China Looking to Buy More Russian Arctic LNG as EU Aims to Announce Plans in May to Phase Out Imports, highnorthnews.com

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[…] As China is looking to increase its supply of Russian LNG, the EU is readying a proposal to phase out the fuel by 2027. The bloc has been discussing the matter of ending Russian LNG imports for much of the past three years with various sanctions initiatives, including by a group of 10 states, ultimately faltering in Brussels.
The release of the roadmap to end Russian gas imports has been delayed several times by the European Commission. The decision will require unanimity by all member states. Several EU states, including Hungary and Slovakia, still rely on pipeline gas from the country, while others, led by France and Belgium, continue to welcome shipments of Arctic LNG.
Pledges by EU officials and member states to purchase greater quantities of US-made LNG in an effort to appease the Trump administration in the escalating trade war, could also narrow the path for future Russian imports into the continent. At the same time, the recent tariffs between the U.S. and China, could make Russian LNG more competitive on the Chinese market. Läs artikel

Transcript of Lee Hsien Loong on President Trump’s Tariffs, singjupost.com

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Lee Hsien Loong: When Liberation Day came, not the May 1 but the April 2, that was not a complete surprise to us because Trump had signaled very clearly and over many years that he wanted to do tariffs and he wanted to equalize America’s trade deficit. He believes in tariffs since he was a young man. He had said during this campaign repeatedly that he comes in, he is going to put tariffs on everybody—it’s “the most beautiful word in the vocabulary.” And the first time he was president, eight, nine years ago, he had imposed some tariffs so that he was going to do something was not a surprise. But even then, what happened in the Liberation Day was more drastic than expected.
So it’s a fundamentally different kind of world which the US is looking for and pushing for. And the approach is not win-win, but win-lose. […]
In other words, the US wants to do well for themselves. They really don’t mind whether you the other countries do well for themselves or not. And President Trump recently is on record saying, “if we can make a really fair deal and a good deal for the United States, not a good deal for the others, this is America First. It’s now America First.” So this has very major implications for Singapore, very major implications for the world. Läs  talet

UN 80 Anniversary campaign, daghammarskjold.se

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On 20 June 1955, Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld gave the opening speech at the United Nations’ 10th Anniversary Conference in San Francisco, California. Early in his opening remarks he said:

‘We have come here to look ahead, beyond tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, to explore together how, in the years ahead, we may be able to do better than in the years gone-by, in the search for a more secure peace and a better life for the peoples.’

He went on to say, ‘The United Nations should stand for that diversity which is the condition of freedom as much as it should stand for that unity of common purpose which is the basis of peace. Too often in recent years, however, diversity has been a source of division and of rivalries straining the points which should unite the nations in their common destiny.’

This year the United Nations celebrates its 80th anniversary and the Foundation commemorates this by releasing a selection of Dag Hammarskjöld quotes in recognition of this major milestone. Läs artikel

China warns countries against striking trade deals with US, rte.ie

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China has warned countries against striking a broader economic deal with the United States at its expense, ratcheting up its rhetoric in a spiralling trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.

The Asian country respects all parties resolving economic and trade differences with the United States through consultation on an equal footing, but it will firmly oppose any party striking a deal at China’s expense, its Commerce Ministry said.

Chinese officials ”will take countermeasures in a resolute and reciprocal manner” if any country sought such deals, a ministry spokesperson said, addressing a news report that the Trump Administration was preparing to pressure other countries to limit trade with China in exchange for tariff exemptions from the United States. Läs artikel

Arktis i endring – Norges ansvar er større og alvorligere enn våre politiske ledere synes å forstå,forsvaretsforum.no

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Oddmund H. Hammerstad, tidligere statssekretær i Forsvarsdepartementet

[…] Men endringene i de geopolitiske forhold generelt, og i Arktis spesielt innebærer nye utfordringer, og også store forpliktelser for Norge. Det meste av trafikken over Polhavet mellom Asia og Europa, og mye av trafikken mellom østkysten og vestkysten av Amerika, vil følge sjøruter over havområder hvor det er vårt ansvar å hevde jurisdiksjon, et ansvar som stiller krav til både vilje og evne til tilstedeværelse og håndtering av situasjoner som oppstår. […]

Det vi trenger mest nå, er rikspolitikere med evne til å tenke langsiktig og strategisk med nasjonale interesser som høyeste prioritet, interesser som sammenfaller med ønsket om lavspenning i Nordområdene.

