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The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Editorial: Trump's deal-making diplomacy not breaking deadlocks
An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over Kyiv during a Russian drone strike on Saturday. — Reuters US President Donald Trump's diplomacy of mediation through a deal between the major powers has once again ended in failure. Isn't it time for him to change his approach to Russia, which continues its aggression against Ukraine? Trump held telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was the third such talk since the launch of Trump's second administration. During the meeting, Trump asked Putin, 'When are we going to end this [the war]?' But Putin did not answer and also refused to accept the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposal backed by Trump. Prior to these telephone talks, Russia and Ukraine held direct talks between senior officials in Turkey for the first time in nearly three years, but no progress was made. Trump may have been trying to make a breakthrough in his top-level talks with Putin. However, after the meeting, Putin revealed that he would propose the drafting of a memorandum on a future peace treaty. This may be an attempt to prolong the negotiations by adding new procedures and to create an even more advantageous situation in the war. Putin also repeated his assertion that it is important to 'eliminate the root causes of this crisis'. This refers to demands that Ukraine cannot accept, such as ruling out Ukraine's future membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). It is Putin's tactic to take advantage of his counterpart's conciliatory stance and increase his demands. Trump should understand that continued concessions to Putin will not lead to progress. Trump must return to the basics that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a clear violation of international law and unacceptable, and then proceed with negotiations. To counter Russia, it is essential to increase international pressure in close cooperation with European countries. It is appropriate that after the talks, Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of France, Germany, and other major European countries to share information. European countries have warned that they will impose additional sanctions if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire. In the US Senate, deliberations are also underway on a Bill for additional sanctions that would impose high tariffs on countries that import energy from Russia. There is a need to increase the options available to put pressure on Russia. With the lack of diplomatic achievements, there are indications that Trump will decrease his engagement in the role of mediator in future. This is because after talks with Putin, Trump posted on social media that 'Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations' as if leaving the negotiations up to those parties. However, it should not be forgotten that the United States is providing Ukraine with weapons and military intelligence, which is the greatest source of pressure on Russia. If the United States pulls back, Washington will inevitably be accused of giving in to Putin. – The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News Network
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Trump envoy says Russian concern over Nato enlargement is fair
MOSCOW: United States President Donald Trump's envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said Russia's concern over the eastward enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) was fair and the US did not want to see Ukraine in the US-led military alliance. Asked by US network ABC News about a Reuters report that Russia wanted a written pledge over Nato not enlarging eastwards to include Ukraine and other former Soviet republics, Kellogg said: "It's a fair concern." "We've said that to us, Ukraine coming into Nato is not on the table, and we're not the only country that says that -- you know I could probably give you four other countries in Nato and it takes 32 of the 32 to allow you to come into Nato" he told ABC yesterday. "That's one of the issues that Russia will bring up." "They're not just talking Ukraine, they're talking the country of Georgia, they're talking Moldova," Kellogg said, adding that a decision on US views of Nato enlargement was for Trump to make. Kellogg said the sequencing of the peace talks would include an attempt to merge the two memorandums drafted by Ukraine and Russia into one single document with talks in Turkiye on Monday. "When we get into Istanbul next week we'll sit down and talk," Kellogg said, adding that the national security advisers from Germany, France and Britain would join discussions on the memorandum with the US. Kellogg said Trump was "frustrated" with Russia because he had seen "a level of unreasonableness" from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He scolded Russia for striking Ukrainian cities and said he had told Ukraine to turn up to talks. A conservative estimate of dead and injured in the Ukraine war -- from both sides combined -- totals 1.2 million, Kellogg said. "That is a stunning number -- this is war on an industrial scale," Kellogg told ABC.
The Print
7 days ago
- Business
- The Print
‘India should use its growing power to push Russia to end aggression in Ukraine'—Estonian PM
Estonia has been one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine since the war with Russia began in February 2022. The Baltic-nation, which is a member of both the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), has since increased its own defence spending, planning to cross five percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2026. 'Like-minded countries should be working together. For example, India has growing power in the whole world, economically, but politically also. So we would very much appreciate that India would be pushing Russia towards ending aggression in Ukraine,' Michal said. Tallinn: India should use its 'growing power in the world' to push Russia to end its aggression in Ukraine, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told ThePrint in an exclusive interaction Friday. The nation of roughly 1.3 million people has been looking to strengthen its ties with New Delhi, focusing on strategic areas, such as cyber security and defence. Since 2007, Estonia, which was once a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) has been facing a number of cyber attacks from Russia, which has made the focus on cyber security a key national policy. The Estonian prime minister said: 'On the economical field, as you already mentioned, on AI and cybersecurity, we are already talking to each other. On cybersecurity, Estonia has a long tradition and very strong experiences coming from Russia's cyberattacks against us since 2007. So we have been under constant attacks from Russia's side, and our IT sector was evolving and still is evolving quite rapidly.' Michal added: 'I would say that we [India and Estonia] have many points of cooperation in business side, food and so on, but on the defence, cybersecurity is probably our strongest point that we can work on together because everybody from India can look that Estonia has a very strong IT sector, which is quite unusual because in many countries in Europe, I would say the State is operating on its own, and private sectors are operating also on their own.' Also Read: Expect Turkey to strongly urge Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism, says India Digitalisation & cyber security For the Estonian government, digitalisation has been a key national priority, with the government first introducing its identity card programme in 2002—similar in nature to India's Aadhaar, introduced a few years later. With the country moving towards complete digitalisation of its governance structures, roughly 99 percent of all government services are available through digital portals, which has made cyber security all that more important for the Baltic nation. 