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The United States is celebrating 250 years of independence this July and many events are taking place to commemorate the occasion, both in the US and across the Atlantic. France provided crucial supplies, arms and troops during the Revolutionary War effort, tipping the balance in favour of American independence. Francisco "Paco" Perez, spokesperson for the US Embassy in Paris, tells us more in Entre Nous.

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The stated amount of $66 bln does not include deliveries of military equipment, weapons and supplies

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Israeli defence minister says troops won’t withdraw from southern Lebanon as attacks slow but do not stop.

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Kim Jong Un vows to equip North Korea's navy with nuclear weapons, signaling a strategic shift in military capabilities.

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Acting Governor Alexander Shuvayev said that Ukrainian troops attacked the Belgorod Region 75 times over the past 24 hours

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Likud minister says Turkey and Syria 'far more concerning than Iran' Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 06/24/2026 - 09:39 Amichai Chikli, Israeli minister of diaspora affairs, claims Turkey, Syria and Qatar forming a new 'Muslim Brotherhood axis' Amichai Chikli (R) sits beside Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, as he attends a conference on antisemitism that he organised in Jerusalem on 27 March 2025 (AFP) Off An Israeli minister from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party said that Turkey and Syria are "far more concerning than Iran," claiming that there is a "Muslim Brotherhood axis". Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli said: "Turkiye of Erdogan and Syria of al-Sharaa are now far more concerning than Iran. " He added that "the era of Shiite empire of Iran, Assad's Syria and Hezbollah is over". "The new axis is the Muslim Brotherhood axis of Erdogan's Turkiye, Syria and Qatar," Chikli said. "And its better to open your eyes now. " Chikli has previously warned that Israel "will be at war with Syria", and referred to a "radical Sunni axis of evil", referring to Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan.. push({}); “There is no way that a jihadist regime rooted in Isis [Islamic State] and al-Qaeda, whose aspiration is the unification of Jerusalem, can live in peace alongside the State of Israel,” the far-right minister said, referring to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government, which emerged from a former al-Qaeda affiliate in northwest Syria. His comments come amid growing tensions between Turkey and Israel, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying recently that Israel's attacks in Syria and Lebanon pose a threat to his country. Amichai Chikli, Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs, speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Tuesday, said that Turkey and Syria are more “concerning” than Iran, claiming that there is a “Muslim Brotherhood axis” pic. com/bNYeL5bh5W — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) June 24, 2026 Earlier this month, Likud politician Ariel Kellner declared Turkey an "enemy state," while Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar said last month that Israel "must begin to treat Turkey as an enemy state," suggesting that Turkey would suffer heavy blows in a possible conflict with Israel. In February, former prime minister Naftali Bennett indicated that he sees Turkey as an enemy, with the opposition figure stating: "Turkey is the new Iran. " On Tuesday, an analysis published by the Israeli newspaper Maariv argued that Turkey now poses a greater long-term challenge to Israel than Iran, citing Ankara's expanding military capabilities and growing defence industry. It suggests that Israeli policymakers are increasingly paying attention to Ankara's growing influence and capabilities alongside more traditional regional security concerns. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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India’s private defence companies are poised to expand their footprint in the sector, but analysts warn they still lack the technology and capabilities needed to produce cutting-edge weapons for the country’s military or export markets. In the 2025-26 financial year, the private sector accounted for 24 per cent of India’s defence output, or US$4.4 billion out of a record US$18.7 billion, according to a defence ministry statement released last week. The figures reflect a gradual shift away from a...

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Israeli and Lebanese negotiators in Washington are discussing a US-backed pilot project under which Israeli troops would hand back control over some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to officials from the two countries.

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According to a source cited by Al Hadath, Israel adheres to the step-by-step principle and demands that the Lebanese army take concrete action on the ground and demonstrate the ability to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure

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The NATO secretary general aslo stressed the need to replenish ammunition stockpiles

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Drones are the centerpiece of the bilateral cooperation. The two countries are also discussing manufacture of military hardware in Bangladesh.

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Airlines should still avoid airspace over Iran, EU agency warns Airlines should continue to avoid the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon and remain cautious across the region despite the framework deal between Washington and Tehran, because violations remained possible, the EU aviation safety agency EASA said. EASA said on Wednesday it was extending its conflict-zone advisory for the region until July 1. Short-term violations of the US-Iran ceasefire remain possible, in particular in and around the Strait of Hormuz and neighbouring airspace, the agency said. The agency also flagged the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, creating the potential for military activity impacting the airspace of Lebanon. EASA said all operators must exercise caution and take potential risks into account when operating within the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to hold talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, aiming to mollify the volatile US leader two weeks before the annual summit of the military alliance and as the Pentagon reviews the size of the US military footprint in Europe.

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North Korea has commissioned a 5,000-ton destroyer, state media reported on Wednesday, as Kim Jong Un touted the warship as evidence of advancing naval nuclear capabilities and Pyongyang’s expanding ability to project military power at sea.

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Also in today’s newsletter, Takaichi shuns Japan’s business elites, and China’s biggest IPO in four years

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In tonight's edition, many waterfront communities in Lagos have lived through rounds of eviction only to see their land sold off to the highest bidder. Also, Sudan's army takes in Darfur paramilitary defectors, stirring anger. And speak to Ghanain lifestyle and creative pioneer Nuel Bans about how he keeps up and coming talent from the contientn as his template.

