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BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Putin's proposed solutions to Ukraine crisis not preconditions: Lavrov

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 25 Dec 2024 17:14
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The statement follows comments from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday, saying that Ukraine has shown no further willingness to negotiate.

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  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gestures as he speaks at the Doha Forum in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
    Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gestures as he speaks at the Doha Forum in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)

The Ukraine crisis cannot be resolved in isolation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted on Wednesday, stressing that it should be addressed as part of broader peace and security arrangements in Europe.

"We have had no illusions and do not have any illusions regarding the prospects for an easy resolution of the Ukrainian crisis," Lavrov said in an interview for the Rossiya-1 TV channel, adding that any solutions Russian President Vladimir Putin presented as part of peace negotiations stem from international law and thus should not be regarded as "preconditions".

The statement follows comments from Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday, saying that Ukraine has shown no further willingness to negotiate, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow today of intentionally launching a large-scale attack on his country during Christmas.

NATO leaders urge defense boost

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The Independent reported on Tuesday that NATO's leaders in Latvia, Estonia, and Finland have raised concerns about Europe's lack of readiness to defend itself against Russia without substantial US involvement. They called for an urgent increase in defense spending across the alliance to address the growing threat posed by Moscow.

"We are not ready. That's absolutely clear," stated Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics. He warned against relying too heavily on the United States, saying, "We can't keep simply hoping for a situation where the US remains much involved in Europe."

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal echoed these sentiments, stressing the need for Europe to strengthen its military capabilities. "We have to ramp up our defense capabilities because of Russia's threat and its inability to be a democracy and operate in a rule-based world," he said.

Read more: Trump informs Europe he wants 5% NATO defense spending target

The three countries, which collectively share a 1,200-mile border with Russia and its ally Belarus, have been among NATO's top spenders on defense relative to their GDP. Estonia allocates 3.4% of its GDP to defense, Latvia spends 3.15%, and Finland invests 2.4%. In comparison, the UK spends 2.3%, though plans are underway to raise that figure to 2.5%.

Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 alongside Sweden, has significantly enhanced its military strength, including the recent purchase of 64 F-35A fighter jets valued at $9.4 billion. "We don't have this because we're worried about Stockholm or London. We have this because we're worried about Moscow," said Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

The leaders also expressed concerns about the potential impact of Donald Trump's return to the White House, given his skepticism of NATO and calls for European nations to contribute more to defense spending. Trump's comments earlier this year suggesting he would allow Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to underfund NATO members drew sharp criticism for undermining the alliance's core principle of mutual defense.

  • Ukraine crisis
  • Sergey Lavrov
  • Russia
  • Ukraine
  • Ukraine war
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

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Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

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Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

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