Henry Kissinger, the former US National Security Adviser and Secretary of State was a celebrated personality, who also faced a fair amount of criticism. But whichever&nbsp;way you look at him and his legacy, one thing is certain, he was one of the top statesmen who shaped not only US foreign policy but also&nbsp;global politics. For some, he was a 'world statesman', while others openly called him a 'war criminal' for the fallout of actions he took through his diplomacy.

For Kissinger, by his own admission, power was the ultimate aphrodisiac. He dated some actresses like Jill St. John, the first American bond girl, Marsha Metrinko and others if&nbsp;media reports&nbsp;are to be believed. It is also said that his&nbsp;image of a playboy was only&nbsp;media-generated.

Gravitas: How Henry Kissinger Went From India-hater to Urging for Stronger Ties

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One thing is for sure, Kissinger had firm control over&nbsp;US foreign policy as secretary of state during the years of President Richard Nixon. The two were&nbsp;close, although there were differences between them regarding matters related to&nbsp;some world conflicts.

<h2>The Nixon doctrine</h2>

The so-called 'Nixon doctrine' of US policy can safely be called Nixon-Kissinger doctrine, such was Kissinger's influence. This approach was announced by President Nixon in 1969. This doctrine said that the US should help its allies with economic and military aid when a conflict occurs and should avoid sending US troops. Nixon even said that the United States could no longer afford to defend its allies fully. The US would of course uphold treaty obligations but would also expect allies to contribute for&nbsp;their own defence.

However,&nbsp;Nixon assured the allies that US nuclear assets would continue to protect them in case of a nuclear threat.

The Nixon doctrine was announced at the time of the Vietnam War. And in contradiction to what the doctrine said, US troops were already involved in the conflict.

Although Nixon announced the doctrine, the US did not fully adhere to it as seen in the invasions of Cambodia (1970) and Laos (1971).

Henry Kissinger was called a realist who put stock in realpolitik, that is, taking decisions on practicality and real situations rather than on moral considerations.

Kissinger was credited with some of the major foreign policy successes.

<h2>Rapprochement with China</h2>

China and the US have sparred over Taiwan for decades. During Kissinger's time, China was emerging as a formidable global power but he remained firm on his position that Taiwan was not a part of the Chinese territory.

Kissinger developed what is called 'triangular diplomacy' and sought to align the US with China to form a semblance of coalition against China's Communist rival Soviet Russia, which was a US adversary too.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bhopal-gas-tragedy-and-henry-kissingers-controversial-legacy-of-secretive-dealings-665120">Bhopal gas tragedy and Henry Kissinger's controversial legacy of secretive dealings</a>

Though US and China's position&nbsp;on Taiwan was poles apart, Kissinger's diplomatic efforts with top Chinese leadership resulted in the groundbreaking 1972 summit between Nixon, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, and Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong.

<h2>Detente with Soviet Union</h2>

America's efforts to draw closer to China did not mean it abandoned the policy of stabilising relations with the Soviet Union.&nbsp;Kissinger had a part to play in this.

He developed a policy with the aim to establish&nbsp;warmer political ties with the Soviet Union. Kissinger's efforts eventually culminated in the revival of talks between the two superpowers to mutually reduce the size of their nuclear arsenal.

The US and Soviet Russia signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, SALT I and SALT II, in 1972 and 1979 respectively.

<h2>Shuttle diplomacy</h2>

So indelible is Kissinger's mark on the world and art of diplomacy that a separate term was coined to describe his efforts toward cessation of hostilities in the Arab-Israel war of 1973.

A shuttle diplomacy is when two mediating parties do not have direct contact and a mediator travels between the principal locations of each to carry on the negotiation. Kissinger's effort in the 1973 war, also known as the Yom Kippur War helped disengage the warring sides.

<h2>Kissinger and controversies</h2>

Kissinger was undoubtedly one of the most prominent diplomats of the 20th century. He&nbsp;shaped the contours of world politics and there&nbsp;are no two opinions to it. However, Kissinger's critics have at times&nbsp;called him a 'war criminal' because of the direct or indirect effects of his diplomatic strategies.

Although Kissinger was heavily involved in the diplomatic efforts surrounding the Vietnam War, some of his critics say that his efforts worsened the situation. He also faced flak for America's bombing of Cambodia, which was a noncombatant country in the context of the Vietnam War.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/kissinger-should-have-apologised-for-1971-war-role-bangladesh-fm-a-k-abdul-momen-664750">Kissinger should have apologised for 1971 war role: Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen</a>

Kissinger has also been accused of supporting anti-democratic activities of right-wing governments in Latin America by way of inaction.

Then there are again the allegations that Nixon and Kissinger were ignoring mass atrocities and murders committed by the Pakistani Army in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and even nudged the Chinese to attack India when it sent troops to liberate Bangladesh.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/cast-from-the-past-when-kissinger-failed-to-make-china-attack-india-during-1971-bangladesh-liberation-war-664777">Cast From The Past: When Kissinger failed to make China attack India during 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War</a>

An unapologetic Realist, Kissinger did play his cards the way he wanted to. With his passing, another major personality, however controversial, from the Cold War era, is lost to time.

Henry Kissinger, the former US National Security Adviser and Secretary of State was a celebrated personality, who also faced a fair amount of criticism. But whichever way you look at him and his legacy, one thing is certain, he was one of the top statesmen who shaped not only US foreign policy but also global politics.

Henry Kissinger, the former US National Security Adviser and Secretary of State was a celebrated personality, who also faced a fair amount of criticism. But whichever way you look at him and his legacy, one thing is certain, he was one of the top statesmen who shaped not only US foreign policy but also global politics. For some, he was a 'world statesman', while others openly called him a 'war criminal' for the fallout of actions he took through his diplomacy. For Kissinger, by his own admission, power was the ultimate aphrodisiac. He dated some actresses like Jill St. John, the first American bond girl, Marsha Metrinko and others if media reports are to be believed. It is also said that his image of a playboy was only media-generated. Gravitas: How Henry Kissinger Went From India-hater to Urging for Stronger Ties × One thing is for sure, Kissinger had firm control over US foreign policy as secretary of state during the years of President Richard Nixon. The two were close, although there were differences between them regarding matters related to some world conflicts. The Nixon doctrine The so-called 'Nixon doctrine' of US policy can safely be called Nixon-Kissinger doctrine, such was Kissinger's influence. This approach was announced by President Nixon in 1969. This doctrine said that the US should help its allies with economic and military aid when a conflict occurs and should avoid sending US troops. Nixon even said that the United States could no longer afford to defend its allies fully. The US would of course uphold treaty obligations but would also expect allies to contribute for their own defence. However, Nixon assured the allies that US nuclear assets would continue to protect them in case of a nuclear threat. The Nixon doctrine was announced at the time of the Vietnam War. And in contradiction to what the doctrine said, US troops were already involved in the conflict. Although Nixon announced the doctrine, the US did not fully adhere to it as seen in the invasions of Cambodia (1970) and Laos (1971). Henry Kissinger was called a realist who put stock in realpolitik, that is, taking decisions on practicality and real situations rather than on moral considerations. Kissinger was credited with some of the major foreign policy successes. Rapprochement with China China and the US have sparred over Taiwan for decades. During Kissinger's time, China was emerging as a formidable global power but he remained firm on his position that Taiwan was not a part of the Chinese territory. Kissinger developed what is called 'triangular diplomacy' and sought to align the US with China to form a semblance of coalition against China's Communist rival Soviet Russia, which was a US adversary too. Also Read | Bhopal gas tragedy and Henry Kissinger's controversial legacy of secretive dealings Though US and China's position on Taiwan was poles apart, Kissinger's diplomatic efforts with top Chinese leadership resulted in the groundbreaking 1972 summit between Nixon, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, and Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong. Detente with Soviet Union America's efforts to draw closer to China did not mean it abandoned the policy of stabilising relations with the Soviet Union. Kissinger had a part to play in this. He developed a policy with the aim to establish warmer political ties with the Soviet Union. Kissinger's efforts eventually culminated in the revival of talks between the two superpowers to mutually reduce the size of their nuclear arsenal. The US and Soviet Russia signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, SALT I and SALT II, in 1972 and 1979 respectively. Shuttle diplomacy So indelible is Kissinger's mark on the world and art of diplomacy that a separate term was coined to describe his efforts toward cessation of hostilities in the Arab-Israel war of 1973. A shuttle diplomacy is when two mediating parties do not have direct contact and a mediator travels between the principal locations of each to carry on the negotiation. Kissinger's effort in the 1973 war, also known as the Yom Kippur War helped disengage the warring sides. Kissinger and controversies Kissinger was undoubtedly one of the most prominent diplomats of the 20th century. He shaped the contours of world politics and there are no two opinions to it. However, Kissinger's critics have at times called him a 'war criminal' because of the direct or indirect effects of his diplomatic strategies. Although Kissinger was heavily involved in the diplomatic efforts surrounding the Vietnam War, some of his critics say that his efforts worsened the situation. He also faced flak for America's bombing of Cambodia, which was a noncombatant country in the context of the Vietnam War. Also Read | Kissinger should have apologised for 1971 war role: Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen Kissinger has also been accused of supporting anti-democratic activities of right-wing governments in Latin America by way of inaction. Then there are again the allegations that Nixon and Kissinger were ignoring mass atrocities and murders committed by the Pakistani Army in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and even nudged the Chinese to attack India when it sent troops to liberate Bangladesh. Also Read | Cast From The Past: When Kissinger failed to make China attack India during 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War An unapologetic Realist, Kissinger did play his cards the way he wanted to. With his passing, another major personality, however controversial, from the Cold War era, is lost to time.

Explained: Henry Kissinger's foreign policy, achievements and controversies

On November 17, India hosted the second ‘Voice of the Global South Summit’ (VOGSS) in the virtual format. The first summit was held on 12–13 January 2023. Two summits within a year to advance the cause of developing nations and the announcement to convene another summit later to discuss issues relating to Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the Global South are clearly indicative of the creation of a new institutional platform for sustaining solidarity in the developing world. This is also an indicator of India asserting its leadership of a large and important grouping. How has Indian diplomacy performed so far in this regard and how it might address this complex phenomenon in the next two years will be watched with widespread interest.

<h2>From Global South to first summit</h2>

International relations experts are quite used to depicting the world as divided into certain camps or categories. The Cold War threw up the polarization between the West and the East, terming the rest of the world as the ‘Non-aligned’. The ‘Third World’ was used in the past to club together all developing countries. The Group of 77 (G77) was a more neutral and acceptable phrase to describe countries on the path of development, which advocated both North-South and South-South cooperation.

The term ‘global South’ was first used by Carl Oglesky, a leftist American author and political activist in 1969, which gathered currency in the later decades. Through his famous 1980 report entitled ‘North-South: A Programme for Survival’, former West German Chancellor Willy Brandt invented the ‘Brandt Line’ that divided the world roughly at the latitude of 30 degrees North, placing North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia in the North and showing the southern part of the hemisphere as the South.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-raised-indias-profile-as-voice-of-global-south-imec-has-potential-finnish-envoy-to-wion-660098">Also read |&nbsp;G20 raised India's profile as voice of Global&nbsp;South, IMEC has potential: Finnish&nbsp;envoy&nbsp;to&nbsp;WION</a>

India, a leading light in both the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the G77, has always been perceived as an important pillar of the South. In contrast, China was neither a member of NAM nor of G77, though it worked as a partner of the latter, thus terming the grouping as ‘G77 and China’. Conscious of the reduced relevance of NAM in the post-Cold War era and disenchanted with the non-performing G77, India has created a new and innovative pathway suitable for the needs of the 21st century. The opportunity to host the G20 summit was the trigger for India to craft the new platform. It is designed to help the Global South address current geopolitical and economic challenges more effectively. While defining the Global South, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar observed, “Those who are really Global South know they are Global South.”

The first VOGSS was quite a success, once the initial question as to which countries should be invited was resolved neatly. For obvious reasons, China could not be included but this exclusion required a touch of diplomacy. Therefore, no member nations of the G20 were part of the first Global South summit. This meant excluding close partners like Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa too, but India has been in close touch with them through the medium of the G20 Troika.

The simple purpose of the January summit for India was to ascertain key concerns and needs of developing countries that could be taken up and pursued by the G20 President during its tenure from December 2022 to November 2023. The participation of 125 countries in this summit was the validation of India's decision to convene the summit. The inclusive programme and the opportunity for a sizeable number of leaders and ministers to articulate their views received considerable appreciation. The most tangible outcome was that the host obtained rich inputs that later moulded the G20 agenda.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/global-south-needs-a-reality-check-concept-is-the-same-but-the-context-is-not-552302">Also read |&nbsp;Global South needs a reality check: Concept is the same but the context is not</a>

<h2>The second summit</h2>

The second VOGSS was structured in the same pattern as the first summit. It comprised an opening and a closing session attended by the leaders, whereas eight ministerial sessions were held where participants were minister of foreign affairs (two sessions), finance, education, environment, energy, health, and commerce. The specific theme of the inaugural session was ‘Together, for Everyone’s Growth, with Everyone’s Trust’, and for the concluding session, it was ‘Global South: Together for One Future.’