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Iran's ballistic missiles were 'never on the table' in US talks Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 16:53 Pakistan says one of the main objectives of the US-Israel war on Iran was not even a topic of discussion during negotiations Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian shaking hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his ceremonial reception at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad on 23 June 2026 (Pakistan's Prime Minister Office/AFP) Off Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Iran's ballistic missiles were "never on the table" during US -Iran talks, despite the US and Israel citing it as one of the primary reasons for going to war with the Islamic Republic. "This MOU does not mention ballistic missiles. It was never on the table, it was never on the agenda and the Iranian side never even wanted to discuss it. This is not an impression, but a fact of [the] matter," Sharif said, referring to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Speaking during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Islamabad, Sharif said that there should be no double standards. "So I want to make it abundantly clear that, of course, there cannot be double standards; that some countries can have ballistic missiles and Iran shouldn't have [them]. You cannot digest this kind of duplicity. " Pezeshkian went further, stating that not only was Iran's missile programme not part of negotiations, it would never be part of any agreement, saying Iran would "never compromise on our missile programme and capabilities and this shall never be part of any agreement between Iran and any other party".. push({}); "If the missiles we have for our defence did not exist, Israel and the United States would have ploughed Iran just like Gaza, showing no mercy to either the old or the young," Pezeshkian added. During the G7 summit in Paris last week, US President Donald Trump conceded that putting Iran's ballistic missile programme on the negotiating table was an unrealistic demand. "I'm saying that ⁠if other countries have ​them, it's a little bit ​unfair for them not to have some," Trump said in Paris. But this was not always the US position, and was stated as one of the primary objectives of the US-Israel war in Iran. A US presidential memo from 1 April states: " From day one, the objectives have been clear and unwavering: obliterate Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and production capability... ". The United States is conducting an operation to eliminate the threat of Iran's short-range ballistic missiles and the threat posed by their navy… That is the clear objective of this mission. push({}); The US's initial stated positions on the objectives of the war have shifted significantly since military operations ceased, with the majority of their primary objectives, including regime change, destroying the ballistic missile programme, the destruction of their navy and seizing uranium stockpiles, not having been achieved. Talks and the Lebanon issue The US has prioritised the opening of the Strait of Hormuz - which was free to traverse before the US launched its war - and preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon as the two main objectives of its negotiations with Iran. On Monday, the US suspended sanctions against Iran, as the two sparred over nuclear and weapons inspections during a day of talks that US Vice President JD Vance characterised as "good progress". The lifting of sanctions will be a boon for Iran, which used to produce around 4.6 million barrels of oil per day, and export around 1.5 million barrels per day, before the US imposed its own blockade to compete with Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The US and Iran held talks in Switzerland under the auspices of the Islamabad MOU that was signed between the two countries, bringing hostilities to a halt for a 60-day period to allow for "technical negotiations". US suspends Iran sanctions after 'good progress' in talks Read More » Monday's talks concluded the first High-Level Committee Meeting under the framework of the Islamabad MOU, with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailing it a success and announcing that a roadmap towards a final deal within 60 days had been achieved during the summit. Pakistan and Qatar are mediating the talks, with Vance leading talks from the US side, while Iran's chief negotiator is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. On Tuesday, Trump said that the US was trying to work out a fair deal with Iran and that the two countries were getting along well. The MOU also commits to ending all hostilities in Lebanon, but that has been a tougher nut to crack with Israel openly defying US attempts to end that conflict, and parallel negotiations taking place between Israel and Lebanon beyond the US-Iran talks. Lebanon and Israel began a fifth round of direct negotiations in Washington on Tuesday, with Beirut seeking to revive proposals for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.. push({}); The three-day negotiations come after four previous rounds failed to produce a lasting ceasefire or bridge the wide gap between the two sides. Lebanon is expected to press for a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal, the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced people, the release of Lebanese prisoners and the beginning of reconstruction. Israel, meanwhile, has tied any withdrawal to the disarmament of Hezbollah, and has insisted that its forces retain control of a wide security zone inside southern Lebanon until it is satisfied that the Lebanese army can prevent the group from rebuilding its military presence. A memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran placed the Lebanese front within a wider regional ceasefire framework. Subsequent talks near Lake Lucerne in Switzerland also produced plans for a mechanism intended to reduce tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The development means the Washington negotiations are no longer the only diplomatic forum dealing with the war in Lebanon. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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E-commerce giant says that claims of affiliation with Chinese military have 'no basis in fact or law'.

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US Senate votes to halt Iran war The Republican-majority US Senate backed legislation on Tuesday to stop military action against Iran, reflecting the growing unpopularity of the war as peace negotiations continue. The Senate voted 50-48 in favour of the resolution, which passed the House of Representatives in early June. Polling suggests that only one in four Americans believe that the Iran war is worth the cost to the US, affecting Trump’s popularity, which has fallen to record low levels to match the worst recorded in his second term.

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UN warns Palestinian children 'defenceless' amid Israeli crackdown on NGOs Palestinian children are "increasingly unprotected", as Israel forces human rights organisations to cease or curtail work across the occupied Palestinian territories, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child warned on Monday. The committee condemned Israel's designation of civil society groups as "terrorists". Labelling NGOs as terrorist entities gives Israel legal cover to obstruct humanitarian work, including military raids, travel bans, personal financial sanctions, threats of arrest, destruction of records and, in some cases, "threats of secondary sanctions against partners". The committee is made up of a body of 18 independent experts that work within the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR). The warning doesn't name any of the organisations they are alluding to, but in 2021 Israel outlawed six major Palestinian NGOs, including Adameer, Al-Haq, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Defense for Children International - Palestine, Union of Agricultural Work Committees and the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees. In January of this year, more than 50 international NGOs operating in occupied Palestine warned that recent registration measures imposed by Israel threatened to halt operations at a time of acute humanitarian need in Gaza. Read more: UN warns Palestinian children 'defenceless' amid Israeli crackdown on NGOs Palestinians look at Israeli soldiers patrolling the market in the Old City of Nablus in the Israeli occupied West Bank on 23 June 2026 (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)

