Latest news with #OrganizationforSecurityandCo-operationinEurope
LeMonde
2 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Trump inserts himself into the South Caucasus
That makes three! On Friday, August 8, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev became the third head of state or government to come to the White House and call for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the American president, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet also endorsed Donald Trump for the prize from afar through a letter to the Nobel Committee in Oslo. Is President Trump truly the "peacemaker" he claims to be, boasting of resolving half a dozen conflicts around the world in just seven months? That is for the Nobel Committee to decide. In the Indo-Pakistani conflict, New Delhi denied any American mediation, and fighting resumed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo despite the peace agreement signed in June in Washington by Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The August 8 draft agreement between President Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, reached alongside Trump, looks different. At first glance, it is a striking diplomatic success in a conflict that has pitted two countries in the South Caucasus against each other for 35 years and has already led to two wars. Multiple mediation attempts – led by Moscow, Brussels and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – failed. The dispute appeared unsolvable in this notoriously complex post-Soviet region. Enter Trump and his envoy, former real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, and suddenly a breakthrough was achieved. Russia and Iran the major losers In reality, the Trump team did not start from scratch. At the initiative of Aliyev and Pashinyan, Azerbaijan and Armenia had engaged in a promising bilateral dialogue for nearly two years, without the burdensome patronage of Russian, Turkish or Iranian powers. They took advantage of several factors that profoundly altered the regional political context: the full-scale war in Ukraine, the weakening influence of Russia and Iran – both preoccupied with other priorities – and the emerging roles of new actors like Turkey and China. This confluence of factors created a unique situation in the history of Armenia and Azerbaijan: both countries ultimately managed to keep Russia at arm's length. In March, Yerevan and Baku reached an agreement to normalize their relations. In July, Aliyev and Pashinyan met in Abu Dhabi as their teams worked on a peace agreement. This was Trump's stroke of genius, inserting himself into a positive dynamic already underway, but to which he managed to give a decisive push. The intervention at this stage by the United States – an actor free of historical baggage and considerable economic clout – proved beneficial. The next step is to finalize what is still just a draft agreement, which has not yet been signed by both parties. The much-discussed "TRIPP" (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), a corridor whose construction is expected to end the isolation of the Azerbaijani region of Nakhchivan, exists only on paper. Russia and Iran, the main losers in this process, could try to spoil the party. For now, though, Trump can congratulate himself, at little cost, even as the two biggest conflicts he has promised to resolve, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, remain stubbornly resistant to his "peacemaking" skills.
Time Magazine
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Trump to Host 'Peace Deal' Signing With Azerbaijan and Armenia
President Donald Trump is set to meet the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia on Friday to sign a joint peace declaration aimed at ending nearly four decades of conflict between the two former Soviet states. The agreement, which the White House is touting as a 'peace deal,' will include a pact giving the U.S. exclusive rights to develop a transit route through a mountainous stretch of Armenian territory between Azerbaijan known as the Zangezur corridor. The securing of that route marks a significant setback for Russia and Iran in the South Caucasus, a region that sits at the crossroads of trade and energy flows that both countries have long sought to dominate. The route will be named after Trump, with the Administration calling it the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity—or TRIPP, for short. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been in conflict since 1988—the final years of the USSR—when ethnic tensions and violence erupted over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, which later declared independence from Azerbaijan as the Soviet Union collapsed. Intermittent clashes killed more than 30,000 people in the early 1990s and at least 6,000 during a 44-day conflict in 2020. Russia has long sought to negotiate a permanent peace agreement in the region, with President Vladimir Putin brokering a ceasefire in 2020 and regularly convening the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. But after Russia turned its attention to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin's influence over the conflict began to wane. In 2023, Russian military forces stationed in the region failed to prevent Azerbaijan from taking control over the Nagorno-Karabakh area, forcing around 