Free Republic

(AFP) — Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that Germany along with Ukraine’s other key Western backers had lifted range restrictions on weapons they send to Kyiv to fight against Russia. Merz, who took office early this month, also vowed that “we will do everything in our power to continue supporting Ukraine, including militarily”, in close coordination with other supporters. “There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine — neither by the British nor by the French nor by us nor by the Americans,” he said. “This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by...

The German Chancellor said that now Ukraine can attack military targets in Russia BERLIN, May 26. /TASS/. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Germany will no longer limit the range of weapons Berlin and its allies supply to Kiev. "There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons supplied to Ukraine – not from the British, not from the French, not from us. And none from the Americans either," he said during a discussion at a forum organized by the WDR broadcaster. "That means that now Ukraine can defend itself by, say, attacking military targets in Russia,"...

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Merz said that Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States have lifted range restrictions on military supplies to Ukraine - Kyiv can attack positions throughout Russia with long-range weapons This opens the way to the supply of German Taurus cruise missiles

Thursday’s talks in Turkey between Moscow and Kyiv will serve as the latest test of whether Vladimir Putin is serious about a cease-fire deal. And if Putin fails, President Donald Trump faces a test of his own. The prez expressed optimism that “some pretty good news” will emerge from the negotiations. Yet Moscow has feigned an interest in peace before, only to show its real stripes. Remember, Putin was the one who started this war and who’s broken past cease-fire terms. As long as he believes he can gain some advantage, he’ll keep up his attacks — no matter what...

Pakistan has launched attacks on "multiple targets" across India, according to the media wing of Pakistan's military. In a statement, Pakistan said it has unleashed Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos (Solid Wall of Steel) in response to what it calls "continuous provocation" by India. "Multiple targets in this operation are being engaged all across India," the statement added. Reuters said Pakistan has targeted the BrahMos missile storage facility in Beas and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur. The news agency has also stated India has launched air operations in Pakistan, quoting an Indian military source. State-run Pakistan television said retaliatory attacks were...

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that attempted overnight Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow ahead of the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany showed Kyiv's tendency to commit "acts of terrorism." Russian air defense forces downed 14 Ukrainian drones on Wednesday, the city's mayor said, as Kyiv targeted the Russian capital for the third consecutive day. The drones forced most of the Russian capital's airports to close hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping was due to fly in for a visit that Kyiv has made clear it opposes. In a call with...

Moscow closed all four of its main airports for several hours into Tuesday after state media reported the military had shot down 105 Ukrainian drones overnight. Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, said that at least 19 drones were destroyed on their way to the capital as it prepares for Victory Day celebrations this week. Debris fell on a major avenue in the city's south without causing injuries, Sobyanin wrote on Telegram. Governors in other Russian cities, including Penza and Voronezh, said they had also been targeted by Ukrainian drones. It was the second night in a row that Russia...

Russia says Ukraine has launched an overnight drone attack targeting Moscow for the second night in a row. All four of the capital's major airports have been closed temporarily to ensure safety, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said on Telegram. Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said on social media at least 19 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed before they reached the city "from different directions". He said some of the debris had landed on one of the key highways into the city, but there were no casualties. Ukraine has not yet commented on the reports

President Donald Trump on Monday said he held a "productive" call with Turkish President Recep Erdogan on a range of topics, including the war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump shared details of the call in a post on his TRUTH Social platform. "I just had a very good and productive telephone conversation with the President of Turkey, Recep Erdoğan, concerning many subjects, including the War with Russia/Ukraine, all things Syria, Gaza, and more," Trump wrote. The president added that he is looking forward to working with Erdogan to end the "ridiculous, but deadly" Russia-Ukraine war.

Ukraine said it hit a drone command unit in the Kursk region, amid reports of fresh attempts to cross into Russia. Sunday's attack on the unit was located near the Russian village of Tyotkino, according to the Ukrainian general staff. Multiple Russian military bloggers also reported that Ukrainian forces had attempted to cross into the village, posting images - as yet unverified by the BBC - of vehicles breaking through tank traps on the border. The reports come after Moscow claimed in April to have regained control of the entire region, nine months after a Ukrainian forces launched a surprise...

