NATO's Rutte calls for more Western support for Ukraine, warns of Russian alliances

PARIS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called on Western allies to provide Ukraine with further support “to change the trajectory of the conflict” with Russia. Speaking ahead of a meeting Tuesday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rutte said: “We must...

Lithuania's defense minister proposes ways for smoother relations between Europe and Trump

PRAGUE (AP) — European nations should not repeat the mistake of creating a barrier between them and President-elect Donald Trump but instead cooperate on issues of common interest, Lithuania’s defense minister said Saturday. Assuming that Trump will again apply what Laurynas...

European countries are spending more on defense, a think tank says

PRAGUE (AP) — European nations boosted their defenses in response to the annexation of the Crimea Peninsula in 2014 and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a London-based think tank said Friday, but much remains to be done for them to be ready to face threats from Russia. ...

Leader of the free world has never been a role Trump has embraced. The world has gotten the message

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. presidents usually at least pay lip service to being leaders of the free world, at the helm of a mighty democracy and military that allies worldwide can rally around and reasonably depend on for support in return. Not so under President-elect Donald Trump, a...

50 European leaders assess how Trump will affect their fortunes and seek a common stance on Russia

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Around 50 European leaders on Thursday called for a stronger defense posture across the continent that no longer necessitates a fundamental dependence on Washington as they gave a guarded welcome to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Ukrainian President...

Global leaders congratulate Trump but his victory looks set to roil the world -- again

LONDON (AP) — The verdict of U.S. voters was more decisive than most pollsters and pundits had predicted. Now the world waits to see whether the election of Donald Trump as president for a second time will prove as destabilizing as many American allies fear. Trump secured victory...

AP VoteCast: Voter anxiety over the economy and a desire for change return Trump to the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — A disaffected electorate wanted former President Donald Trump to return to the White House, a blatant rejection of Vice President Kamala Harris and her nearly four years with President Joe Biden. The Republican’s victory came from a public so put off by...

North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to Russia to likely fight against Ukraine, Pentagon says

BRUSSELS (AP) — North Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to Russia to train and likely fight against Ukraine within “the next several weeks,” the Pentagon said Monday, in a move that Western leaders say will intensify the almost three-year war and jolt relations in the Indo-Pacific region. ...

Social Democrats win Lithuania's election, overcoming center-right government

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania' s center-left opposition parties celebrated victory on Monday after prevailing over the center-right ruling coalition in the final round of national elections. With 100% of votes counted from Sunday's polls, the Social Democrats won 52 seats in...

NATO confirms North Korean troops are being sent to Russia to fight Ukraine, with some already deployed