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee their homes. Since then, Armenia and Azerbaijan have yet to agree where the border would run between them. During Friday's signing ceremony, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are expected to sign a joint letter officially requesting that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, an intergovernmental body, disband the Minsk Group, which was formed in 1994 to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The group is chaired by Russia, France, and the United States, but was considered powerless by some as it was not able to prevent Azerbaijan from taking the disputed enclave by force in 2023. Trump framed the agreement as a 'peace deal,' writing on Truth Social that 'Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to 'TRUMP.' It's unclear how significant a step withdrawing from the Minsk Group would be toward lasting peace. The deal adds to the handful of peace and economic agreements brokered this year by Trump, who has made no secret of his wish to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Several world leaders have nominated Trump for the award for his role in addressing long-running conflicts across the globe, including a tentative peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and a trade agreement that stopped a conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Indian officials have recently refuted Trump's claims of the U.S. playing a pivotal role in ending a conflict with Pakistan in May. Escalating wars in Gaza and Ukraine, meanwhile, remain unresolved. According to the White House, the arrangement between Azerbaijan and Armenia would give the U.S. exclusive development rights to a transit route across southern Armenia that is meant to bolster cooperation in energy, technology and the economy. 'What this will do for American businesses, and, frankly, for energy resources across Europe, will be enormously powerful,' a senior administration official told reporters on a call previewing the deal. 'The losers here are China, Russia and Iran. The winners here are the West.'
The Herald Scotland
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
After record-setting Russian attacks, US cuts off aid to Ukraine
Christina Harward, a distinguished Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told USA TODAY that while Russia been conducting near-nightly strikes against Ukraine for a long time, in recent months the size of the attacks has changed. "Russia began launching upwards of 100 Shahed drones in a one-night strike series in late 2024," said Harward. "In recent months, however, we have seen Russia break its own records over and over. Now Russia is often launching hundreds of drones at a time and have even launched close to 500 drones in recent days." Russian attacks have killed an estimated 1000 civilians in 2025, according to remarks by James Ford, the deputy head of mission at the U.K. delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. A U.N. report states that 968 civilians were killed and 4,807 were injured between the start of December 2024 and the end of May 2025, a 37% increase compared with the same period last year. Why such a massive increase in attacks? Harward, the Russia analyst, told USA TODAY that a major contributing factor to the increase in intensity and scale of the Russian strikes is the country's successful scaling of its drones and missile production. Harward noted that Russia launched one of its largest attacks between May 31 and June 1 - the night before Ukraine's secret operation. "This timing demonstrates that Russia was already on its path to intensifying its strikes against Ukraine even before Operation Spiderweb." John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and senior director at the Atlantic Council, mentioned two other factors for this in an interview with USA TODAY. "First, Putin is unable to achieve his objectives via his soldiers," said Herbst, pointing to Russia's inability to take the city of Sumy and a failure to expel Ukrainians from Russian territory, "Reason two is they're able to get away with it." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 24 that Russia had launched over 28,000 Shahed-type drones since 2022, with around 10% of the total fired since the beginning of June. Harward said that Russia relies heavily on Shahed drones - which it initially received from Iran, but are now largely produced inside Russia - and increasingly on cheaply produced drones intended to distract and overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. The Institute for the Study of War has noted some indications that Russia has been incorporating cheaper decoy drones, some reportedly made of plywood, into attacks to waste Ukrainian air defense ammunition. Newer Shahed models may also be incorporating thermal cameras and artificial intelligence, increasing their precision. "Ukrainian forces have proven quite effective at shooting down the drones and cruise missiles, but ballistic missiles are harder to intercept. On top of this, Ukraine has been suffering from shortages of U.S.