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Russian invasion  Negotiations
Kremlin does not share US view: “Radical changes”

The optimism that the US feels about reaching a peace agreement in Ukraine is not shared by Russia, reports Sky News.

– The US must make major, perhaps even radical, changes to its documents regarding Ukraine, Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy advisor, is said to have told Russian media, according to the channel.

The statement comes the same day that the US said that peace is “very close” and that the issues that remain to be dealt with are control over Donbas and the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia. 

The US's new security strategy
Bildt: Flagrant extremist mourning in the security strategy

Much of what is in the US's new national security strategy is usually found “far, far out on the right wing”. This is what former Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt (M) told SVT Nyheter.

He is particularly opposed to the White House describing how several NATO countries will soon be made up of a majority of “non-Europeans”, an idea he calls “extremist nonsense”.

– It reflects what the more militant, anti-European faction in the Trump administration thinks. But that they express it so blatantly and go as far as they do here and say that they will enter European politics and support extremist forces, it is startling.

Current moderate Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, states in comments to several media outlets that the relationship with the US is “long-term and remains central” and that it is “obvious” that Europe needs to take greater responsibility on several issues.

Political situation in Benin
President: Treason will not go unpunished

In a televised address to the nation, Benin’s President Patrice Talon says that the government and the military have averted a coup attempt and that the situation is under control, Reuters reports.

The coup plotters reached as far as a television station in the country's largest city, Cotonou, where they announced their intention to take power this morning.

- Thanks to the rapid mobilization of forces loyal to the government, we managed to ruin their adventure. Their betrayal will not go unpunished, says Talon.

Violence in Nigeria
Over a hundred kidnapped schoolchildren released in Nigeria

More than 100 children who were kidnapped from a school in Nigeria in November have been released by the country's government. This is reported by the local television channel Channels Television.

A total of 315 people were kidnapped, 303 students and twelve teachers. About 50 managed to escape shortly afterwards and it is unclear how many are still being held hostage.

No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, but they are only described as "armed bandits". Similar kidnappings occur at regular intervals in the country.

Elon Musk's X
Polish solution to the dispute: Send Musk to Mars

Elon Musk has gone on the warpath against the EU this weekend after his X was fined by the union. Poland's Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has tired of the billionaire's anger and presents a solution:

"Go to Mars. There is no censorship against Nazi salutes there," he writes on Musk's platform.

In his criticism, Musk is joining right-wing populist voices who claim that the EU restricts citizens' freedom of expression and democratic rights and compares the union to Nazi Germany. One who agrees with him is former Russian president and diligent Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Medvedev.

Sikorski is not surprised that Musk and the Kremlin have the same opinion on the issue.

“If anyone still doubted who all this anti-EU rhetoric about sovereignty really benefits: those who want to profit from spreading hatred and those who want to conquer Europe,” he writes.