Latest news with #UkraineSupport
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Nawrocki: nationalist historian vying for Polish presidency
Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist historian who has written about the criminal underworld, is heading into Sunday's presidential runoff tied with his opponent, pro-EU Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. Nawrocki has been endorsed by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which was in power from 2015 to 2023. The party is closely allied with outgoing President Andrzej Duda -- who has backed Nawrocki -- and is a longtime rival of the governing Civic Coalition. Nawrocki's campaign slogan was "Poland first, Poles first". While he has pledged to continue Poland's support for neighbouring Ukraine against Russia's invasion, he has denounced the benefits accorded to the war refugees. He said in a campaign video in April that "social benefits will be above all for Poles" and that "in queues for doctors and clinics, Polish citizens must have priority". Nawrocki also claimed in May that Ukraine "has not shown gratitude for what Poles have done" for the country, and accused its President Volodymyr Zelensky of "insolence". He opposes NATO membership for Ukraine. - Photos with Trump - Nawrocki is an admirer of US President Donald Trump and has said Poland should focus on shaping and leading Europe's relations with the US leader. Nawrocki met Trump at the White House in May and claimed Trump had told him: "You will win". Some lawmakers from the governing coalition have accused Trump of election interference. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also endorsed Nawrocki when she attended a conservative conference in Poland, saying: "He needs to be the next president." Nawrocki has called for controls on the border with Germany to keep out migrants, and would like Berlin to pay wartime reparations to Poland. While wooing voters ahead of the razor-edge runoff, Nawrocki signed an eight-point pledge prepared by far-right leader Slawomir Mentzen. The election campaign saw Nawrocki mired in a few scandals. While arguing against a property tax, he claimed to only own one flat. Later it was revealed he had acquired a second one in a convoluted deal with an elderly man. A bombshell news report also alleged he had arranged prostitutes for guests while working as a hotel security guard. Nawrocki called the accusations "a bunch of lies" and said he would sue the news site. Nawrocki was born in the port city of Gdansk, where he played football and boxed in his youth and went on to earn a PhD in history and an MBA. He served as the director of the World War II museum in Gdansk from 2017 to 2021. Since 2021, he has led the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) for investigating Nazi and communist-era crimes. His research interests include Poland's anti-communist opposition, organised crime during the communist era and sports history. Last year, Russia added Nawrocki to its wanted list for his alleged efforts to remove Soviet-era monuments in Poland. Nawrocki said he obtained a gun licence and firearm after winding up in Russia's crosshairs. - Dual identity - Nawrocki has written several books, including one under a pen name that landed him in an unusual scandal. In 2018, he secretly published a book about the communist-era gangster Nikodem Skotarczak using the pseudonym Tadeusz Batyr. That same year, "Batyr" went on state television and with his face blurred and voice altered said Nawrocki had inspired his work. Nawrocki for his part wrote on social media that Batyr had reached out to him for tips, adding: "He thanked me with an interesting book, which I recommend." But local media recently uncovered that Batyr and Nawrocki were one and the same. One TikTok user said: "Maybe they'll substitute Batyr for Nawrocki in the runoff. In any case, the one backs the other. That's two votes already." Politicians from rival camps had a field day with the revelation. Nawrocki has also been accused of links to gangsters and neo-Nazis. He has dismissed the charges as "deep manipulation", saying his contacts with the individuals were for professional purposes. "No one has ever heard a good word from me about Nazism," he said. Nawrocki speaks English, and boxes in his spare time. He said Poland required "a strong president for tough times". He has two children and an adult stepson with his wife, Marta. amj/mmp/cw/yad
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Taurus cruise missiles: Weapons Germany could be sending Ukraine to strike deep into Russia
Germany could send its long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine this year, chancellor Friedrich Merz has said, a move which would help Kyiv strike deep into Russian territory. Berlin pledged to ramp up its military support for Ukraine during a meeting between Mr Merz and Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, in which the former promised new military aid worth €5 billion (£4.2 billion). Mr Merz did not mention Taurus missiles as he announced an increase in support for Kyiv - but he later addressed the issue when speaking on German TV. "Of course, it is within the realms of possibility,' the new chancellor told TV channel ZDF when asked if Germany would supply the weapons, adding that it would require several months of training for Ukrainian troops. If Taurus missiles were sent, it would mark a major change in policy for Germany, which under former chancellor Olaf Scholz had been adamant it would not send the weaponry to Ukraine. Military support for Kyiv is being improved in the short term, the German chancellor added, given Taurus missiles would not be ready for immediate use. Germany has pledged to bankroll Ukraine making its own long-range missile systems. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, range and target limits on weapons sent to Kyiv have been debated intensely between - and within - Ukraine's closest allies, amid fears of Russian retaliation. 'Ukraine will be able to fully defend itself, including against military targets outside its own territory,' Mr Merz said during a joint news conference. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the news as a 'very dangerous trend, an irresponsible position that Germany is taking'. What are Taurus missiles and what can they do? Equipped with stealth technology that makes them less visible to detection, the missiles have a range of up to 310 miles, which would help Ukraine to put pressure on Russia in the Black Sea and elsewhere. The German and Swedish-made missiles would be able to reach targets deep in Russia from Ukrainian soil. Taurus is shorthand for Target Adaptive Unitary and dispenser Robotic Ubiquity System. Ukraine has been asking Germany for the missiles to complement the long-range Storm Shadow missiles sent by Britain and France's nearly identical Scalp cruise missiles. The German missiles have a longer range. The UK announced in the spring of 2023 that it was sending Storm Shadows, which have a range of more than155 miles and give Ukraine capacity to strike well behind the front lines, including in Russia-occupied Crimea. In July 2024, Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK would allow Ukraine to fire the missiles into Russia - which it had previously not been permitted to do. Ukraine was reported to have used the missile for the first time in November. France followed Britain by sending its Scalp missiles, giving assurances that they would not be capable of hitting Russian soil. What is Germany's position? Germany is the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States and is further stepping up support this year. But former chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously refused to send the Taurus missiles, saying it would pose a risk of his country becoming directly involved in the war. 'German soldiers must at no point and in no place be linked to targets this system reaches,' he said. At the time, some members of the conservative opposition, and even some in his socially liberal three-party coalition, wanted to send the missiles to Ukraine. But in March 2024, a survey found that 61 per cent of Germans disapproved of Taurus deliveries. As well as concerns regarding Russian retaliation, for military strategists, there are other concerns. Gustav Gressel, a senior policy fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote in a note last year that while the UK and France were already developing successors to their Storm Shadows and Scalps, Germany did not have yet have a successor to the Taurus. Germans fear that their stocks of Taurus missiles could be depleted, he argued, and that 'Russians would see the missile in operation in Ukraine and gain insights into the missile's countermeasures and stealth characteristics.' But Friedrich Merz, who has served as chancellor since early May 2025, has been more willing to ramp up military aid for Ukraine than his predecessor - and may be set to send Taurus missiles eastwards. The Taurus wiretapping case On 1 March 2024, Vladimir Putin's state media leaked an audio recording of German military officers discussing the hypothetical use of Taurus long-range missiles in Ukraine. The 38-minute recording was published by Margarita Simonyan, chief editor of Russian state-funded television channel RT, on social media, the same day that Alexei Navalny was laid to rest in Moscow after his unexplained death two weeks earlier in an Arctic penal colony. It surfaced just weeks before Russia's presidential election. In the audio, the head of Germany's air force, Ingo Gerhartz, can be heard discussing deployment scenarios for Taurus missiles in Ukraine with three colleagues ahead of a meeting with defence minister Boris Pistorius. The conversation was never meant to be public, and the leak embarrassed Germany and raised concerns about security. Furious with Germany, Moscow levelled threats in response. 'If nothing is done, and the German people do not stop this, then there will be dire consequences first and foremost for Germany itself,' Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at the time. In her retort, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said: 'If Russia had not brutally attacked this country, Ukraine would not have to defend itself.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
German chancellor says supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine is possible
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that supplying Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles is possible. Source: European Pravda with reference to German TV channel ZDF Details: Asked about supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles, Merz responded: "Of course, it is within the realms of possibility." At the same time, he added that this would require several months of training for Ukrainian soldiers. Merz noted that transferring the system in six months or a year would not benefit Ukraine today, so military support for Kyiv is being improved now. Speaking about further sanctions against Russia, the chancellor said: "Everything that can be done on a secure legal basis is possible." Background: On 28 May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held meetings in Berlin with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Julia Klöckner. During the visit, Germany promised new military aid to Ukraine worth €5 billion. Among other things, a contract was signed with Diehl Defence for the production of IRIS-T systems and missiles for them. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov said that the total value of the contract is €2.2 billion Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Fox News
