EU's top diplomat warns that Russia has a plan for long-term aggression against Europe
BRUSSELS — Russia poses a direct threat to the European Union through acts of sabotage and cyberattacks, but its massive military spending suggests that President Vladimir Putin also plans to use his armed forces elsewhere in the future, the EU's top diplomat warned on Wednesday.
'Russia is already a direct threat to the European Union,' EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. She listed a series of Russian airspace violations , provocative military exercises , and attacks on energy grids, pipelines and undersea cables.
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Los Angeles Times
7 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
EU's top diplomat warns that Russia has a plan for long-term aggression against Europe
BRUSSELS — Russia poses a direct threat to the European Union through acts of sabotage and cyberattacks, but its massive military spending suggests that President Vladimir Putin also plans to use his armed forces elsewhere in the future, the EU's top diplomat warned on Wednesday. 'Russia is already a direct threat to the European Union,' EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. She listed a series of Russian airspace violations, provocative military exercises, and attacks on energy grids, pipelines and undersea cables. Kallas noted that Russia is already spending more on defense than the EU's 27 nations combined, and this year will invest more 'on defense than its own health care, education and social policy combined.' 'This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression. You don't spend that much on (the) military, if you do not plan to use it,' Kallas told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France. 'Europe is under attack and our continent sits in a world becoming more dangerous,' she added. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said that Russia is producing as much weapons and ammunition in three months as the 32 allies together make in a year. He believes that Russia could be in a position to launch an attack on a NATO ally by the end of the decade. The acts of sabotage and cyberattacks are mostly aimed at undermining European support for Ukraine, military officers and experts have said. But concern is mounting in Europe that Russia could try to test NATO's Article 5 security guarantee — the pledge that an attack on any one of the allies would be met with a collective response from all 32. In 2021, NATO allies acknowledged that significant and cumulative cyberattacks might, in certain circumstances, also be considered an armed attack that could lead them to invoke Article 5, but so far no action has been taken. With the Trump administration now turning its sights on security challenges in the Middle East and China, Europe has been left to fend for itself, and for Ukraine, and finds itself in a more precarious position. Last week, the head of Germany's foreign intelligence service (BND), Bruno Kahl, warned against underestimating Russian intentions toward the West and NATO. 'We are very certain, and we have intelligence evidence for this, that Ukraine is just a step on the path to the West,' Kahl told the Table Today podcast on June 9, according to German news agency dpa. Russia's goal is to expand its sphere of influence westward, the BND chief said. 'They want to catapult NATO back to the state it was in at the end of the 1990s. They want to kick America out of Europe, and they'll use any means to achieve that,' Kahl said. He warned that 'this must be nipped in the bud,' and that deterrence is the 'most bloodless way' to prevent war. NATO countries are set to agree a new defense investment pledge at a summit in the Netherlands next week, pouring billions of dollars more into security-related spending. Cook writes for the Associated Press. Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report from Berlin.
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
EU gas demand to fall 7% by 2030: Ember
A report from global energy think tank Ember projects a 7% decrease in EU gas demand by 2030, potentially rendering new gas capacity as stranded assets. This forecast aligns with the current downward trend, with demand already falling from 404 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2021 to 326bcm in 2023. Based on EU Member States' National Energy and Climate Plans, Ember's analysis also indicates a further decline to 302bcm by 2030. This contrasts with proposals to expand LNG import capacity by 54% within the same timeframe, suggesting a looming oversupply and financial risk for new gas investments. The report utilises the latest data from national targets to provide insights into the future of gas demand and other energy sector trends up to 2030. With the recent submission cycle for national targets concluding last month, the analysis reflects the most current strategic directions of EU Member States. Ember electricity transition analyst Tomos Harrison said: 'National targets send a strong signal: the EU is ditching fossil gas for good. This gas decline is already in progress, and 2030 targets show another strong fall to come.' Renewable energy sources are set to play a significant role in the EU's energy mix, with member states planning to double wind and solar capacity in the next five years. This growth trajectory positions renewables to generate two-thirds of the EU's electricity by 2030. Additionally, the electrification rate within the EU's final energy consumption is expected to increase from 23% to 30% by 2030. This shift is supported by the adoption of electric technologies such as heat pumps, which are replacing traditional fossil fuel-based appliances. Concerning these energy trends, the European Commission and the Polish Presidency of the Council have also recently launched the Energy Union Task Force. This strategic initiative aims to enhance cooperation on critical energy policy issues and provide political impetus to address challenges in developing a cohesive Energy Union. "EU gas demand to fall 7% by 2030: Ember" was originally created and published by Energy Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
CNN
11 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump increasingly warm to using US military to strike in Iran, sources say
