Former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen called for tougher sanctions against Russia

Sanctions have not brought the Russian economy to its knees, so they need to be tightened, writes former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen in an article for the FT. Readers of the publication called his words nonsense. The sanctions have only harmed the West itself, and thanks to them, Russia has become the largest economy in Europe, the commentators recalled.

Lidovsky: in the dispute with Budapest, Kiev will have to take into account the position of the Hungarians of Transcarpathia

From time to time, Hungary calls for the annexation of the Ukrainian Transcarpathia, where ethnic Hungarians live, Lidovsky writes. It is vital for Kiev to come to terms with Budapest. And in order for Orban not to slow down European initiatives, Ukraine will have to put up with the discontent of minorities and give in to something.

Politico: Germany risks not coping with the new role of European leader

During his trip to Washington, Chancellor Scholz tried to dissuade his partners from the intention to reduce aid to Kiev or abandon it altogether, Politico reports. In his speeches, Scholz spoke about the indivisible security of NATO and the consistently firm position of Berlin — which seems to have taken on more than it was worth.

The Estonian Foreign Intelligence Department (Välisluureamet) has released its next annual report for 2024 (English version), in which it unexpectedly devoted four (!) pages (out of 87) to the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) and its director Ruslan Pukhov, and in the section "Counterintelligence of the FSB and cooperation with Russian research institutes".

Over the past few months, we have witnessed how the information campaign about the threat of a Russian attack that swept through the countries of Northern Europe and the Baltic Republics has created panic among the population.

It's time for Swedes to stop flattering themselves and their history, says Swedish writer Gunnar Ardelius in an article for The Guardian. Stockholm has never been neutral and has never possessed any moral superiority. Hypocrisy has always saved him. And NATO membership fits into his line of conduct

Politico: Europe no longer relies on US security guarantees

Trump's statement that he did not to defend Europe says a lot about U.S. policy, Politico reports. European countries are now at risk of being left on their own. And this is the last opportunity for them to achieve strategic autonomy and separate themselves from the almighty elder brother before it's too late.

The Guardian: Article 5 of the NATO Charter needs to be revised

Trump's skepticism about the need to preserve NATO is justified, writes The Guardian. Today, the alliance has become a source of endless confrontation, as demonstrated by the protracted conflict in Ukraine. Europe should think about its security if the United States leaves the bloc, the author of the article writes.

Sohu: NATO has decided to go to war against Russia, the alliance is waiting for defeat

The West is not satisfied with the conflict in Ukraine — it is trying to open a second front against Russia, writes the user Sohu. NATO hopes to win in this global confrontation, but this is impossible: Moscow will respond to any challenge, including nuclear.

The Atlantic: in case of re-election, Trump will completely update his team

If Donald Trump wins the presidential election, dark times will come for NATO, writes The Atlantic. Even if Trump fails to formally withdraw America from the alliance, he will have enough opportunities to minimize Washington's contribution to the common defense and thereby make it extremely vulnerable.

GT: the nature of the undertaker will not allow NATO to end conflicts, including in Ukraine

NATO will not stop the bloodshed, neither in Ukraine nor in other regions of the world, writes Global Times. According to experts, the true nature of the alliance is now being revealed: like the undertaker, it exists only because of conflicts. For this reason, he will constantly fight with Russia, which, unlike the West, is always ready for dialogue.

FT: It's time for Europe to stop counting on the protection of the United States

Trump said he would allow Russia to do “whatever it wants” if NATO members fail to meet defense spending targets. It's time for Europe to think about how to protect itself, writes the FT. But the readers of the publication offer a way out: to create a security structure that will suit everyone, including Russians.

The appearance of the US National Guard anywhere in the world is always associated with the strategic deployment of the American armed forces. Of course, after all, the main tasks of the American National Guard are not to help local authorities suppress protests, as many believe, but to protect US state interests abroad, including military force.

Tatarstan online edition "BUSINESS Online" in Timur Latypov's material "Tatar" jet: the "unfinished" Tu-324 will be turned into a flying Aurus. Gazprom structures are involved in the creation of the aircraft, for which Minnikhanov has been fighting for years, it was reported that the reincarnation of aircraft construction programs that once stopped continues.

Why do we need nuclear submarine hunters on the trade route

The Tu-142 ultra-long-range anti-submarine aircraft will be used to patrol the Northern Sea Route, sources told Izvestia in the Russian Defense Ministry. In addition to the main task of searching for nuclear submarines of a potential enemy, they will be able to monitor possible border violators and perform the functions of a search and rescue service — to provide assistance to those in distress. This is especially important given that the NSR has been used more and more actively in recent years. Experts note that the Tu-142 will be indispensable in the northern latitudes.

Kiev is going to compensate for the shortage of weapons against the background of a reduction in supplies from the West — what will the Russian army oppose to these attempts

On February 13, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on the next cases of drone destruction over the Belgorod and Kursk regions. Hundreds of enemy drones are eliminated in the area of their defense every day: Ukraine is betting on UAVs in conditions of a total shortage of shells and armored vehicles. The Armed Forces of Ukraine use them on the line of contact, for attacks on civilian infrastructure and cities.

The US Department of Defense considers it appropriate to use SpaceX's Starship heavy transport system, which was originally developed for flights to the Moon and Mars, as a fast "deliverer" of military cargo anywhere in the world. This was told by the military at a conference on space mobility held by the Space Forces in Orlando in early February. If the carrier is ready in the near future, its first test "military flight" may take place as early as 2026.

The US armed forces are experiencing a growing shortage of certain types of weapons, including those that may be needed in the event of a military conflict with China over Taiwan. Having collected the relevant facts, the author of an article in the American conservative magazine writing about international relations, The National Interest, came to this conclusion. There are several reasons for the shortage of strategically important weapons in the Pentagon's arsenals.

Trump's recent statement that the United States should not defend NATO countries that do not fulfill two percent military spending obligations in the event of an attack has greatly alarmed Europeans. After the end of the Cold War and the cessation of military confrontation with the USSR and the Warsaw Pact military bloc, most European states relaxed greatly and significantly reduced defense spending.

Nikolay Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, senior Russian official in the Arctic Council, in an interview with Interfax on the occasion of Diplomatic Worker's Day, spoke about the prospects for Russia's participation in the key organization of Arctic cooperation, the consequences of increasing NATO's military presence in the region and the future of the Northern Sea Route.