses for an end to the 3 1/2-year war — and dangles the prospect of U.S. support for NATO-like security guarantees — Ukrainian defense officials say their country is determined to become more self-sufficient in deterring Russia. 'We believe our best guarantee is not relying on somebody's will to protect us, but rather our ability to protect ourselves,' said Arsen Zhumadilov, the head of the country's arms procurement agency. Ukraine's government is now purchasing about $10 billion of weapons annually from domestic manufacturers. The industry has the capacity to sell triple that amount, officials say, and they believe sales to European allies could help it reach such potential in a matter of years. Drone innovation grew out of necessity Like most defense companies in Ukraine, Fire Point grew out of necessity after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Despite pleas from Ukrainian military officials, Western countries were unwilling to allow Kyiv to use their allies' longer-range weapons to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. That's when a group of close friends, experts from various fields, set out to mass-produce inexpensive drones that could match the potency of Iranian-made Shahed drones that Russia was firing into Ukraine with devastating consequences. The company's founders spoke with AP on the condition of anonymity out of concern for their safety and the security of their factories. By pooling together knowledge from construction, game design and architecture, the company's founders — who had no background in defense — came up with novel designs for drones that could fly further and strike with greater precision than most products already on the market. Their long-range drones had another benefit: they did not need to take off from an air field. When Terekh — an architect — was hired in the summer of 2023, she was given a goal of producing 30 drones per month. Now the company makes roughly 100 per day, at a cost of $55,000 apiece. The FP-1 looks more like a hastily made science project than something that would roll off the production lines of the world's biggest defense contractors. 'We removed unneeded, flashy glittery stuff,' she said. But the FP-1 has been extremely effective on the battlefield. With a payload of explosives weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds), it is responsible for 60% of strikes deep inside Russian territory, including hits on oil refineries and weapons depots, according to Terekh. These strikes have helped to slow Russia's advance along the 1,000 kilometer-long (620 mile-long) front line in eastern Ukraine, where army units have reported a sharp decline in artillery fire. 'I think the best drones, or among the best, are Ukrainian drones," said Claude Chenuil, a former French military official who now works for a trade group that focuses on defense. 'When the war in Ukraine ends, they will flood the market.' Ukraine is becoming the 'Silicon Valley' of defense Fire Point's story is not entirely unique. Soon after Russia's 2022 invasion, hundreds of defense companies sprouted almost overnight. The Ukrainian government incentivized innovation by relaxing regulations and making it easier for startups to work directly with military brigades. Patriotic entrepreneurs in metallurgy, construction and information technology built facilities for researching and making weapons and munitions, with an emphasis on drones. The ongoing war allowed them to test out ideas almost immediately on the battlefield, and to quickly adapt to Russia's changing tactics. 'Ukraine is in this very unique moment now where it is becoming, de facto, the Silicon Valley of defense,' said Ukrainian defense entrepreneur Yaroslav Azhnyuk. 'The biggest strategic asset that we have is that we have been at war with Russia for 11 years.' A case in point: Fire Point had initially sourced navigational equipment for its drones from a major Western firm, but before long Russia was able to disrupt their effectiveness using electronic warfare; so Fire Point developed its own software to outwit the enemy. Because defense companies are high-value targets for Russia, many operate underground or hidden within civilian centers to evade detection. Although they are guarded by air defenses, the strategy has the disadvantage of putting civilians at risk. Many Ukrainians have died in imprecise Russian attacks that were likely targeting weapons facilities. Entrepreneurs said the alternative is to operate openly and face attacks that would set back the war effort. Supplies of drones don't last long On the day AP reporters visited the Fire Point factory, there were dozens of drones awaiting delivery. They would all be gone within 72 hours, shipped to the battlefield in inconspicuous cargo trucks. The Fire Point team receives regular feedback from army units, and the company has reinvested most profits toward innovating quickly to keep pace with other drone makers. Increasingly, those profits are being directed to develop a new, more potent weapon. The company completed testing this year for its first cruise missile, the FP-5. Capable of traveling 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) and landing within 14 meters (45 feet) of its target, the FP-5 is one of the largest such missile in the world, delivering a payload of 1,150 kilograms (2,535 pounds), independent experts said. Because initial versions of the missile came out pink after a factory error, they called it the Flamingo — and the name has stuck. Fire Point is producing roughly one Flamingo per day, and by October they hope to build capacity to make seven per day, Terekh said. Even as Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials pursue ways to end the war, Terekh said she is skeptical that Russia will accept terms for a real peace. 'We are preparing for a bigger, much scarier war.' ___ Associated Press journalist Dmytro Zhyhinas contributed to this report.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Talk of boots on the ground in Ukraine sparks unease in Germany
