International
Russia and NATO, the antagonism that can lead to direct confrontation
The Kremlin warned today on the 75th anniversary of NATO that relations between Russia and the Western bloc are on the verge of “direct confrontation” due to the involvement of the allied countries in the war in Ukraine.
“Relationships, practically, have now led to a level of direct confrontation,” said Dmitri Peskov, presidential spokesman, at his daily telephone press conference.
The antagonism between Moscow and the Alliance has experienced very tense moments since 1949, both in the times of the Soviet Union – construction of the Berlin Wall, Cuban Crisis, invasion of Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan – and with the Russian Federation since 1991 (bombing of Yugoslavia and the war with Georgia).
But the tension has reached unsuspected limits since Russia started the military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022, a conflict that has strengthened NATO, something that took the Kremlin on guard off guard.
“NATO continues to demonstrate its essence, since NATO was conceived as an alliance, configured, created and directed by the United States as an instrument of confrontation, especially on the European continent. And, in this regard, it continues to fulfill its function,” said the presidential spokesman.
Peskov assured that this block “at the present time does not contribute in any case to the security, predictability and stability of security on the continent.”
“Contrary, it is a destabilizing factor,” he said.
In addition, he accused the allies of continuing their approach and reinforcing the presence of their military infrastructure near the Russian border, one of the arguments used at the time by Moscow to invade the neighboring country.
The Kremlin has been accusing NATO of participating “directly” in the war in Ukraine for months by supplying huge amounts of weapons to Kiev, which, according to Moscow, will not prevent its victory and will only prolong the conflict.
“The NATO countries, the Alliance itself, is not that it is constantly increasing (their presence), but that it has already been involved in the conflict in Ukraine,” Peskov said.
In turn, Moscow has condemned the comments of some European leaders – specifically, the French President, Emmanuel Macron – on the possible sending of troops to Ukraine, something that the White House has totally ruled out.
In fact, the Kremlin today denied “plans to make contacts at the highest level,” in particular with Macron.
“President Vladimir Putin remains open to dialogue with those who express an interest in developing relations with our country,” said Peskov, who reiterated that the president “always” is willing to sit down and negotiate “to solve the most complex global and regional problems.”
At the same time, Russia has denied plans to attack NATO member countries and that it has “aggressive intentions” against Poland and the Baltics.
“Now they say that Ukraine is about to lose, which cannot be allowed, since as soon as Ukraine loses, Russia will attack NATO. Our president has already said it, ‘silly and nonsense,’” said Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister.
That does not detract from the fact that the Baltics have decided to strengthen security and that Finland and Sweden, neutral countries with pragmatic relations with Moscow for decades, decided to join NATO.
That is considered Putin’s biggest miscalculation, since Russia now has 1,300 kilometers more border with the Alliance than before the war.
The brutal attack on March 22 against a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, which left 145 dead and highlighted the lack of foresight of the Russian security forces, has only exacerbated the tension.
The West warned about possible jihadist attacks two weeks in advance, warnings that were disqualified by Putin, who insists on the existence of a “Ukrainian print.”
“Russia behaves in such a way in the international arena that it can hardly be attacked by Islamic fundamentalists,” Putin said when meeting with the union members on Thursday.
The newspaper ‘The Washington Post’ reported that the United States even mentioned the Crocus City Hall as a possible target, news that was immediately branded as “disinformation” by Moscow.
“Today, Ukraine (…) has become an openly terrorist state,” Lavrov said.
Precisely, the defense ministers of Russia, Sergei Shoigu, and France, Sébastien Lecornu, addressed the fight against international terrorism on Wednesday in their first telephone conversation in a year and a half.
“France does not have any information that allows a link to be established between this attack and Ukraine. We ask Russia to stop manipulating,” said the official statement issued by Paris.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
International
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
The United States may soon carry out airstrikes on military facilities inside Venezuela as part of an escalating offensive against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, according to reports Friday from the Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the Trump administration.
Airstrikes could take place “within days or even hours,” the Herald reported. The Journal noted that while the option is under serious consideration, President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on authorizing strikes on Venezuelan soil.
Potential targets allegedly include military-controlled ports and airports used in drug trafficking operations, such as naval installations and airstrips, officials told the Journal.
The Herald also quoted a source saying that “Maduro’s time is running out”, suggesting that more than one Venezuelan general may be ready to detain and hand him over. However, officials declined to confirm whether the Venezuelan leader would be among the military targets.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to block the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, following nearly two months of airstrikes against vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean. Those operations have destroyed 15 boats and left 61 people dead and three survivors since September 1.
“We are finally waging a war against the cartels — a war like they’ve never seen before — and we are going to win that battle. We are already winning at sea,” Trump told U.S. troops during a speech in Japan.
The reports on possible airstrikes come on the same day the United Nations accused the U.S. of violating international law with its maritime operations, saying those killed at sea may have been victims of extrajudicial executions.
International
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Pope Leo XIV announced on Friday that he will revive and update the Global Compact on Education, an initiative launched by the late Pope Francis aimed at deeply transforming global culture through education.
The announcement was made during an audience in St. Peter’s Square, held on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Educational World, which this week gathers more than 20,000 participants from 124 countries in Rome.
During his address, the pontiff — who is of U.S. origin and Peruvian nationality — emphasized the importance of restoring the value of educators and reinforcing the principles that support the pact.
“We must be careful: damaging the social and cultural role of educators means mortgaging our own future,” he warned before thousands in attendance. “A crisis in the transmission of knowledge leads to a crisis of hope.”
The Global Compact on Education, launched by Pope Francis, seeks an integral and long-term cultural transformation. It is structured around five pillars: dignity and human rights; fraternity and cooperation; technology and integral ecology; education for peace and citizenship; and culture and religions. To date, the initiative has been joined by over 553 schools and nearly 410,000 students, according to Catholic Schools data.
Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over the widespread inner fragility affecting both students and teachers — many of whom feel overwhelmed by bureaucratic burdens.
He additionally addressed the role of artificial intelligence in education, warning that it may worsen emotional isolation among learners: “It can further isolate students who are already isolated, giving them the illusion that they do not need others — or worse, the feeling that they are unworthy of them,” he said.
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
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