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https://nordictimes.com/economy/us-and-saudi-arabia-in-oil-dispute/

Economy

US and Saudi Arabia in oil dispute

The new cold war

Published 14 June 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Mohammed bin Salman and Joe Biden.
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When the Saudis decreased their oil production, Joe Biden promised that there would be “consequences”. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responded by threatening to create a US economic disaster and reportedly expressed reluctance to cooperate with the Biden administration in the future.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed an image of unity and friendship at a summit in Riyadh last week. According to the US State Department, they reaffirmed their shared commitment to “building stability, security, and prosperity in the Middle East”, but according to leaked Pentagon documents, relations between the US and Saudi Arabia are anything but good.

The conflict flared up in October when Saudi Arabia, along with Russia, decreased its oil production – something that reportedly upset the powers that be in Washington and President Biden in particular.

Joe Biden reportedly promised that there would be “consequences” for the Saudis’ decision – which in turn prompted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to threaten the US with economic disaster, a threat that, according to Business Insider, did not have the desired result as Biden’s promised “consequences” did not materialize.

Instead, the United States sent a delegation led by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to court the crown prince – at a time when the Saudis have intensified their cooperation with China, perhaps America’s greatest global rival.

One of the US’s most important allies

According to the leaked documents, the Crown Prince reportedly said that he wants nothing more to do with the US administration and that their threats will have major economic consequences for the US.

– Mohammed bin Salman is keen to let Washington know that the US needs Saudi Arabia just as much as the Kingdom needs America,” Cafiero said in reference to the leaked document. “The crown prince wants Biden and everyone else in Washington to respect Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and right to make decisions which advance the country’s national interests, comments geopolitical analyst Giorgio Cafiero.

Saudi Arabia is not only one of America’s most important allies in the Middle East, it is also the world’s largest oil producer and thus has the power to directly influence the global oil market and the US economy.

Last week, it decided to cut oil production again, citing the need to stabilize the oil market – a decision that will likely lead to even more American anger.

During his presidential campaign, Joe Biden promised to make Crown Prince bin Salman a “pariah” because of his alleged involvement in the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Crown Prince reacted to these statements by mocking Biden behind his back and reportedly expressed hopes of acquiring US nuclear technology by playing off the US and its competitors against each other.

Despite the conflict, Giorgio Cafiero believes that the US and Saudi Arabia will continue to cooperate and that the important thing for bin Salman is that he is not seen as a puppet of the Americans.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/world/poland-and-baltic-states-withdraw-from-anti-personnel-mine-ban-treaty/

World

Poland and Baltic States withdraw from anti-personnel mine ban treaty

The new cold war

Published 20 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Donald Tusk's Poland could be one of the first EU countries to leave the Ottawa Treaty.
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The defense ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia announce in a joint statement that they will withdraw from the international convention banning the use of anti-personnel mines.

They say that Russia is threatening their countries and that they will “use every necessary measure to defend our territory and freedom”.

The treaty entered into force in the late 1990s and has so far been signed by 164 states – excluding major military powers such as the US, China and Russia.

The background to the convention is that it is mainly civilians who are killed by mines and that many years after conflicts and wars are over, they remain in the ground and cause deaths, for example when children accidentally step on or kick them.

According to The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, 76% of the victims of anti-personnel mines are civilians and about half are children. Today, it is estimated that around 45 million unexploded landmines are still in place around the world, killing thousands of people every year.

More could leave

The four ministers “unanimously recommend withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention”, arguing that the security situation in NATO’s eastern flank “has fundamentally deteriorated” since the Convention was signed and is therefore no longer relevant.

“Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased”, they say, adding that they want to give their respective defense forces “flexibility and freedom of choice of potential use of new weapon systems”.

“With this decision, we are sending a clear message: Our countries are prepared and can use every necessary measure to defend our territory and freedom”, the ministers continue.

It is not only Poland and the Baltic States that may leave the Ottawa Treaty. Although all EU countries are currently covered by the convention, there are forces that believe it is high time to abandon it.

In Finland, a citizens’ initiative calling for the country to withdraw from the treaty quickly gathered 50,000 signatures, and the Finnish Defense Forces are currently investigating the issue, before the Minister of Defense is due to take a position on its conclusions.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/world/french-mep-wants-to-take-back-the-statue-of-liberty/

World

French MEP wants to “take back” the Statue of Liberty

Donald Trump's USA

Published 18 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Raphael Glucksmann says Americans today “despise” the Statue of Liberty and what it stands for.
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French-Jewish MEP Raphael Glucksmann wants France to “take back” the Statue of Liberty 140 years after it was donated to the US.

The reason is that, according to Glucksmann, Americans have “chosen to side with tyrants” and that the American people today allegedly “despise” the ideals that, according to the left-liberal politician, the statue represents.

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Harbor, on the occasion of the centenary of the American Declaration of Independence. Designed by Frenchman Auguste Bartholdi, the statue was a gift from the French people to the Americans and has since become one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.

However, Raphael Glucksmann, a member of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, is now calling for the statue to be returned to France – citing his disapproval of the political path taken by the Trump administration.

– We’re going to say to the Americans who have chosen to side with the tyrants, to the Americans who fired researchers for demanding scientific freedom: ‘Give us back the Statue of Liberty’, the politician proclaimed at a party congress.

