International
Germany, France and Poland commit to intensifying the supply of weapons to Ukraine
German Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz; French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged this Friday to intensify their military support for Ukraine with a new coalition of long-range missiles and the purchase of more ammunition.
“We will not give up on our support,” Scholz stressed at the end of the meeting in the Weimar Triangle format.
Scholz also highlighted the agreement of the European Union (EU) to promote a specific military support fund to Ukraine endowed with 5 billion euros for this year, the reinforcement of the community training mission of Ukrainian soldiers, as well as the decision to use the interests of Russian assets frozen in Europe to support the purchase of weapons for Kiev.
Next Tuesday, a new meeting of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine will be held at the US air base in Ramstein, in Germany, in which that new coalition of long-range missiles will be proposed, although the German Chancellor himself has categorically refused to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine, which have the ability to hit targets 500 kilometers away.
With respect to the Taurus, there are differences even within the German Government where part of the Greens and the Liberal Party (FDP) are in favor of sending it, despite the rejection of it by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Scholz.
On two occasions the opposition has taken advantage of the differences within the Government to try, unsuccessfully, to carry out a resolution in Parliament asking for the sending of the Taurus.
Nevertheless, the government coalition adopted a resolution in the Lower House in February in which it calls for “wide-ranging weapons systems and ammunition” for Ukraine.
Scholz maintains that these weapons cannot be used without the participation of German soldiers and has asked not to divert attention with a debate about a single type of weapons.
Macron pointed out that the coalition is open to all countries, as well as the many others that exist for the supply of F16 fighters and drones for Ukraine, for example.
The French president, who reiterated that the security and future of Europe is at stake due to the Russian war in Ukraine, explained that the three countries support the Czech initiative, which at the Munich Security Conference in February announced that it has found up to 800,000 NATO standard munitions that can be sent to Ukraine if the necessary funding is found.
At the moment it has commitments for 500,000 pieces of ammunition as a result of the initiative, which Germany had already joined.
Macron said that the three countries will work with the industry in Europe and in Ukraine to promote the production of ammunition in the territory of the invaded country.
The French president pointed out that boosting European production is a priority, but that, “if this is not possible fast enough or in the necessary volume, we will be able to mobilize funding to buy ammunition and military equipment in other countries to support Ukraine.”
The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, pointed out in turn that it is very important for him that the Weimar Triangle has been reactivated and that the trilateral meeting has served to make concrete decisions.
He maintained that this shows that “the malicious rumors, the disputes or differences between the capitals are not true,” he said in reference to the differences between the French president and Scholz on some issues such as the possible sending of European or NATO troops to Ukraine.
“Today we have spoken with one voice, especially about the security of our continent and our countries.”
Tusk informed his two counterparts about his recent visit to Washington and the climate in the US capital in the context of the presidential elections, in which Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump aspires to return to the White House.
Trump has already threatened not to help Europe if the Old Continent does not pay for its defense and would also have told the Hungarian president, Viktor Orbán, that he will not give “a penny” to Ukraine if he becomes president of the United States again.
“The three of us are aware that we Europeans have the responsibility for transatlantic relations and our future, and that can’t be changed by anyone, no matter what happens politically,” he said.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
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