GZERO Daily is a free newsletter!

{{ subpage.title }}

Why neither NATO nor Russia wants to escalate war in Ukraine | GZERO World

Why neither NATO nor Russia wants to escalate war in Ukraine

Don't use the "e" word. NATO's increased military support of Ukraine is not an escalation, says Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, it is a "dynamic adjustment." Geoană spoke to Ian Bremmer on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of world leaders, diplomats, and security experts in the Bavarian city. "The fundamental job of NATO is to defend allies, territory, population," Geoană told Ian Bremmer, "there's no escalation, there is a changing nature of the battlefield, and it's normal."

Read moreShow less
NATO's confidence as Ukraine enters year 2 of war | GZERO World

NATO's confidence as Ukraine enters year 2 of war

In 2022, NATO got its groove back. Sweden and Finland applied for membership after decades of thinking it was safer to stay neutral. Germany announced a huge increase in defense spending, and walked back their own red line of sending weapons to conflict zones. In 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, and only 3 of NATO’s then-28 members met the target of spending 2% of GDP on defense. Now, nine countries do, and 19 more have plans to hit 2% by 2024. Still, it’s a hard argument to make as global inflation limits the buying power of those military budgets.

Ian Bremmer spoke with NATO’s Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană about the lessons learned during year one of the war and what comes next. Despite the cohesion, there’s tension brewing: NATO members have very different ideas about how far to go in supporting Ukraine; they blame each other for delays in weapon deliveries; And Turkey, of course, still holding up Finland and Sweden’s membership; no to mention there’s a limit to global trust and information sharing.

Read moreShow less
Opera Legend Renee Fleming on How Russia’s War in Ukraine Has Impacted Classical Music | GZERO World

Opera legend Renée Fleming on how Russia's war in Ukraine has impacted classical music

Should Russian artists be blamed for Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine? In the weeks following the invasion, big stars like Metropolitan Opera star soprano Anna Netrebko or Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra director Valery Gergiev lost their jobs after refusing to condemn Putin.

"I think everyone is on the side of supporting Ukraine. Everyone. I mean, bar none," legendary soprano Renée Fleming tells GZERO on the sidelines of the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where she received one of this year's coveted Crystal Awards.

Read moreShow less

Subscribe to our free newsletter, GZERO Daily

Latest