The essential purpose of the second summit was twofold: to apprise high-level representatives of the Global South of the deliberations and outcomes of the G20 summit hosted and presided over by India, and to ensure that momentum is sustained, with the support of developing countries, for optimal implementation of the G20 decisions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that the Global South priorities were fully reflected in the G20 summit outcomes. “Geographically the Global South has always existed, but it is getting a voice for the first time, and this is because of the joint efforts,” he noted adding, “We are more than 100 countries but our priorities are similar.” He was clear that the message from the Global South was that “it wants its autonomy.”

At a special media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra provided details about the issues discussed, the reactions of foreign participants, and the summit’s outcomes. He conveyed that New Delhi was well on its way to implementing various initiatives that PM Modi had announced at the January summit. In particular, Modi inaugurated the Global South Center of Excellence, to be called ‘DAKSHIN’, an acronym for Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative. It will serve as a think tank and a repository of knowledge and development initiatives that promotes greater collaboration among developing nations.

Ministerial sessions, it was disclosed, went into a deep dive on a whole gamut of India's G20 priorities ranging from Sustainable Development Goals, energy transition, climate action finance, digital transformation, debt relief, women-led development, counter-terrorism, and reform of international financial institutions as well as the UN Security Council. The mood in the conference rooms was imbued with an expression of “gratitude to Prime Minister Modi’s leadership here.” Specifically, the admission of the African Union (AU) as a member of G20 was widely lauded by the participants.

<h2>Assessment</h2>

Several observations are in order here. First, the Global South orientation of the G20 summit was fully noted at the VOGSS summit. Perhaps over 50% of the content of the G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration (NDLD) is related exclusively to the needs of the Global South. Second, there was recognition that the success in securing a seat for the AU in G20 demonstrated that global groupings can be persuaded to respond to the changing global realities in an inclusive fashion, as Foreign Secretary Kwatra put it. Third, participants seemed clear that resolving global challenges required not confrontation but a mix of cooperation, consultation, and coordination.

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Minister Jaishankar referred to India's conviction that “the success of our G20 Presidency is the success of the Global South.” But this mission will be truly accomplished when the implementation of G20 decisions gets underway and picks up momentum. For this, the Global South nations were urged “to keep our collective voices robust.”

For India, the next challenge, as a leader of the Global South, is to ensure maximum coordination with Brazil and South Africa as the next two presidents of G20. Through close engagement, deft diplomacy, and while respecting the sensitivities of its G20 successors, India can continue serving the cause of the Global South constructively.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

&nbsp;

On November 17, India hosted the second ‘Voice of the Global South Summit’ (VOGSS) in the virtual format. The first summit was held on 12–13 January 2023. Two summits within a year to advance the cause of developing nations and the announcement to convene another summit later to discuss issues relating to Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the Global South are clearly indicative of the creation of a new institutional platform for sustaining solidarity in the developing world.

On November 17, India hosted the second ‘Voice of the Global South Summit’ (VOGSS) in the virtual format. The first summit was held on 12–13 January 2023. Two summits within a year to advance the cause of developing nations and the announcement to convene another summit later to discuss issues relating to Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the Global South are clearly indicative of the creation of a new institutional platform for sustaining solidarity in the developing world. This is also an indicator of India asserting its leadership of a large and important grouping. How has Indian diplomacy performed so far in this regard and how it might address this complex phenomenon in the next two years will be watched with widespread interest. From Global South to first summit International relations experts are quite used to depicting the world as divided into certain camps or categories. The Cold War threw up the polarization between the West and the East, terming the rest of the world as the ‘Non-aligned’. The ‘Third World’ was used in the past to club together all developing countries. The Group of 77 (G77) was a more neutral and acceptable phrase to describe countries on the path of development, which advocated both North-South and South-South cooperation. The term ‘global South’ was first used by Carl Oglesky, a leftist American author and political activist in 1969, which gathered currency in the later decades. Through his famous 1980 report entitled ‘North-South: A Programme for Survival’, former West German Chancellor Willy Brandt invented the ‘Brandt Line’ that divided the world roughly at the latitude of 30 degrees North, placing North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia in the North and showing the southern part of the hemisphere as the South. Also read | G20 raised India's profile as voice of Global South, IMEC has potential: Finnish envoy to WION India, a leading light in both the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the G77, has always been perceived as an important pillar of the South. In contrast, China was neither a member of NAM nor of G77, though it worked as a partner of the latter, thus terming the grouping as ‘G77 and China’. Conscious of the reduced relevance of NAM in the post-Cold War era and disenchanted with the non-performing G77, India has created a new and innovative pathway suitable for the needs of the 21st century. The opportunity to host the G20 summit was the trigger for India to craft the new platform. It is designed to help the Global South address current geopolitical and economic challenges more effectively. While defining the Global South, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar observed, “Those who are really Global South know they are Global South.” The first VOGSS was quite a success, once the initial question as to which countries should be invited was resolved neatly. For obvious reasons, China could not be included but this exclusion required a touch of diplomacy. Therefore, no member nations of the G20 were part of the first Global South summit. This meant excluding close partners like Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa too, but India has been in close touch with them through the medium of the G20 Troika. The simple purpose of the January summit for India was to ascertain key concerns and needs of developing countries that could be taken up and pursued by the G20 President during its tenure from December 2022 to November 2023. The participation of 125 countries in this summit was the validation of India's decision to convene the summit. The inclusive programme and the opportunity for a sizeable number of leaders and ministers to articulate their views received considerable appreciation. The most tangible outcome was that the host obtained rich inputs that later moulded the G20 agenda. Also read | Global South needs a reality check: Concept is the same but the context is not The second summit The second VOGSS was structured in the same pattern as the first summit. It comprised an opening and a closing session attended by the leaders, whereas eight ministerial sessions were held where participants were minister of foreign affairs (two sessions), finance, education, environment, energy, health, and commerce. The specific theme of the inaugural session was ‘Together, for Everyone’s Growth, with Everyone’s Trust’, and for the concluding session, it was ‘Global South: Together for One Future.’ The essential purpose of the second summit was twofold: to apprise high-level representatives of the Global South of the deliberations and outcomes of the G20 summit hosted and presided over by India, and to ensure that momentum is sustained, with the support of developing countries, for optimal implementation of the G20 decisions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that the Global South priorities were fully reflected in the G20 summit outcomes. “Geographically the Global South has always existed, but it is getting a voice for the first time, and this is because of the joint efforts,” he noted adding, “We are more than 100 countries but our priorities are similar.” He was clear that the message from the Global South was that “it wants its autonomy.” At a special media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra provided details about the issues discussed, the reactions of foreign participants, and the summit’s outcomes. He conveyed that New Delhi was well on its way to implementing various initiatives that PM Modi had announced at the January summit. In particular, Modi inaugurated the Global South Center of Excellence, to be called ‘DAKSHIN’, an acronym for Development and Knowledge Sharing Initiative. It will serve as a think tank and a repository of knowledge and development initiatives that promotes greater collaboration among developing nations. Ministerial sessions, it was disclosed, went into a deep dive on a whole gamut of India's G20 priorities ranging from Sustainable Development Goals, energy transition, climate action finance, digital transformation, debt relief, women-led development, counter-terrorism, and reform of international financial institutions as well as the UN Security Council. The mood in the conference rooms was imbued with an expression of “gratitude to Prime Minister Modi’s leadership here.” Specifically, the admission of the African Union (AU) as a member of G20 was widely lauded by the participants. Assessment Several observations are in order here. First, the Global South orientation of the G20 summit was fully noted at the VOGSS summit. Perhaps over 50% of the content of the G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration (NDLD) is related exclusively to the needs of the Global South. Second, there was recognition that the success in securing a seat for the AU in G20 demonstrated that global groupings can be persuaded to respond to the changing global realities in an inclusive fashion, as Foreign Secretary Kwatra put it. Third, participants seemed clear that resolving global challenges required not confrontation but a mix of cooperation, consultation, and coordination. Minister Jaishankar referred to India's conviction that “the success of our G20 Presidency is the success of the Global South.” But this mission will be truly accomplished when the implementation of G20 decisions gets underway and picks up momentum. For this, the Global South nations were urged “to keep our collective voices robust.” For India, the next challenge, as a leader of the Global South, is to ensure maximum coordination with Brazil and South Africa as the next two presidents of G20. Through close engagement, deft diplomacy, and while respecting the sensitivities of its G20 successors, India can continue serving the cause of the Global South constructively. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Second Global South Summit: A holistic assessment

The United States and China have one of the world’s most important and complex bilateral relationships. Since 1949, the countries have experienced periods of both tension and cooperation over issues including trade, climate change, and Taiwan. Amid Chinese belligerence, the Washington has revived a cold war submarine spy programme to counter Beijing.

Biggest reconstruction of US anti-submarine spy programme since the end of Cold War | Details

Not long after the NATO summit in Lithuania wrapped up, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its dismay at it, stating that the Western alliance was reverting to "Cold War schemes".

The ministry also said that Kremlin was prepared to counter any threats using "all means",&nbsp;reported Reuters on Wednesday. This comes as the summit, held in Lithuania, concluded with the United States and its allies providing Ukraine with increased security assurances against Moscow's aggression.

<h2>Russian ministry's response to the summit</h2>

In a statement issued late on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that it would carefully analyse the outcomes of the Vilnius Summit.&nbsp;

It also affirmed that Russia would respond by utilising all available means considering the challenges and threats.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alarming-warning-from-who-bird-flu-poses-increased-risk-of-adapting-to-humans-614852">Alarming warning from WHO: Bird flu poses increased risk of adapting to humans</a>

"The results of the Vilnius Summit will be carefully analysed. Taking into account the challenges and threats to Russia's security and interests that have been identified, we will respond in a timely and appropriate manner, using all means and methods at our disposal," the ministry statement read.&nbsp;

The ministry also criticised NATO's "inability to adapt to the new geopolitical situation",&nbsp;alleging that the alliance was progressively lowering the threshold for the use of force and exacerbating political and military tensions.

<h2>Russian ministry accuses NATO of escalation</h2>

The Russian ministry claimed that NATO's actions aimed to protract the conflict in Ukraine, alleging that the alliance had pledged to supply the Ukrainian regime with increasingly advanced and long-range weapons. This course of action, according to the ministry, was intended to prolong the conflict until exhaustion.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-backs-pakistans-resolution-at-un-condemning-quran-burning-protests-614841">India backs Pakistan’s resolution at UN condemning Quran burning protests</a>

Additionally, the ministry stated its intent to strengthen the country's military and defence system, building upon the decisions already made.

<h2>Biden's remarks and NATO's support for Ukraine</h2>

On the same day, US President Joe Biden condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of having a "craven lust for land and power." Biden praised NATO's unity and its support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

<h2>Sweden's NATO membership bid&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

One of the key takeaways from the recently held NATO summit was the green light to the potential inclusion of Sweden as the newest member of the military alliance.

Watch | Kenya on the boil as protests erupt against tax hikes

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In a major breakthrough, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan unexpectedly opened doors for Sweden's accession to NATO by approving to ratify its membership bid, a move which seemed very hard to achieve earlier. However, there is no timeline given as to when Ukraine will become part of NATO as the leaders said it is not possible as long as the war continues.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Not long after the NATO summit in Lithuania wrapped up, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its dismay at it, stating that the Western alliance was reverting to "Cold War schemes".

Not long after the NATO summit in Lithuania wrapped up, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its dismay at it, stating that the Western alliance was reverting to "Cold War schemes". The ministry also said that Kremlin was prepared to counter any threats using "all means", reported Reuters on Wednesday. This comes as the summit, held in Lithuania, concluded with the United States and its allies providing Ukraine with increased security assurances against Moscow's aggression. Russian ministry's response to the summit In a statement issued late on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that it would carefully analyse the outcomes of the Vilnius Summit. It also affirmed that Russia would respond by utilising all available means considering the challenges and threats. Also Read | Alarming warning from WHO: Bird flu poses increased risk of adapting to humans "The results of the Vilnius Summit will be carefully analysed. Taking into account the challenges and threats to Russia's security and interests that have been identified, we will respond in a timely and appropriate manner, using all means and methods at our disposal," the ministry statement read. The ministry also criticised NATO's "inability to adapt to the new geopolitical situation", alleging that the alliance was progressively lowering the threshold for the use of force and exacerbating political and military tensions. Russian ministry accuses NATO of escalation The Russian ministry claimed that NATO's actions aimed to protract the conflict in Ukraine, alleging that the alliance had pledged to supply the Ukrainian regime with increasingly advanced and long-range weapons. This course of action, according to the ministry, was intended to prolong the conflict until exhaustion. Also Read | India backs Pakistan’s resolution at UN condemning Quran burning protests Additionally, the ministry stated its intent to strengthen the country's military and defence system, building upon the decisions already made. Biden's remarks and NATO's support for Ukraine On the same day, US President Joe Biden condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of having a "craven lust for land and power." Biden praised NATO's unity and its support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. Sweden's NATO membership bid One of the key takeaways from the recently held NATO summit was the green light to the potential inclusion of Sweden as the newest member of the military alliance. Watch | Kenya on the boil as protests erupt against tax hikes × In a major breakthrough, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan unexpectedly opened doors for Sweden's accession to NATO by approving to ratify its membership bid, a move which seemed very hard to achieve earlier. However, there is no timeline given as to when Ukraine will become part of NATO as the leaders said it is not possible as long as the war continues. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

NATO reviving 'Cold War schemes', Kremlin vows to employ 'all means' in response: Russia

Kristalina Georgieva,&nbsp;the International Monetary Fund's managing director said on Thursday that countries must do more to avert the costly consequences of growing global trade fragmentation and help avert a "second Cold War."

