Trump’s campaign website contains a single cryptic sentence:

“We have to finish the process we began under my administration of fundamentally re-evaluating NATO’s purpose and NATO’s mission.”

He and his team refuse to elaborate.

That vague line has generated enormous uncertainty and anxiety among European allies and American supporters of the country’s traditional foreign-policy role.

European ambassadors and think tank officials have been making pilgrimages to associates of Mr. Trump to inquire about his intentions. At least one ambassador, Finland’s Mikko Hautala, has reached out directly to Mr. Trump and sought to persuade him of his country’s value to NATO as a new member.

In interviews over the past several months, more than a half-dozen current and former European diplomats — speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution from Mr. Trump should he win — said alarm was rising on Embassy Row and among their home governments that Mr. Trump’s return could mean not just the abandonment of Ukraine, but a broader American retreat from the continent and a gutting of the Atlantic alliance.

The interviews with current and former diplomats revealed that European officials were mostly out of ideas for how to deal with Mr. Trump other than returning to a previous playbook of flattery and transactional tributes.

Smaller countries that are more vulnerable to Russian attacks are expected to try to buy their way into Mr. Trump’s good graces by increasing their orders of American weapons or — as Poland did during his term — by performing grand acts of adulation, including offering to name a military base Fort Trump in return for his placing a permanent presence there.

Source: NYT

Russian Foreign Ministry says lasting peace in Ukraine is possible only if the West stops transferring weapons and it accepts "new territorial realities."

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim:

The vote for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid to Gaza is vetoed because 168 countries voted yes and the US voted no.

The fate of all countries is in the hands of only 5 countries.

German Chancellor Scholz:

If assistance from other countries weakens, then Germany should be ready to increase support for Ukraine.

This was the moment when the US vetoed the UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek:

We live now in a world that no longer respects the most basic rules. It reminds me Antonio Gramsci’s very famous quote:

He says: “The old world is dying. The new world is struggling to be born. Now, it is the time of monsters.”

The old world, the rule-based post WW2 is behind us. There’s no even respect to most basic rules anymore.

Look at what’s happening in Gaza. Look at some countries stance. They cannot even call for a ceasefire. They cannot even have the courage to call for a ceasefire.

We don’t have a substitute yet. Because a hegemon power and arising superpower and many other players are actually trying to see how this new system is shaped. And that brings about a lot of uncertainty in doing business, but also in general for global economy.

IDF entered Khalifa School in Beit Lahia (north of the Gaza Strip) where large numbers of displaced people are still besieged, and demanded that all males over the age of 15 in the school come out.

Urban clashes in Gaza by IDF’s lens.

Intense use of M203 grenade launchers and the MATADOR rocket launcher.

Deputy US ambassador to the UN plays with his phone while Palestinian envoy is speaking.

#BREAKING U.S. has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of 13,981 120mm M830A1 High Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose with Tracer (MPAT) tank cartridges and related equipment for an estimated cost of $106.5 million.

#BREAKING Yemen’s Houthis say they will target vessels of “any nationality” traveling to Israeli ports.

Houthis pledge they will not target ships that are bringing aid to the Gaza Strip.

Houthi Spokesman:

Yemeni Armed Forces announce that we will prevent the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity of any nationality, if they do not enter the Gaza Strip where they need food and medicine, and it will become a legitimate target for our armed forces.

Out of concern for the safety of maritime navigation, we warn all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports.

Latest Gaza toll:

17,700 killed
48,780 wounded

#BREAKING 5 more IDF soldiers were killed in Gaza.

Israeli National Security Advisor Hanegbi says Netanyahu told Biden “Israel would take military action against Houthis if US won’t.”

NOTE: Biden administration approved this sale of 120mm tank ammunition to Israel without Congressional approval.

U.S. State Department used an Arms Export Control Act emergency declaration for the tank rounds worth $106.5 million for immediate delivery to Israel, circumventing Congressional approval.

Chinese garlic is a national security risk, says US senator (not The Onion)

Republican Senator Rick Scott has written to the commerce secretary, claiming Chinese garlic is unsafe, citing unsanitary production methods.