By Sarah Marsh and Matthias Williams BERLIN (Reuters) -Allied talk of sending European peacekeeping forces to protect Ukraine as part of a possible peace deal with Russia has sparked a backlash in Germany, a country still scarred by its militaristic Nazi past, even if the prospect remains remote. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has signalled openness to German participation in a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine while emphasizing that such a decision would require coordination with European partners and his own coalition. He also noted that any troop deployment would likely require a Bundestag mandate, a challenge for a chancellor whose own appointment was only voted through on the second attempt. Russia is fiercely opposed to any troops from the NATO alliance being deployed and it is far from clear how such a force could work. Alice Weidel, the head of the surging far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) accused Merz's conservatives of war-mongering for even considering the idea of ground troops, slamming it as "dangerous and irresponsible". Even Merz's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned sending troops to Ukraine "would probably overwhelm us". There is unease in Germany over troop deployments given its Nazi past and more recent deployments to Afghanistan and Mali that were widely seen as failures. There is also a backlash against spending billions of euros on military aid for Ukraine when Germany's own economy is struggling. Policymakers meanwhile are nervous about overstretching Germany's long-neglected army and being sucked into a direct confrontation with a nuclear power. "Something like this is obviously extremely controversial in Germany," said Marcel Dirsus, Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University, adding that the government would tread very carefully. "There is no point expending political capital on something that might not actually come to pass," he said. It is tricky waters to navigate for Merz, who, after winning elections this year, has pledged to make Germany's conventional armed forces the most powerful in Europe, backed by hundreds of billions of euros in new borrowing. Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Merz's Christian Democratic Union party (CDU), wrote to lawmakers urging them to refrain from publicly speculating about the issue, according to a letter leaked to German media. Merz's popularity has sagged since winning office and the AfD, which has taken Russia-friendly positions and opposes weapons aid to Ukraine, is leading national opinion polls ahead of local elections next year. The AfD posted a mocked up image on X of Merz grinning above five young Germans with the words: "Merz wants to send YOU to Ukraine? We don't!" DIVIDED GERMANY French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have both spoken in favour of troop deployments in a post-war settlement, but Germans are more wary of the idea. According to a Forsa survey commissioned by RTL/ntv, 49% of Germans would support Germany sending its own soldiers to a European peacekeeping force, but 45% oppose it - compared to much stronger majorities in favour in Britain and France. Scepticism is particularly strong in east Germany, where three states hold elections next year. Sven Schulze, state leader of Merz's CDU in one of those states, Saxony-Anhalt, told Stern magazine the Bundeswehr was barely in a position to deploy troops. It was much more important to build "a strong European security architecture," he said. "Anything else would overwhelm us as a country and also the Bundeswehr." Scepticism is even greater within Merz's junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, who have traditionally argued more in favour of engagement with Russia. "Germany should stay out of this matter," Ralf Stegner, a lawmaker from the leftist, more pacifist faction of the SPD, told Der Spiegel. "The deployment of German soldiers in the region is also extremely difficult for historical reasons. For some, including Thomas Roewekamp, the CDU head of the parliamentary defence committee, German troops would be needed in the event of a permanent ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. "And to make deterrence credible, we must have military capabilities," he told broadcaster WDR 5's Morgenecho. Asked about the deployment, Merz on Monday said "it is too early today to give a definitive answer". Solve the daily Crossword
17 minutes ago
This Ukrainian startup makes drones — and soon, cruise missiles — to strike deep inside Russia
When a Ukrainian-made drone attacked an ammunition depot in Russia last September, it showcased Kyiv's determination to strike deep behind enemy lines and the prowess of its defense industry. The moment was especially gratifying for the woman in charge of manufacturing the drones that flew more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to carry out this mission. For months after, Russia no longer had the means to keep up devastating glide bomb attacks like the one that had just targeted her native city of Kharkiv. 'Fighting in the air is our only real asymmetric advantage on the battlefield at the moment. We don't have as much manpower or money as they have,' said Iryna Terekh, head of production at Fire Point. Terekh spoke as she surveyed dozens of 'deep-strike drones' that had recently come off the assembly line and would soon be used by Ukrainian forces to attack arms depots, oil refineries and other targets vital to the Kremlin's war machine and economy. Spurred by its existential fight against Russia — and limited military assistance from Western allies — Ukraine has fast become a global center for defense innovation. The goal is to match, if not outmuscle, Russia's capabilities — and Fire Point is one of the companies leading the way. The Associated Press was granted an exclusive look inside one of Fire Point's dozens of covert factories. In a sprawling warehouse where rock music blared, executives showed off their signature FP-1 exploding drones that can travel up to 1,600 kilometers (994 miles). They also touted publicly for the first time a cruise missile they are developing that is capable of traveling 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles), and which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes will be mass-produced by the end of the year. Even as U.S. President Donald Trump presses for an end to the 3 1/2-year war — and dangles the prospect of U.S. support for NATO-like security guarantees — Ukrainian defense officials say their country is determined to become more self-sufficient in deterring Russia. 