Georgieva's comments came&nbsp;during a press conference at the official start of the World Bank and IMF's spring meetings.

"I don't want to see that repeating," she said, adding that the world should "rationally accept there will be some cost, there will be some fragmentation, but keep these costs low."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/brics-common-currency-soon-india-china-step-up-to-counter-us-dollars-dominance-578660">BRICS common currency soon? India, China step up to counter US dollar's dominance</a>

She said that multilateral institutions like the World Bank and IMF have an important role to play in preventing the world from dividing&nbsp;into different blocs with severe economic consequences.

An IMF report earlier this week predicted that growing trade fragmentation resulting from events like Brexit, the US-China trade war and the Russa-Ukraine war could make the global economy as much as seven per cent smaller than it otherwise would have been.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/brazils-president-lula-assents-to-common-brics-currency-to-counter-us-dollars-dominance-582289">Brazil's President Lula assents to common BRICS currency to counter US dollar's dominance</a>

Policymakers had a crucial role to play to "defend the interests" of their citizens, Georgieva said.

"If we fail to be more rational, then people everywhere will be worse off," she said. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, the French President Emmanuel Macron will host a summit in June which will deliberate upon building a "new financial framework," the country's finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, told reporters at the IMF early Thursday.

The Bank's outgoing president, David Malpass, said earlier that progress has been made on a number of key issues for the World Bank and IMF.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: China, Russia ditch dollar for gas trade

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Member states agreed on several steps to boost the World Bank's financial capacity, he said, freeing it up to lend "as much as $50 billion of new financing" over the next decade.

Progress was also made during a debt roundtable discussion on Wednesday, Malpass said. For the first time, these talks included not only creditor countries but also the private sector, and representatives from Zambia, Ghana, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka, which are all facing debt challenges.

India currently holds the presidency of the G-20 group of countries, and co-chaired Wednesday's meeting. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Thursday that she expected a resolution for "many" debtor countries "at the earliest" opportunity.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Kristalina Georgieva, the International Monetary Fund's managing director said on Thursday that countries must do more to avert the costly consequences of growing global trade fragmentation and help avert a "second Cold War.

Kristalina Georgieva, the International Monetary Fund's managing director said on Thursday that countries must do more to avert the costly consequences of growing global trade fragmentation and help avert a "second Cold War." Georgieva's comments came during a press conference at the official start of the World Bank and IMF's spring meetings. "I don't want to see that repeating," she said, adding that the world should "rationally accept there will be some cost, there will be some fragmentation, but keep these costs low." ALSO READ | BRICS common currency soon? India, China step up to counter US dollar's dominance She said that multilateral institutions like the World Bank and IMF have an important role to play in preventing the world from dividing into different blocs with severe economic consequences. An IMF report earlier this week predicted that growing trade fragmentation resulting from events like Brexit, the US-China trade war and the Russa-Ukraine war could make the global economy as much as seven per cent smaller than it otherwise would have been. ALSO READ | Brazil's President Lula assents to common BRICS currency to counter US dollar's dominance Policymakers had a crucial role to play to "defend the interests" of their citizens, Georgieva said. "If we fail to be more rational, then people everywhere will be worse off," she said. Meanwhile, the French President Emmanuel Macron will host a summit in June which will deliberate upon building a "new financial framework," the country's finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, told reporters at the IMF early Thursday. The Bank's outgoing president, David Malpass, said earlier that progress has been made on a number of key issues for the World Bank and IMF. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: China, Russia ditch dollar for gas trade × Member states agreed on several steps to boost the World Bank's financial capacity, he said, freeing it up to lend "as much as $50 billion of new financing" over the next decade. Progress was also made during a debt roundtable discussion on Wednesday, Malpass said. For the first time, these talks included not only creditor countries but also the private sector, and representatives from Zambia, Ghana, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka, which are all facing debt challenges. India currently holds the presidency of the G-20 group of countries, and co-chaired Wednesday's meeting. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Thursday that she expected a resolution for "many" debtor countries "at the earliest" opportunity. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IMF chief warns against 'second cold war' amid BRICS' challenge to USD, China-US trade tensions

The Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that 'Asia Pacific is no one's backyard and it should not become an arena of big power rivalries'. The strong remarks by Jinping came ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, which is taking place in Bangkok.

Xi Jinping warns against cold war tensions, says 'Asia Pacific is no one's backyard'

The deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin has said that the United States and its allies are trying to provoke the country’s breakup.

Warning that such attempts could lead to doomsday, Dmitry Medvedev alleged that some in the West would like to take advantage of Russia's ''special operation'' to denazify Ukraine.

Lashing out at the West due to the imposition of unprecedented sanctions against Russia, the 56-year-old former lawyer has published increasingly hawkish posts on social media.

The former Russian president compared the attempt to engineer Russia’s breakup to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

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In an apparent attempt to curry favour with Putin, Medvedev highlighted that Moscow’s nuclear arsenals are “the best guarantee of safeguarding Great Russia.”&nbsp;

“Such attempts are very dangerous and mustn’t be underestimated. Those dreamers ignore a simple axiom: a forceful disintegration of nuclear power is always a chess game with Death, in which it’s known precisely when the check and mate comes: doomsday for mankind,” Medvedev said in a post published on his messaging app channel.

Invoking the possibility of a nuclear war, Medvedev has called those who "hate" Russia "degenerates".

Medvedev's comments come after he previously claimed that Moscow would not stop its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kyiv drops its hopes to join NATO.

While thousands have been killed in Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, millions have been forced to flee their homes.

Medvedev had shattered hopes of democratic change in Russia when he renounced his claim to a second term during his tenure (2008-2012) and swapped jobs with then prime minister Vladimir Putin instead.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin has said that the United States and its allies are trying to provoke the country’s breakup.

The deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin has said that the United States and its allies are trying to provoke the country’s breakup. Warning that such attempts could lead to doomsday, Dmitry Medvedev alleged that some in the West would like to take advantage of Russia's ''special operation'' to denazify Ukraine. Lashing out at the West due to the imposition of unprecedented sanctions against Russia, the 56-year-old former lawyer has published increasingly hawkish posts on social media. The former Russian president compared the attempt to engineer Russia’s breakup to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. × In an apparent attempt to curry favour with Putin, Medvedev highlighted that Moscow’s nuclear arsenals are “the best guarantee of safeguarding Great Russia.” “Such attempts are very dangerous and mustn’t be underestimated. Those dreamers ignore a simple axiom: a forceful disintegration of nuclear power is always a chess game with Death, in which it’s known precisely when the check and mate comes: doomsday for mankind,” Medvedev said in a post published on his messaging app channel. Invoking the possibility of a nuclear war, Medvedev has called those who "hate" Russia "degenerates". Medvedev's comments come after he previously claimed that Moscow would not stop its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kyiv drops its hopes to join NATO. While thousands have been killed in Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, millions have been forced to flee their homes. Medvedev had shattered hopes of democratic change in Russia when he renounced his claim to a second term during his tenure (2008-2012) and swapped jobs with then prime minister Vladimir Putin instead. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Putin's ally warns US that its attempts to divide Russia could lead to doomsday

The United States wants to 'friendshore' its investments. It plans to do business only with its 'trusted allies' or countries with 'shared values'. Is this strategy a new form of the Cold war? How could it change the world order? Palki Sharma explains on Gravitas Plus.

Gravitas Plus: Is 'friendshoring' the future of trade?

Moscow's ties with its Cold War rival Washington have been particularly strained in last 6 months since the war in Ukraine begun on the back of this downtown.

US pushes for renewing inspections, Russia perplexed by request amid sanctions

The top diplomats from the United States and China voiced guarded hope Saturday of preventing tensions from spiralling out of control as they held rare talks on the Indonesian island of Bali, after attending a G20 summit where the top U.S. diplomat led efforts to pressure Russia over its war in Ukraine. Blinken told reporters at the beginning of the meeting, "There is no substitute for face-to-face... diplomacy, and in a relationship as complex and consequential as the one between the United States and China there is a lot to talk about. We very much look forward to a productive and constructive conversation."

Blinken is expected to repeat warnings to China not to support Russia's war in Ukraine and the two sides will address contentious issues that include Taiwan, China's extensive South China Sea claims, its expansion of influence in the Pacific, human rights, and trade tariffs. However, both sides share an interest in keeping the relationship stable and Blinken and U.S. officials say President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak again in the coming weeks, something Saturday's meeting is likely to address.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-volatile-courtship-to-messy-divorce-elon-musks-love-hate-affair-with-twitter-495725">From volatile courtship to messy divorce: Elon Musk's love-hate affair with Twitter</a>

As reported by Reuters, Wang said, "China and the United States are two major countries, so it is necessary for the two countries to maintain normal exchanges. At the same time, we do need to talk together to ensure that this relationship will continue to move forward along the right track." After a long chill during the pandemic between the two countries, since last month their defence, finance and national security chiefs as well as their top military commanders have all spoken. China's state-run Global Times, known for its criticism of the United States, wrote that the growing diplomacy "underscored the two sides' consensus on avoiding escalating confrontation".

US views of China have hardened in recent years and Biden has largely maintained the substance of his predecessor Donald Trump's hardline approach of treating Beijing as the pre-eminent global competitor of the United States. But Blinken in a recent speech made clear that the United States was not seeking a new "Cold War," even as he held firm on criticism -- including accusing Beijing of genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur people. The Biden administration is widely expected soon to ease some of Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods, a move that could ease soaring inflation, which has become a major political liability in the United States.

(with inputs from agencies)

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The top diplomats from the United States and China voiced guarded hope Saturday of preventing tensions from spiralling out of control as they held rare talks on the Indonesian island of Bali, after attending a G20 summit where the top U.

The top diplomats from the United States and China voiced guarded hope Saturday of preventing tensions from spiralling out of control as they held rare talks on the Indonesian island of Bali, after attending a G20 summit where the top U.S. diplomat led efforts to pressure Russia over its war in Ukraine. Blinken told reporters at the beginning of the meeting, "There is no substitute for face-to-face... diplomacy, and in a relationship as complex and consequential as the one between the United States and China there is a lot to talk about. We very much look forward to a productive and constructive conversation." Blinken is expected to repeat warnings to China not to support Russia's war in Ukraine and the two sides will address contentious issues that include Taiwan, China's extensive South China Sea claims, its expansion of influence in the Pacific, human rights, and trade tariffs. However, both sides share an interest in keeping the relationship stable and Blinken and U.S. officials say President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak again in the coming weeks, something Saturday's meeting is likely to address. Also Read: From volatile courtship to messy divorce: Elon Musk's love-hate affair with Twitter As reported by Reuters, Wang said, "China and the United States are two major countries, so it is necessary for the two countries to maintain normal exchanges. At the same time, we do need to talk together to ensure that this relationship will continue to move forward along the right track." After a long chill during the pandemic between the two countries, since last month their defence, finance and national security chiefs as well as their top military commanders have all spoken. China's state-run Global Times, known for its criticism of the United States, wrote that the growing diplomacy "underscored the two sides' consensus on avoiding escalating confrontation". US views of China have hardened in recent years and Biden has largely maintained the substance of his predecessor Donald Trump's hardline approach of treating Beijing as the pre-eminent global competitor of the United States. But Blinken in a recent speech made clear that the United States was not seeking a new "Cold War," even as he held firm on criticism -- including accusing Beijing of genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur people. The Biden administration is widely expected soon to ease some of Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods, a move that could ease soaring inflation, which has become a major political liability in the United States. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US-China top diplomats reach consensus on not seeking new 'Cold War' on sidelines of G20 summit

The Iranian nuclear threat will be one of the key issues addressed by US President Joe Biden on his visit to the Middle East next week. Tensions are growing between Israel and Iran, as both sides step up assassination threats and cyber-attacks. For more details, we're joined by VOA’s Jessica Stone.

WION-VOA Co-Production: Discussing Israel-Iran tension amidst Biden visit & New Cold War

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Nuke tensions have heightened after Belarusian president asked Russia to be ready to use nukes. Is world heading to another cold war?

