Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has condemned recent Russian airspace violations, insisting that “every country has the right to defend itself.” She also cautioned Iran that time is running out to meet EU demands and stop a return of UN sanctions under the snapback mechanism.
Russia’s airspace incursions: growing alarm in Europe
Recent events have escalated tensions between Moscow and the EU/NATO. On September 19, three Russian MiG-31 jets violated Estonian airspace near Vaindloo Island for about 12 minutes. They flew without flight plans or active transponders, and were unresponsive to air-traffic control before being intercepted by Italian F-35s under NATO’s air policing mission.
Estonia has labeled this the fourth violation of its airspace by Russia this year. NATO and EU leaders, including Kaja Kallas, condemned what they called a “brazen provocation” and are calling for stronger deterrence, increased monitoring, and stricter consequences.
Kallas has been clear: if foreign aircraft breach a country’s airspace, that country has the right to respond, to defend its borders, sovereignty, and security. EU leaders are pushing for solidarity among member states, especially along the Eastern flank, and strengthening of defence capabilities.
Iran’s snapback sanctions: a diplomatic countdown
Parallel to Europe’s tensions with Russia is a growing diplomatic pressure on Iran. European officials say Iran has not yet taken all the necessary steps to prevent the return of UN sanctions tied to its nuclear programme. These include full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reopening inspections at all nuclear sites, and transparent accounting of enriched uranium stockpiles.
Kaja Kallas warned that the “window for finding a diplomatic solution is closing really fast.” The European powers (France, Germany, UK), alongside the EU, have made clear that unless concrete actions are taken by Iran, the snapback mechanism, built into the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) will trigger automatic reinstatement of sanctions at the end of September.
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China has announced plans to fully cover childbirth-related costs for families as authorities move to incentivise young couples to have more children.
The Taliban leadership in Afghanistan opted out of a major regional meeting held in Iran’s capital Tehran on Sunday.
Australia vowed stricter gun laws on Monday as it began mourning victims of its worst mass shooting in almost 30 years, in which police accused a father-and-son duo of killing 16 people at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Oil prices are rising worldwide as investors assess supply risks linked to growing tensions between the United States and Venezuela after the former seized an oil tanker Skipper on 10 December, a move Caracas calls “international piracy”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, has said that Ukraine has not provided Moscow with a list of thousands of children it alleges were taken illegally to Russia, despite the issue being discussed during talks in Istanbul.
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board.
An explosive device found in a vehicle linked to one of the alleged attackers in Bondi shooting has been secured and removed according to Police. The incident left 12 people dead.
The latest round of clashes between Thailand and Cambodia has left 15 Thai soldiers dead and 270 others injured, Thailand’s Ministry of Defence spokesman Surasant Kongsiri said at a press conference on Saturday.
Oil prices are rising worldwide as investors assess supply risks linked to growing tensions between the United States and Venezuela after the former seized an oil tanker Skipper on 10 December, a move Caracas calls “international piracy”.
Syria has arrested five people suspected of having links to a deadly attack on a joint U.S.–Syrian convoy in the central town of Palmyra on Saturday, the country’s Interior Ministry said.
The head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, the foreign spy service known as MI6, has warned that Russia "remains an aggressive and expansionist threat", vowing sustained support for Ukraine and calling for greater use of technology to protect UK security.
Odesa residents remained without power for a third straight day on Monday (15 December) after a Russian missile and drone strike crippled the power grid on Saturday (13 December).
Fighting along the Thailand–Cambodia border has entered a fifth consecutive day, despite U.S. President Donald Trump claiming he had brokered a ceasefire between the two sides.
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