Latest news with #PolicyExchange
Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Politics
- Edinburgh Live
Next country on Vladimir Putin's hit list after Ukraine named by former CIA chief
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A former CIA chief has issued a stark warning that Vladimir Putin could expand his aggressive campaign into Europe if he succeeds in Ukraine, with one particular nation in his crosshairs. David Petraeus, who led the agency from 2011 to 2012, cautioned that the Russian leader might target the Baltic states next, particularly after intensifying attacks in Ukraine. According to Petraeus, Putin is poised for a significant summer offensive, having ramped up drone and missile strikes to weaken Ukrainian resolve. Now, Petraeus believes, Putin's ambition is to conquer all of Ukraine before advancing on a country he often mentions. During a session at the Policy Exchange think-tank in London, Mr Petraeus outlined Russia's strategy to oust Zelensky and install a pro-Russian regime. "Russia seeks to remove Zelensky and replace him with a pro-Russian puppet," he declared, suggesting that the Kremlin's ultimate goal is to "install a puppet leader and to control all of Ukraine". Petraeus then warned that following this, Putin's gaze would turn towards "one of the Baltic states", adding, "Once that's done, you are going to see them focus on one of the Baltic states," reports the Mirror. He specifically highlighted Lithuania as a potential target, noting: "Lithuania has featured prominently in his speeches and we should have listened a lot more." Long before the conflict in Ukraine erupted in 2022, Putin had repeatedly claimed that Ukraine was an integral part of Russia, asserting that Ukrainians and Russians were "one people". In 2020, he declared: "Kyiv is the mother of Russian cities. Ancient Rus' is our common source and we cannot live without each other." Similar assertions have been made about Lithuania by Kremlin-supported entities. The prominent Russian foreign-policy institute MGIMO released a 400-page tome on Lithuanian history, alleging it was founded solely as a vehicle for Polish terrorism. The publication, which includes a foreword penned by Putin's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, further contends that Lithuania's secession from the disintegrating USSR in 1991 was illegitimate and undemocratic. Lithuanian authorities are acutely conscious of Russia's overt antagonism towards their nation, having recently disclosed an evacuation strategy for their capital, Vilnius, in case of an invasion. The national government has also channelled funds into fortifying its border defences, particularly at a vital border juncture known as the Suwałki Gap. This location has long been regarded as one of the most probable launch points for a Russian assault on Lithuania, with Lithuanian Deputy Defence Minister Tomas Godliauskas informing POLITICO that the enhancements are "critical to us from a security and defence perspective". Mr Godliauskas further remarked: "They've always been part of our civil-military planning as key ground routes for allied support during a crisis."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Putin has eyes set on another country after Ukraine war, ex-CIA boss warns
Former top spy David Petraeus has warned Vladimir Putin will want to move in on another European country after installing a pro-Kremlin puppet to carry out his bidding in Ukraine A former CIA chief has warned that Vladimir Putin will extend his bloody campaign further inside Europe if he was allowed to claim victory in Ukraine - having set his sights on one key nation. David Petraeus, who chaired the agency between 2011 and 2012 during the Obama administration, has warned the Russian despot would march west into Europe's Baltic states. Putin is reportedly set to launch a devastating summer offensive on Ukraine in the coming weeks, having recently stepped up both drone and missile attacks in a bid to sap the country's morale. Now, Mr Petraeus said, he is looking to claim the entire country for himself before moving on to a nation that has featured frequently in his speeches. Speaking at the Policy Exchange think-tank in London this week, Mr Petraeus said Russia seeks to remove Zelensky and replace him with a pro-Russian puppet. He said the Kremlin wants to "install a puppet leader and to control all of Ukraine". He went on to add that, once this objective is accomplished, Putin would move on to "one of the Baltic states". He added: "Once that's done, you are going to see them focus on one of the Baltic states." Mr Petraeus specifically warned that Russian neighbour Lithuania would be next on the list, saying: "Lithuania has featured prominently in his speeches and we should have listened a lot more." Long before the war in Ukraine began in 2022, Putin had frequently insisted the country was a part of Russia, and that Ukrainians and Russians were "one people". In 2020 he said: "Kyiv is the mother of Russian cities. Ancient Rus' is our common source and we cannot live without each other.' Kremlin-backed organisations have made similar claims about Lithuania. Russian top foreign-policy institute MGIMO published a 400-page history of the country claiming it was established solely as a proxy for Polish terrorism. The book, which comes with a written foreward by Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, adds that the country's exit from the crumbling USSR in 1991 was fraudulent and undemocratic. Lithuanian officials are aware of Russia's open hostility to the country, having last month unveiled an evacuation plan for its capital, Vilnius, in the event of an invasion. The national government has also invested in updating its border defences, especially at a critical border choke point known as the Suwałki Gap. The point has long been seen as one of the likeliest staging areas for a Russian attack on Lithuania, with Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Tomas Godliauskas telling POLITICO the fortifications are "critical to us from a security and defense perspective". Mr Godliauskas added: "They've always been part of our civil-military planning as key ground routes for allied support during a crisis."