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Lebanon-Israel talks overshadowed by new US-Iran diplomatic track Submitted by Adam Chamseddine on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 14:08 New round of direct negotiations opens amid uncertainty over how it will intersect with deconfliction mechanism negotiated in Switzerland Mourners carry the casket of a slain Hezbollah fighter during his funeral in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon on 23 June 2026 (Abbas Fakih/AFP) Off Lebanon and Israel began a fifth round of direct negotiations in Washington on Tuesday, with Beirut seeking to revive proposals for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon even as a new US - Iran diplomatic channel threatens to overshadow the talks. The three-day negotiations come after four previous rounds failed to produce a lasting ceasefire or bridge the wide gap between the two sides. Lebanon is expected to press for a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal, the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced people, the release of Lebanese prisoners and the beginning of reconstruction. Israel, meanwhile, has tied any withdrawal to the disarmament of Hezbollah and has insisted that its forces retain control of a wide security zone inside southern Lebanon until it is satisfied that the Lebanese army can prevent the group from rebuilding its military presence. But the negotiations are taking place in a markedly different diplomatic environment from the previous round earlier this month.. push({}); A memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran placed the Lebanese front within a wider regional ceasefire framework. Subsequent talks near Lake Lucerne in Switzerland also produced plans for a mechanism intended to reduce tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The development means the Washington negotiations are no longer the only diplomatic forum dealing with the war in Lebanon. For the Lebanese presidency, which has promoted the direct talks as an attempt to return decisions over war, peace and sovereignty to state institutions, the emergence of the Swiss channel has raised difficult questions over who ultimately controls the negotiations. President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly said that no foreign power can negotiate on Lebanon’s behalf. “We welcome any assistance to end the war, but we are a sovereign country and no one negotiates on our behalf,” Aoun said ahead of the latest round.. push({}); Lebanese officials have described the decision to enter direct negotiations with Israel as a historic step through which the state would reclaim responsibility for the country’s foreign and security policies. Article 52 of Lebanon’s constitution gives the president responsibility for negotiating international treaties in agreement with the prime minister. Any eventual treaty would also require the approval of the cabinet and, depending on its terms, parliament. However, sources familiar with the decision said the opening of direct talks was also the result of intense US pressure on Beirut. Talks without a ceasefire Aoun had previously insisted that a comprehensive ceasefire should precede negotiations over an Israeli withdrawal, the return of displaced Lebanese, prisoners and reconstruction. But the direct talks proceeded even as Israel continued its strikes and ground operations in Lebanon.. push({}); Four rounds of negotiations since April have failed to secure a durable halt to the fighting. However, the longest lull in Israeli bombing came only after the US-Iran memorandum, rather than any agreement reached directly between Lebanon and Israel. That has strengthened Hezbollah’s argument that Iran’s negotiations with Washington are more capable of extracting an Israeli ceasefire than the Lebanese government’s bilateral track. 'The Israelis appeared as though they had been dragged into the negotiating room by the Americans. You could see it on their faces. They did not want to be there' - Source close to negotiations It has also exposed the tension at the heart of Beirut’s strategy: Lebanon entered the direct negotiations to prevent regional powers from deciding its future, only for Iran to place Lebanon at the centre of its own talks with the United States. The fourth Washington round, held on 2 and 3 June, ended with a joint statement issued by the United States, Lebanon and Israel. The statement said a ceasefire would be contingent on a complete halt to Hezbollah’s attacks and the removal of its operatives from the area south of the Litani River. It also announced that the parties would move towards establishing “pilot zones” in which the Lebanese Armed Forces would exercise exclusive control and non-state armed groups would be excluded. The statement emphasised that the future of Lebanese-Israeli relations should be determined by the two governments and rejected attempts by any state or non-state actor to hold Lebanon’s future hostage. The wording was strongly criticised by Hezbollah, which viewed it as an attempt to impose unilateral obligations on the group while offering no binding commitment for an Israeli withdrawal. Hezbollah officials described the direct negotiations as a grave mistake that granted Israel political gains it had long sought without requiring it to end its occupation or military operations. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who served as the principal Lebanese channel during previous indirect negotiations, has also argued that Beirut should continue to use the ceasefire-monitoring mechanism established after the cessation of hostilities agreement that ended the 2024 war with Israel. Berri has publicly rejected limited pilot zones, calling instead for a comprehensive ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal and parallel implementation by both sides. The battle over Bint Jbeil A senior source close to the Lebanese delegation told Middle East Eye that the pilot-zone proposal had nearly caused the previous negotiations to collapse. According to the source, Israel initially rejected the proposal, prompting the Lebanese delegation to threaten to withdraw from the session. US officials then intervened and persuaded the Israeli delegation to accept the principle of pilot zones, although the two sides remained divided over where they should be established and what obligations would apply. The Lebanese delegation proposed Bint Jbeil as the first pilot area. Exclusive: How Hezbollah rebuilt while its enemies declared it dead Read More » The southern city lies within what Israel describes as the “Yellow Line” – a military boundary it has marked inside Lebanese territory to indicate areas under its operational control and restrictions. By nominating Bint Jbeil, Beirut sought to challenge the possibility that the Israeli-controlled area would gradually become a permanent buffer zone. The Lebanese proposal envisaged an Israeli withdrawal from the city, followed by the deployment of the Lebanese army, the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and the return of residents. Israel rejected Bint Jbeil as the initial test area, according to the source. “The Israelis appeared as though they had been dragged into the negotiating room by the Americans,” the source said. “You could see it on their faces. They did not want to be there. ” Israel instead proposed retaining control of the entire “Yellow Line” while monitoring the Lebanese army’s operations against Hezbollah both south and north of the Litani River. Only after assessing the army’s performance and its ability to dismantle Hezbollah’s positions would Israel consider discussing further withdrawals, the source said. For Lebanon, such a formula would risk turning Israel’s current positions into a semi-permanent security zone while leaving withdrawal dependent on an open-ended Israeli assessment of the Lebanese army. From villages to districts The Lebanese delegation is expected to return to the pilot-zone proposal during the fifth round and attempt to expand its geographical scope. The areas discussed during the previous negotiations were largely individual villages or narrowly defined sectors. A presidential source close to the talks said a broader formula involving entire districts has also been raised. Such districts would incorporate numerous towns and villages on both sides of the Litani River, rather than testing the arrangement in isolated localities. The source said this approach had also been discussed by Berri, despite his public rejection of limited pilot zones. Under such a formula, an Israeli withdrawal, Lebanese army deployment, the return of residents and the removal of Hezbollah’s military presence would take place across a much larger area. But the differences remain fundamental. Lebanon wants withdrawal to begin the process. Israel wants evidence of Hezbollah’s disarmament before surrendering the territory it controls. A second negotiating table The greatest uncertainty surrounding the Washington talks, however, comes from the diplomatic mechanism emerging from the US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland. US Vice President JD Vance said the talks had produced a mechanism intended to reduce tensions in Lebanon and prevent renewed escalation. Details of the proposed body, variously described as a deconfliction cell or tension-reduction committee, have not been made public. The source close to Lebanon's presidential palace told MEE that Lebanese officials had not yet received a full explanation of the body's membership, authority or relationship with the existing Washington negotiations. The mechanism would include Lebanon, Iran and the United States, with Pakistan and Qatar potentially playing roles as mediators. Ceasefires and construction: Satellite images reveal how Israel is cementing its presence in Lebanon and Syria Read More » The source said the working logic appeared to be that Washington would communicate with Israel, while Iran would communicate with Hezbollah, with the Lebanese state participating directly. Such an arrangement would leave neither Israel nor Hezbollah formally represented but would give both indirect access through their principal international allies. Israel has voiced concern that the mechanism grants Iran a recognised role in Lebanon while potentially restricting Israeli military operations. Lebanese officials face another concern: that Iran could use the process to speak for Hezbollah and negotiate matters affecting Lebanese territory independently of the government in Beirut. The presidency nevertheless appears prepared to engage with the mechanism provided that the US leads it and the Lebanese state remains formally represented. According to the presidential source, Washington’s recognition of the Pakistan-backed diplomatic initiative does not necessarily mean the Washington and Swiss tracks are mutually exclusive. The two processes could eventually converge: the direct talks would address Lebanese-Israeli territorial and political disputes, while the Swiss mechanism would attempt to enforce calm between Israel and Hezbollah through US and Iranian guarantees. But no framework has yet been established to determine where the authority of one process ends and the other begins. “The Washington and Swiss tracks do not have to remain separate,” the source said. “The question is how they will intersect. At this stage, that is still not clear. ” Israel's war on Lebanon Beirut News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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Four Chinese warships reportedly confronted a Philippine Navy vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in a rare stand-off on Saturday, the same day Manila wrapped up a joint drill with the US and its allies. The confrontation coincided with the end of Salaknib 2026, a nearly three-month joint military exercise involving more than 7,000 troops from the Philippines, the United States, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. Beijing has not commented on the incident. According to a report by 24 Oras...

