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Europe needs to strengthen its defenses, says President Macron
Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, shares his perspective on European politics from Etterbeek, Brussels.
Does President Macron in France, thinks that Europe can't rely on the United States for its defense no longer?
That's not really the gist of what he’s saying. What he's saying, and I think he's entirely right, is that Europe must do more on its own for its defense. The United States remains a partner of immense value. No question about that. But he points out that the United States is a country with global responsibilities and pressures for an increased engagement elsewhere as well. So the call for Europe to do more, to coordinate, to integrate, to strengthen its own defenses from President Macron. I think that reflects a sentiment that you find all over Europe these days.
Does the resurgence of the radical right in any way impair the celebration in Portugal that is 50 years since the coup, the revolution that overturned the dictatorship?
I don't think it does. That was a joyous celebration across Lisbon and across Portugal on that day, celebrating that is 50 years, the return of democracy or the coming of democracy, to be precise. The only thing that was perhaps, discordant note was, some difficult in handling the legacy of the old colonial wars. Portugal did try to cling on the colonial empire in Africa for a very long time, and that was one of the reasons, by the way, for the revolution 50 years ago.
FILE PHOTO: Somali supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hold Turkey's flag during celebrations after the second round of the presidential election, in Mogadishu, Somalia May 29, 2023.
Somalia signs defense pact with Turkey amid tensions with Ethiopia
Turkey confirmed Thursday that it has signed a defense agreement with Somalia. The deal commits Ankara to defending Somali waters and to helping Mogadishu build up its navy against “foreign interference” – a veiled reference to rising tensions with Ethiopia.
Last month, Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding with the breakaway state of Somaliland allowing Ethiopia to utilize the port of Berbera in exchange for recognizing Somaliland’s independence. Ethiopia is the world’s most populous landlocked country, so securing sea access is vital, but Mogadishu says the deal is an unacceptable violation of its sovereignty.
Could it come to war? The United States is certainly concerned, with Washington’s top Africa diplomat, Assistant Secretary of State Molly Phee, shuttling between meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and telling reporters “the region can ill-afford more conflict.” The European and African Unions, the Arab League, and Egypt are all echoing US and Turkish calls for Somali sovereignty to be respected.
But we’ve got our eye on the United Arab Emirates, which previously facilitated ties between Ethiopia and Somaliland and could lean on its growing military influence in the Horn of Africa to sway the course of events – particularly with African Union troops set to pull out of Somalia this year.The Graphic Truth — WAR! Who is it good for?
For arms manufacturers, war is great for business. Even before Russia invaded Ukraine six months ago, global military spending was already on an upswing, to the tune of $2 trillion last year. Now, the US and its allies are splashing around a lot of dough to send the Ukrainians weapons to defend themselves against the Russians — to the delight of anyone who owns shares of the companies that make those arms. We take a look at how the stock prices of the world's top listed defense companies have performed in 2022 so far.
The Graphic Truth: Who does China buy arms from & sell to?
The US claimed earlier this week that Russia had asked China for weapons to fight in Ukraine. We still don’t know whether that was true or what came of the supposed request, but interestingly, China buys most of its arms from Russia and doesn’t sell any to Moscow. Here’s a look at Chinese weapons imports and exports.
China tails US warship in Taiwan Strait
The US Navy said the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin had conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit.
Japan weighs ships for Aegis missile defence system
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan will build two ships equipped with Aegis missile interceptors after public opposition forced the government to scrap deployment of a costly land-based system, the country's defence minister said Wednesday (Dec 9).
Taiwan says faces daily threat as US notifies of new arms sale
"Authoritarian forces consistently attempt to violate the existing norms-based order," President Tsai Ing-wen said.
Japan to approve plans for Aegis-equipped ships as missile interceptors
TOKYO • Japan's Cabinet is set to approve as early as next month plans to build two new Aegis-equipped ships as missile interceptors after scuttling a proposal to place the defence system ashore, Kyodo News reported.