Fallout of the Russia-Ukraine war: Possible threat of a cold war looming large?

After the US, European powers are boosting the NATO troops. The United Kingdom and Germany have pledged more troops and military resources. Is Eastern Europe the new frontline - in Europe's fight against Russia? Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Europe's Cold War doctrine against Russia

A leading conflict and armaments think-tank said on Monday that the global nuclear arsenal is expected to grow in the coming years for the first time since the Cold War.

It has been highlighted that after Russia's invasion of Ukraine the risk of such weapons being used is the greatest in decades.

In a new set of research, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) think-tank said has said that the Ukraine crisis has heightened tensions among the world's nine nuclear-armed states.

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Global inventories of warheads could soon begin rising for the first time in decades unless immediate action was taken by the nuclear powers according to SIPRI.

The Stockholm-based Institute, which was founded in 1966, has revealed the number of nuclear weapons fell slightly between January 2021 and January 2022.

In this duration, 3,732 warheads were deployed with missiles and aircraft, and around 2,000, most of which belonged to the US and Russia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-is-the-chain-of-command-for-potential-russian-nuclear-strikes-458854">Also see |&nbsp;What is the chain of command for potential Russian nuclear strikes?</a>

Wilfred Wan, Director of SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme, said in the think-tank's 2022 yearbook, "All of the nuclear-armed states are increasing or upgrading their arsenals and most are sharpening nuclear rhetoric and the role nuclear weapons play in their military strategies."

Shedding light on China's expansion of its arsenal with an estimated more than 300 new missile silos, SIPRI said that Russia and the United States possess more than 90 per cent of the world's warheads.&nbsp;

Russia, which has 550 more nuclear weapons than the United States, has the world's biggest nuclear arsenal with a total of 5,977 warheads.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has put the country's nuclear deterrent on high alert, after his attack on Ukraine, which he calls a "special military operation".

Any country that stood in Russia's way, face have consequences "such as you have never seen in your entire history", according to Putin.

SIPRI board chairman and former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said, "Relations between the world's great powers have deteriorated further at a time when humanity and the planet face an array of profound and pressing common challenges that can only be addressed by international cooperation." 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A leading conflict and armaments think-tank said on Monday that the global nuclear arsenal is expected to grow in the coming years for the first time since the Cold War.

A leading conflict and armaments think-tank said on Monday that the global nuclear arsenal is expected to grow in the coming years for the first time since the Cold War. It has been highlighted that after Russia's invasion of Ukraine the risk of such weapons being used is the greatest in decades. In a new set of research, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) think-tank said has said that the Ukraine crisis has heightened tensions among the world's nine nuclear-armed states. Global inventories of warheads could soon begin rising for the first time in decades unless immediate action was taken by the nuclear powers according to SIPRI. The Stockholm-based Institute, which was founded in 1966, has revealed the number of nuclear weapons fell slightly between January 2021 and January 2022. In this duration, 3,732 warheads were deployed with missiles and aircraft, and around 2,000, most of which belonged to the US and Russia. Also see | What is the chain of command for potential Russian nuclear strikes? Wilfred Wan, Director of SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme, said in the think-tank's 2022 yearbook, "All of the nuclear-armed states are increasing or upgrading their arsenals and most are sharpening nuclear rhetoric and the role nuclear weapons play in their military strategies." Shedding light on China's expansion of its arsenal with an estimated more than 300 new missile silos, SIPRI said that Russia and the United States possess more than 90 per cent of the world's warheads. Russia, which has 550 more nuclear weapons than the United States, has the world's biggest nuclear arsenal with a total of 5,977 warheads. Russian President Vladimir Putin has put the country's nuclear deterrent on high alert, after his attack on Ukraine, which he calls a "special military operation". Any country that stood in Russia's way, face have consequences "such as you have never seen in your entire history", according to Putin. SIPRI board chairman and former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said, "Relations between the world's great powers have deteriorated further at a time when humanity and the planet face an array of profound and pressing common challenges that can only be addressed by international cooperation." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Think tank says global nuclear arsenal to grow for first time since Cold War

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a speech on the country's China strategy on Thursday, describing China as the most serious long-term challenge to the international order but stressed that US does not want a new Cold War.

US not seeking either conflict or a cold war with China, says Antony Blinken

US Republican Party lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a tweet that has attracted a lot of attention. In her tweet, Taylor Greene lamented that West made a mistake in "not&nbsp;keeping India close". She even called Washington "arrogant".

After India and Pakistan became independent in 1947, both nations got pushed into opposing camps during the Cold War. Pakistan found a supporter in the US while Soviet Russia backed India. There were assumptions in the western sphere that India, a country of literally a thousand cultures was ripe to get balkanised and formation of several mini-countries was something that was inevitable.&nbsp;

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This did not happen and a multicultural India made giant leaps of progress compared to Islamic Pakistan.

"The worst mistake the West made was not keeping India close. We could have had a bulwark against China of a billion English speaking capitalists. Washington arrogance pushed an ally away. All we got was Indian tech CEOs from a culture with no respect for free speech." Marjorie Taylor Greene has said in her tweet.

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The worst mistake the West made was not keeping India close. 
 
We could have had a bulwark against China of a billion English speaking capitalists. 
 
Washington arrogance pushed an ally away. 
 
All we got was Indian tech CEOs from a culture with no respect for free speech.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1524544171868045312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Her tweet has got 13,800&nbsp;likes within a day of publishing.

Her reference to tech CEOs is apparently pointing towards CEOs like Satya Nadella, Sudar Pichai, Parag Agrawal who represent a generation of India-born or Indian-heritage&nbsp;professionals leading world's biggest tech firms like Microsoft, Google, Twitter and more.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-sells-washington-hotel-to-miami-based-investor-group-478323">Donald Trump sells Washington hotel to Miami-based investor group</a>

The last part of Marjorie Taylor Greene's tweet is likely to draw strong reactions in India. Taylor-Greene appears to suggest that India has no respect for free speech.

Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

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&nbsp;

US Republican Party lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a tweet that has attracted a lot of attention. In her tweet, Taylor Greene lamented that West made a mistake in "not keeping India close".

US Republican Party lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a tweet that has attracted a lot of attention. In her tweet, Taylor Greene lamented that West made a mistake in "not keeping India close". She even called Washington "arrogant". After India and Pakistan became independent in 1947, both nations got pushed into opposing camps during the Cold War. Pakistan found a supporter in the US while Soviet Russia backed India. There were assumptions in the western sphere that India, a country of literally a thousand cultures was ripe to get balkanised and formation of several mini-countries was something that was inevitable. Watch | Trump International Hotel in Washington got sold to Miami-based Investor Group × This did not happen and a multicultural India made giant leaps of progress compared to Islamic Pakistan. "The worst mistake the West made was not keeping India close. We could have had a bulwark against China of a billion English speaking capitalists. Washington arrogance pushed an ally away. All we got was Indian tech CEOs from a culture with no respect for free speech." Marjorie Taylor Greene has said in her tweet. The worst mistake the West made was not keeping India close. We could have had a bulwark against China of a billion English speaking capitalists. Washington arrogance pushed an ally away. All we got was Indian tech CEOs from a culture with no respect for free speech. — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) May 12, 2022 × Her tweet has got 13,800 likes within a day of publishing. Her reference to tech CEOs is apparently pointing towards CEOs like Satya Nadella, Sudar Pichai, Parag Agrawal who represent a generation of India-born or Indian-heritage professionals leading world's biggest tech firms like Microsoft, Google, Twitter and more. Also Read | Donald Trump sells Washington hotel to Miami-based investor group The last part of Marjorie Taylor Greene's tweet is likely to draw strong reactions in India. Taylor-Greene appears to suggest that India has no respect for free speech. Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Republican lawmaker: US should've made India bulwark against China, but all it got are tech CEOs

- Is the war in Ukraine the unfinished business of the Cold War? - Why has the Ukraine war sparked food insecurity in West Asia & Africa? - Why has violence erupted again in the eternal City of Jerusalem? - How does the war in Ukraine affect you? - The Tech & Business of 21st century warfare. - Indepth coverage of the world's biggest warzones

World At War: Is the war in Ukraine the unfinished business of the Cold War?

NATO is looking to expand its forces towards central and eastern Europe, the chief of alliance said on Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of a gathering of NATO leaders in Brussels, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia against using nuclear weapons, but also added that it does not seek a direct confrontation.

"I expect leaders will agree to strengthen NATO's posture in all domains, with major increases in the eastern part of the alliance. On land, in the air and at sea," Stoltenberg told a news conference.

He added that the decision to send forces eastward would be taken on Thursday during the NATO summit in Brussels.

NATO has sharply increased its presence at the eastern border of the alliance, with some 40,000 troops spread from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and is seeking to deploy four new combat units in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, he said.

The secretary-general also said that he expects leaders to task military commanders with looking into the alliance’s long-term options.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-us-president-biden-to-visit-poland-on-europe-trip-this-week-464181">Ukraine-Russia conflict: US President Biden to visit Poland on Europe trip this week</a>

“There is a need to reset our deterrence and defence, and I expect that to be a substantial increase in our presence for the long term,” Stoltenberg said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden headed to Brussels on Wednesday to attend an emergency&nbsp;NATO&nbsp;Summit, address&nbsp;European Union&nbsp;leaders and hold meetings with G-7 leaders.

He will have the opportunity to coordinate on the next phase of military assistance to Ukraine, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters at a White House news conference on Tuesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-spies-in-poland-country-expels-45-russian-diplomats-for-espionage-464868">Russian spies in Poland?: Country expels 45 Russian diplomats for espionage</a>

According to the White House, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom are all slated to attend.

Biden has no plans to visit Ukraine, according to White House officials.

(With inputs from agencies)

NATO is looking to expand its forces towards central and eastern Europe, the chief of alliance said on Wednesday. Speaking ahead of a gathering of NATO leaders in Brussels, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia against using nuclear weapons, but also added that it does not seek a direct confrontation.

NATO is looking to expand its forces towards central and eastern Europe, the chief of alliance said on Wednesday. Speaking ahead of a gathering of NATO leaders in Brussels, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia against using nuclear weapons, but also added that it does not seek a direct confrontation. "I expect leaders will agree to strengthen NATO's posture in all domains, with major increases in the eastern part of the alliance. On land, in the air and at sea," Stoltenberg told a news conference. He added that the decision to send forces eastward would be taken on Thursday during the NATO summit in Brussels. NATO has sharply increased its presence at the eastern border of the alliance, with some 40,000 troops spread from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and is seeking to deploy four new combat units in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, he said. The secretary-general also said that he expects leaders to task military commanders with looking into the alliance’s long-term options. Also read | Ukraine-Russia conflict: US President Biden to visit Poland on Europe trip this week “There is a need to reset our deterrence and defence, and I expect that to be a substantial increase in our presence for the long term,” Stoltenberg said. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden headed to Brussels on Wednesday to attend an emergency NATO Summit, address European Union leaders and hold meetings with G-7 leaders. He will have the opportunity to coordinate on the next phase of military assistance to Ukraine, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters at a White House news conference on Tuesday. Also read | Russian spies in Poland?: Country expels 45 Russian diplomats for espionage According to the White House, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom are all slated to attend. Biden has no plans to visit Ukraine, according to White House officials. (With inputs from agencies)

NATO looking to boost forces in eastern Europe, says alliance chief Stoltenberg

The Bolivian soldier who was believed to have killed the famed revolutionary guerrilla Ernesto “Che” Guevara died at the age of 80.

Mario Terán was part of a military group that captured the Argentinian-born revolutionary in 1967.

According to reports, Teran shot dead Argentina-born Guevara on October 9 in the eastern Santa Cruz province of Bolivia during the cold war.

After the retirement, Teran lived in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and had been hospitalised for the past three weeks. On Thursday, he succumbed to a long-term illness.

He is survived by his two children and his wife.

Speaking to AFP, Gary Prado, who is a former Bolivian soldier and also who helped capture Guevara 54 years ago, said, "He died. He was ill and nothing could be done."

Guevara was an Argentinian physician and a cult figure for many youths who are inclined towards the Left.

He was the leading figure in the Cuban revolution that helped Fidel Castro topple the dictator Fulgencio Batista.

After serving as a senior official in Cuba’s government for several years, he set off to try to lead other insurrections – with far less success – in Africa and then in South America.

His small band was finally tracked down by Bolivian soldiers in 1967 when he was trying to overthrow the government there.

Terán was then ordered to kill the already wounded Guevara, then 39.

Teran later told reporters, "It was the worst moment of my life."

"I saw Che was large, very large. His eyes shone intensely. I felt him coming over me and when he fixed his gaze on me, it made me dizzy. "

"‘Calm yourself,’ he told me, ‘and aim well! You are going to kill a man! ’ Then I took a step back toward the door, closed my eyes and fired. "

(With inputs from agencies)

The Bolivian soldier who was believed to have killed the famed revolutionary guerrilla Ernesto “Che” Guevara died at the age of 80. Mario Terán was part of a military group that captured the Argentinian-born revolutionary in 1967.

