EU

J.D. Tuccille: America steps down as the world’s policeman

Anybody clinging to the hope that the United States will continue its post-Second World War role as the world’s policeman without major changes was likely disabused of that notion during the tumultuous Feb. 28 White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Perhaps the most astonishing part of that clash was that Trump was — for him — relatively restrained. Vice-President J.D. Vance seemed determined to derail the meeting and Zelenskyy apparently came looking for a fight. In the end, it was clear that, going forward, the United States government will assist other countries on its own terms, and only if there’s something to be gained.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inCanada, EU, Europe, NATO, USA

Will the EU ever get tough on defence?

European leaders are in Brussels today for an emergency summit on defence, and the future of both Ukraine and the continent. In a further attempt to hash out a peace plan for Ukraine, the 27 EU heads of state are joined by Volodymyr Zelensky. Arriving this morning, Zelensky declared, ‘It’s great we are not alone’.

As part of today’s agenda, members of the bloc are expected to endorse Ursula von der Leyen’s ReArm Europe plan – which will make €150 billion (£125 billion) available in loans for members to boost defence spending. The summit will also likely discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to extend his country’s ‘nuclear umbrella’ to its continental neighbours.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inEU, Europe, European Union

Europe: Fear of the Elephant and Its Mahout

In the recent summit in Paris of European Union leaders on Ukraine, there was an elephant in the room: The US Republican Party and its current mahout, former President Donald J. Trump.

According to those who were able to peep into the session, much of the discussion was about what the US will or won’t do in case the volatile mahout rides his elephant into the White House in November.

Trump’s musings about ending the war in Ukraine and taming Vladimir Putin without war and his quip about refusing to support a NATO member not paying its share, if attacked by Russia, took up a disproportionate part of the discussions. Then came the French President Emmanuel Macron’s bombshell about boots on the ground in Ukraine.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inEU, Europe, NATO, USA

China Taking Over While Europe Sleeps

Europe is in “complete denial” as China proceeds to spread its influence on the continent. At least that is the urgent, unequivocal view of Ivana Karásková, a Czech foreign influence specialist and a special adviser to European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová.

“In some countries, awareness of [Chinese influence operations] is high because they have a history of Russian-backed action. Elsewhere, it’s complete denial,” she told Politico. “It’s very uneven in terms of awareness. There are some countries where the discussion isn’t happening at all.”

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"China - Communist Slave State", EU, Europe

Europe’s Climate Consensus Is Unraveling

The departure of EU ‘climate’ Commissioner Frans Timmermans—who will be taking his chances in the upcoming Dutch election—may well be a pivotal moment for the future of ‘green’ politics. Timmermans is the face of the European Union’s drive for ever more intrusive regulations that are meant to combat climate change—regulations that are being met with resistance from member states. Despite the Commission’s best efforts to push the Green Deal, exorbitant economic costs and voter discontent have sparked a renewed interest in nuclear energy throughout Europe.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"Energy Matters", EU, Green-Scam

As Europe founders, is common sense making a long-overdue return?

EUROPE appears to be falling apart. Germany is now officially in recession as de-industrialisation follows its green energy policies and the catastrophic damage to the Nord Stream pipelines. As Bloomberg put it last week: ‘Europe’s economic engine is breaking down’. France remains in uproar as protests continue nationwide. And any idea that that it is trying to free itself from the shackles of carbon neutrality is wishful thinking at best, naïve at worst. Dutch farmers are still under attack from their own government after the EU approved a farm buy-out plan to meet their climate goals. 

Perhaps it is not surprising that the European Parliament hosted an event a couple of weeks ago titled ‘Beyond Growth‘, as that is the clear direction of travel for much of Europe.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inEU, Europe

The EU’s Lethal Obsession with Israel

European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans stated on February 17: “The EU wants build stronger ties with Israel, yet relations sadly remain burdened by the construction of illegal settlements on Palestinian land.”

What Koopmans forgot to mention that it is the Palestinians who have built literally tens of thousands of illegal structures in the West Bank, especially in Area C, which, according to the Oslo Accords, is under full Israeli security and civilian jurisdiction.

Koopmans also forgot to mention that the EU is helping the Palestinian Authority (PA) with the mass-scale illegal construction, paving the way for the de facto annexation of the territory.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inEU, European Union, Israel

EU’s Double-Standards on Iran’s Human Rights: Business First

The European Union’s charter stresses that “Human rights are at the heart of EU relations with other countries and regions. The European Union is based on a strong commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law worldwide”. This is clearly not the case when it comes to the EU’s appeasing relationship with the ruling mullahs of Iran.

The Iranian regime is ramping up its killing spree, torture and arrests.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inEU, European Union, Iran

Why the EU elites hate Hungary

No, Viktor Orbán’s Hungary is not an ‘electoral autocracy’.

The EU’s demonisation of Hungary has reached a new low. Last week, the European Parliament agreed on a resolution, stating that Hungary is an ‘electoral autocracy’ and not a ‘full democracy’, and that it is undermining European values. A few days later, the European Commission recommended suspending €7.5 billion in funding to Hungary, citing concerns over democratic backsliding.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted inEU, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary

EU intelligence chief cancels Taiwan trip after Beijing learns his secret plans

The European Union’s top intelligence official canceled a trip to Taiwan after his top-secret preparations were seemingly leaked to Beijing in advance, according to two diplomats with knowledge of the situation.

José Casimiro Morgado, director of the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre, was supposed to make the below-the-radar visit to meet Taiwanese officials in October, according to the diplomats.

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by Blazingcatfur••0•Posted in"China - Communist Slave State", Espionage, EU