President Donald Trump is growing increasingly warm to using US military assets to strike Iranian nuclear facilities and souring on the idea of a diplomatic solution to end Tehran's escalating conflict with Israel, two officials familiar with the ongoing discussions told CNN. The new, more hawkish posture represents a significant shift in Trump's thinking, though the sources said Trump remains open to a diplomatic solution — if Iran makes significant concessions. Over the weekend and into Monday, discussions among Trump administration officials had continued to center on trying to find a diplomatic solution to serve as an off-ramp, sources familiar with the talks said. But Trump signaled early Tuesday his patience for diplomacy was wearing thin. 'I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate with Iran,' he told reporters aboard Air Force One returning early from the Group of 7 summit in Canada. He added that his objective in Iran was 'an end, a real end, not a ceasefire,' or 'giving up entirely.' He later doubled down on Truth Social, calling for Iran's 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' and asserting that the US knew the location of Iran's supreme leader – even though it would not kill him 'for now.' Officials said Trump had, for now, moved away from the idea of dispatching top officials to a mutually agreed upon location in the Middle East to meet with the Iranians and attempt to hash out a deal. Military officials were preparing for the possibility that Trump would decide to order the US Air Force to help refuel Israeli fighter jets as they carry out strikes over Iran, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The sources said that is one reason why more than 30 US aerial refueling tankers have been surged to the region over the last several days. The refueling of Israeli jets would be on the lesser end of US military involvement, the sources said. More broadly, however, the tankers have been moved in order to give Trump and US Central Command 'options' should things escalate, one of the sources said. That includes the option, presented to Trump by CENTCOM, of joint US-Israel strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the source added. On Tuesday, after Trump abruptly returned to Washington from the G7 Summit, his vice president offered one of the clearest signals to date that Trump was weighing taking offensive action to eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities. JD Vance posted to X that the president 'may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president.' Trump was meeting Tuesday with members of his national security team in the White House Situation Room. Israel has been pressing Trump to become more involved in its campaign to dismantle Iran's nuclear facilities, which top officials from the country have said would require American weapons and planes. An Israeli source familiar with the matter said there was more optimism within Israel that the US would join the military campaign against Iran. But the source said the Israelis had not yet received an official decision from the Trump administration. Until Tuesday, the president had offered little clarity on whether he would accede to Israel's pressure, which has been countered by loud voices within his own party encouraging him to avoid getting dragged into another foreign conflict. Trump had been wary of ordering the US to engage directly on behalf of the Israelis, beyond providing defensive support to intercept Iranian missiles and US intelligence. But in a string of social media posts Tuesday, Trump sounded increasingly combative and used the word 'we' to describe military action in Iran. 'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,' he wrote. 'Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn't compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured 'stuff.' Nobody does it better than the good ol' USA.' In a separate post, Trump also used 'we' to describe information pinpointing the location of Iran's supreme leader. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,' Trump wrote. The Trump administration had heavily relied on the Omanis in recent months to pass messages back and forth with Iranian officials and facilitate five rounds of negotiations as the US and Iran worked toward a possible nuclear deal. But when Israel initially began carrying out the major operation targeting Iran's nuclear sites, the administration's tactics changed, sources familiar with the matter said. Trump instructed special envoy Steve Witkoff to attempt to meet with Iranian officials as quickly as possible, and the administration engaged a wide range of regional players to get Iran back to the table, sources said, including the Qataris, the Egyptians, the Saudis and the Turks. 'It is not just the Omanis, it is everyone. Everyone is working,' said a regional diplomat familiar with the administration's outreach in recent days. 'Witkoff is texting everyone.' But those efforts on Tuesday morning had not delivered a breakthrough. Iran's Foreign Ministry told CNN on Tuesday that it knew nothing about planned talks in the coming days. Trump administration officials have been closely monitoring private and public communications from Israel regarding its plans to escalate offensive attacks on Iran in the next few days. An official said those signals were a driving force behind Trump's Monday directive for residents of Tehran to evacuate. It is still unclear whether the president will ultimately decide to aid Israel's effort to fully eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities. Sources familiar with the behind-the-scenes talks have said the possibility is on the table, especially if the Iranians do not more proactively try to find a solution. In his message Tuesday, Vance sought to address concerns from members of Trump's own base of supporters about the potential for an escalating conflict that draws the US closer to war. 'And of course, people are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic foreign policy,' Vance wrote, getting at the divide emerging among conservatives over whether to aid Israel in its goal of wiping out Iran's nuclear capabilities or to avoid dragging the US into another foreign war. In a private phone call Monday, Sen. Lindsey Graham personally urged Trump to go 'all in' to end Iran's nuclear program, including using the might of the US military. 'I said, Mr. President, 'This is a historic moment. Four presidents have promised that they won't get a nuclear weapon on your watch. You can fulfill that promise,' the South Carolina Republican said a day afterward. Graham, who is one of the GOP's most hawkish voices on Iran, made clear to Trump he wants the US to intervene in the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program more directly with American military resources, alongside Israel's. 'If it takes bombs, bunker buster bombs, so be it. If we need to fly with Israel, so be it. The consequences of not getting this right are enormous,' Graham told reporters. A White House official said Trump understands both sides of that argument. But the official said the president firmly believes that his repeated statements that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and warnings that the US would ensure that never happens provide justification for any potential action. Upon arriving back at the White House on Tuesday morning, Trump posted a message he'd received from his ambassador in Israel, Mike Huckabee, acknowledging the president had 'many voices speaking to you' but encouraging him to be open to divine intervention. 'I believe you will hear from heaven and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else's,' Huckabee wrote. Trump has said previously that Iran must abandon its nuclear program, and alleged Tuesday that Iran was 'very close' to developing a nuclear weapon, despite assessments from his own intelligence chiefs that such an outcome was not imminent. Asked on Air Force One whether there's any guarantee that US bombs could actually reach underground Iranian nuclear bunkers and destroy them, Trump said, 'There's no guarantee in anything.' And he issued a warning to Iran that targeting American troops in the region would lead to a dramatic escalation in the conflict. 'We'll come down so hard, it'd be gloves off,' he said. This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