The “tyrants” are presumed to refer to Russia and its leadership in Moscow, and Glucksmann, a long-time supporter of Ukraine, campaigned last year to further increase French aid to Kiev.

– We gave it to you as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So it will be just fine here at home, the MEP continued during the party event.

“Welcoming” laid-off American scientists

Furthermore, Glucksmann argues that the Americans who are losing their jobs due to the Trump administration’s public sector cuts are instead very welcome to live and work in France.

– If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to fire all the people who, through their freedom and their sense of innovation, their taste for doubt and research, have made your country the world’s leading power, then we’re going to welcome them.

However, any “return” of the 46-meter statue is highly unlikely. On social media, many users see Glucksmann’s statement as another example of how difficult it is for many European politicians to deal with the political shift that Trump’s presidency has brought to the US and the world.

Some observers also point to the fact that France, Germany and other European countries have acted as an extension of the United States in foreign policy for decades, and now that US priorities have changed, they no longer have a clear plan on how to deal with the Americans.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-finance-minister-european-war-economy-is-a-positive-thing/

Sweden

Swedish finance minister: European war economy is a positive thing

The new cold war

Published 17 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Elisabeth Svantesson admits that “war economy” has a negative connotation - but that this time it is about something completely different.
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EU leaders want Europe to arm itself militarily and to do so in a big way – additional defense spending of around €800 billion proposed .

Sweden’s Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) is one of many leaders who welcome the development, saying there are many advantages to “a modern European war economy”.

During the Moderate Party’s Sweden Days, the Finance Minister shared her thoughts on how to strengthen Sweden’s defense – and how to maintain or further expand support to Ukraine.

– I realize that what I’m about to say is going to sound a bit drastic, but I envision a European war economy, Svantesson explains.

She admits that for most people the word “war economy” has a very negative connotation and brings to mind ration cards and coffee surrogates – but this time, she claims, it means something completely different.

– This is not what I am after, the modern war economy actually rests on two parts. First, a strong and growing economy – because that is a precondition for a strong defense.

“Fewer communicators – more companies”

The second part, according to Svantesson, is about having “order and clarity” in public finances while being able to prioritize money for “defense and security”.

– Now we are reprioritizing. Aid has decreased, it is still very high, but we can strengthen Sweden’s security and safety. To be specific, it’s really about fewer communicators and more companies.

The Finance Minister emphasizes that Sweden is certainly no closer to a full-scale war today than it was yesterday, but says that it is instead a matter of preparing mentally and highlighting how important it is for Sweden to carry out a military rearmament.

Wants to borrow billions

– You should feel calm, we have economic muscle and a large unit in the Swedish parliament that creates stability, they say.

Despite the “financial muscle”, Svantesson confirms that the government will still need to borrow several billions to finance the initiative.

– We will need to borrow for a few years to quickly reach the levels needed.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/europe/sweden-deploys-fighter-jets-to-poland-contributes-to-natos-deterrence/

Europe

Sweden deploys fighter jets to Poland: “Contributes to NATO’s deterrence”

Sweden-NATO-relationship

Published 8 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The Swedish Jas 39 Gripen will be operated by the NATO Combined Air Operations Center in Uedem, Germany.
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From April, Swedish Gripen aircraft will be stationed in Poland and participate in NATO’s airspace surveillance operation – “Enhanced Air Policing”.

– Through Gripen fighter jets, Sweden contributes both to the protection of NATO’s airspace and to the protection of continued supplies of weapons to Ukraine, says Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard (M).

It involves 6 to 8 Gripen aircraft with associated pilots and service personnel that will be based in Poland between April and June, and the government claims that there are “strong security policy reasons for Swedish participation”.

– It is the first time that Swedish fighter jets have participated in airspace surveillance from the territory of another ally. It is also the first time that Swedish fighter aircraft participate abroad in NATO’s enhanced airspace surveillance under NATO’s leadership, says Minister of Defense Pål Jonson (M).

– Supporting Ukraine is the Government’s main foreign policy task. The focus is and remains on strengthening Ukraine through military, political and civilian support. With our participation in the air defense operation, we contribute to protecting the supplies and thus ensure that the support to Ukraine arrives, says Fredrik Malm, second vice chairman of the Liberal Party.

Will identify “anomalous air activity”

The centre-right government also wants the Gripen planes to remain in Poland over the summer to help support and coordinate arms deliveries to Ukraine.

– By contributing to NATO’s overall deterrence and defense, the air force also strengthens Sweden’s security. It is an important development of our capability and another step for the Air Force to become fully integrated into NATO’s air defense, says Jörgen Axelsson, Chief of Operations of the Air Force.

The Swedish Jas 39 Gripen aircraft will be managed by NATO’s Combined Air Operations Center in Uedem, Germany. NATO’s air policing program, which has existed since the 1960s but was greatly expanded in 2014 following the Russian annexation of Crimea, is essentially a “deterrent” against Russia.

“Incident response and airspace surveillance will respond to anomalous air activity in the area of operations. This may involve identifying, meeting and escorting aircraft that do not respond to calls or that move towards the territory of the alliance”, the Swedish Armed Forces write.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com
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