Forståelsen av betydningen for dette synes dessverre å være fraværende hos flertallet av dem som innehar de viktigste politiske ombud.

Det er en stor svakhet for småstaten Norge, som kan bli en puppet-on-the-string mellom rivaliserende stormakter om vi ikke viser initiativ og tar grep som kan forebygge og dempe fremtidig konfliktpotensial. Läs artikel

USA utplacerar B-1B Lancer-bombplan i Japan för första gången i historisk insats, msn.com

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För första gången någonsin har det amerikanska flygvapnet utplacerat B-1B Lancer-bombplan på rotationsbasis till Misawa flygbas i norra Japan. Uppdraget är en del av en långdistansbombplansstyrka och markerar ett nytt och strategiskt tillvägagångssätt i regionen.

Enligt ett officiellt uttalande från flygvapnet anlände planen den 15 april 2025 från Dyess Air Force Base i Texas. Denna mobilisering representerar en förändring i USA:s operativa modell som använts i decennier och traditionellt förlitat sig på platser som Guam, Australien och Diego Garcia för att placera ut strategiska bombflyg i Indo-Stillahavsregionen. Läs artikel

Former U.S. diplomat questions NATO’s defense promise in Prague debate, expats.cz

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NATO’s core commitment to collective defense may not hold in practice, warned former U.S. diplomat Cameron Munter during a public debate at Anglo-American University this week. “Article 5 is not actually legally enforceable. If I lived in Estonia and the Russians invaded, I would be seriously concerned that the Americans would not come,” Munter said.

According to iDnes.cz, Munter, who served as U.S. ambassador to Serbia and Pakistan under both Republican and Democratic administrations, said NATO remains an alliance of ideals rather than enforceable commitments. Activation of Article 5—NATO’s clause that requires collective defense in the event of an attack—must be approved unanimously by the NATO Council, which could prove problematic in a real crisis, he said.

Munter also expressed concern about the weakening of U.S. leadership within the alliance. Referring to the Trump administration’s rollback of international programs, including the dismantling of USAID, he warned that if the U.S. stops funding NATO initiatives, European allies may struggle to fill the gap. “There are no capacities in Europe that could replace it,” he said. Läs artikel

US offers peace deal: Leave occupied lands and drop Ukraine’s NATO bid, newsukraine.rbc.ua

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The United States presented its own proposals for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia to its European allies. The plan suggests allowing Russia to keep occupied territories and rules out Ukraine’s NATO membership, Bloomberg reports.

According to European officials who spoke to Bloomberg, the US unveiled the plan during meetings in Paris on April 17.

According to the outlet’s sources, the US proposal envisages a freeze of the war, with the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine remaining under Russian control. It also includes the easing of sanctions on Russia and dismisses any discussion of Ukraine joining NATO. Läs artikel

Portugal’s bold pivot to Gripen shocks F-35 backers in NATO, bulgarianmilitary.com

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The announcement, made in an interview with the Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri, signals Saab’s ambition to expand its footprint in NATO’s aerospace market at a time when Portugal, a long-standing alliance member, seeks to modernize its aging fleet of F-16 aircraft.

This development comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in Europe and a broader debate about the continent’s reliance on American-made military hardware. As Portugal weighs its options, the Gripen emerges as a cost-effective and versatile alternative to pricier platforms like the Lockheed Martin F-35, raising questions about NATO’s future procurement trends and the strategic implications for transatlantic defense cooperation. […]

Portugal’s interest in the Gripen reflects a pragmatic response to its defense needs and fiscal constraints. With a defense budget of approximately $4 billion annually, according to a 2024 study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Portugal is not among NATO’s heavyweights.[…]

The JAS 39 Gripen E/F, the latest iteration of Saab’s multirole fighter, is at the heart of these discussions. Designed to counter advanced threats in modern battlespaces, the Gripen E/F is a single-engine, lightweight jet that combines cutting-edge technology with cost efficiency. Läs artikel

Ukraine says outline of minerals deal signed with US, bbc.com

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Ukraine’s government has announced the signing of the outline of a minerals deal between the war-torn country and the US.

Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the memorandum of intent paved the way for what she called an economic partnership agreement. She said a final deal would also involve an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine. US officials expressed hope that an accord could be completed by the end of next week. […]

The White House did not respond to a request for further details on the timing and contents of the agreement, Reuters news agency reports. The move is a step towards a deal that would allow the US access to Ukraine’s critical minerals, as well as oil and gas.

Previous reports indicated that an ”investment fund” would be set up for Ukraine’s reconstruction and would be managed by Kyiv and Washington on ”equal terms”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had been hoping to use the deal to secure a US security guarantee in his country in the event of a ceasefire deal with Russia.

However the plan was derailed in February by Zelensky and Trump’s heated clash at the White House. Läs artikel

Forhandlinger på spissen, dagsavisen.no

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Sverre Lodgaard utenrikskommentator

[…] Til forskjell fra tidligere presidenter har Trump understreket at han vil trekke USA ut av ørkesløse kriger og unngå å bli involvert i nye. Han vil for all del at USA fortsatt skal være verdens ledende militærmakt og han vil bruke makta til å true andre – slik han nå gjør fort vekk – men ikke til å krige. Iran kan bli den første testen på om han mener alvor med dette. Hvis forhandlingene havarerer og atomprogrammet fortsetter blir han satt på prøve. Velger han å bombe, blir det ikke bare for å ødelegge atomanleggene, men også for å iscenesette et regimeskifte i landet.

I mellomtiden har Trump skjerpet sanksjonene ytterligere for å styrke forhandlingskortene. Det gjorde Obama også. Trump har dessuten sendt en hangarskipsgruppe til regionen i tillegg til den som var der fra før, og bombefly av typen B-2 er på plass for å markere alvoret i situasjonen. Uten at det behøver å bety så mye, for dette er vanlig prosedyre fra amerikansk side.

[…] Iranerne har, i likhet med USA, dårlig tid. Sikkerhetsrådets resolusjon 2231 fra 2015, som suspenderte FN-sanksjonene mot Iran som del av avtalen det året, sier at med mindre Rådet blir enige om noe annet innen 18. oktober i år, vil sanksjonene automatisk bli gjeninnført. Det er dette som kalles snapback. Ettersom Trump trakk USA ut av avtalen, er det først og fremst opp til europeerne å avgjøre om det vil skje. Iran må derfor foreta seg noe for å hindre dette. Hvis de ikke lykkes vil det skade dem både økonomisk og politisk. Läs artikel

”Verka utanför svenskt territorium – ett helt nytt mindset”

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Utgivarna

I Officerstidningen intervjuas några officerare om förberedelser i Halland att ta emot trupper från Nato inom ramen för värdlandsavtalet och amerikanska soldater enligt DCA-avtalet mellan USA och Sverige.

Brigadgeneral Anders Svensson slår fast vad som är huvuduppgiften:

”Den största utmaningen ligger i att infrastrukturellt kunna försörja Natos strid längs norra flanken. Därför är det viktigt att bygga upp de 17 orter som nämns i DCA-avtalet, men också att satsa på infrastrukturen.”

Om det blir som han säger vet inte. USA är inte förpliktigat genom DCA-avtalet att försvara vare sig Sverige eller andra Nato-stater.

Vad gäller den egna Försvarsmakten är han tydlig. Det handlar inte om ett svenskt territorialförsvar utan svenska styrkor skall inriktas på försvar av Baltikum:

”Vi måste kunna vara en del av Natos försvar, vilket innebär att vi ska verka utanför svenskt territorium, längs Natos östra gräns mot Ryssland, i Finland och i de baltiska länderna. Det är ett helt nytt mindset”.

I den mån svenskt territorium skall försvaras är det inte för att möta och slå en angripare som vill besätta någon del av vårt land:

”Samtidigt måste vi på svensk mark kunna försvara och skydda den infrastruktur och de förband och förmågor som lyfts in i Sverige.”

Den nya försvarsdoktrinen innebär således att inriktningen är att skydda utländska trupper som stationeras eller transporteras genom Sverige:

Läs mer