TOP NEWS

Putin's Russia
Putin: Will "mirror" US robots in Germany

Russia may deploy short- and medium-range robots with a range to the United States in the coming years, writes AFP.

It was during a speech at a Russian naval base yesterday that President Vladimir Putin promised "mirror measures" after the US said it plans to station such robots in Germany starting in 2026.

- The situation reminds us of the Cold War, Putin said.

Ground-based medium-range robots were previously banned by both countries under a 1987 agreement. The US withdrew from the agreement in 2019, accusing Russia of violating it through its weapons tests.

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Hungary's EU Presidency
Poland's response: "Why don't you form a union with Putin?"

Poland's deputy foreign minister proposes that Hungary leave the EU and NATO after Viktor Orbán's attention-grabbing speech on Saturday.

- I don't understand why Hungary wants to be part of organizations that they dislike so much and that allegedly treat them so badly. Why doesn't Orbán form a union with Putin and with some authoritarian states of that type? says Wladyslaw Bartoszewski to Polish PAP, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Anyone who is a member of a club they dislike can always withdraw, adds Bartoszewski.

In his speech, Orbán attacked the EU and its leadership - and warned of its death. He further described Russia's leadership as "hyper-rational" and added that Ukraine will never become a member of the EU or NATO.

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Political situation in Germany
The weak economy could hurt Scholz's chances in the German election

Germany's inability to jumpstart the economy is ominous for Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who recently confirmed he is aiming for re-election next year. That's what Bloomberg writes.

Since Scholz took office in 2021, ten quarterly GDP reports have been released. More than half have shown almost non-existent growth or even a shrinking economy.

German export companies have had a tough time in the wake of rising tensions between the US and China, which have worsened the global trading environment. In addition, the stop on cheap gas imports from Russia was a hard blow for many companies.

- There are still hopes that the globalized world, from which we profited so much, will one day return. It won't happen — and we're having an extremely hard time getting used to it, says Sandra Ebner, economist at Union Investment.

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The North Korea crisis
North Korea receives help in the form of millions of vaccine doses

Over four million vaccine doses have been delivered to North Korea. The hope is that the deliveries are a step on the way to the impoverished and closed dictatorship opening up to more help from the outside world, reports NK News and The Guardian.

Unicef, WHO and the vaccine organization Gavi are behind the delivery. Among the goods were vaccines against hepatitis B, polio, measles and tetanus. The vaccines are intended for children and pregnant women, according to the organizers.

In connection with the pandemic, North Korea sent out many aid workers.