'Estonia has this kind of model where we are working together with private companies, and it's working absolutely well. That's why we are so strong… because we have, for example, this kind of cyber defence league in which the private sector is cooperating with the state, and helping fight different cyber attacks, but they also are gaining this kind of knowledge about what is happening in this field. So this is a very vibrant community in Estonia,' Michal pointed out. In March, Jonatan Vseviov, the Estonian Secretary General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had met with India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi, where the two had discussed cyber security, co-production in defence, military training and other niche technologies. In the 1990s, the country, which had then just gained independence, focussed on strengthening its education in the IT sector, introducing the Tiger Leap programme in its schools to expand its digital network and infrastructure with a special focus on schooling. Earlier this year, the Estonian President Alar Karis announced its AI Leap programme, with a focus on niche technology, with a view towards the future of global computing. 'We have a quite ambitious and big plan with AI because starting this year, we will have AI in our school curricula. So that will mean that in two years, one-third of our students and teachers will be learning how to use AI in a smart way. So that will affect our labour market in the future, also businesses and opportunities,' Michal said. The Estonian prime minister added: 'So as you know, Estonian education has very high standards and in the PISA [Programme for International Student Assessment] test we are probably among the top, but we want to be on the next level with this AI jump in Estonia. So that probably could also be the basis of working together [with India].' The reporter was in Tallinn at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Estonia. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: US imposes visa restrictions on Indian travel agents 'knowingly facilitating illegal immigration'
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Russian troops at Finland's border and the security dilemma in Europe
Russia and Europe are trapped in a persistent security dilemma, wherein each side perceives the other as a formidable threat and defensive measures by one increase the insecurity of the other. They have begun fortifying their respective borders, fearing potential aggression in the future once the war in Ukraine comes to an end. Europe is convinced that Putin has a revisionist agenda and will overturn the prevalent security architecture to achieve his objectives. From its perspective, the most vulnerable targets are the Baltic states and Finland. Therefore, the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) counter strategy is to beef up its security, develop capabilities to deter Russian aggression and contain Moscow's influence abroad. It has deployed several battle-ready forces in Central and Eastern Europe, is working on a missile defence system, and has enhanced its defence budget to purchase weapons. A credible deterrent, however, is an illusion when two powerful adversaries are caught in a security dilemma. It simply means rearmament and getting ready for a war. In its latest move, Russia has begun expanding its military infrastructure along the Finland border. Some Western media reports suggest that new military tents, fighter jet shelters and warehouses are being constructed in unused places. The Russian military build-up has raised alarms in Helsinki, which views it as a deliberate attempt to threaten the country and destabilise the border. The level of construction is moderate but enough to cause concerns. Ever since Finland became a member of NATO in 2023, the relationship between the two countries has worsened. Russia feels threatened because it shares a 1,340-km-long border with Finland. It used to be a buffer state earlier, but now, NATO forces will be present along the border. Helsinki pursued a policy of neutrality and military non-alignment for a very long period. Despite having close ties with the West, it avoided becoming a member of NATO for a long time. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 changed the security dynamics, and the Nordic states started feeling threatened. Sweden and Finland abandoned their long-cherished policy and joined NATO. The irony is that even during the Cold War at its peak, these states were not NATO members. Russia may or may not have any plan to extend its borders, but the war in Ukraine has heightened tensions in the region, and the Nordic and Baltic regions believe the Russian threat to be real. The latter states have raised their military budgets, are acquiring new weapons, and are frequently engaging in joint military exercises with NATO. They are the biggest proponents of installing missile defence systems against Russia. As it happens in a security dilemma, the adversary views these defensive measures as threats. Russia is feeling threatened because of Europe's deterrent measures. NATO's expansion, which includes incorporating Finland and Sweden, has now become a new concern for Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov stated at that time, 'The enlargement of NATO is an encroachment on our security and Russia's national interests.' As of now, Russia is occupied with its war in Ukraine, and the level of military build-up near the Finland border is moderate. However, in the European capitals, it is being perceived as the early stages of a larger Russian design to revive the Soviet Empire. Security experts believe it might become a flashpoint in the future because it borders the Arctic region, where Russia has considerable interests, not least because of its rare earth. The control over the Arctic is likely to intensify, given its geostrategic significance in terms of both resources and transportation. Russia is focusing on the Finnish border primarily because of NATO's activities. But these measures are largely defensive, and Moscow is unlikely to engage in a direct war with NATO. The asymmetry between the two sides is too high. The combined GDP of NATO countries at $54 trillion is roughly 24 times the size of Russia's economy. Further, NATO's defence budget of $1.5 trillion is about ten times larger than Russia's. In addition, both sides have credible nuclear weapons. Under these circumstances, Russia will not want to be involved in any military misadventure against NATO. Nonetheless, the region is likely to experience heightened tensions, owing to both sides' security measures and military preparedness. The security dilemma is here to stay. The writer teaches at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Views are personal
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
UK, France and Canada urge halt to Israel's offensive in Gaza, warn of further action
LONDON: The United Kingdom, France and Canada have called for an immediate halt to Israel's military operations in Gaza. In a joint statement, the leaders of the three countries called for Israel to stop their operations immediately and called for immediate access for relief efforts in line with international principles. "The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable," the statement added. The leaders, whose nations are also members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), also urged Hamas to release immediately the remaining hostages "they have so cruelly held" since October 7 2023. They warned Israel against language suggesting permanent displacement of civilians, stating that permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law. While they reiterated support for Israel's right to defend itself, they criticised the escalation as entirely disproprotionate. They added, "If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response." The leaders opposed settlement expansion in the West Bank, stating it undermines the viability of a future Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians. They warned that further expansion would trigger targeted sanctions. The statement backed mediation efforts by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to reach an immediate ceasefire and a political solution that includes a two-state solution, in line with the goals of the June 18 conference in New York. "We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution and are prepared to work with others to this end," the statement concluded.