3 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Death Penalty for Antisemitic D.C. Killer? Andrew McCarthy Weighs In on the Possibility
Andrew McCarthy, Fox News Contributor and former federal prosecutor, joined The Guy Benson Show today to react to the horrific killing of two Israeli embassy workers in D.C., and McCarthy discussed the potential for the death penalty against the suspect, emphasizing that the attack targeted not only Israel, but also the United States and Jews across the globe. McCarthy also weighed in on Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine, urging the U.S. to adopt a Reagan-era approach by 'bleeding' Putin's regime through strategic support of Ukraine, and why President Trump should stop trying to offer olive branches to the Russian dictator. Finally, he addressed NPR's blatant bias and discussed whether the president truly has the authority to defund the network. Listen to the full interview below! Listen to the full interview below: Listen to the full podcast below:
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Merz keeps Putin guessing over Germany's missile masterplan
Friedrich Merz's refusal to confirm or deny whether he is sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine will keep Vladimir Putin guessing – but it has other advantages for Germany's canny new Chancellor. Mr Merz welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky to Berlin on Wednesday for the first time since his victory in February's German elections. On the campaign trail, he had lambasted Olaf Scholz, the former chancellor, for refusing to send long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv. Now in office, and alongside the Ukrainian president, he would not be drawn on the subject. On Wednesday, he instead announced that Germany would support Ukraine in developing its own long-range missile systems in a significant upgrade to Kyiv's Neptune weapons. Under the cover of that headline-grabbing moment, Mr Merz was executing some nimble political footwork. Mr Scholz ruled out sending Taurus missiles because he feared it risked the war in Ukraine escalating into one with the wider West. For Putin, this was confirmation that he didn't have to worry about the missiles, and of Europe's fracturing resolve. Mr Merz's missile omerta keeps Putin pondering at a time when Russia wants to take as much territory as possible before mooted peace talks, but it also shows he is determined not to make the same mistakes as his hapless predecessor. Germany, under Mr Scholz, was sending more weapons to Ukraine than any other European country. But his refusal to send Taurus entrenched the impression that Berlin was at best a reluctant partner of Kyiv. Mr Scholz's ham-fisted response was to order the publication of lists of what weapons Germany was sending to Ukraine. He then used the lists to criticise European allies like France for not doing more, undermining the united front against Putin. Mr Merz has already ditched the lists. There is nothing new about his embrace of 'strategic ambiguity'. Britain and France opted to keep the donations of their Storm Shadow and Scalp-EG cruise missiles a secret, with announcements only made after the projectiles had been used by Ukraine's air force in bombing raids. A similar strategy was used when decisions were taken to allow Kyiv to strike military targets inside Russia with the missiles. Thanks to such precedents from his allies in the 'coalition of the willing', Mr Merz will be able to keep his silence. He can also point to the fact that Europe's hawks are pleased. Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's former foreign minister, said his announcements brought hope that Germany had taken the right direction on the 'crossroads of history' and 'that the stick he promised is going to be used'. Mr Zelensky did not say whether he had received Taurus. 'We need sufficient long-range capabilities. That is why we must be confident in the financing of our army and the resilience of Ukraine,' he said. 'Germany can support us in all of this.' Taurus is less important militarily than Ukraine's domestically produced drones and missiles, which cover the vast majority of Russian targets on the battlefield. It is more useful for striking heavily fortified and underground targets and is now more important symbolically than militarily. It also probably means more politically in Germany than it does in Ukraine. Mr Scholz was brought down by endless infighting in his dysfunctional coalition government, which collapsed in November. His refusal to send Taurus was meant to appease dove-ish elements in his SPD, which is now junior coalition partner to Mr Merz's Christian Democrats. Mr Merz comfortably won February's elections, but the scale of his victory was not so commanding as to mean he can afford to ignore his allies in government or their concerns. Yet more coalition infighting would play badly with German voters already suspicious that the Merz government is not as strong or united as it promised to be. The truth is that his CDU is also divided over Ukraine policy, as is Germany as a whole. The pro-Putin and far-Right Alternative for Germany came second in the elections, and is now the main opposition, while hard-Left anti-Nato appeasement parties also performed well. Moscow continues to play on German fears of a Russian invasion. Its propagandists are already spinning that Russia will strike Berlin if Taurus is used against Russia. But Mr Merz's strategic ambiguity allows him to support Ukraine in its battle, while dodging a damaging fight at home.
