Europe
- www.thetimes.com Ukraine talks show that ‘macho’ Putin hates tough decisions
The Russian president is buying time before a ceasefire deal is struck. Will his big opportunity slip away?
cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/23960819
> Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.16-042727/https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/ukraine-peace-deal-is-on-trump-time-putin-may-miss-his-moment-n58zc7glm > > > The Russian president is buying time before a ceasefire deal is struck. Will his big opportunity slip away? > > > Faced with the proposal of a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is doing what he does best: creative dithering. By saying that he is broadly in favour but “there are nuances” which need “painstaking research on both sides”, he is in effect delaying having to accept or reject the proposal. He may be hoping to buy time to get the best deal, but the fear in Moscow is that he will lose the opportunity altogether.
- www.ft.com Donald Trump shock pushes neutral Swiss to seek closer defence ties
New defence minister calls for closer links to Nato and EU neighbours
cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/23962155
> Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.16-112421/https://www.ft.com/content/38de65f3-6ea1-4056-856c-601f71bb1cb3 > > > Just two months ago, Switzerland’s new defence minister was seen as an outsider with little chance of securing a federal government post. > > > But Martin Pfister, an army colonel and cantonal minister who advocates for more defence co-operation with Natoand EU neighbours, is set to take office next month after defeating a more conservative rival earlier this week.
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EU to continue arming Ukraine in event of temporary truce
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/31129928
> Archived > > [...] > > At a briefing in Brussels, a European diplomat emphasized that the EU is working to ensure Ukraine holds a stronger position in peace negotiations. > > [...] > > [An EU] diplomat [...] expressed the view that during a potential ceasefire, Ukraine should be armed rather than disarmed. > > "Fighting is still ongoing, but even if there is a pause, Ukraine must be turned into a 'steel porcupine,'" [another] EU diplomat emphasized. > > He added that it is crucial to put Ukraine in a strong position for negotiations. Moreover, it is necessary to prevent Russia from using a "second chance" to regroup and launch another attack. > > [...]
- www.irishexaminer.com Tens of thousands join pro-Europe rally in Rome, amid worries over rearmament
Rolling coverage of the international stories of interest to our readers
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58519775
> Organisers said the pro-Europe rally, which filled Rome’s central Piazza del Popolo with at least 30,000 people, reunited Italians on different sides and voting for opposite parties “in the name of democracy”.
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Companies still making business in Russia
leave-russia.org #LeaveRussia#LeaveRussia: The List Of International Companies That Continue To Do Business In Russia
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Europeans benefit from some of the strongest consumer protections in the world! (Post from the European Commission on their Mastodon Instance)
ec.social-network.europa.eu European Commission (@[email protected])Attached: 4 images Europeans benefit from some of the strongest consumer protections in the world! Whether that’s when: 🔹 Shopping – Right to safe, high-quality products that can be repaired, replaced, or returned if needed. 🔹 Travelling – Compensation for delays or cancellations. 🔹 Banking...
- www.ft.com German army struggles to get Gen Z recruits ‘ready for war’
Bundeswehr has a high dropout rate and the number of conscientious objectors is rising
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/27232360
> https://archive.ph/mhPRN
- www.theguardian.com US official heading Ukraine peace plan has history of empathizing with Russia
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy, has written op-eds and reports questioning Ukraine’s role in negotiations
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Why the EU could hang Canada out to dry
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58461214
> cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58461212
- www.eunews.it EU, life expectancy reaches 81.5 years
The increase also compared to pre-Covid levels. In Eurostat data, Italy is the second-longest-living member country, 83.5 years. Trento and Bolzano among the longest-living provinces in Europe