-provided Patriot air defense systems and missiles - the only system that Ukraine possesses that has proven effective at countering these Russian ballistic missiles," said Harward. Harward told USA TODAY that Russia appears to be increasingly striking civilian areas, particularly in Kyiv. "We have seen a handful of Russian adaptations that point to an effort to inflict more civilian casualties on Ukrainians, such as the deployment of Shahed drones that have capsules with chemical weapons and delayed detonation mechanisms," said Harward, "These tactics are likely aimed at causing harm to civilians even after Ukrainian forces are successful in shooting down the drones." Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said that a total of 285 drones and 65 missiles were fired against the capital since the beginning of June, killing 42 people and injuring 234, according to NTV, a German news company. On June 24, Russia launched a missile attack on Dnipro, striking civilian infrastructure and a passenger train, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 300 others, according to a telegram post by Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to Harward, Russia will target different areas all over Ukraine using an array of missiles and drones, forcing Kyiv to defend huge swaths of territory and make tough decisions about which cities to protect with limited Patriot systems. During the June 28 to 29 attack, which was the largest to date, various strikes were directed at cities of various sizes across Ukraine. According to a post by the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia attacked with 537 air attack vehicles, including 477 Shahed UAVs and simulator drones from various directions, Dagger and Iskander ballistic missiles from Crimea, cruise missiles from the Black Sea, and guided anti-aircraft missiles from Kursk. The post said that 475 targets were destroyed. What to expect next in the conflict Herbst, the former ambassador, told USA TODAY that despite steps taken toward a firmer approach with Putin, Trump's administration has refused to make Russia pay a price for obstructing peace. At a news conference following the NATO summit, Trump signaled that he would consider selling Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Trump also described a call during which he told Putin that he didn't want his help with Iran - he wanted him to settle his war with Ukraine. According to Herbst, the recent Pentagon pause on weapons deliveries to Ukraine "directly undermines Trump's initiative to achieve a stable peace in Ukraine and the steps he took in that direction as recently as the NATO summit." Herbst said that he would be "surprised if that was a decision taken by the White House because it does cut against all recent steps taken by the president." Nevertheless, Herbst said Russia would welcome the news. "They think that's another gift from Trump." Harward said the U.S. pause on weapons shipments will likely accelerate Russian gains on the battlefield, as was seen during a suspension of deliveries from 2023 to 2024. "This latest U.S. suspension of aid will only reinforce Putin's long-held belief that time is on Russia's side and that Russia can win a war of attrition if Russia can outlast the West's will to support Ukraine," said Harward. "This is one of Putin's driving assumptions and why Russia has been delaying negotiations and preparing for a protracted war." A few days after the largest Russian attack, a post by the general staff of the armed forces of Ukraine announced a drone attack against Russia's Kupol military plant. The facility, which manufactures drones, is based in the city of Izhevsk, more than 620 miles from the frontline, making the strike one of Ukraine's deepest into Russian territory. Harward thinks it is likely that Russia will launch further ballistic missiles in the coming days, knowing that Ukraine's Patriot interceptor missile stocks - reportedly impacted by the shipment pause - may be dwindling. On July 3, Trump announced that he would speak to Putin. According to Reuters, a Kremlin aide said that Putin told Trump that Moscow would not step back from its goals in Ukraine but that it was still interested in a negotiated settlement. Trump reportedly raised the issue of bringing about a swift end to the war, but Putin said that Moscow remained focused on removing what it calls the "root causes" of the conflict. Zelenskyy said that he hoped to speak with Trump on July 4 or in the coming days about the supply of U.S. weapons to Ukraine, according to Reuters. He added that Kyiv was ready to take part in a meeting of leaders to end his country's war with Russia. CONTRIBUTING: Jennifer Borresen This is a developing story and may be updated. Read more: Trump, Putin hold call after US pauses some weapons transfers to Ukraine Pentagon cuts off some weapons for Ukraine as concern grows over US munitions running low Trump says Putin is 'difficult' on Ukraine war, calls Russian leader 'misguided' Putin says 'the whole of Ukraine is ours'
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Russia continues record-setting aerial attacks, US cuts off arms shipments to Ukraine
Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities have skyrocketed this year. An estimated 1000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since January. The latest record-setting aerial attack occurred on June 28 and 29 when more than 500 Russian drones and missiles were launched, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Days later, the United States cut off arms shipments promised to Ukraine. Some of the largest waves of attacks came after Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb on June 1, a stealthy cross-border drone mission which reportedly inflicted more damage on Russia than any in the three years since the invasion began. But Russia's attacks were already increasing in intensity and have continued to since President Donald Trump's inauguration, despite attempts to negotiate an end to the ongoing war. Here's a closer look: Christina Harward, a distinguished Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told USA TODAY that while Russia been conducting near-nightly strikes against Ukraine for a long time, in recent months the size of the attacks has changed. "Russia began launching upwards of 100 Shahed drones in a one-night strike series in late 2024," said Harward. "In recent months, however, we have seen Russia break its own records over and over. Now Russia is often launching hundreds of drones at a time and have even launched close to 500 drones in recent days." Russian attacks have killed an estimated 1000 civilians in 2025, according to remarks by James Ford, the deputy head of mission at the U.K. delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. A U.N. report states that 968 civilians were killed and 4,807 were injured between the start of December 2024 and the end of May 2025, a 37% increase compared with the same period last year. Why such a massive increase in attacks? Harward, the Russia analyst, told USA TODAY that a major contributing factor to the increase in intensity and scale of the Russian strikes is the country's successful scaling of its drones and missile production. Harward noted that Russia launched one of its largest attacks between May 31 and June 1 – the night before Ukraine's secret operation. "This timing demonstrates that Russia was already on its path to intensifying its strikes against Ukraine even before Operation Spiderweb." John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and senior director at the Atlantic Council, mentioned two other factors for this in an interview with USA TODAY. "First, Putin is unable to achieve his objectives via his soldiers," said Herbst, pointing to Russia's inability to take the city of Sumy and a failure to expel Ukrainians from Russian territory, "Reason two is they're able to get away with it." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 24 that Russia had launched over 28,000 Shahed-type drones since 2022, with around 10% of the total fired since the beginning of June. Harward said that Russia relies heavily on Shahed drones – which it initially received from Iran, but are now largely produced inside Russia – and increasingly on cheaply produced drones intended to distract and overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. The Institute for the Study of War has noted some indications that Russia has been incorporating cheaper decoy drones, some reportedly made of plywood, into attacks to waste Ukrainian air defense ammunition. Newer Shahed models may also be incorporating thermal cameras and artificial intelligence, increasing their precision. "Ukrainian forces have proven quite effective at shooting down the drones and cruise missiles, but ballistic missiles are harder to intercept. On top of this, Ukraine has been suffering from shortages of U.S.-provided Patriot air defense systems and missiles – the only system that Ukraine possesses that has proven effective at countering these Russian ballistic missiles," said Harward. Harward told USA TODAY that Russia appears to be increasingly striking civilian areas, particularly in Kyiv. "We have seen a handful of Russian adaptations that point to an effort to inflict more civilian casualties on Ukrainians, such as the deployment of Shahed drones that have capsules with chemical weapons and delayed detonation mechanisms," said Harward, "These tactics are likely aimed at causing harm to civilians even after Ukrainian forces are successful in shooting down the drones." Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said that a total of 285 drones and 65 missiles were fired against the capital since the beginning of June, killing 42 people and injuring 234, according to NTV, a German news company. On June 24, Russia launched a missile attack on Dnipro, striking civilian infrastructure and a passenger train, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 300 others, according to a telegram post by Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to Harward, Russia will target different areas all over Ukraine using an array of missiles and drones, forcing Kyiv to defend huge swaths of territory and make tough decisions about which cities to protect with limited Patriot systems. During the June 28 to 29 attack, which was the largest to date, various strikes were directed at cities of various sizes across Ukraine. According to a post by the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia attacked with 537 air attack vehicles, including 477 Shahed UAVs and simulator drones from various directions, Dagger and Iskander ballistic missiles from Crimea, cruise missiles from the Black Sea, and guided anti-aircraft missiles from Kursk. The post said that 475 targets were destroyed. What to expect next in the conflict Herbst, the former ambassador, told USA TODAY that despite steps taken toward a firmer approach with Putin, Trump's administration has refused to make Russia pay a price for obstructing peace. At a news conference following the NATO