The International Auschwitz Committee is calling for a ban on the AfD and urges Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to start legal proceedings.

Eva Umlauf, an Auschwitz survivor and the committee’s President, said the AfD attacks democracy and uses Nazi-era references that are unbearable for Holocaust survivors.

Dobrindt is skeptical, saying there is not enough legal basis for a ban.

Source: Der Spiegel

Syria says its economy could grow close to 10% in 2026, nearly double last year’s pace, after the US eased sanctions.

Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh cited improved stability, the return of skilled Syrians and new investment opportunities as key drivers.

Growth in 2025 was about 5%.

Source: Bloomberg

Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov:

We eliminated 35,000 Russians in December, 30,000 in January.

Our strategy is working.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever:

China and the United States have become protectionist.

Others protect their markets and dump products on ours.

EU's Kaja Kallas:

I’m a liberal, so I don’t believe in protectionism, because in the long term I think it is best for our companies if they are truly competitive.

If we make ourselves stronger, then our products are competitive and we don’t need protection.

That being said, we also have to deal with the economic practices coming from China that greatly damage our companies.

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán presents his “solution:”

First, stop the war. War is bad for business. Look for peace.

Second, don’t send your money to somebody else if you need it for your competitiveness. So don’t send the money to Ukraine.

Third, reduce and cut back energy prices as much as you can. That’s so simple.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen:

We should never have made ourselves dependent on Russian oil and gas.

It is also wrong that we made ourselves dependent on China for new technologies.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever:

We risk losing the entire petrochemical and steel sectors. Energy costs are killing them.

Without those sectors, you produce nothing — not even defense equipment.

We would become totally dependent on the United States and China.

Without these sectors, all dreams of strategic autonomy disappear.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever:

If we deindustrialize, the world will still get warmer — and we will just get poorer.

Factories are opening massively in China and the United States. In Europe, they are closing.

Energy-intensive companies may need to be subsidized through the storm. I do not like subsidies, but it may be necessary.

We must temporarily relieve companies of administrative burdens.

They are begging for it.

Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez:

Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate President of Venezuela.

Maduro and his wife are both innocent.

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Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever:

If we are forced to choose between being Atlanticist or being European, we will always choose to be European.

Trump doesn't like to be contradicted.

I don't expect an invitation to White House ballroom anytime soon.

Trump reposts WSJ:

Pentagon Prepares Second Aircraft Carrier to Deploy to the Middle East.

Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez says she has been invited to visit the U.S.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever:

If Europe builds its own defense capacity, the nuclear question will inevitably come onto the table.

When the French say “European,” it often sounds like “French.”

Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI:

White-collar work… most of those tasks will be fully automated by an AI within the next 12 to 18 months.

U.S. Religious Liberty Commission Expels Member for Challenging Zionism

READ MORE

NEW: An internal Kremlin memo outlines a potential economic reset with the Trump administration, including a dramatic return to the US dollar settlement system if a Ukraine peace deal is reached.

The document proposes closer US-Russia cooperation in energy, aviation, nuclear power, and critical minerals, along with preferential terms for American companies reentering Russia.

It also suggests joint efforts to promote fossil fuels over green energy and compensate US firms for past losses.

It remains unclear whether the proposals have been formally presented to Washington.

Source: Bloomberg

Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan on Minneapolis:

I have proposed, and Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.

A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei:

Dear nation of Iran, yesterday, the 22nd day of the month of Bahman this year, you did a great thing. You made Iran proud.

You supported the Islamic Republic as always and added to its power.

The enemies who, in their statements and plans, sought the surrender of the Iranian nation, were disappointed.

With divine grace, you carried out this great task yesterday, and God Almighty will reward such a presence and such a grand movement.

This reward will be more honor, more power, and more complete independence, God willing.

I thank the entire Iranian nation and offer my abundant greetings to each and every person who participated yesterday in this massive nationwide gathering.

NATO's Rutte:

Do you know what is the biggest difference between NATO and what was formerly known as the Warsaw Pact?

NATO is a coalition of democracies with free media and various types of politicians.

We always have debates and discussions within NATO; it would be boring if that was not the case.

The good news is that this alliance always finds a way forward to come together.