JUST IN – The visit of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Nancy Pelosi to Armenia has begun.

Join the @WesternAlliance

Hungary faces EU judgement day that could hammer its economy 

Hungary is facing a reckoning with Brussels over corruption concerns that could cost Budapest billions. 

The EU appears to be about to impose financial penalties on the government of Viktor Orban, amid alleged fraudulent behaviour and rule of law violations. 
Though not set in stone, the move could cost Hungary billions of euros in EU funding, crippling its already faltering economy. 

A decision is expected on Sunday during a "college readout" by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. 

🔗🔎 SOURCE

Join the @WesternAlliance

JUST IN – Russian President Vladimir Putin was isolating himself from the international community through his actions, stated White House official John Kirby.

Join the @WesternAlliance

NATO has acknowledged that it began planning to expand the alliance near Russia's borders several years ago.

"We are talking about the largest restructuring of our military structures since 1949. The planning for this began several years ago, and now we are starting to implement," said Admiral Bauer, head of the NATO military committee.

A significant build-up of NATO forces on the "eastern flank" was announced this summer. It was stated that the leaders of the countries of the alliance approved such a plan at the June summit in Madrid as a response to the Russian special operation in Ukraine.

About a month earlier, Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO.

Join the @WesternAlliance

Putin, Xi look to challenge world order at regional summit but are quickly hobbled

🔗🔎 SOURCE

Join the @WesternAlliance

BREAKING – The European Commission is considering freezing Hungary's financing from the EU budget in the amount of up to 7.5 billion euros, according to an EC representative.

Join the @WesternAlliance

⚡️ Georgian president condemns Russia's war crimes in Izium, calls for justice.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Sept. 18 condemned "in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Russia in Izium."

🔗 The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent)

📲 @twittervid_bot

US President Biden said in an interview with CBS that during one of his calls to Chinese President Xi Jinping, he told him about the risk of stopping "American and other" investments in China if Beijing violates sanctions against Russia.

Join the @WesternAlliance

📢 Since February 2022, Russia's war against Ukraine displaced at least 7.2 million Ukrainian refugees to countries abroad.

This includes:

Poland - 1.38 million
Germany - 1 million
Czechia - 431K
Italy - 159K
Turkey - 145K
Spain - 142K
UK - 123K
France - 101K
Slovakia - 93K
Moldova - 91K
Austria - 81K
Romania - 81K
Netherlands - 77K
Bulgaria - 67K
Lithuania -65K
Switzerland -- 61K
Belgium - 55K
Estonia - 55K
Portugal - 50K
Sweden - 47K
Ireland - 47K
Finland - 38K
Latvia - 38K

There are also reported 2.6 million Ukrainians in Russia, but it's not clear (a) how reliable these figures are and (b) how many of these are forcefully relocated Ukrainian citizens.

🔗🔎 SOURCE

Join the @WesternAlliance

JUST IN – Ukraine: Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin in an interview in the Face The Nation program on the CBS TV channel reported about 34,000 war crimes recorded in Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion.

Join the @WesternAlliance

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion was supposed to restore the glory days of the Soviet Union — but instead it’s ushered in months of chaos not seen since the USSR collapsed in the early ’90s.

🔗🔎 SOURCE

Join the @WesternAlliance

JUST IN – The European Commission is looking to get emergency powers to force companies to produce critical products and stock goods in times of crisis.

Join the @WesternAlliance

The reaction in Turkey to Nancy Pelosi's statements in Armenia is curious.

In particular, that the security of Armenia is important for Washington and the preparation of a Congressional resolution condemning the aggression of Azerbaijan.

There will be a package of sanctions discussed over Azerbaijan.

The Turks believe that they made a lot of concessions to the United States, but in fact Washington becomes the enemy number one.

Join the @WesternAlliance

The election campaign in Bulgaria is at a terribly low level. The elections in October will be marked by division along pro/anti-Russia lines, anachronistic statements, and Soviet nostalgia. Pro-Western voices have been cornered in the media and the battle will be tough.

🔗 Ruslan Trad (@ruslantrad)

📲 @twittervid_bot

With Ukraine’s counteroffensive set to continue, Russia’s response is now out of the hands of the Russian military brass and likely rests on the political calculus of the Russian president.

🔗🔎 SOURCE

Join the @WesternAlliance

🗣 Senior EU official: We will not recognize the referendums that will take place in Ukraine - FT

Join the @WesternAlliance

https://t.me/WW3INFO/16534

URGENT – Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov: "Baku is ready to conclude a peace agreement with Yerevan, despite the recent conflicts."

Join the @WesternAlliance

Ukrainian President Zelensky: Putin wants to drown Ukraine with the blood of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers

Join the @WesternAlliance

JUST IN – German Chancellor Scholz: Putin's announcement of military mobilization for war in Ukraine is evidence of his desperation.

Join the @WesternAlliance

Russian airlines ordered to stop selling tickets to Russian men aged 18 to 65

📚 Read more...

Join the @WesternAlliance

🇪🇺 Tonight, European ministers are discussing additional military support for Ukraine and new sanctions against Moscow, Josep Borrell

Subscribe to @DefenseBlog