https://www.scmp.com/rss/325816/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said the US and Nato were faced with a “marriage crisis” as frustrations mount on both sides of the Atlantic, urging Washington to stand with its allies or risk America’s fall. Francken, speaking at a think tank event in Washington on Tuesday, likened the strained transatlantic relationship, which has held for close to 80 years, to a “crisis”, saying “it’s very difficult”. “I’m convinced that we’re having a marriage crisis … There’s a lot of frustration on... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351763/us-and-nato-faced-frustrating-marriage-crisis-belgian-defence-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3351763/us-and-nato-faced-frustrating-marriage-crisis-belgian-defence-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 21:00:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nato is considering ending its recent practice of holding annual summits, six sources told Reuters, a move that could avoid a potentially tense encounter with US President Donald Trump in his final year in office. Trump’s administration has engaged repeatedly in scathing criticism of many of the US-led defence alliance’s 31 other members, most recently berating some for not providing more help to US military operations against Iran. The frequency of Nato ‌summits has varied over the alliance’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351615/bruised-trump-nato-alliance-considers-end-annual-summits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351615/bruised-trump-nato-alliance-considers-end-annual-summits?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:41:27 +0000 Li Xing Li Xing Geopolitics, at its core, examines how geography shapes international politics, power distribution and security dynamics. One enduring idea is geographer Halford Mackinder’s “heartland” theory, which situates Eurasia as the central arena of global power competition. In 1904, Mackinder argued that the vast land mass of Europe and Asia – what he called the “world island” – contained a pivotal core, the “heartland”, rich in resources, population and strategic depth. His dictum – “Who rules Eastern... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3351015/why-us-led-security-alliances-asia-are-losing-coherence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3351015/why-us-led-security-alliances-asia-are-losing-coherence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday there was no prospect of Ukraine’s “immediate accession” to the EU, but suggested Kyiv could join meetings of the bloc’s members without voting rights. Ukraine is pushing to speed up its bid to join the 27-nation European Union as it fights Russia’s invasion on the battlefield. Kyiv’s progress has been blocked by Hungary’s nationalist premier Viktor Orban, but his defeat in elections earlier this month raised hopes it can move to the next step. EU... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351383/germanys-merz-says-no-immediate-ukraine-eu-membership-floats-kyiv-joining-meetings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351383/germanys-merz-says-no-immediate-ukraine-eu-membership-floats-kyiv-joining-meetings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:48:35 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Sven Biscop is a Belgian political scientist and strategist specialising in the foreign affairs and security of the EU and its relations with great powers. He is a director at the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels and a professor at Ghent University. He is also a senior research fellow at Renmin University in Beijing, where he teaches in the summer. Biscop is the author of many books, including 2024’s This Is Not a New World Order: Europe Rediscovers Geopolitics,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350626/saying-youre-geopolitical-actor-doesnt-make-it-so-sven-biscop-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350626/saying-youre-geopolitical-actor-doesnt-make-it-so-sven-biscop-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In June 2021, from a podium in the Cornish countryside, former US president Joe Biden told a relieved Europe that “America is back at the table”. The comment – made after a summit of the Group of Seven rich nations – became a galvanising force for reinvigorated transatlanticism after the first term of Donald Trump had left it in tatters. When Russia invaded Ukraine eight months later, the G7 became the forum of choice for cooking up punitive sanctions against Russia. It was also the venue for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350572/rupture-how-europe-fell-out-love-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350572/rupture-how-europe-fell-out-love-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France and Britain said on Friday that they would lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the force was being set up as they co-chaired international talks in Paris focused on ensuring free-flowing trade through the critical shipping corridor. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350543/iran-war-france-and-uk-lead-defensive-force-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350543/iran-war-france-and-uk-lead-defensive-force-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:35:55 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Washington’s senior envoys to the United Nations took a victory lap in Senate testimony on Wednesday over the US-inspired cuts and efficiency drive at the multilateral agency, even as they slammed its inability to end the conflict in Ukraine, stem the Iran war started by the US and Israel or curb China’s growing clout. Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, touted the US$570 million in UN budget cuts, 3,000 fewer jobs and the US decision to pull out of several UN agencies, even as he defended US... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350229/us-envoy-waltz-touts-america-first-policy-budget-cuts-senate-swipe-un?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350229/us-envoy-waltz-touts-america-first-policy-budget-cuts-senate-swipe-un?