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
More than 80k civil service jobs should be scrapped to save taxpayers £5bn a year, urges report
MORE than 80,000 civil service jobs should be scrapped to save taxpayers £5billion a year, a report has urged. The efficiency plan - backed by former top mandarins - includes slashing communications staff by 70 per cent and halving the HR departments. 1 Whitehall 's headcount has ballooned from 380,000 to 514,000 since just 2016 - costing around £25billion in salaries and pensions. Experts say this has only slowed government output by creating needless bureaucracy rather than investing in frontline services. Analysis by Policy Exchange found identical jobs are being done sometimes two pay bands higher than they were 30 years ago. Ex-Home Office director and report author Stephen Webb said a slimmed-down civil service would allow for better pay for remaining talent while making big government savings. He said: 'The proposals in the paper don't require scaling back services, but should allow the system to work better. "The system will be cheaper and more effective.' Sir John Kingman, who was previously the second-in-command at the Treasury, backed the plan, adding: 'An over-resourced administrative machine inevitably generates ever more process for itself and slows itself down.' Recommendations also include cutting the number of senior civil servants by 50 per cent, and a cap on their numbers. It also proposes using compulsory over voluntary redundancies in order to retain the best performing staff. Ministers have announced plans to cut £1.5billion from the civil service budget by the next election, but Policy Exchange says their plan would go 'further and faster'.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Former Supreme Court judge Lord Sumption blasts ECHR
A FORMER Supreme Court judge has blasted Europe's human rights laws imposed on Brits. Jonathan Sumption said we have no control over the European Convention on Human Rights and its influence on our laws. He backed a Policy Exchange report which hit back at claims that leaving the convention would be a betrayal of Sir Winston Churchill. 1 Lord Sumption said: 'It has now become an expanding source of domestic law over which Parliament has no influence or control and which it cannot repeal or amend. 'The British electorate has no input into it. The constitutional implications are enormous, although hardly appreciated by the public or acknowledged by professional politicians.' The report argues that although Britain helped draft the ECHR it is a far cry from what the Government had imagined as a safeguard against fascism and communism.
Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
SNP's independence fever dream is a boon for malign forces
Scotland is a battlefield. Not just in the political sense of a clash of parties vying for power. Nor the constitutional sense of arguments over independence. I am talking about a battlefield where malign foreign powers attempt to undermine our democracy. Don't take my word for it. Listen instead to Jonathan Hall KC, the UK's independent reviewer of legislation on terrorism and state threats. In a lecture this week at the Policy Exchange he asked us to imagine what we would do if we were a spy intent on ripping apart the social fabric of British society. 'If I was a foreign intelligence officer of course I would meddle in separatism, whether Scottish independence or independence of overseas territories or Brexit,' he said. 'I