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The Russian foreign minister said that Europe's military spending is increasing significantly

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Measures were taken to put them on the international wanted list and to subsequently select a preventive measure in the form of detention in absentia

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Death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon reaches 4,192 The number of people killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2 March has risen to 4,192 since 2 March, the country's health ministry is reporting. It reported 17 deaths in the last 24 hours, despite a fragile "ceasefire" implemented on Sunday. At least two people were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on what Hezbollah described as a road clearance team. Israel's army said the victims were "terrorists".

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UK failed to stop el-Fasher massacre because it feared the UAE, MPs told Submitted by Daniel Hilton on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 14:44 Relations with Abu Dhabi prioritised as UAE-backed RSF massacred civilians, Nathaniel Raymond tells parliamentary committee Then-UK foreign minister David Lammy meets with UAE deputy prime minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in September 2024 (X) Off The UK was uniquely placed to avoid a massacre in Sudan ’s el-Fasher but failed to act due to “political capture” by the United Arab Emirates and a desire to maintain good relations with Abu Dhabi, a British parliamentary committee has been told. Human rights investigator Nathaniel Raymond appeared before the International Development Committee on Tuesday to testify about Britain’s response to the situation in the North Darfur state capital, where an estimated 60,000 people were slaughtered by UAE-backed paramilitaries in October 2025. He told MPs in a written submission that the UK, which as penholder for the Sudan issue at the United Nations was responsible for driving international response to the crisis, was the “best hope” for stopping “what we believed would become one of the single largest mass casualty events of the 21st Century”. Instead, Raymond said, repeated warnings and recommendations delivered across two dozen private briefings were ignored, questioned or dismissed. Raymond told MPs he believed the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) prioritised the British government’s “economic, security, and diplomatic relationships with the UAE above preventing the intentional starvation, forced displacement, and the genocidal slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians living in el-Fasher and its surrounding communities”.. push({}); Fears for el-Fasher grew in the summer of 2023, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had killed tens of thousands of Masalit Sudanese in el-Geneina, another city in Darfur. That massacre has been described as a genocide by the US government and several human rights groups. Raymond said it quickly became clear that el-Fasher and the camps that housed Sudanese displaced in the genocide waged 20 years previously were the next target. At the time, Middle East Eye reported on warnings from Raymond and others that el-Fasher was set to become a new Srebrenica. As founding director of the Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) at the Yale School of Public Health, Raymond was first asked to brief the FCDO in July 2023, where he urged for a UN peacekeeping intervention. UAE pressure on UK By April 2024, the HRL had established that the siege of el-Fasher – an area with the population comparable to three-quarters of the Gaza Strip – had begun. The monitoring group decided engaging with the British government was its best chance of avoiding a catastrophe.. push({}); Raymond met FCDO officials in London on 15 and 16 of May 2024, around the time that the UK was drafting UN Security Council Resolution 2736, which called for an unconditional ceasefire. 'They told me that the UK was facing significant private pressure behind the scenes from the UAE' - Nathaniel Raymond, war crimes investigator During the meeting with officials focused on Sudan, organised by the atrocity prevention team, Raymond presented evidence gathered through an analysis of public phone records that appeared to show people moving between RSF-held areas of Sudan, the UAE, Somalia’s Bosaso and Addis Ababa. Ethiopia and a military base in Bosaso have since emerged as key routes that the UAE has supplied the RSF with weapons, equipment and mercenaries, as previously reported by MEE. According to Raymond, the British officials asked him to publicly release the phone data analysis linking UAE-based facilities to the RSF. “They told me that the UK was facing significant private pressure behind the scenes from the UAE limiting its ability to affect the situation,” he told MPs. Exclusive: The Ethiopian army base covertly supporting Sudan’s RSF Read More » “In other words, HMG [His Majesty’s Government] was asking a private research lab in an American university’s epidemiology department, not GCHQ or the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service), to provide support for efforts to confront the UAE for its covert support to the RSF. ” Publicly releasing the analysis would have exposed the tracking system and allowed the RSF and UAE to close its security loophole, so Raymond said he declined as it was needed to predict further attacks. Eventually, the tracking mechanism was exposed when Human Rights Watch reported on the training of Colombian mercenaries in the UAE for the RSF’s use in Sudan. UAE orders attack on el-Fasher The next day, Raymond recalled, he and representatives of NGOs met officials from the UK’s Sudan and atrocity prevention teams. He said officials told the humanitarians that they could only warn that el-Fasher was on the brink of collapse once, or risk being accused of “crying wolf”. The officials also made clear, he said, that backing Resolution 2736 was the most the UK could commit to and that it would not include consequences for foreign backers of warring parties like the UAE. Resolution 2736 was adopted on 13 June 2024, and el-Fasher witnessed a brief period of respite when RSF attacks paused. Sudan's RSF waged starvation campaign in siege of el-Fasher Read More » “Around that time, HRL was told by a source with direct knowledge of RSF’s internal operations that Abu Dhabi had directed Hemedti to pause the attack on el-Fasher so that the UAE could assess whether there would be any serious political consequences from the resolution’s passage,” Raymond said, referring to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF leader commonly called Hemedti. HRL passed that information on to the FCDO, he said, urging consequences for the UAE if the resolution is violated. “FCDO made it clear that there should be no expectation of specific unilateral or multilateral consequences for violations of UNSCR 2736,” Raymond told MPs. “Once Abu Dhabi assessed there would be no consequences, the attack resumed. ” David Lammy's staff seek help Later that month, Raymond was told by a UN member state that the UAE had blocked him from speaking about bombing damage in the United Nations chamber. Raymond described to MPs how he received a call from then foreign secretary David Lammy’s staff in January 2025. Lammy and his aides were in N’Djamena, Chad, after visiting refugee camps filled with Sudanese who had fled the el-Geneina genocide, and asked if Raymond could provide them with the phone number of the African Affairs Desk at the White House National Security Council. 'FCDO said nothing about the sacking of Zamzam, despite the foreign secretary hosting a multinational donor conference on Sudan' - Nathaniel Raymond Raymond says he took the opportunity to explain the dire situation in Zamzam, a camp outside el-Fasher housing hundreds of thousands of people of ethnicities targeted by the RSF’s precursor in the 2003-2005 Darfur genocide. “I warned that Zamzam IDP Camp, just south of el-Fasher, with an estimated population of more than 500,000 people currently in famine conditions, was being bombarded by advanced weapons systems from the UAE,” Raymond told the committee. “I made it clear that this bombardment should be seen as a preface to RSF attacking the IDP camp. ” In April 2025, as Lammy hosted a Sudan donor conference in London, the RSF seized Zamzam. “Humanitarian and healthcare workers were forced to beg for their lives and were executed on camera, women and girls were taken as sexual slaves and tortured, and large portions of Zamzam IDP Camp was systematically burned,” Raymond recalled. “FCDO said nothing about the sacking of Zamzam, despite the foreign secretary hosting a multinational donor conference on Sudan at the very moment this atrocity was occurring. HRL is not aware of any UK statements being released. ” Genocide in el-Fasher By September 2025, HRL analysis of satellite imagery reported by MEE showed the RSF had built 31km of earth berms around el-Fasher, creating what Raymond has described as a “kill box”. Raymond says an FCDO official described to him that month their despair about the lack of any possible action by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government with the city on the verge of falling to the RSF. Rape, ransom and execution: The road out of Sudan's el-Fasher Read More » A month later, the Rapid Support Forces stormed el-Fasher. Videos, photographs and satellite imagery have shown widespread massacres committed by the RSF in el-Fasher against civilians. Survivors have described to MEE witnessing summary executions, rape and various other kinds of abuse. Hours before the fall of el-Fasher, ceasefire talks in Washington collapsed as the UAE refused to address the crippling 18-month siege on the city. HRL analysis suggests at least 60,000 people were killed by the RSF in that attack and its aftermath. According to Raymond, an FCDO Atrocity Prevention official reached out to him on an encrypted chat and questioned whether the number of civilians killed was too high, continuing the conversation in a phone call. “In that conversation, I came to believe that this estimate of at least 60,000 people killed by the RSF was a political problem for the FCDO,” Raymond told MPs. “This FCDO official then asked if HRL could brief FCDO on the estimated number of people killed, and asked HRL to include UN officials. FCDO never scheduled that briefing and it did not occur. ” Raymond believes that the “genocidal” massacre in el-Fasher was “arguably the most accurately predicted mass atrocity in human history”. “The timeliness, granularity, accuracy, and actionability of the intelligence HRL and others provided FCDO personnel in real time was more than sufficient to support the development of robust policy options that could have prevented the El Fasher massacre,” he said. “For example, direct sanctions against UAE officials, at minimum, could have been used to interdict the clandestine UAE pipeline of advanced weaponry flowing to the RSF. ” Sudan war News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