'We believe our best guarantee is not relying on somebody's will to protect us, but rather our ability to protect ourselves,' said Arsen Zhumadilov, the head of the country's arms procurement agency. Ukraine's government is now purchasing about $10 billion of weapons annually from domestic manufacturers. The industry has the capacity to sell triple that amount, officials say, and they believe sales to European allies could help it reach such potential in a matter of years. Like most defense companies in Ukraine, Fire Point grew out of necessity after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Despite pleas from Ukrainian military officials, Western countries were unwilling to allow Kyiv to use their allies' longer-range weapons to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. That's when a group of close friends, experts from various fields, set out to mass-produce inexpensive drones that could match the potency of Iranian-made Shahed drones that Russia was firing into Ukraine with devastating consequences. The company's founders spoke with AP on the condition of anonymity out of concern for their safety and the security of their factories. By pooling together knowledge from construction, game design and architecture, the company's founders — who had no background in defense — came up with novel designs for drones that could fly further and strike with greater precision than most products already on the market. Their long-range drones had another benefit: they did not need to take off from an air field. When Terekh — an architect — was hired in the summer of 2023, she was given a goal of producing 30 drones per month. Now the company makes roughly 100 per day, at a cost of $55,000 apiece. The FP-1 looks more like a hastily made science project than something that would roll off the production lines of the world's biggest defense contractors. 'We removed unneeded, flashy glittery stuff,' she said. But the FP-1 has been extremely effective on the battlefield. With a payload of explosives weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds), it is responsible for 60% of strikes deep inside Russian territory, including hits on oil refineries and weapons depots, according to Terekh. These strikes have helped to slow Russia's advance along the 1,000 kilometer-long (620 mile-long) front line in eastern Ukraine, where army units have reported a sharp decline in artillery fire. 'I think the best drones, or among the best, are Ukrainian drones," said Claude Chenuil, a former French military official who now works for a trade group that focuses on defense. 'When the war in Ukraine ends, they will flood the market.' Fire Point's story is not entirely unique. Soon after Russia's 2022 invasion, hundreds of defense companies sprouted almost overnight. The Ukrainian government incentivized innovation by relaxing regulations and making it easier for startups to work directly with military brigades. Patriotic entrepreneurs in metallurgy, construction and information technology built facilities for researching and making weapons and munitions, with an emphasis on drones. The ongoing war allowed them to test out ideas almost immediately on the battlefield, and to quickly adapt to Russia's changing tactics. 'Ukraine is in this very unique moment now where it is becoming, de facto, the Silicon Valley of defense,' said Ukrainian defense entrepreneur Yaroslav Azhnyuk. 'The biggest strategic asset that we have is that we have been at war with Russia for 11 years.' A case in point: Fire Point had initially sourced navigational equipment for its drones from a major Western firm, but before long Russia was able to disrupt their effectiveness using electronic warfare; so Fire Point developed its own software to outwit the enemy. Because defense companies are high-value targets for Russia, many operate underground or hidden within civilian centers to evade detection. Although they are guarded by air defenses, the strategy has the disadvantage of putting civilians at risk. Many Ukrainians have died in imprecise Russian attacks that were likely targeting weapons facilities. Entrepreneurs said the alternative is to operate openly and face attacks that would set back the war effort. On the day AP reporters visited the Fire Point factory, there were dozens of drones awaiting delivery. They would all be gone within 72 hours, shipped to the battlefield in inconspicuous cargo trucks. The Fire Point team receives regular feedback from army units, and the company has reinvested most profits toward innovating quickly to keep pace with other drone makers. Increasingly, those profits are being directed to develop a new, more potent weapon. The company completed testing this year for its first cruise missile, the FP-5. Capable of traveling 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) and landing within 14 meters (45 feet) of its target, the FP-5 is one of the largest such missile in the world, delivering a payload of 1,150 kilograms (2,535 pounds), independent experts said. Because initial versions of the missile came out pink after a factory error, they called it the Flamingo — and the name has stuck. Fire Point is producing roughly one Flamingo per day, and by October they hope to build capacity to make seven per day, Terekh said. Even as Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials pursue ways to end the war, Terekh said she is skeptical that Russia will accept terms for a real peace. 'We are preparing for a bigger, much scarier war.'