summit, Trump signaled that he would consider selling Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Trump also described a call during which he told Putin that he didn't want his help with Iran – he wanted him to settle his war with Ukraine. According to Herbst, the recent Pentagon pause on weapons deliveries to Ukraine "directly undermines Trump's initiative to achieve a stable peace in Ukraine and the steps he took in that direction as recently as the NATO summit." Herbst said that he would be "surprised if that was a decision taken by the White House because it does cut against all recent steps taken by the president." Nevertheless, Herbst said Russia would welcome the news. "They think that's another gift from Trump." Harward said the U.S. pause on weapons shipments will likely accelerate Russian gains on the battlefield, as was seen during a suspension of deliveries from 2023 to 2024. "This latest U.S. suspension of aid will only reinforce Putin's long-held belief that time is on Russia's side and that Russia can win a war of attrition if Russia can outlast the West's will to support Ukraine," said Harward. "This is one of Putin's driving assumptions and why Russia has been delaying negotiations and preparing for a protracted war." A few days after the largest Russian attack, a post by the general staff of the armed forces of Ukraine announced a drone attack against Russia's Kupol military plant. The facility, which manufactures drones, is based in the city of Izhevsk, more than 620 miles from the frontline, making the strike one of Ukraine's deepest into Russian territory. Harward thinks it is likely that Russia will launch further ballistic missiles in the coming days, knowing that Ukraine's Patriot interceptor missile stocks – reportedly impacted by the shipment pause – may be dwindling. On July 3, Trump announced that he would speak to Putin. According to Reuters, a Kremlin aide said that Putin told Trump that Moscow would not step back from its goals in Ukraine but that it was still interested in a negotiated settlement. Trump reportedly raised the issue of bringing about a swift end to the war, but Putin said that Moscow remained focused on removing what it calls the "root causes" of the conflict. Zelenskyy said that he hoped to speak with Trump on July 4 or in the coming days about the supply of U.S. weapons to Ukraine, according to Reuters. He added that Kyiv was ready to take part in a meeting of leaders to end his country's war with Russia. CONTRIBUTING: Jennifer Borresen This is a developing story and may be updated. Read more: Trump, Putin hold call after US pauses some weapons transfers to Ukraine Pentagon cuts off some weapons for Ukraine as concern grows over US munitions running low Trump says Putin is 'difficult' on Ukraine war, calls Russian leader 'misguided' Putin says 'the whole of Ukraine is ours'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Officials back strategic policy tool that could change how governments plan for crises: 'Part of a broader effort to prevent conflict'
A training workshop was held in Uzbekistan to examine potential future environmental policies and projects. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and its Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities collaborated on the training, held April 23-24. Forty government and civil society representatives attended, as the OSCE reported. Countries around the world are catching up to the need for legislative change and planning surrounding environmental concerns. New standards were announced in a U.K. government news release, including investments in environmental projects and a crackdown on greenwashing. In the United States, bans and restrictions are being proposed to protect air quality. At this time, government incentives such as the Inflation Reduction Act are also in place to give tax credits and rebates to individuals who invest in renewable energy — including via electric vehicles, induction stoves, and solar panels. The OSCE's environmental mission is "to strengthen co-operation on environmental issues as part of a broader effort to prevent conflict, build mutual confidence and promote good neighbourly relations." Topics covered ranged from managing hazardous waste to natural disasters to raising awareness for climate-related issues. This regional security organization's meeting involved conversations and even used hands-on exercises to examine strategic environmental assessments, which take real environmental concerns and translate them into potential policies. "[SEA is] a key tool for integrating environmental and social considerations into decision-making processes, enhancing transparency and aligning national planning with global sustainable development goals," the organization said. The workshop was part of a broader endeavor by the OSCE called Strengthening National and Regional Capacities and Co-operation on Strategic Environmental Assessment in Central Asia Phase II. As a new project, its application is sparing at the moment, but according to the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe, it has big, beneficial goals and is already creating awareness. The hope is that training events such as this one inspire conversation and action from lawmakers to do their part in protecting citizens and Earth from environment-related issues. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