Pregnant and imprisoned: Palestinian women face harsh conditions in Israeli jails Submitted by Fayha Shalash on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 13:12 Families of three expectant mothers held by Israel say overcrowding, poor food and limited medical care are putting women and their unborn babies at risk Palestinian women walk past Israeli troops in Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on 11 September 2025 (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP) Off Israeli forces stormed Musab Zaloum’s home in the occupied West Bank on the night of 30 April as he slept alongside his wife and their two young children. Separated from his family by soldiers during the raid, he had no idea what was unfolding inside the house. Only after he was handcuffed, led outside and placed in a military vehicle did a soldier tell him why they had come: his wife, 28-year-old Manar Karaja, who was pregnant with their third child, was being arrested. “Our children, Ayman, five, and Layla, four, were asleep and didn't wake up to the soldiers' voices. But after they took me to the military vehicle, they told me I could go home and that Manar would remain under arrest,” Zaloum told Middle East Eye. The Palestinian father rushed back to the family home, still handcuffed, and found his children crying uncontrollably.. push({}); They immediately asked where their mother was. “When they saw me handcuffed, I told them thieves had broken into the house, and we had to fight them off,” he recalled. “I told them their mum would be back in the morning to calm them down a little. “But she didn't come back, and I had to tell them the Israeli army had arrested her. ” Since then, Zaloum has struggled to care for the children alone and fill the void left by their mother's absence. But his greatest concern remains the well-being of his wife and their unborn child. 'Pregnant prisoners have been subjected to harsh interrogations and detention conditions ' - Palestinian Prisoners' Club On Monday, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club warned that three pregnant Palestinian women held by Israel were living in what it described as harsh and degrading conditions inside Damon Prison: Amina al-Taweel, Dana Joudeh and Manar Karaja. The women are among 93 Palestinian female prisoners currently held in Israeli prisons. Since October 2023, neither their families nor delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross have been permitted to visit them. The Prisoners' Club said conditions for female prisoners had deteriorated sharply in recent months, accusing the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) of imposing increasingly punitive measures. “Some pregnant prisoners have been subjected to harsh interrogations and detention conditions in cells that lack even the most basic sanitary standards,” the group said in a statement. “This has exacerbated their physical and psychological suffering, leading to weight loss, emaciation and extreme exhaustion. ” The organisation added that Palestinian women prisoners, including those who are pregnant, have also been subjected to strip searches. ‘Terrible conditions’ Just one day before her arrest, Karaja learned she was two months pregnant. 'All changed with the genocide': Palestinian women and girls face brutal abuse in Israeli jails Read More » She and Zaloum were overjoyed and had begun choosing names for their unborn child, briefly immersed in happiness before her detention. Now Zaloum spends most of his time worrying about the lack of adequate nutrition and medical care for his wife in prison, describing the conditions as “deplorable”. “We are, of course, forbidden from visiting her, but volunteer lawyers visit her every few weeks and reassure us about her health,” he said. “The prison conditions are terrible, and the food is insufficient even for an ordinary prisoner, let alone a pregnant woman who needs a specific dietary plan. ” In messages relayed through her lawyers, Karaja told her family she has been sleeping on the floor since her arrest due to overcrowding in Damon Prison, and suffers from persistent pain throughout her body. Israel says Karaja is being held on suspicion of incitement based on social media posts, a vague charge frequently used against Palestinian women prisoners. She remains in detention pending trial.. push({}); Lack of healthcare Dana Joudah, 35, from Nablus, was arrested on 18 April and is now five months pregnant. According to her family, she is in poor health. Her mother said Joudah had undergone gastric bypass surgery just months before her arrest and had only recently discovered she was pregnant. Before she had time to celebrate the news, soldiers raided her home and detained her. Israel is waging a reproductive genocide against Palestinian mothers in Gaza Amira Nimerawi Read More » At the start of her detention, Dana was transferred to the notorious Hasharon detention centre, where female prisoners are reportedly subjected to humiliating strip searches and denied basic necessities, including mattresses and adequate food. During her detention, Joudah suffered fainting spells and dehydration, yet prison authorities failed to provide appropriate medical care despite her pregnancy and recent surgery, according to the family. “She told her lawyer that the women sleep on the floor in overcrowded, cold cells,” her mother told MEE. “Some pregnant prisoners try to support others by sharing portions of bread and food, despite the already meagre rations and poor-quality meals. ” Joudah’s family say they live in constant fear for her health and that of her unborn child, as requests for medical examinations keep getting ignored. ‘Collective punishment’ In Qalqilya, Ali Shawahneh lives in the same state of worry and concern for his wife, Amina al-Taweel. The 37-year-old mother of four was arrested on 18 March on charges of incitement and remains in detention. She is now four months pregnant. Shawahneh said her arrest came as a shock, particularly as he is the one who has repeatedly been detained, spending a total of 19 years in Israeli prisons. Now caring for their four children alone, Shawahneh says he is struggling to meet their emotional needs as they desperately miss their mother.. push({}); “On the day of her arrest, I told the officer, ‘Take me instead of her,’” he recalled. “He replied, ‘This time, you’re not the one we’re after - it’s your wife. ’ They handcuffed her and took her away while I stood there in shock, and the children cried. ” 'Prisoners face collective punishment, abuse, torture, starvation, isolation, and denial of family visits' - Helmi al-Araj, Palestinian human rights defender Al-Taweel remains in detention awaiting trial. Shawahneh hopes she will be released, even under restrictive conditions such as house arrest, so that she can return to her family. "Amina usually suffers in the early stages of pregnancy and needs intensive care, which is obviously unavailable in prison,” he said. “During my last detention, I lost more than 60 kilograms because of the poor quality and scarcity of food. How is a pregnant woman supposed to endure that? ” Helmi al-Araj, director of Hurryyat - Centre for Defence of Liberties and Civil Rights, said Israel was crossing “all red lines” in its treatment of female prisoners by neglecting their health, subjecting them to frequent raids, and violating their privacy. “Prisoners face collective punishment, abuse, torture, starvation, isolation, and denial of family visits,” he told MEE. “All of this negatively impacts the psychological state of female prisoners who are mothers and pregnant women. This Israeli policy existed even before 7 October, but it has become a deeply entrenched policy based on grave violations of the rights of prisoners. ” According to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, more than 9,300 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, including 93 women and more than 350 children. The commission says more than 765 women and girls have been arrested since the start of the genocide in Gaza. Nearly half of all prisoners are held without charge or trial under detention orders that can be renewed indefinitely. Occupation Ramallah, occupied Palestine News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

