International
Stoltenberg assures that NATO countries are willing to give more Patriots to Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the allies are willing to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, especially Patriot anti-missile batteries, after the specific request made today by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba.
“The allies understand the urgency of accelerating when it comes to air defense, so they will now look in their inventories or if there is a way they can provide more systems, in particular Patriots,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference at the end of a two-day meeting of the Alliance’s Foreign Affairs heads.
At the same time, he said that it is necessary to make sure that the air defense systems that are already deployed in Ukraine “have the ammunition and spare parts to work as they should.”
“In part it is a question of battery systems, but it depends a lot on the delivery of the interceptors of the systems that are already there,” he explained.
Stoltenberg assured that several allies promised that they will make “a new effort to find what they can, see what else they can provide.”
The 32 allied ministers participated today in a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council after attending a ceremony to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance.
“I don’t want to water the anniversary party, but my main message today will be Patriots, because saving Ukrainian lives, saving the Ukrainian economy, saving Ukrainian cities, depends on the capacity of the Patriots and other air defense systems,” Kuleba told the press upon his arrival at the meeting.
“The situation on the battlefield is still serious. Ukraine needs more air defenses, more ammunition and more help,” Stoltenberg stressed.
The Allied Secretary General listed that, in recent days, Germany has announced about 600 million euros for the Czech initiative to acquire artillery ammunition, the United Kingdom has announced the shipment of 10,000 drones to Kiev, France will give more missiles and armored vehicles and Finland will provide a new aid package worth 188 million euros.
“But we have to do even more. And we need to establish our support on an even firmer and more lasting basis,” he said.
Therefore, yesterday, Wednesday, the allied ministers agreed to move forward in the planning of a greater role of NATO in the coordination of aid and security training for Ukraine, a work that will continue in the coming weeks.
Stoltenberg indicated that the allies must move forward on these two aspects: the mobilization of urgent aid in the coming days and weeks and the establishment of “a more predictable framework for long-term support” that “does not depend on voluntary ‘ad hoc’ announcements, but on more predictable commitments.”
In this way, the allies have entrusted the supreme commander of the Alliance for Europe (SACEUR), American General Christopher G. Cavoli, start the planning of that framework, which “could be underpinned by financial commitments.”
Stoltenberg has proposed to create a fund of 100 billion euros for five years for Ukraine so that the support has a long-term journey, at a time when it is possible to return in November to the White House of Republican Donald Trump, who has already said that he would cut off attendance to Kiev.
“Russia is mobilizing more troops, but it is also willing to sacrifice men and material for marginal profits. This is serious, and that is exactly why it is urgent to mobilize more support for Ukraine,” argued the Norwegian politician.
He warned that there are fundamentally two possible scenarios: that the allies are able to mobilize more support and that Ukraine can recover more territory, or “that we are not able to do so.”
“And then there is a real risk that Russia will capture even more territory and that we will find ourselves in an even more dangerous position,” he said.
In his opinion, if NATO allies comply, he was convinced that Ukraine will be able to make new advances, and therefore “we must thoroughly seek and provide more military support” and put in place “stronger and more solid structures in the long term.”
Stoltenberg also insisted again that they have “no plan to have combat troops within Ukraine, there has been no request for it.”
The fact that the allies are providing him with weapons to defend himself “does not make us part of the conflict,” he said.
International
Colombia slams Ecuador’s 30% tariff as ‘economic aggression’
Colombia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma, on Wednesday described as an “economic aggression” the 30% “security fee” imposed by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on imports from Colombia.
“We reject the tariff measure imposed by Ecuador, an economic aggression that breaks the principle of regional integration,” Palma said in a post on X.
President Noboa explained that the decision was taken due to what he described as a “lack of reciprocity and firm actions” by Colombia in the fight against drug trafficking. He added that despite Ecuador having made “real efforts of cooperation,” including maintaining a trade deficit exceeding $1 billion annually, the country’s armed forces continue to face drug-linked criminal groups along the border without any cooperation.
For that reason, Noboa stated that the measure will remain in place “until there is a real commitment” from Colombia to jointly confront drug trafficking and illegal mining along the 586-kilometer shared border, with the same level of determination Ecuador is currently applying.
According to official data, Ecuador seized 214.5 metric tons of drugs in 2025, down from the record 294.6 tons confiscated in 2024.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on January 7 that during his administration, which began on August 7, 2022 and ends this year, drug seizures have increased significantly, adding that total confiscations are expected to exceed 3,500 tons by the time he leaves office.
International
José Jerí claims destabilization attempt after videos of secretive meetings surface
Peru’s interim president, right-wing leader José Jerí, on Wednesday denounced an alleged plot against him and warned of a deliberate attempt to destabilize the country, following the release of a series of videos showing semi-clandestine meetings with a Chinese businessman, as well as visits to the Government Palace by another businessman of the same nationality who is under house arrest.
“I also want to know who is behind this entire plot. I am an objective and impartial president who does not give in to pressure, but someone has found a way to do so. I want to know who is behind it and what their real objective is,” Jerí said while appearing before Congress’ Oversight and Comptroller Commission.
The interim president, who recently marked 100 days in office after replacing former president Dina Boluarte (2022–2025) in his role as head of Congress, insisted that he has never lied to the country. Without directly accusing any individual or group, he argued that routine activities—such as visiting a restaurant or a shop—are being portrayed with a “malicious” intent.
So far, reports indicate that on December 26, close to midnight, Jerí visited a chifa restaurant—a Peruvian-Chinese eatery—owned by Chinese businessman and state contractor Zhihua “Johnny” Yang, accompanied by Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio, and wearing a hood. On January 6, he also visited a shop belonging to the same businessman, which had been shut down by municipal authorities just hours earlier.
The revelations have fueled political controversy and renewed scrutiny of the interim administration’s actions amid Peru’s ongoing political instability.
International
Mexican influencer “La Nicholette” kidnapped in exclusive area of Culiacán
The content creator known as “La Nicholette,” also referred to as “La Muchacha del Salado,” was kidnapped Tuesday afternoon in Isla Musalá, one of the most exclusive residential areas of Culiacán, capital of the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa, according to local media reports on Wednesday.
The abduction was captured by the security camera of the young woman’s vehicle, a lilac-colored Tesla Cybertruck, which was later found abandoned at the scene.
Video footage circulating on social media shows a masked man carrying a long firearm preventing the influencer from entering her vehicle, while another individual forces her into a white sedan, reportedly an older-model Toyota Corolla.
According to media reports, the incident occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. local time (2300 GMT) at the intersection of Tachichilte Avenue and San Esteban Street, within the Musalá residential area.
Authorities have not yet released official details regarding the victim’s whereabouts or the motives behind the kidnapping.
Colombia slams Ecuador’s 30% tariff as ‘economic aggression’
José Jerí claims destabilization attempt after videos of secretive meetings surface
Mexican influencer “La Nicholette” kidnapped in exclusive area of Culiacán
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
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