The Bolivian soldier who was believed to have killed the famed revolutionary guerrilla Ernesto “Che” Guevara died at the age of 80. Mario Terán was part of a military group that captured the Argentinian-born revolutionary in 1967. According to reports, Teran shot dead Argentina-born Guevara on October 9 in the eastern Santa Cruz province of Bolivia during the cold war. After the retirement, Teran lived in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and had been hospitalised for the past three weeks. On Thursday, he succumbed to a long-term illness. He is survived by his two children and his wife. Speaking to AFP, Gary Prado, who is a former Bolivian soldier and also who helped capture Guevara 54 years ago, said, "He died. He was ill and nothing could be done." Guevara was an Argentinian physician and a cult figure for many youths who are inclined towards the Left. He was the leading figure in the Cuban revolution that helped Fidel Castro topple the dictator Fulgencio Batista. After serving as a senior official in Cuba’s government for several years, he set off to try to lead other insurrections – with far less success – in Africa and then in South America. His small band was finally tracked down by Bolivian soldiers in 1967 when he was trying to overthrow the government there. Terán was then ordered to kill the already wounded Guevara, then 39. Teran later told reporters, "It was the worst moment of my life." "I saw Che was large, very large. His eyes shone intensely. I felt him coming over me and when he fixed his gaze on me, it made me dizzy. " "‘Calm yourself,’ he told me, ‘and aim well! You are going to kill a man! ’ Then I took a step back toward the door, closed my eyes and fired. " (With inputs from agencies)

Bolivian soldier who shot dead revolutionary Che Guevara dies at 80

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S.-funded media outlet founded in the Cold War to deliver news into communist-controlled countries, announced that it would cease its operations in Russia as the country cracks down on information following its invasion of Ukraine.

Jamie Fly, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president and CEO, said in a statement Sunday that the move was a result of “the Putin regime’s assault on the truth.”

Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has moved swiftly to limit free speech and dissent, forcing Western companies to reassess. Bloomberg News, the BBC, CNN International and ABC News have also suspended their news reporting operations inside Russia. The Kremlin has blocked access to Facebook inside the country.

The suspension strikes at the heart of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Radio Free Europe was founded by U.S. officials in 1950 and had broadcast into Eastern bloc countries including Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Three years later, Radio Liberty, which was also founded by U.S. officials and was a separate organization, began broadcasting into the Soviet Union.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the now united Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty created new bureaus in countries just beginning to build their democracies. They trained journalists and tried to help develop local media.

Back then, President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic thanked the organization for its role during the Cold War. He even offered the former parliament building as a headquarters for Radio Free Europe.

“We need your professionalism and your ability to see events from a broad perspective,” Havel said.

In recent weeks, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said it had faced increasing pressure in Russia.

Friday, local tax officials initiated bankruptcy proceedings against one of its Russian entities, the group said. That is the same day that President Vladimir Putin of Russia signed a new law to punish anyone spreading “false information” about its Ukraine invasion with up to 15 years in prison.

The organization also said that it refused requests by the Russian government to delete information about the Ukraine invasion. After the refusal, Russian authorities blocked access within the country to its websites, the organization said.

In the statement, Fly said the Russian government is “now branding honest journalists as traitors to the Russian state,” adding that its journalists will “continue to tell the truth about Russia’s catastrophic invasion of its neighbour” from outside of the country.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S.-funded media outlet founded in the Cold War to deliver news into communist-controlled countries, announced that it would cease its operations in Russia as the country cracks down on information following its invasion of Ukraine.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S.-funded media outlet founded in the Cold War to deliver news into communist-controlled countries, announced that it would cease its operations in Russia as the country cracks down on information following its invasion of Ukraine. Jamie Fly, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president and CEO, said in a statement Sunday that the move was a result of “the Putin regime’s assault on the truth.” Since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has moved swiftly to limit free speech and dissent, forcing Western companies to reassess. Bloomberg News, the BBC, CNN International and ABC News have also suspended their news reporting operations inside Russia. The Kremlin has blocked access to Facebook inside the country. The suspension strikes at the heart of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Radio Free Europe was founded by U.S. officials in 1950 and had broadcast into Eastern bloc countries including Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Three years later, Radio Liberty, which was also founded by U.S. officials and was a separate organization, began broadcasting into the Soviet Union. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the now united Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty created new bureaus in countries just beginning to build their democracies. They trained journalists and tried to help develop local media. Back then, President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic thanked the organization for its role during the Cold War. He even offered the former parliament building as a headquarters for Radio Free Europe. “We need your professionalism and your ability to see events from a broad perspective,” Havel said. In recent weeks, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said it had faced increasing pressure in Russia. Friday, local tax officials initiated bankruptcy proceedings against one of its Russian entities, the group said. That is the same day that President Vladimir Putin of Russia signed a new law to punish anyone spreading “false information” about its Ukraine invasion with up to 15 years in prison. The organization also said that it refused requests by the Russian government to delete information about the Ukraine invasion. After the refusal, Russian authorities blocked access within the country to its websites, the organization said. In the statement, Fly said the Russian government is “now branding honest journalists as traitors to the Russian state,” adding that its journalists will “continue to tell the truth about Russia’s catastrophic invasion of its neighbour” from outside of the country.

Radio Free Europe, with roots in the Cold War, suspends operations in Russia

Germany has pledged hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles to&nbsp;Ukraine. But several of them are useless Cold War relics from East Germany, a report said. &nbsp;

Not just this, they are also packed in boxes so moldy that anyone who handles them needs to wear protective gear. &nbsp;

At least 700 of the 2,700 'Strela' anti-aircraft missiles, which Germany has earmarked for Ukraine are inoperable, Der Spiegel reported. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-intensifies-crackdown-on-fake-reports-blocks-twitter-facebook-459123">Russia intensifies crackdown on 'fake' reports, blocks Twitter, Facebook &nbsp;</a>

Ukrainian fighters are in dire need of advanced weapons to fend off the Russian invasion. But Germany is sending aging missiles, which are Soviet-made. They date from the era of pre-1990 East German National People's Army. &nbsp;

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order. In this situation, it is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in its defence against Vladimir Putin's invading army," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week while pledging arms to Ukraine. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-south-koreas-polls-kim-jong-led-north-holds-2022s-ninth-missile-test-459144">Ahead of South Korea’s polls, Kim Jong-led North holds 2022’s 9th missile test</a>

The handpieces necessary for firing the missiles are also missing, the report added. The relics are also not safe to use, the report said citing a classified military document. &nbsp;&nbsp;

No defective weapons would be sent to Ukraine, a spokesman for Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told Der Spiegel. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Germany has pledged hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. But several of them are useless Cold War relics from East Germany, a report said. Not just this, they are also packed in boxes so moldy that anyone who handles them needs to wear protective gear.

Germany has pledged hundreds of anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. But several of them are useless Cold War relics from East Germany, a report said. Not just this, they are also packed in boxes so moldy that anyone who handles them needs to wear protective gear. At least 700 of the 2,700 'Strela' anti-aircraft missiles, which Germany has earmarked for Ukraine are inoperable, Der Spiegel reported. Also Read: Russia intensifies crackdown on 'fake' reports, blocks Twitter, Facebook Ukrainian fighters are in dire need of advanced weapons to fend off the Russian invasion. But Germany is sending aging missiles, which are Soviet-made. They date from the era of pre-1990 East German National People's Army. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It threatens our entire post-war order. In this situation, it is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in its defence against Vladimir Putin's invading army," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week while pledging arms to Ukraine. Also Read: Ahead of South Korea’s polls, Kim Jong-led North holds 2022’s 9th missile test The handpieces necessary for firing the missiles are also missing, the report added. The relics are also not safe to use, the report said citing a classified military document. No defective weapons would be sent to Ukraine, a spokesman for Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told Der Spiegel. (With inputs from agencies)

Useless Cold War relics? Hundreds of German anti-aircraft missiles pledged to Ukraine unsafe, says report

The&nbsp;Vatican&nbsp;is "ready&nbsp;to&nbsp;help"&nbsp;negotiations&nbsp;to stop the war in Ukraine after Moscow's invasion, Pope Francis's number two said in interviews published Monday.

"The&nbsp;Holy See, which in recent years has followed the events in Ukraine constantly, discreetly and with great attention, offering its availability to facilitate dialogue with&nbsp;Russia, is always&nbsp;ready&nbsp;to&nbsp;help&nbsp;the parties to resume that path,"&nbsp;Vatican&nbsp;Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.

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An escalation of the conflict to involve other countries "would be a catastrophe of gigantic proportions", he said in an interview with several Italian dailies, including the Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica.

The possible return of a Cold War was "also a disturbing scenario," he said.

"I am convinced that there is always room for negotiation. It is never too late! Because the only reasonable and constructive way to settle differences is through dialogue," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-start-first-talks-since-moscow-assault-457449">Russia, Ukraine start first talks since Moscow assault</a>

"We must avoid any escalation, stop the clashes and negotiate," Parolin added.

Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, called Sunday for an end to fighting, saying: "Let the weapons fall silent... God is with those who seek peace, not those resorting to violence."

The Vatican is "ready to help" negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine after Moscow's invasion, Pope Francis's number two said in interviews published Monday. "The Holy See, which in recent years has followed the events in Ukraine constantly, discreetly and with great attention, offering its availability to facilitate dialogue with Russia, is always ready to help the parties to resume that path," Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.

The Vatican is "ready to help" negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine after Moscow's invasion, Pope Francis's number two said in interviews published Monday. "The Holy See, which in recent years has followed the events in Ukraine constantly, discreetly and with great attention, offering its availability to facilitate dialogue with Russia, is always ready to help the parties to resume that path," Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said. Also read | Pope names Raffaella Petrini as first woman to head Vatican governorate An escalation of the conflict to involve other countries "would be a catastrophe of gigantic proportions", he said in an interview with several Italian dailies, including the Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica. The possible return of a Cold War was "also a disturbing scenario," he said. "I am convinced that there is always room for negotiation. It is never too late! Because the only reasonable and constructive way to settle differences is through dialogue," he said. Also read | Russia, Ukraine start first talks since Moscow assault "We must avoid any escalation, stop the clashes and negotiate," Parolin added. Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, called Sunday for an end to fighting, saying: "Let the weapons fall silent... God is with those who seek peace, not those resorting to violence."

Vatican 'ready to help' negotiations with Russia

Americans are showing some of the highest levels of hostility toward the Russian Federation in 40 years, with Russophobia reaching Cold War levels.

The poll done for ABC News and the Washington Post found that 80% of Americans see Russia as unfriendly or an enemy of the United States. 
That’s the worst since 1983, when Russia was part of the Soviet Union - although Americans used to refer to the whole region as Russia. That was also the height of Cold War, when nuclear tensions between Russia and the West were at their peak.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-conflict-anti-war-protests-solidarity-events-held-across-continents-456718">Ukraine-Russia conflict: Anti-war protests, solidarity events held across continents</a>

Now, just 12% of Americans see Russia as a friend of the US, found the new poll, which was conducted between Sunday and Thursday when Russia began its military operations targeting Ukraine.

That number was at its highest in 1993, two years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, when two-thirds of Americans saw Russia as friendly toward the US.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-taiwan-to-join-democratic-countries-in-sanctions-on-russia-456545">&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine war: Taiwan to join 'democratic countries' in sanctions on Russia</a>

Respondents were generally negative on Russia in spite of party affiliations. But it was slightly less for Republicans at 78% compared to 86% for Democrats, and 81% for independents.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Global reaction to Russian invasion of Ukraine

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-global-reaction-to-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-456597/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

While 62% of Republicans said they supported anti-Russia sanction, 79% of Democrats and 63% of independents backed the measures.

Americans are showing some of the highest levels of hostility toward the Russian Federation in 40 years, with Russophobia reaching Cold War levels. The poll done for ABC News and the Washington Post found that 80% of Americans see Russia as unfriendly or an enemy of the United States.

Americans are showing some of the highest levels of hostility toward the Russian Federation in 40 years, with Russophobia reaching Cold War levels. The poll done for ABC News and the Washington Post found that 80% of Americans see Russia as unfriendly or an enemy of the United States. That’s the worst since 1983, when Russia was part of the Soviet Union - although Americans used to refer to the whole region as Russia. That was also the height of Cold War, when nuclear tensions between Russia and the West were at their peak. Also read | Ukraine-Russia conflict: Anti-war protests, solidarity events held across continents Now, just 12% of Americans see Russia as a friend of the US, found the new poll, which was conducted between Sunday and Thursday when Russia began its military operations targeting Ukraine. That number was at its highest in 1993, two years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, when two-thirds of Americans saw Russia as friendly toward the US. Also read | Russia-Ukraine war: Taiwan to join 'democratic countries' in sanctions on Russia Respondents were generally negative on Russia in spite of party affiliations. But it was slightly less for Republicans at 78% compared to 86% for Democrats, and 81% for independents. Watch | Gravitas: Global reaction to Russian invasion of Ukraine While 62% of Republicans said they supported anti-Russia sanction, 79% of Democrats and 63% of independents backed the measures.