UN inquiry: Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children as part of genocide Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 12:43 Report finds at least 20,179 children killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023, including after the ceasefire of October last year A man carries a wounded Palestinian child in Nasser Medical Complex's trauma ward, Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 25 May 2026 (AFP/Bashar Taleb) Off The UN's top investigative body on Palestine and Israel has concluded that Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children, committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, as well as additional war crimes in the occupied West Bank. An 88-page report on Tuesday documents the killing of at least 20,179 children and wounding of 44,143 others in Gaza between 7 October 2023 and 7 October 2025. Children represented 30 percent of those killed and 26 percent of those injured in that period. "The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces," said Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel. "Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law. " Citing the Genocide Convention, the report concluded that the deliberate targeting of children is among the elements establishing Israel's genocidal intent to destroy the Palestinian group, in whole or in part, in Gaza.. push({}); The new report builds on the commission's finding last September that Israel was responsible for genocide in Gaza. Navi Pillay, who then chaired the commission, told MEE at the time that it was "the most authoritative finding emanating from the United Nations to date" regarding genocide in Gaza. Exclusive: Navi Pillay on Israel's Gaza genocide and global complicity Read More » The report turns its focus specifically to children, examining physical injury, detention, reproductive violence and psychological trauma. It describes a consistent pattern of children being shot with Israeli precision weapons, including by snipers and quadcopters. Medical professionals documented single gunshot wounds to the head and upper body across hundreds of cases. In April 2024, a 10-day-old baby boy was shot in the head by a quadcopter while being breastfed inside a tent in Nuseirat camp. In August 2024, a four-year-old girl was shot in the head by a quadcopter while eating with her family in Khan Younis. Seventeen medical practitioners who worked in Gaza told the commission they observed a consistent pattern of children arriving with single gunshot wounds from snipers or quadcopters concentrated in the head and upper body. One doctor said Israeli soldiers appeared to be "deliberately shooting teenage boys in a game of target practice". The commission identifies specific Israeli military units responsible for killings, including the Kfir Brigade, the 162nd Division, the 98th and 99th Divisions, and a specialist drone unit known as the Refaim or Ghost Unit. Killings during ceasefire The killings by the Israeli army have continued after the October 2025 ceasefire, which was supposed to bring an end to violence but has instead been consistently violated by Israel. For example, on 29 November, two brothers aged nine and 10 were shot dead by an Israeli drone near Bani Suheila in southern Gaza while gathering firewood.. push({}); Israeli forces described them as "suspects" crossing the so-called yellow line. The commission found that claim baseless. The boys were more than 300 metres from Israeli soldiers, were visibly children collecting wood, and the drone operator would have had a clear view of them. In addition to direct targeting, the report documents the destruction of Palestinian childhood across every dimension. 'Even if the bombs and guns fall silent in Gaza and West Bank, Palestinian children will not simply recover overnight' - Srinivasan Muralidhar, UN commissioner Of Gaza's 564 school buildings, 459 were directly hit by October 2025. Children in Gaza have missed three full school years. Over 668,000 school-age children were denied access to formal education. As of January 2026, more than 335,000 children under five were at risk of severe developmental delays due to the collapse of early childhood services. Furthermore, attacks on neonatal infrastructure directly caused preventable deaths among newborns. “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two. pic. ” Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University, Omer Bartov, described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an act of annihilation of the Palestinian people. twitter. com/blxePXgSsf — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) December 20, 2024 Before October 2023, Gaza had 178 incubators across eight neonatal intensive care units. By November 2024 that number had fallen to 54. Miscarriage rates increased by up to 300 percent. By March 2026, 70 percent of newborns were classified as premature or underweight. The commission also found that Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces were subjected to torture, sexual violence, forced public nudity, stress positions, and denial of food, water and medical care. A 17-year-old boy from Ramallah died in Megiddo Prison on 22 March 2025 from severe prolonged malnutrition. His body was withheld from his family for months.. push({}); The commission found his death amounts to wilful killing as a war crime. "Even if the bombs and guns fall silent in Gaza and West Bank, Palestinian children will not simply recover overnight," Muralidhar said. "The destruction of their health, education and development is irreversible. " The commission called on Israel to immediately halt military operations, release detained children, return withheld bodies and end the siege. It urged member states to cease arms transfers to Israel and impose targeted sanctions, and called on the International Criminal Court to prioritise crimes against children in the ongoing Palestine investigation. Israel did not respond to the commission's 13 requests for information or access. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