Ukrainian forces have reportedly opened up a third vector of attack in Glushkovsky district, Kursk Oblast, this time towards the Novy Put tract. They are taking advantage of bad weather conditions. Fierce battles are reported at these three points on the map. Rain is seriously complicating drone usage.

Will Zelensky attack ther Victory Day parade and escalate the war to the maximum? On the one hand, we all know ‘talk is cheap’, so it may be that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is just posturing when he hints that his forces may well attack the May 9th Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Russia – an event that will gather thousands of people, including as many as 20 heads of state. This would amount to an especially damning escalation since Putin declared a 3-day truce from May 8-10 – a proposal that Kiev sneered at, but hasn’t publicly rejected. However,...

Europe would struggle to collectively muster 25,000 troops to be part of a “deterrence” force in Ukraine because its armies are undermanned and underfunded, sources have disclosed. The Times was given a rare insight into conversations between Europe’s defence ministers and military chiefs as they thrashed out plans for a “coalition of the willing” force. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the British chief of the defence staff, is said to have asked his counterparts on the Continent if they could put together a 64,000-strong force to send to the country in the event of a peace deal.

this is a montage video of several talking heads in the media using their new buzzword: “Escalation.” It just goes to show that all of the mainstream media fools get the phone call or the email in the morning telling them what the news is that day, and exactly how to report it. They are too stupid to mix it up though, and so they read the script they are given word for word.

Scott Pelley ended @60Minutes by lamenting the resignation of Executive Producer Bill Owens who “did it for us and you.” Pelley ludicrously claimed Owens made sure stories on Israel and the Trump admin “were accurate and fair.” Pelley complained: “Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways. None of our stories has been blocked, but Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires.”

Nearly nine months after losing chunks of the Kursk region to a surprise Ukrainian incursion, Russia announced that its troops have fully reclaimed the border territory. Ukraine denied it, saying the fighting was still ongoing. If confirmed, Moscow’s victory in Kursk would deprive Kyiv of key leverage in U.S.-brokered efforts to negotiate an end to the more than 3-year-old war by exchanging its gains for some of Russia-occupied land in Ukraine. Here are key moments of the battle for Kursk and its impact:A Ukrainian blitzUkrainian forces pushed into Kursk on Aug. 6, 2024, in a surprise attack, with battle-hardened mechanized...

According to the plan under discussion in London and Paris, Western forces may be sent to Ukraine following a settlement of the conflict, acting as a "deterrent force" purportedly to prevent the resumption of hostilitiesLONDON, April 11. /TASS/. The United Kingdom is considering the possibility of deploying troops to Ukrainian territory for a period of up to five years, pending the country’s remilitarization, The Daily Telegraph reported citing sources. According to the plan under discussion in London and Paris, Western forces may be sent to Ukraine following a settlement of the conflict, acting as a "deterrent force" purportedly to prevent...

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that China’s escalation of tariffs is a “big mistake” because it is playing a “losing hand.” Bessent said, “If we put up a tariff wall, the ultimate goal would be to bring jobs back to the U.S. But in the meantime, we will be collecting substantial tariffs. If we’re successful, tariffs would be a melting ice cube, in a way, because you’re taking in the revenues as the manufacturing facilities are built in the U.S., and there should be some level of symmetry between the taxes we begin taking in...

Vladimir Zelensky announced after a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that military officials would hold a meeting to prepare for the deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine. According to him, such a step is being taken "to achieve peace and ensure security," Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports."Recent statements by the leaders of a number of European countries, including Great Britain, France and Germany, about their readiness to send troops to Ukraine are an alarming signal," Russian military expert Yury Knutov pointed out. "Russian service members say that oftentimes, they only hear foreign speech from the other side of the frontline....

Germany has embarked on its first permanent foreign deployment since World War II, with the nation's parliament approving the dispatch of troops to eastern Lithuania, along NATO's eastern boundary. This marks a historic moment for Germany, as it will be the inaugural occasion of a continuous German military presence overseas since the Second World War. The full operational capability of the unit is expected by 2027. Brigadier General Christoph Huber, who leads the brigade, stated, "We have a clear mission. We have to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies here on NATO's eastern flank." While Germany...