Russophobia in US nears Cold War levels, 80% see Russia as enemy: Poll

Ulrike Franke is a self-confessed German millennial, a defense analyst who worries about her generation’s allergy to the military, especially as it moves into positions of power.

“After 30 years of peace,” she wrote last year in a well-read essay, “German millennials have a hard time adjusting to the world we are living in now. We struggle to think in terms of interests, we struggle with the concept of geopolitical power, and we struggle with military power being an element of geopolitical power.”

Russia’s massive and open military threat to Ukraine, she and others say, is now shaking a sense of complacency among young and old Europeans alike who have never known war, hot or cold. For some, at least, the moment is an awakening as the threat of war grows real.

But just how far Europe is prepared to go in shifting from a world where peace and security were taken for granted remains to be seen. For decades Europeans have paid relatively little in money, lives or resources for their defense — and paid even less attention, sheltering under a U.S. nuclear umbrella left over from the Cold War.

That debate had begun to shift in recent years, even before Russia’s menacing of Ukraine, with talk of a more robust and independent European strategic and defense posture. But the crisis has done as much to expose European weakness on security issues as it has to fortify its sense of unity.

Franke, 34, a senior fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, is not convinced that anything short of a major Russian invasion of Ukraine will very much alter public opinion.

“We’re having in Europe and Germany a status quo problem,” she said in an interview. “We’re very comfortable with this version of European security, and most people don’t realize that to defend this status quo, we need to act.”

The elite feel the cold wind from Russia, she said, but “on the level of public opinion, people want to be left alone and for nothing to touch them.”

Franke, who is an expert in drone warfare, may be too pessimistic, some believe.

Daniela Schwarzer, who ran the German Council on Foreign Relations and now manages Europe and Eurasia for the Open Society Foundations, thinks that “the image of Russia has changed a lot.”

“Even in Germany there is a sober realism that our relations with Russia and our energy policy have to be dealt with in a much more strategic way than generally acknowledged in the past,” she said.

But even after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Germany and Europe did very little to diminish their energy dependency on Russia or to prepare for Moscow weaponizing energy supplies.

With the new Ukraine crisis, that is quickly changing, she said.

Europeans bordering Russia have always warned about Moscow, but other Europeans farther away now see the point. “There is now the perception that conflict on our continent is possible,” Schwarzer said.

In 2008, when Russian troops went into Georgia, or annexed Crimea, or inserted themselves into the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there was little lasting change in perception of Russia.

“But this conflict would have a different dimension, since it so directly opposes the West and Russia, and is seen as proof that the current European security order no longer provides security,” she said.

Peter Ricketts, a former British ambassador to France now in the House of Lords, agrees. This conflict has put “war back into focus again in the trans-Atlantic world,” he said.

For the younger generation, concerned, like the German Greens, with the environment and focused on human rights and gender and racial equality, “this is 19th-century policy erupting and crashing into their 21st-century concerns,” he said.

In the larger sense, Ricketts said, the conflict reminds Europeans of the importance of NATO and of U.S. leadership in the trans-Atlantic alliance. “Faith in talking to Russia rather than deterring will be severely damaged by this,” he said.

A major Russian military action would bring about more military spending, push NATO to increase troop deployments closer to Russia, “deepen the chasm between Russia and the West and push Russia more into the hands of China and the renminbi zone, with Russia a small partner,” Ricketts said.

Already, NATO countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the United States, have moved troops, aircraft and ships to shore up member states from Poland and the Baltics to Romania, with France offering a more permanent deployment in Romania. Those deployments may last for some time.

There are “some long-term consequences, some long-term deterioration of the security environment in Europe from this significant Russian military buildup, the threatening rhetoric,” Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary-general, said as defense ministers gathered in Brussels. “I regret to say that this is the new normal in Europe.”

There will also be new debate about the push by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, for European strategic autonomy and resilience. A European security crisis where the European Union has little to add beyond the threat of sanctions troubles many. But there is no easy or quick answer, suggested Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House.

“This really does bring the security element to the fore, and it’s not what the EU is best suited to manage,” he said. “It will mean treating NATO more seriously as the anchor of European security and not overplaying EU strategic autonomy.”

European security still comes only with U.S. leadership, he said, adding, “Maybe this crisis is telling that to Europeans, some of whom don’t like it.”

But undercutting any new faith in U.S. leadership is a wide European concern that President Joe Biden is likely to be a one-term president, weakened by November’s midterm elections, and that former President Donald Trump or another Republican in his disruptive nationalist mode will win in 2024.

“We don’t know what’s coming after Biden,” said Claudia Major of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “America is back for a moment, but it doesn’t change the overall course of the superpower competition, which is China. Is this the last time the Americans come to save us?”

An opinion poll in seven EU countries released last week by the European Council on Foreign Relations found evidence of shifting attitudes toward Russia.

Majorities in Europe now believe that Russia will invade Ukraine in 2022 and that it is important for the European Union and NATO to support Ukraine. Europeans are prepared to bear significant threats, including refugee pressure, higher energy costs and cyberattacks, and they see energy dependency on Russia as their greatest shared challenge.

“This has been a real wake-up call,” much more than in 2014, said Mark Leonard, the group’s director. The polling points to some fundamental views, he said, “that war in Europe is thinkable once again, that the EU should respond to Russian aggression.”

But even in France, during an election campaign, the crisis “reinforces the idea of NATO as the guarantor of territorial security for Europe rather than any illusion of European defense,” said Célia Belin of the Brookings Institution, even as it might “give an electric shock” to countries like Germany that have devalued security concerns for so long.

Nathalie Tocci, director of Italy’s International Affairs Institute, also doubts that even a major war in Ukraine “would translate into European defense, but it is already translating into a revival of NATO, since deterrence is what NATO does.” Putin, she said, “has done miracles by uniting us.”

Ulrike Franke is a self-confessed German millennial, a defense analyst who worries about her generation’s allergy to the military, especially as it moves into positions of power.

Ulrike Franke is a self-confessed German millennial, a defense analyst who worries about her generation’s allergy to the military, especially as it moves into positions of power. “After 30 years of peace,” she wrote last year in a well-read essay, “German millennials have a hard time adjusting to the world we are living in now. We struggle to think in terms of interests, we struggle with the concept of geopolitical power, and we struggle with military power being an element of geopolitical power.” Russia’s massive and open military threat to Ukraine, she and others say, is now shaking a sense of complacency among young and old Europeans alike who have never known war, hot or cold. For some, at least, the moment is an awakening as the threat of war grows real. But just how far Europe is prepared to go in shifting from a world where peace and security were taken for granted remains to be seen. For decades Europeans have paid relatively little in money, lives or resources for their defense — and paid even less attention, sheltering under a U.S. nuclear umbrella left over from the Cold War. That debate had begun to shift in recent years, even before Russia’s menacing of Ukraine, with talk of a more robust and independent European strategic and defense posture. But the crisis has done as much to expose European weakness on security issues as it has to fortify its sense of unity. Franke, 34, a senior fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, is not convinced that anything short of a major Russian invasion of Ukraine will very much alter public opinion. “We’re having in Europe and Germany a status quo problem,” she said in an interview. “We’re very comfortable with this version of European security, and most people don’t realize that to defend this status quo, we need to act.” The elite feel the cold wind from Russia, she said, but “on the level of public opinion, people want to be left alone and for nothing to touch them.” Franke, who is an expert in drone warfare, may be too pessimistic, some believe. Daniela Schwarzer, who ran the German Council on Foreign Relations and now manages Europe and Eurasia for the Open Society Foundations, thinks that “the image of Russia has changed a lot.” “Even in Germany there is a sober realism that our relations with Russia and our energy policy have to be dealt with in a much more strategic way than generally acknowledged in the past,” she said. But even after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Germany and Europe did very little to diminish their energy dependency on Russia or to prepare for Moscow weaponizing energy supplies. With the new Ukraine crisis, that is quickly changing, she said. Europeans bordering Russia have always warned about Moscow, but other Europeans farther away now see the point. “There is now the perception that conflict on our continent is possible,” Schwarzer said. In 2008, when Russian troops went into Georgia, or annexed Crimea, or inserted themselves into the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there was little lasting change in perception of Russia. “But this conflict would have a different dimension, since it so directly opposes the West and Russia, and is seen as proof that the current European security order no longer provides security,” she said. Peter Ricketts, a former British ambassador to France now in the House of Lords, agrees. This conflict has put “war back into focus again in the trans-Atlantic world,” he said. For the younger generation, concerned, like the German Greens, with the environment and focused on human rights and gender and racial equality, “this is 19th-century policy erupting and crashing into their 21st-century concerns,” he said. In the larger sense, Ricketts said, the conflict reminds Europeans of the importance of NATO and of U.S. leadership in the trans-Atlantic alliance. “Faith in talking to Russia rather than deterring will be severely damaged by this,” he said. A major Russian military action would bring about more military spending, push NATO to increase troop deployments closer to Russia, “deepen the chasm between Russia and the West and push Russia more into the hands of China and the renminbi zone, with Russia a small partner,” Ricketts said. Already, NATO countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the United States, have moved troops, aircraft and ships to shore up member states from Poland and the Baltics to Romania, with France offering a more permanent deployment in Romania. Those deployments may last for some time. There are “some long-term consequences, some long-term deterioration of the security environment in Europe from this significant Russian military buildup, the threatening rhetoric,” Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary-general, said as defense ministers gathered in Brussels. “I regret to say that this is the new normal in Europe.” There will also be new debate about the push by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, for European strategic autonomy and resilience. A European security crisis where the European Union has little to add beyond the threat of sanctions troubles many. But there is no easy or quick answer, suggested Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House. “This really does bring the security element to the fore, and it’s not what the EU is best suited to manage,” he said. “It will mean treating NATO more seriously as the anchor of European security and not overplaying EU strategic autonomy.” European security still comes only with U.S. leadership, he said, adding, “Maybe this crisis is telling that to Europeans, some of whom don’t like it.” But undercutting any new faith in U.S. leadership is a wide European concern that President Joe Biden is likely to be a one-term president, weakened by November’s midterm elections, and that former President Donald Trump or another Republican in his disruptive nationalist mode will win in 2024. “We don’t know what’s coming after Biden,” said Claudia Major of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “America is back for a moment, but it doesn’t change the overall course of the superpower competition, which is China. Is this the last time the Americans come to save us?” An opinion poll in seven EU countries released last week by the European Council on Foreign Relations found evidence of shifting attitudes toward Russia. Majorities in Europe now believe that Russia will invade Ukraine in 2022 and that it is important for the European Union and NATO to support Ukraine. Europeans are prepared to bear significant threats, including refugee pressure, higher energy costs and cyberattacks, and they see energy dependency on Russia as their greatest shared challenge. “This has been a real wake-up call,” much more than in 2014, said Mark Leonard, the group’s director. The polling points to some fundamental views, he said, “that war in Europe is thinkable once again, that the EU should respond to Russian aggression.” But even in France, during an election campaign, the crisis “reinforces the idea of NATO as the guarantor of territorial security for Europe rather than any illusion of European defense,” said Célia Belin of the Brookings Institution, even as it might “give an electric shock” to countries like Germany that have devalued security concerns for so long. Nathalie Tocci, director of Italy’s International Affairs Institute, also doubts that even a major war in Ukraine “would translate into European defense, but it is already translating into a revival of NATO, since deterrence is what NATO does.” Putin, she said, “has done miracles by uniting us.”

After 30 years of peace, Ukraine crisis shakes Europeans

Germany has accused Russia of endangering Europe's security with demands that recall the cold war. These comments come as fears continue to grow that Russians are poised to invade their neighbouring nation Ukraine.

Germany accuses Russia of cold war demands before Munich security conference

Germany&nbsp;accused&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;on Friday of endangering Europe's&nbsp;security&nbsp;with&nbsp;demands&nbsp;that recall the&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;War, as Western leaders arrived for a Munich&nbsp;Security&nbsp;Conference&nbsp;set to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis.

Fears are growing in the West that&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;is on the verge of invading its neighbour, with the United States warning of a possible attack in the "coming days".

Ahead of the annual, three-day&nbsp;conference's opening ceremony, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Moscow needed to show "serious steps towards de-escalation".

"With an unprecedented deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;War&nbsp;demands,&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;is challenging fundamental principles of the European peace order," Baerbock said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-to-begin-rolling-back-coronavirus-curbs-says-chancellor-scholz-453994">Germany to begin rolling back coronavirus curbs, says Chancellor Scholz</a>

Russian troops have all but encircled Ukraine during the Kremlin's stand-off with the West over NATO's expansion into eastern Europe.