UK judge renews contempt proceedings against Palestine Action lawyer Submitted by Katherine Hearst on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 09:59 Though his first attempt was found to be unlawful, Justice Johnson has referred Rajiv Menon KC for a second time, in a move thought to be unprecedented in English legal history Demonstration against the government's decision to ban Palestine Action as a terror organisation outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, UK, 15 June 2026 (Reuters) Off A leading human rights barrister who represented Palestine Action defendants in the UK is facing renewed contempt of court proceedings after a judge referred allegations against him for a second time. Rajiv Menon KC was accused of breaching the judge’s directions in a closing speech he delivered in January at the conclusion of the first trial of six Palestine Action defendants accused of causing criminal damage to weapons at an Israeli army factory outside Bristol. The defendants were subsequently cleared of charges of aggravated burglary. They were then retried, with four of them convicted of criminal damage in May. The presiding judge, Justice Johnson, alleges that Menon breached his directions, in particular by reminding the jury of their right to acquit on conscience - something that he had barred the defence from alluding to. In May, the Court of Appeal found that Johnson had unlawfully initiated proceedings against Menon by referring the case to the High Court.. push({}); A panel of three judges concluded that Johnson should have either dealt with the matter himself at the time, or referred it to the attorney general. The court left the matter with Johnson, outlining three options for continuing the proceedings: to refer it to the attorney general or to the Bar Standards board, or to take no further action. Johnson rejected these options following a hearing on Friday at the Royal Courts of Justice, saying in a judgement on Monday that he would refer the matter to another High Court judge sitting in the Crown Court. Johnson said he had found “there is a case to answer in contempt” and that it is “in the public interest to institute” proceedings. He rejected the defence’s arguments that it is now too late to institute contempt proceedings against Menon. 'I absolutely didn’t cross any line, any line whatsoever' - Barrister Rajiv Menon KC quoted by his lawyer “It would not be in the public interest to take no further action or merely refer the matter to Mr Menon’s professional regulator, or merely refer the matter to the attorney general,” Johnson said. He stressed that he had not found if Menon had acted in contempt of court, nor that he had decided to institute proceedings against him, adding that this is for the presiding judge to determine. The proceedings against Menon are thought to be unprecedented in English legal history. Adrian Waterman KC, representing Menon, told the court on Friday that the barrister had not “knowingly” breached the court’s orders. He said that transcripts of the hearing show that Menon was “astonished” at the allegation. Quoting Menon’s words at the time, Waterman said: “I absolutely didn’t cross any line, any line whatsoever,” adding that he “didn’t know how many times” he instructed the jury to follow the judge’s directions.. push({}); Waterman argued that no judge could find Menon in contempt unless they found his account to be dishonest and that there is no possibility of a judge reaching that finding. Prosecutor Tom Little KC said that Menon’s speech amounted to a “clear, deliberate and sustained breach” of the court’s orders, and to a contempt of court. ‘Something which tens of thousands of barristers have done’ During the Palestine Action trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Johnson had directed lawyers that their closing speeches could not invite the jury to disregard the court's ruling or law, and barred them from reminding the jury of its right to acquit on conscience - known as the principle of “jury equity”. In his closing remarks, Menon, who has 30 years of experience and who represented defendant Charlotte Head in both trials, read out an inscription on a plaque at the Old Bailey commemorating Bushell’s Case of 1670, which first “established the right of juries to give their verdicts according to their convictions”. Palestine Action: Judge refuses recusing self from sentence hearing amid bias claims Read More » Menon told jurors that the defendants had been “restricted” when giving evidence about their knowledge of Israeli arms company Elbit Systems' role in Israel's war on Gaza, and that it would be “ridiculous” for jurors to ignore that wider context and its impact on the defendants. He also told the jury that the judge could not direct them to convict. Justice Johnson said that the effect of Menon's speech "was to invite the jury to disregard my directions that they should put views of the Middle East and the war in Gaza, and emotion, to one side", and referred him to the administrative court. Menon said at the time that he had “never used the phrase jury equity, and never said anything about acquitting according to conscience”. “I had to explain [to the jury] that the facts are solely for them. I kept saying it over and over again, do not disregard directions,” he said. “I did something which thousands, if not tens of thousands of barristers had done before me. ” 'Deep anxiety' Waterman argued on Friday that advocates should be afforded a “wide latitude” when addressing the court on behalf of their clients.. push({}); “Counsel has a difficult and important role in the administration of justice,” he told the court, emphasising that this necessitates the use of restraint. 'The unprecedented [proceedings against Menon] undermine and diminish our system of criminal justice' - Garden Court Chambers He noted that Menon had “lengthy discussions taking place over hours” with other defence counsel and senior practitioners when preparing his speech, and that, when delivering it, he did not explicitly refer to the term “jury equity” nor to the jury being permitted to acquit on conscience. Menon said at the time that he was “worried about the jury not understanding that the withdrawal of the defence does not amount to a direction to convict”. He was referring to Johnson's ruling that removed the legal defence of "lawful excuse" from the defendants, meaning that the activists could not argue that the damage they caused was legally justified to prevent greater crimes being committed by Israel’s military in Gaza. Waterman said this explanation was “clearly an honest, immediate explanation of the process he had gone through”, and that his surprise was clearly not “feigned”. He added that pursuing contempt charges against Menon will have an “unbelievable” chilling effect across the bar. Palestine Action ban: Court ruling risks ‘slide into authoritarianism’, warn rights advocates Read More » He further warned that sanctioning an advocate for what they say in court could be an interference with their rights to freedom of expression, enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights. Waterman also warned of the “grave” consequences for Menon himself, who he said had already been caused "deep anxiety" by this process. The court heard of Menon's experience of "deep personal tragedies" during this period, and that he had been unable to be with his father at his death due to the proceedings against him. Garden Court Chambers, where Menon is a senior silk, said that the "unprecedented" proceedings "undermine and diminish our system of criminal justice". "The administration of justice depends upon an independent bar willing and able to act in the best interests of their clients, fearlessly and with integrity," it said in a statement. Palestine Action London News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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Alexander Grushko added that NATO has no intention to allow peace in Ukraine