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
Rubio signals possible engagement with Iranian factions amid internal divisions
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington is hopeful of engaging with factions within the government of Iran, noting that the United States has received positive private signals.
Speaking to ABC News’ Good Morning America, Rubio suggested that internal divisions exist within the Islamic Republic and expressed confidence that figures with the authority to act could emerge.
“We are hopeful that this will be the case,” Rubio said. “Clearly, there are people there who are communicating with us in ways that those previously in power in Iran did not. This is reflected in some of the steps they appear willing to take.”
Despite this, Rubio maintained a firm stance toward Iran, reiterating that the ongoing conflict seeks to eliminate its capacity to develop nuclear weapons—an objective that President Donald Trump has previously claimed was achieved during a military strike last year.
International
King Charles III to visit the U.S. on first state trip since taking the throne
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will undertake a state visit to the United States on the recommendation of the British government, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday, adding that further details will be released at a later date.
The visit aims to highlight the historic ties and current relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, as both countries prepare to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.
The trip is expected to take place at the end of April and follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom last year, which sought to strengthen bilateral relations.
This will be Charles III’s first state visit to the United States since ascending to the throne in 2022, although he previously traveled there 19 times as Prince of Wales.
By comparison, Queen Elizabeth II made four state visits to the United States—in 1957, 1976, 1991, and 2007—while U.S. presidents have carried out four state visits to the United Kingdom since 1952, in 2003, 2011, 2019, and 2025.
Following the U.S. trip, the monarch is also expected to travel to Bermuda, marking his first official visit to the territory since becoming head of state.
The visit comes amid tensions between the two countries due to differences between President Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. Starmer has reiterated that the United Kingdom will not take part in the conflict, although it will defend its interests and support allies in the Persian Gulf.
Trump has criticized that stance, urging countries not involved in the military campaign to act decisively, stating that “the hardest part is already done.”
The trip also follows a request by U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna, who called on the king to meet privately with victims linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his stay.
The case has also involved the king’s brother, Prince Andrew, who has faced scrutiny over his past associations with Epstein. The former royal, stripped of his titles and honors, has denied any wrongdoing despite ongoing allegations and investigations.
International
Leopoldo López thanks Spain for fast-track citizenship but says “I am still Venezuelan”
Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López expressed gratitude on Tuesday to the Government of Spain after being granted Spanish citizenship through an expedited process, following the revocation of his Venezuelan nationality by the administration of Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking in Madrid, López acknowledged the gesture but admitted having mixed emotions. “I am grateful to the Spanish government for granting me citizenship, but I have mixed feelings, as do millions of Venezuelans who have had to leave their country. It is not easy,” he said.
The opposition figure highlighted Spain’s role as a refuge for Venezuelans, while emphasizing that his identity remains unchanged. “Spain has been, for me, my family, and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, a homeland away from home. That does not mean we stop being Venezuelan. I am Venezuelan, I carry Venezuela in my heart, and everything I have done has been for Venezuela,” he added.
López requested Spanish nationality after the Venezuelan government stripped him of his citizenship in October, accusing him of promoting a “military invasion,” a move that left him effectively stateless.
Initially, he applied through the standard process in late 2025 but, unable to meet the requirements, later sought nationality through a special mechanism known as “carta de naturaleza,” with the support of Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares.
To support his application, López submitted documentation from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which determined that he had been a victim of political persecution, arbitrary detention, imprisonment, and other actions by the Venezuelan government.
“For me, this has been a long journey. The persecution by the dictatorship against me began many years ago. I was banned, persecuted, censored, imprisoned, and sentenced to 14 years in prison. I had to escape from Venezuela, from prison,” he said.
Spain’s decision to grant him citizenship through an exceptional procedure was justified by his “very special situation,” including the lack of documentation and legal status.
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