Before&nbsp;travelling to Munich, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the United Nations to expect an offensive in the "coming days", likely preceded by a pretext to justify military action.

Some feared such a moment had arrived on Thursday, when a spike in shellings on the front line damaged an eastern Ukrainian kindergarten and Russian-backed separatists blamed Kyiv for escalating hostilities.

Russia&nbsp;has denied any invasion plans. But the Kremlin has also said it could be forced to respond militarily if Washington does not meet certain&nbsp;security&nbsp;demands.

Moscow has so far declined to attend the Munich gathering, but the United States said Blinken would meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov next week -- provided no invasion had occurred&nbsp;before&nbsp;then.

"It is a loss that&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;is not taking advantage of this opportunity," Baerbock said.

She added that the&nbsp;conference&nbsp;offered a chance "to discuss how we can still counter the logic of threats of violence and military escalation with the logic of dialogue".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russias-next-wonder-weapon-kedr-intercontinental-ballistic-missile-454013">Also read |&nbsp;Russia's next wonder weapon: Kedr intercontinental ballistic missile</a>

&nbsp;Evacuation plans

Also travelling to Munich are US Vice President Kamala Harris, UN chief Antonio Guterres, EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven club of rich nations -- including France, Britain, the US and Japan -- will discuss the Ukraine crisis on the&nbsp;conference&nbsp;sidelines Saturday.

The talks will be hosted by Baerbock, whose country currently holds the G7 presidency.

"Even tiny steps towards peace are better than big steps towards&nbsp;war. But we also need serious steps towards de-escalation from&nbsp;Russia," she said.

"Declarations of willingness to talk must be backed up by real offers to talk. Declarations of troop withdrawals must be backed up by verifiable troop withdrawals."

Moscow has made several announcements of troop withdrawals this week, but the United States, NATO and Ukraine all said they had seen no evidence of a pullback.

Instead, Washington says&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;has moved 7,000 additional troops to near the Ukrainian border.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia, US spar at UNSC meeting on Ukraine crisis

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-us-spar-at-unsc-meeting-on-ukraine-crisis-454183/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Citing "possible aggravation", Ukraine's armed forces announced late Thursday that evacuations were planned for some communities along the conflict-ridden border, particularly from the separatist-held city Donetsk.

Violence has ebbed and flowed along the eastern front line, where Kyiv has been locked in conflict with Moscow-backed rebels for almost eight years.

Following Thursday's artillery fire at the kindergarten, Ukrainian and Western leaders reiterated calls for&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;not to exploit the border tensions to launch its feared offensive.

President Vladimir Putin has made clear that the price for removing any threat would be Ukraine agreeing never to join NATO and for the Western alliance to pull back from a swath of eastern Europe, effectively splitting the continent into&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;War-style spheres of influence.

Ukraine is far from being ready to join NATO but has set this as part of a broader goal to integrate with the democracies of western Europe, making a historic break from&nbsp;Russia's orbit.

Germany accused Russia on Friday of endangering Europe's security with demands that recall the Cold War, as Western leaders arrived for a Munich Security Conference set to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis.

Germany accused Russia on Friday of endangering Europe's security with demands that recall the Cold War, as Western leaders arrived for a Munich Security Conference set to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis. Fears are growing in the West that Russia is on the verge of invading its neighbour, with the United States warning of a possible attack in the "coming days". Ahead of the annual, three-day conference's opening ceremony, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Moscow needed to show "serious steps towards de-escalation". "With an unprecedented deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and Cold War demands, Russia is challenging fundamental principles of the European peace order," Baerbock said in a statement. Also read | Germany to begin rolling back coronavirus curbs, says Chancellor Scholz Russian troops have all but encircled Ukraine during the Kremlin's stand-off with the West over NATO's expansion into eastern Europe. Before travelling to Munich, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the United Nations to expect an offensive in the "coming days", likely preceded by a pretext to justify military action. Some feared such a moment had arrived on Thursday, when a spike in shellings on the front line damaged an eastern Ukrainian kindergarten and Russian-backed separatists blamed Kyiv for escalating hostilities. Russia has denied any invasion plans. But the Kremlin has also said it could be forced to respond militarily if Washington does not meet certain security demands. Moscow has so far declined to attend the Munich gathering, but the United States said Blinken would meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov next week -- provided no invasion had occurred before then. "It is a loss that Russia is not taking advantage of this opportunity," Baerbock said. She added that the conference offered a chance "to discuss how we can still counter the logic of threats of violence and military escalation with the logic of dialogue". Also read | Russia's next wonder weapon: Kedr intercontinental ballistic missile Evacuation plans Also travelling to Munich are US Vice President Kamala Harris, UN chief Antonio Guterres, EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven club of rich nations -- including France, Britain, the US and Japan -- will discuss the Ukraine crisis on the conference sidelines Saturday. The talks will be hosted by Baerbock, whose country currently holds the G7 presidency. "Even tiny steps towards peace are better than big steps towards war. But we also need serious steps towards de-escalation from Russia," she said. "Declarations of willingness to talk must be backed up by real offers to talk. Declarations of troop withdrawals must be backed up by verifiable troop withdrawals." Moscow has made several announcements of troop withdrawals this week, but the United States, NATO and Ukraine all said they had seen no evidence of a pullback. Instead, Washington says Russia has moved 7,000 additional troops to near the Ukrainian border. Watch | Russia, US spar at UNSC meeting on Ukraine crisis Citing "possible aggravation", Ukraine's armed forces announced late Thursday that evacuations were planned for some communities along the conflict-ridden border, particularly from the separatist-held city Donetsk. Violence has ebbed and flowed along the eastern front line, where Kyiv has been locked in conflict with Moscow-backed rebels for almost eight years. Following Thursday's artillery fire at the kindergarten, Ukrainian and Western leaders reiterated calls for Russia not to exploit the border tensions to launch its feared offensive. President Vladimir Putin has made clear that the price for removing any threat would be Ukraine agreeing never to join NATO and for the Western alliance to pull back from a swath of eastern Europe, effectively splitting the continent into Cold War-style spheres of influence. Ukraine is far from being ready to join NATO but has set this as part of a broader goal to integrate with the democracies of western Europe, making a historic break from Russia's orbit.

Germany accuses Russia of 'Cold War demands' before security conference

NATO had recently said it was set to bolster troops in the Baltic Sea region in order to ensure&nbsp;"deterrence" against Russia as the European military alliance decided to activate its Response Force consisting of 40,000 troops.

NATO has enhanced the Response Force in 2014 as Russia annexed Crimea and deployed 20,000 troops on high alert. The White House said on Sunday that US President Joe Biden and &nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had agreed on diplomacy and "deterrence" as means to take on Russia with thousands of troops stationed on the border with Ukraine.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/war-zone-ukraines-us-made-javelin-anti-tank-missile-vs-russian-t-72-beasts-451693">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine's US-made Javelin anti-tank missile vs Russian T-72 beasts</a>

US Secretary of state Anthony Binken has insisted the US and its allies have been "building deterrence and building defence" to ensure Russia does not move against Ukraine even as President Biden sent 1,000 soldiers to Romania and 2,000 to Poland to bolster NATO's eastern flank amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

What does 'deterrence' mean?

The term was widely used during the Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the US as both sides sought to keep the other in check with the threat of nuclear war looming.&nbsp;

Deterrence is used as a tool of international diplomacy when both sides are equally balanced in terms of arms and ammunition leading to "mutually assured destruction” if war breaks out with neither side being victorious.&nbsp;

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The concept famously came into play during the Cuban missile crisis in 1961 as the former Soviet Union realised that a nuclear war would lead to unimaginable losses on both sides as it removed missiles from Cuba.

'Deterrence' during Ukraine crisis

The ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia has once again brought "deterrence" to the fore as the US has repeatedly said there could be heavy losses both for Ukraine and Russia if war breaks out.

Estonian PM Kaja Kallas waded into the debate asserting that "NATO has been right to bolster its defence and deterrence posture in the eastern flank," amid threats from Russia even as NATO chief said it was considering more long-term "adjustments" to its posture in the eastern part.

The West has been seeking a "military balance" with Russia as several Baltic nations feel threatened by Russia's military manoeuvres.

The situation on Europe's eastern region has become unstable ever since Russia annexed Crimea and has been threatening Ukraine with the deployment of thousands of troops at the border.

(With inputs from Agencies)

NATO had recently said it was set to bolster troops in the Baltic Sea region in order to ensure "deterrence" against Russia as the European military alliance decided to activate its Response Force consisting of 40,000 troops.

NATO had recently said it was set to bolster troops in the Baltic Sea region in order to ensure "deterrence" against Russia as the European military alliance decided to activate its Response Force consisting of 40,000 troops. NATO has enhanced the Response Force in 2014 as Russia annexed Crimea and deployed 20,000 troops on high alert. The White House said on Sunday that US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had agreed on diplomacy and "deterrence" as means to take on Russia with thousands of troops stationed on the border with Ukraine. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine's US-made Javelin anti-tank missile vs Russian T-72 beasts US Secretary of state Anthony Binken has insisted the US and its allies have been "building deterrence and building defence" to ensure Russia does not move against Ukraine even as President Biden sent 1,000 soldiers to Romania and 2,000 to Poland to bolster NATO's eastern flank amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. What does 'deterrence' mean? The term was widely used during the Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the US as both sides sought to keep the other in check with the threat of nuclear war looming. Deterrence is used as a tool of international diplomacy when both sides are equally balanced in terms of arms and ammunition leading to "mutually assured destruction” if war breaks out with neither side being victorious. Also Read in Pics: US THAAD vs Russian S-400 missile defence system The concept famously came into play during the Cuban missile crisis in 1961 as the former Soviet Union realised that a nuclear war would lead to unimaginable losses on both sides as it removed missiles from Cuba. 'Deterrence' during Ukraine crisis The ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia has once again brought "deterrence" to the fore as the US has repeatedly said there could be heavy losses both for Ukraine and Russia if war breaks out. Estonian PM Kaja Kallas waded into the debate asserting that "NATO has been right to bolster its defence and deterrence posture in the eastern flank," amid threats from Russia even as NATO chief said it was considering more long-term "adjustments" to its posture in the eastern part. The West has been seeking a "military balance" with Russia as several Baltic nations feel threatened by Russia's military manoeuvres. The situation on Europe's eastern region has become unstable ever since Russia annexed Crimea and has been threatening Ukraine with the deployment of thousands of troops at the border. (With inputs from Agencies)

Deterrence & Cold War: How US seeks to 'contain' Putin's regime in Ukraine

British Army General Sir Nick Carter has said that an ''accidental'' war can break out between the West and Russia.

"I think we have to be careful that people don't end up allowing the bellicose nature of some of our politics to end up in a position where escalation leads to miscalculation," he said in an interview.

According to Carter, in the new era of a "multipolar world", where there is a greater risk of war than at any time since the Cold War.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-belarus-became-gateway-to-eu-for-middle-east-migrants-428982" hreflang="en">How Belarus became gateway to EU for Middle East migrants</a>

He highlighted that ''the character of warfare has changed'' and ''traditional diplomatic tools and mechanisms of the previous war were no longer available.''

"So I think that's the real challenge we have to be confronted with."

Carter said authoritarian rivals were willing to use any tool at their disposal, such as migrants, surging gas prices, proxy forces, or cyber-attacks.

His statement comes amid the mounting tensions in Europe due to the surge of migrants on its border demanding shelter and political asylum.

Britain said on Friday that a small team of UK military personnel had been deployed to explore "engineering support" for Poland on its border with Belarus.

The bloc has accused Russia of aiding Belarus in orchestrating a humanitarian crisis on its border.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-have-nothing-to-do-with-it-says-putin-on-belarus-poland-migrant-crisis-429022" hreflang="en">We have nothing to do with it, says Putin on Belarus-Poland migrant crisis</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hit back at claims from Poland and others that Russia is working with Belarus to send migrants to the border of the European Union.

"I want everyone to know. We have nothing to do with it," he said in an interview with the state television broadcast.

Putin said European leaders needed to talk to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to resolve the crisis and that "as I understand it" German Chancellor Angela Merkel was ready to do so.

"We should not forget where these crises associated with migrants came from... Western countries themselves, including European countries," he said.&nbsp;

The migrants, mainly Kurds, have been stuck for days in a no-man's land on the border in near-freezing temperatures, setting up a tent camp and burning wood to keep warm.

(With inputs from agencies)

British Army General Sir Nick Carter has said that an ''accidental'' war can break out between the West and Russia. "I think we have to be careful that people don't end up allowing the bellicose nature of some of our politics to end up in a position where escalation leads to miscalculation," he said in an interview.

