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Lybov, 90, sits in a basement as she shelters from shelling in Siversk, about 30km from Lysychansk in east Ukraine

Civilians trapped as Russia attacks key city in Donbas

The situation in Lysychansk, a city in eastern Ukraine under Russian attack, is "extremely difficult" with relentless shelling making it impossible to evacuate civilians, the regional governor of Lugansk said.

Ukraine • 30 Jun 22

NATO leaders at the summit in Madrid, Spain, today

US pledges more military as NATO bolsters eastern flank

US President Joe Biden has pledged more American troops, warplanes and warships for Europe as NATO agreed the biggest strengthening of its deterrents since the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

World • 29 Jun 22

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, right, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are pictured at the presidential summer residence in Naantali, Finland, today

NATO chief says Turkey's security concerns legitimate

Security concerns raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership applications are legitimate, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said on a visit to Finland.

World • 12 Jun 22

NATO's Jens Stoltenberg at Davos 2022 today

Don't trade security for economic profit - NATO

Western countries must not trade security for economic profit, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned today, referring to debates over the use of Chinese technology in 5G networks and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline for Russian gas.

Business • 24 May 22

Tayyip Erdogan told Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson that Ankara expected concrete steps to address its concerns

Erdogan discusses NATO concerns with Sweden and Finland

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has objected to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, held phone calls today with the leaders of the two countries and discussed his concerns about terrorist organisations.

NATO • 21 May 22

Joe Biden, Magdalena Andersson and Sauli Niinistö at the White House in Washington DC today

Biden backs bid by Finland and Sweden to join NATO

US President Joe Biden has offered his strong support to the leaders of Sweden and Finland as their countries bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, saying they meet all the necessary criteria.

World • 19 May 22

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg pictured with Sweden's and Finland's application letters

Finland and Sweden formally apply to join NATO

Finland and Sweden have formally applied to join the NATO alliance, a decision spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but face objections from Turkey to an accession process that is expected to take only a few weeks.

World • 18 May 22

Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson gives a news conference in Stockholm, Sweden today

Sweden's plans for NATO membership hit snag

Sweden will formally apply for NATO membership in the next few days, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has said, but its accession process, and that of Finland, hit a snag when NATO member Turkey's president said he would not approve either bid.

World • 16 May 22

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana gestures with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Berlin

NATO 'confident' on Finland, Sweden membership

NATO is confident that it can overcome objections by Turkey and quickly admit Finland and Sweden, its deputy chief said today, as the alliance prepares for a historic enlargement in the Nordic region prompted by Russia's war on Ukraine.

World • 15 May 22

Sweden's Minister of Defense Peter Hultqvist and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde present a security policy analysis in Stockholm today

Sweden lists benefits of NATO as membership bid looms

Swedish membership in NATO would boost national security and help stabilise the Nordic and Baltic regions, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said today, a day after neighbour Finland said it would seek to join the US-led military alliance without delay.

World • 13 May 22

Boris Johnson and Magdalena Andersson signed the deal in Stockholm

UK strikes security agreement with Sweden and Finland

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he had agreed new deals with Sweden and Finland to bolster European security, pledging to support both countries' armed forces should they come under attack.

World • 11 May 22

Defence ministers take part in a round table during a meeting over the Ukraine war at the NATO headquarters in Brussels

NATO begins planning to adapt to 'new reality'

The US and other NATO members said they will keep helping Ukraine fight off Russia's invasion, while also adapting the alliance's own security to the "new reality" triggered by the war.

Ukraine • 16 Mar 22

Ground crew unload weapons and other military hardware delivered by the United States military at Boryspil Airport near Kyiv

Biden threatens Putin with sanctions over Ukraine

Western leaders stepped up preparations for any Russian military action in Ukraine, with talks taking place on protecting energy supplies and US President Joe Biden saying he would consider imposing direct sanctions on President Vladimir Putin.

World • 26 Jan 22

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gives a press conference at the end of NATO-Russia Council

NATO and Russia lay out stark differences on Ukraine

NATO allies have warned Russia that they would not compromise on the alliance's right to defend its eastern members to avoid further conflict in Ukraine, but invited Moscow to further talks on calming security concerns.

World • 12 Jan 22

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visiting positions on the frontline with pro-Russian militants in the Donetsk region of Ukraine in December 2021

'Too early' to know if Russia serious in talks - US

The White House has said it is "too early" to know whether Russia is serious about resolving security tensions in and around Ukraine.

World • 11 Jan 22

People wave Taliban flags as they drive through the Pakistani border town of Chaman after the Taliban claimed they had captured the Afghan side of the border crossing of Spin Boldak

Taliban claim control of key Afghan border crossing

The Taliban has captured the strategic border crossing of Spin Boldak on the frontier with Pakistan, continuing sweeping gains made since foreign forces stepped up their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

World • 14 Jul 21

US President Joe Biden gives a press conference during the NATO summit

Biden says he will lay down 'red lines' with Putin

US President Joe Biden said today he would lay down "red lines" to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at their upcoming meeting, after rallying NATO allies to face up to challenges from Moscow and Beijing.

NATO • 14 Jun 21

There have been anti-French demonstrations in many Muslim countries

Turkey to take action over French caricature of Erdogan

Turkey has said it will take legal and diplomatic steps in response to a caricature of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, which officials called a "disgusting effort" to "spread its cultural racism and hatred".

World • 28 Oct 20

Alexei Navalny fell ill on a flight in August

NATO: Russia must cooperate in Navalny poisoning probe

NATO allies have agreed that Russia must cooperate fully with an impartial investigation to be led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons into the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the alliance's chief said.

World • 04 Sep 20

Macedonia has become the 30th member of NATO

North Macedonia officially joins NATO

North Macedonia has officially joined NATO, becoming the 30th member of the alliance after resolving a long-running name row with Greece.

World • 27 Mar 20

Refugees walk on a road near the Greek-Turkey border crossing of Kastanies

Turkey says it will let refugees into Europe

Refugees in Turkey headed towards European frontiers today after an official said the borders had been thrown open, a response to the escalating war in Syria where 33 Turkish soldiers were killed by Russian-backed Syrian government troops.

World • 28 Feb 20

Donald Trump joined other NATO leaders at a reception in Buckingham Palace

Trump denounces Trudeau as 'two-faced'

US President Donald Trump has called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau two-faced for comments he appeared to have made about him.

World • 04 Dec 19

Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump pictured in London at NATO leaders gather for a summit

Trump, Macron and Erdogan clash overshadows NATO summit

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged fire over the future of NATO today, as the French leader attacked Turkey and demanded the alliance rethink its strategy.

World • 03 Dec 19

Emergency workers recover bodies after an airstrike at the Tajoura Detention Center, east of Tripoli

Air strike kills at least 44 at Libyan migrant centre

An air strike hit a detention centre for mainly African migrants in a suburb of the Libyan capital Tripoli late yesterday, killing at least 44 people and wounding more than 130, the UN mission to Libya has said.

World • 03 Jul 19

Turkey took delivery of its first F-35 last year

US halts F-35 deliveries to Turkey over Russian weapons

The US is halting all deliveries and joint work with Turkey on the F-35 fighter jet programme, after the NATO ally insisted on buying an anti-aircraft missile system from Russia.

World • 02 Apr 19