Hezbollah and Israel exchange fire amid rising border tensions
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (2 March), af...
Nordic leaders on Monday pledged deeper cooperation to strengthen civil preparedness and resilience amid rising global instability, while reaffirming support for Ukraine and the two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a joint statement following a summer summit in Finland, the governments of Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland emphasized their “unwavering commitment” to peace, security, and crisis response.
“We will build resilient communities equipped to face future uncertainties,” the statement said, highlighting increased collaboration in areas including nuclear safety, energy, climate, finance, health, education, and digital services.
The summit came as Russia continues its war in Ukraine. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said Nordic countries are boosting defense spending in response to the “long-term threat” posed by Moscow.
Orpo also noted that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of Vladimir Putin’s airstrikes on Ukraine may signal a shift: “It looks like Trump is frustrated with Putin... I hope this shows he understands Putin doesn’t want peace.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen added, “Russia is not interested in peace. During the day, Putin talks about negotiations; at night, he bombs Ukraine.” She confirmed Nordic support for Ukraine through military aid and industrial cooperation.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said any peace deal must be “on Ukrainian terms,” warning that “a bad peace would be an invitation for another assault.”
Backing Greenland, rejecting Trump’s territorial ambitions
Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen thanked Nordic allies for backing Denmark against Trump’s earlier push to acquire Greenland. “The future of Greenland has to be decided in Greenland,” Frederiksen said.
Nielsen called for full respect for international law and territorial rights. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre reassured, “We stand by you and Denmark in solidarity.”
Nordic leaders expressed support for a two-state solution as the path forward for peace between Israel and Palestine.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo described the two-state solution as the “only sustainable” way forward.
Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said the international community must act quickly to address the humanitarian situation. “The time for action is coming,” she said.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's compound on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The UK said it's allowing the U.S. to use its bases for defensive strikes against Iran amid escalating missile attacks, after a suspected drone strike hit a British airbase in southern Cyprus, causing limited damage.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
European Union stands with its member states in the face of any threat, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in response to the drone strike that hit Britain's Royal Air Force base of Akrotiri in southern Cyprus overnight.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 27th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Protests broke out in Pakistan and Iraq on Sunday after Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in joint U.S.–Israeli strikes. At least nine people were reported dead in clashes near the U.S. consulate in Karachi.
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