British Army General Sir Nick Carter has said that an ''accidental'' war can break out between the West and Russia. "I think we have to be careful that people don't end up allowing the bellicose nature of some of our politics to end up in a position where escalation leads to miscalculation," he said in an interview. According to Carter, in the new era of a "multipolar world", where there is a greater risk of war than at any time since the Cold War. Also see | How Belarus became gateway to EU for Middle East migrants He highlighted that ''the character of warfare has changed'' and ''traditional diplomatic tools and mechanisms of the previous war were no longer available.'' "So I think that's the real challenge we have to be confronted with." Carter said authoritarian rivals were willing to use any tool at their disposal, such as migrants, surging gas prices, proxy forces, or cyber-attacks. His statement comes amid the mounting tensions in Europe due to the surge of migrants on its border demanding shelter and political asylum. Britain said on Friday that a small team of UK military personnel had been deployed to explore "engineering support" for Poland on its border with Belarus. The bloc has accused Russia of aiding Belarus in orchestrating a humanitarian crisis on its border. Also read | We have nothing to do with it, says Putin on Belarus-Poland migrant crisis Russian President Vladimir Putin has hit back at claims from Poland and others that Russia is working with Belarus to send migrants to the border of the European Union. "I want everyone to know. We have nothing to do with it," he said in an interview with the state television broadcast. Putin said European leaders needed to talk to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to resolve the crisis and that "as I understand it" German Chancellor Angela Merkel was ready to do so. "We should not forget where these crises associated with migrants came from... Western countries themselves, including European countries," he said. The migrants, mainly Kurds, have been stuck for days in a no-man's land on the border in near-freezing temperatures, setting up a tent camp and burning wood to keep warm. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's army chief says 'accidental' war can break out between the West and Russia

Ahead of a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that the Asia-Pacific region must not return to the tensions of the Cold War era. In a recorded video message to a CEO forum on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit hosted by New Zealand, the Chinese president said that the attempts to draw ideological lines or form small circles on geopolitical grounds were bound to fail.

"The Asia-Pacific region cannot and should not relapse into the confrontation and division of the Cold War era," Xi said.

By this, Xi was referring to US efforts with regional allies and partners including the Quad grouping with India, Japan and Australia. &nbsp;

Tensions between China and the US have escalated in the recent years as US has raised its concerns&nbsp;about Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea. US has also expressed&nbsp;its stance on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan.&nbsp;China's military on&nbsp;Tuesday said that&nbsp;it conducted a combat readiness patrol in the direction of the Taiwan Strait.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop26-us-and-china-issue-joint-pledge-to-boost-climate-co-operation-428371">Also read |&nbsp;COP26: US and China issue joint pledge to boost climate co-operation</a>

Meanwhile, in what came as an unexpected declaration at the COP26 climate meeting, China and the US agreed to increase climate cooperation over the next decade. In a joint declaration, the world's two largest CO2 emitters promised to act.

The countries declared an agreement to redouble efforts to combat climate change with "concrete steps" in an official joint statement released at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.&nbsp;

As of now, no date has been announced for the Xi-Biden meeting. However, a person briefed on the matter said that it was expected to be as soon as next week.

The week-long annual forum is being conducted online by New Zealand as the&nbsp;host.&nbsp;

Ahead of a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that the Asia-Pacific region must not return to the tensions of the Cold War era.

Ahead of a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that the Asia-Pacific region must not return to the tensions of the Cold War era. In a recorded video message to a CEO forum on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit hosted by New Zealand, the Chinese president said that the attempts to draw ideological lines or form small circles on geopolitical grounds were bound to fail. "The Asia-Pacific region cannot and should not relapse into the confrontation and division of the Cold War era," Xi said. By this, Xi was referring to US efforts with regional allies and partners including the Quad grouping with India, Japan and Australia. Tensions between China and the US have escalated in the recent years as US has raised its concerns about Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea. US has also expressed its stance on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan. China's military on Tuesday said that it conducted a combat readiness patrol in the direction of the Taiwan Strait. Also read | COP26: US and China issue joint pledge to boost climate co-operation Meanwhile, in what came as an unexpected declaration at the COP26 climate meeting, China and the US agreed to increase climate cooperation over the next decade. In a joint declaration, the world's two largest CO2 emitters promised to act. The countries declared an agreement to redouble efforts to combat climate change with "concrete steps" in an official joint statement released at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. As of now, no date has been announced for the Xi-Biden meeting. However, a person briefed on the matter said that it was expected to be as soon as next week. The week-long annual forum is being conducted online by New Zealand as the host.

Asia-Pacific region should not return to Cold War tensions, warns Xi Jinping at APEC

A new idea is gaining currency among some politicians and policymakers in Washington: The United States is in a “Cold War” with China. It’s a bad idea — bad on history, bad on politics, bad for our future.

The Biden administration has wisely pushed back on the framing. But the president’s actions suggest that his strategy for dealing with China may indeed suffer from Cold War thinking, which locks our minds into the traditional two-dimensional chess model.

Competition with China, though, is a three-dimensional game. And if we continue to play two-dimensional chess, we will lose.

While neither the conflict with the Soviet Union nor the current competition with China has led to all-out combat, the games are very different. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was a direct military and ideological threat to the United States. We had almost no economic or social connections: Containment was a feasible objective.

Because the game was based on a simple two-dimensional premise — that the only fight was between their respective militaries — each side depended on the other not to pull the trigger. But with China, the three-dimensional game features a distribution of power at each level — military, economic and social — not just one.

That is why the Cold War metaphor, although convenient, is lazy and potentially dangerous. It obscures and misleads us by underestimating the real challenge we face — and offering ineffective strategies.

On the economic level, the United States and China are deeply interdependent. The United States had more than half a trillion dollars in trade with China in 2020. While some voices in Washington talk about “decoupling,” it would be foolish to think we can separate our economy completely from China without enormous costs. And we should not expect other countries to do so either, since China is reportedly now the largest trading partner of more countries than the United States.

The social fabrics of the United States and China are also deeply intertwined: There are millions of social connections, from students and tourists and others, between the two countries. And it’s physically impossible to decouple ecological issues like pandemics and climate change.

Interdependence is a double-edged sword. It creates networks of sensitivity to what is happening in another country that can encourage caution. But it also creates vulnerabilities that both Beijing and Washington can try to manipulate as tools of influence.

Despite the above factors, a two-dimensional mind-set assumes the United States can take on China largely because of its military superiority. While China is modernizing its forces, the United States is still the only truly global power. (Though it’s unclear how long that will last.) We must carefully plot our horizontal moves — like improving relations with India and reinforcing our alliance with Japan — on the traditional military board of chess to maintain the balance of power in Asia. At the same time, we cannot continue to ignore the different power relations on the economic or transnational boards — and how those levels interact. If we do, we will suffer.

On the economic board, the distribution of power is multipolar, with the United States, China, Europe and Japan the largest players. And on the transnational board, when it comes to issues such as climate change and pandemics, nongovernmental actors play powerful roles and no country is in control.

And yet, the United States has an inadequate trade policy for East Asia, which leaves the field to China. On transnational issues, the United States risks letting sour relations with Beijing jeopardize climate goals. China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned America not to expect climate negotiations to remain an oasis in a desert of overall relations.

No country can solve transnational issues like climate change and pandemics alone. And so the politics of ecological interdependence involve power with as well as over others.

The political competition today is also different. The United States and its allies are not threatened by the export of communism in the same way they were in the days of Stalin or Mao. There is less proselytizing; few today take to the streets in favor of “Xi Jinping thought.”

Instead, China manipulates the system of deep economic and political interdependence to support its authoritarian government and to influence opinion in democracies to counter and pre-empt criticism. For evidence of that, we just have to look at China’s economic punishment of our allies Norway and Australia for daring to knock China on human rights. A three-dimensional strategy would recognize and respond to the fact that these actions taken by China create opportunities for us to take supportive steps that will in turn increase our influence. Trade agreements would help, as does the recent agreement to export our nuclear submarine technology to Australia.

For better and worse, we are locked in a “cooperative rivalry” with China that requires a strategy that can accomplish those two contradictory things — compete and cooperate — at the same time.

At home, the United States must reinforce its technological advantages by increasing support for research and development. On the military board, this means restructuring traditional forces to incorporate new technologies and strengthening the aforementioned alliances.

On the economic board, American withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership left a gaping hole in an important area of trade. And on transnational issues we need to strengthen and develop institutions and international treaties — such as the World Health Organization and the Paris climate accord — to cope with health and climate issues.

Pessimists look at China’s population size and economic growth rates and believe they will prevail. But if we treat our allies as assets, the combined military strength and economic wealth of Western-aligned democracies — the United States, Europe, Japan — will far exceed that of China well into this century.

President Biden is correct that Cold War rhetoric has more negative than positive effects. But he also needs to ensure that his China strategy suits the three-dimensional game.

A new idea is gaining currency among some politicians and policymakers in Washington: The United States is in a “Cold War” with China. It’s a bad idea — bad on history, bad on politics, bad for our future.

A new idea is gaining currency among some politicians and policymakers in Washington: The United States is in a “Cold War” with China. It’s a bad idea — bad on history, bad on politics, bad for our future. The Biden administration has wisely pushed back on the framing. But the president’s actions suggest that his strategy for dealing with China may indeed suffer from Cold War thinking, which locks our minds into the traditional two-dimensional chess model. Competition with China, though, is a three-dimensional game. And if we continue to play two-dimensional chess, we will lose. While neither the conflict with the Soviet Union nor the current competition with China has led to all-out combat, the games are very different. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was a direct military and ideological threat to the United States. We had almost no economic or social connections: Containment was a feasible objective. Because the game was based on a simple two-dimensional premise — that the only fight was between their respective militaries — each side depended on the other not to pull the trigger. But with China, the three-dimensional game features a distribution of power at each level — military, economic and social — not just one. That is why the Cold War metaphor, although convenient, is lazy and potentially dangerous. It obscures and misleads us by underestimating the real challenge we face — and offering ineffective strategies. On the economic level, the United States and China are deeply interdependent. The United States had more than half a trillion dollars in trade with China in 2020. While some voices in Washington talk about “decoupling,” it would be foolish to think we can separate our economy completely from China without enormous costs. And we should not expect other countries to do so either, since China is reportedly now the largest trading partner of more countries than the United States. The social fabrics of the United States and China are also deeply intertwined: There are millions of social connections, from students and tourists and others, between the two countries. And it’s physically impossible to decouple ecological issues like pandemics and climate change. Interdependence is a double-edged sword. It creates networks of sensitivity to what is happening in another country that can encourage caution. But it also creates vulnerabilities that both Beijing and Washington can try to manipulate as tools of influence. Despite the above factors, a two-dimensional mind-set assumes the United States can take on China largely because of its military superiority. While China is modernizing its forces, the United States is still the only truly global power. (Though it’s unclear how long that will last.) We must carefully plot our horizontal moves — like improving relations with India and reinforcing our alliance with Japan — on the traditional military board of chess to maintain the balance of power in Asia. At the same time, we cannot continue to ignore the different power relations on the economic or transnational boards — and how those levels interact. If we do, we will suffer. On the economic board, the distribution of power is multipolar, with the United States, China, Europe and Japan the largest players. And on the transnational board, when it comes to issues such as climate change and pandemics, nongovernmental actors play powerful roles and no country is in control. And yet, the United States has an inadequate trade policy for East Asia, which leaves the field to China. On transnational issues, the United States risks letting sour relations with Beijing jeopardize climate goals. China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned America not to expect climate negotiations to remain an oasis in a desert of overall relations. No country can solve transnational issues like climate change and pandemics alone. And so the politics of ecological interdependence involve power with as well as over others. The political competition today is also different. The United States and its allies are not threatened by the export of communism in the same way they were in the days of Stalin or Mao. There is less proselytizing; few today take to the streets in favor of “Xi Jinping thought.” Instead, China manipulates the system of deep economic and political interdependence to support its authoritarian government and to influence opinion in democracies to counter and pre-empt criticism. For evidence of that, we just have to look at China’s economic punishment of our allies Norway and Australia for daring to knock China on human rights. A three-dimensional strategy would recognize and respond to the fact that these actions taken by China create opportunities for us to take supportive steps that will in turn increase our influence. Trade agreements would help, as does the recent agreement to export our nuclear submarine technology to Australia. For better and worse, we are locked in a “cooperative rivalry” with China that requires a strategy that can accomplish those two contradictory things — compete and cooperate — at the same time. At home, the United States must reinforce its technological advantages by increasing support for research and development. On the military board, this means restructuring traditional forces to incorporate new technologies and strengthening the aforementioned alliances. On the economic board, American withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership left a gaping hole in an important area of trade. And on transnational issues we need to strengthen and develop institutions and international treaties — such as the World Health Organization and the Paris climate accord — to cope with health and climate issues. Pessimists look at China’s population size and economic growth rates and believe they will prevail. But if we treat our allies as assets, the combined military strength and economic wealth of Western-aligned democracies — the United States, Europe, Japan — will far exceed that of China well into this century. President Biden is correct that Cold War rhetoric has more negative than positive effects. But he also needs to ensure that his China strategy suits the three-dimensional game.

When it comes to China, don’t call it a ‘Cold War’

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