U.S. President Joe Biden told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, Tuesday that the U.S. and its European allies have “deep concerns” about Moscow massing its forces near the Ukrainian border and would respond with “strong” economic sanctions if Russia invades its one-time satellite country, the White House said. In a …

In a “frank and businesslike” conversation Russian President Vladimir Putin asked his US counterpart Joe Biden for guarantees that NATO won’t expand further east or deploy offensive weapons to countries like Ukraine. Moscow is “seriously interested” in obtaining “reliable and firm legal guarantees” excluding NATO’s further expansion eastward and deployment …

Of all the Iraqi religious scholars turned politicians, Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr is the most controversial, bold and charismatic. He comes from a family that has stood up to oppressive regimes on nationalistic grounds. At 47, he is still young and relatively inexperienced. Once an ally of Iran, he is …

US President Joe Biden is scheduled to host the first (virtual) edition of ‘The Summit for Democracy’ on 9-10 December 2021. This will be followed by year-long initiatives leading to an in-person summit in 2022. According to the State Department, the summit aims to bring together leaders from government, civil …

Inflation is rising around the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, one item is driving the trend more than others: food prices. Food accounts for roughly 40 percent of the region’s consumption basket—a measure of goods and services used to measure consumer price index (CPI) inflation. Food inflation increased throughout 2019, on …

Die USA wollen die Olympischen Winterspiele in Peking mit Verweis auf die Menschenrechtslage in China boykottieren. Ein richtiges und wichtiges Zeichen, kommentiert Andrea Schültke. Ebenso wichtig findet sie aber, dass es bei einem politischen Boykott bleibe. Die Sportlerinnen und Sportler sollten nicht darunter leiden. Mit dem politischen Boykott der Olympischen …

Дві години у закритому режимі: президент США Джо Байден та російський президент Володимир Путін обговорили ескалацію в Україні. Переговори відбулися на тлі побоювань через ризик масштабного вторгнення РФ до України. Путін захотів гарантій, що Київ не візьмуть до НАТО. Американський президент нагадав, що США твердо стоять за Україною, і за …

Mozambican President Felipe Nyusi created a stir in early November, when he dismissed Defense Minister Jaime Neto and then Interior Minister Amade Miquidade within 24 hours of each other. This shake-up in the country’s security leadership, coming less than two years after both had taken up their posts, likely signals …

High-level diplomacy has intensified among competing Middle East regional powers, a flurry of bilateral talks that increasingly suggests what a “Plan B” would look like if, as seems likely, the U.S. and Iran fail to revive the deal that briefly constrained Tehran’s nuclear program. The pace of contacts and meetings …

Observers in Washington and European capitals who were worried about NATO’s nuclear deterrent breathed a sigh of relief in late November, when the new German governing coalition signaled it would continue Germany’s role in the alliance’s nuclear-sharing agreement. But their reaction was tempered by the uncertainty that still surrounds U.S. …