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:29:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters French President Emmanuel Macron has invited US President ⁠Donald Trump to a ⁠sumptuous dinner at the ornate Palace of ⁠Versailles the day after a G7 summit in mid-June, although it remains unclear if Trump will attend either event, sources said. France is the host of this year’s G7, with a leaders’ summit in the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains at the foot ‌of the French Alps scheduled for June 15-17 – dates that Macron has already moved to accommodate a mixed martial arts event Trump is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349688/macron-woos-trump-g7-summit-versailles-palace-dinner-will-he-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349688/macron-woos-trump-g7-summit-versailles-palace-dinner-will-he-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:35:07 +0000 Orange Wang,Yuanyue Dang Orange Wang,Yuanyue Dang The US-Israel war on Iran could push Nato closer to becoming a “nominal” alliance, although it was unlikely to disband any time soon, a Chinese observer said. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised the transatlantic defence alliance since returning to the White House last year, accusing allies of “free‑riding” on US security and demanding greater military and financial contributions. That rhetoric has only intensified in recent weeks, with accusations that Nato was failing to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349551/will-trumps-iran-war-loyalty-test-spell-end-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349551/will-trumps-iran-war-loyalty-test-spell-end-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Thursday that he represents a proud nation seeking to maintain global order, pushing back against the latest comments about ‌the Arctic island by US President Donald Trump. Trump on Wednesday vented his frustration with Nato as relations reached a crisis point over the Iran war, stating that the military alliance was not around when needed, and that he still ⁠remembered Greenland, a “BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE”. “What is important ‌for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349563/greenland-hits-back-trump-amid-nato-tensions-were-not-some-piece-ice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349563/greenland-hits-back-trump-amid-nato-tensions-were-not-some-piece-ice?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:31:12 +0000 Jianxi Liu Jianxi Liu “We’ve had some very bad allies in Nato,” US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, warning Washington could walk away from the transatlantic alliance unless allies fall in line with his Iran policy. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte plans to visit the United States soon to stabilise the alliance. The timing is stark: Trump’s latest threat comes as several European capitals have openly refused to back Washington’s campaign to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, with some blocking the US from using... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348563/closing-airspace-us-europe-opens-existential-debate-over-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348563/closing-airspace-us-europe-opens-existential-debate-over-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that a military operation to liberate the Strait of Hormuz is “unrealistic”, while lamenting Donald Trump’s differing daily statements on the Iran war and Nato. “There are those who advocate for the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz by force through a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the United States,” Macron said during a visit to South Korea. “I say sometimes because it has varied, it is never the option we have chosen... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348842/frances-macron-says-military-operation-liberate-strait-hormuz-unrealistic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348842/frances-macron-says-military-operation-liberate-strait-hormuz-unrealistic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:51:47 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Yuanyue Dang Khushboo Razdan,Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared the US‑Israel war against Iran had delivered “decisive, overwhelming victories”, even as he signalled that key military objectives were still “nearing completion” and that further strikes could inflict heavy damage on targets in the country. “We are going to hit them extremely hard. Over the next two to three weeks, we are going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing,” he said in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3348727/trump-declares-decisive-overwhelming-victory-iran-war-signals-end-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3348727/trump-declares-decisive-overwhelming-victory-iran-war-signals-end-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:22:04 +0000 Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa The United States attacked Iran without consulting its European allies. President Donald Trump assumed the operation would be a quick win, over before anyone had to take a position. Instead, Washington answered a question Western governments had long avoided. After years of pushing Nato towards confrontation with China, would the transatlantic alliance fight a war it had not chosen together? The answer was no. Iran and Taiwan are different cases. One sits on Europe’s wider periphery and carries... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348047/what-iran-war-reveals-about-natos-appetite-conflict-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348047/what-iran-war-reveals-about-natos-appetite-conflict-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US may need to reassess its relationship with Nato after the Iran war is finished, calling the military alliance’s alleged lack of support during the Middle East conflict “very disappointing”. Rubio assailed Nato members for denying access to military bases, following prior criticism from US President Donald Trump that partners in the security bloc are “cowards” and that the alliance is a “paper tiger”. “The president and our country will have to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348486/us-may-reassess-nato-ties-after-iran-war-ends-rubio-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348486/us-may-reassess-nato-ties-after-iran-war-ends-rubio-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:33:44 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is seeking broader defence cooperation with Nato’s European members, even as US President Donald Trump remains critical of the transatlantic security alliance’s lack of involvement over the Middle East war. While some observers say the move dovetails with the long-standing security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, Nato’s dominant member, others argue that Manila could face a “strategic dilemma” if its ties with the 32-member alliance are contrary to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:29:06 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing’s long-standing geopolitical playbook – stay in your lane, avoid military entanglement, prepare exhaustively and issue bland “win-win” statements about the UN charter and calls to talk not fight – could see China emerge favourably from the Iran war, said economists, analysts and former US officials, as the conflict enters its fourth week with little end in sight and the US barrelling ahead. “People always say that China doesn’t understand the Mideast,” said Jeremy Chan, senior analyst... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen handed in her coalition government’s resignation on Wednesday after suffering a massive election defeat, but could still emerge as leader of a new cabinet in the coming weeks. Analysts say the result was a voter revolt over broken economic promises of the outgoing centrist government and ‌a sign that the electorate was tired of Frederiksen as a leader after seven years in power. Frederiksen’s Social Democratic Party had its worst election since 1903 on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347777/danish-pm-mette-frederiksens-left-wing-bloc-wins-election-falls-short-majority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347777/danish-pm-mette-frederiksens-left-wing-bloc-wins-election-falls-short-majority?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:54:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Slovenia’s incumbent liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob claimed victory in parliamentary elections on Sunday, as results put his party just slightly ahead of the conservatives. Golob took over from Donald Trump admirer Janez Jansa as a political newcomer in 2022, leading a three-party centre-left coalition in the country of 2 million people. The race was expected to be tight, and foreign interference claims shook the campaign, with authorities probing whether an Israeli company was behind... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347477/slovenians-vote-race-between-pro-trump-nationalist-and-liberal-incumbent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347477/slovenians-vote-race-between-pro-trump-nationalist-and-liberal-incumbent?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:25:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters President ⁠Donald Trump assailed ⁠Nato allies on Friday ⁠over their lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran, calling the long-time US allies “cowards”. “Without the U.S.A., Nato IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump said in a social media post. Trump has ‌been calling for major US allies and others, none of whom were consulted or advised on the war, to help secure the safety of shipping through the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has roiled global markets, killed thousands and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:50:36 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday appeared to get off to a good start as the two touted the bilateral relationship and pledged to work cooperatively on trade, stabilising the global energy market and regional security. Takaichi was the first US ally to meet face to face with the mercurial president, amid concern that he would take out his anger on her for the large number of security partners who have declined to help... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347220/trump-talks-japanese-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-positive-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3347220/trump-talks-japanese-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-positive-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:21:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters Peace talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine on ending the Ukraine war, the deadliest European conflict since World War II, were on a “situational pause”, the Kremlin said on Thursday. Moscow’s statement followed a report by Russia’s Izvestia newspaper that the Iran war had temporarily ‌halted negotiations between ⁠Moscow, ⁠Washington and Kyiv. Kremlin ‌spokesman Dmitry Peskov said ‌Russia hoped ‌the ‌pause would end and ⁠another round of ⁠negotiations can be held. US President... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347151/russian-report-says-ukraine-peace-talks-paused-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347151/russian-report-says-ukraine-peace-talks-paused-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:27:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters When US President Donald Trump ⁠asked countries to join a global effort against Iran and deploy ships to prise open the Strait of Hormuz, whose near closure has held the global economy in a vice, he was rebuffed by some of America’s closest allies. Using unusually blunt language, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told his country’s lawmakers on Wednesday that he agreed Iran must not be allowed to pose a threat to its neighbours but expressed doubts about the rationale behind the US-Israeli... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347086/europe-says-no-trumps-iran-demands-not-our-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:12:55 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A delegation from China’s People’s Liberation Army will travel to Brussels next week for talks with the European Union and Nato amid heightened concerns over global security caused by the war in Iran. The EU-China Security and Defence Consultations will take place next Tuesday, official sources confirmed, with the talks between Nato and the PLA’s Office for International Military Cooperation scheduled for the same week. On the EU side, the talks will be chaired by Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347063/chinese-military-set-eu-and-nato-talks-iran-war-reshapes-global-security-picture?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:22:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia and Iran “brothers in hatred” on Tuesday as he sought support from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran conflict has robbed momentum from US-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During talks with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies not to forget about his country and suggested the US and others should make use of Ukraine’s anti-drone technology during a Middle East war that has also... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346941/zelensky-starmer-urge-continued-support-ukraine-iran-conflict-steals-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:43:37 +0000 Agencies Agencies Military escorts to protect tankers in the Strait of Hormuz are not a sustainable solution, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). “It reduces the risk, but the risk is still there,” IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez told the Financial Times. He said that a military deployment was “not a long-term or sustainable solution”. US President Donald Trump has called for an international naval operation off the Iranian coast to secure oil shipments, saying at the weekend that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346889/military-escort-tankers-strait-hormuz-not-long-term-fix-imo-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346889/military-escort-tankers-strait-hormuz-not-long-term-fix-imo-head?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:17:41 +0000 Tian Shichen Tian Shichen With the Middle East ablaze and war in Ukraine showing no sign of respite, a stark new consensus is hardening in Paris, London and Berlin that Europe must rearm. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron signalled a pivotal shift in deterrence by announcing an increase in the nation’s nuclear warheads and a “forward deterrence” plan. This follows a rare joint appeal from the British and German defence chiefs, who urged Europeans to build a moral and strategic case for a massive surge in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346554/europe-says-it-must-rearm-what-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346554/europe-says-it-must-rearm-what-end?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Serbia’s president confirmed late on Thursday that his country possesses Chinese supersonic surface-attack cruise missiles, after photos of the weapons attached to Serbian fighter jets leaked online. Photos, which began circulating on social media and defence blogs earlier this week, showed missiles believed to be Chinese-made CM-400AKG cruise missiles attached to Serbia’s Russian-made MiG-29 planes. “We have things we do not show,” President Aleksandar Vucic told Serbia’s national broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346420/serbian-president-confirms-his-country-owns-chinese-supersonic-missiles-after-photo-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346420/serbian-president-confirms-his-country-owns-chinese-supersonic-missiles-after-photo-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:47:46 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran towards Turkey on Monday, according to a statement by the Defence Ministry, raising the risk that the military alliance could be drawn more directly into the conflict in the Middle East. It follows a similar interception on March 4, after which Nato said it strengthened its missile-defence posture in the region. Debris from the munition landed in Gaziantep province in southern Turkey, around 150km (93 miles)... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346012/nato-intercepts-iran-missile-fired-towards-turkey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346012/nato-intercepts-iran-missile-fired-towards-turkey?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:47:50 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain What began as a US-Israeli assault on Iran is rapidly evolving into a conflict with the potential to spread far beyond the Middle East. Iranian missiles and drones have already struck or reached Turkey and Azerbaijan, while European powers are rushing additional warships, fighter jets and air defences to the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf to contain the fallout. Analysts warn the longer the war continues, the greater the risk that long-simmering regional fault lines – from Kurdish militancy to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Spain’s Pedro Sanchez has once again emerged as Europe’s most consistently vocal critic of US President Donald Trump, drawing his ire for refusing to allow the American military to stage operations for its attacks on Iran from Spanish military bases. Trump lashed out at the Spanish prime minister on Tuesday, saying he would “cut off all trade with Spain” in retaliation for the affront. The spat intensified the next day when Spain’s foreign minister contradicted a claim by the White House press... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345676/european-leader-defying-trump-and-his-attacks-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345676/european-leader-defying-trump-and-his-attacks-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:23:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters Azerbaijan warned on Thursday that it was preparing unspecified response measures after a pair of Iranian drones flew across its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave, raising concern about further spillover of the ‌conflict in the Middle East. “These attacks will not remain unanswered,” the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said in a statement. It added that it was investigating the types of drones used in the attack, and “preparing the necessary response measures to protect the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3345600/azerbaijan-vows-respond-after-iranian-drones-injure-4?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3345600/azerbaijan-vows-respond-after-iranian-drones-injure-4?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:46:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by Nato air defence systems, Turkish officials said on Wednesday. The defence ministry said it had been “engaged and neutralised by Nato air-and-missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean”. It did not specify the missile’s intended target. A Turkish official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the missile had been “aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345473/turkey-says-missile-launched-iran-destroyed-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345473/turkey-says-missile-launched-iran-destroyed-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:52:34 +0000 Mark Magnier,Xinmei Shen,Finbarr Bermingham,Lucy Quaggin Mark Magnier,Xinmei Shen,Finbarr Bermingham,Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump used a White House meeting with the German Chancellor on Tuesday to blast European allies, praise China, waffle on tariffs and argue that the attack he launched against Iran prevented a nuclear war. Attended by Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that his order to attack Iran even as negotiations were under way was justified. “If we didn’t do what... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345327/trump-says-hell-cut-trade-spain-over-iran-war-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345327/trump-says-hell-cut-trade-spain-over-iran-war-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:25:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Turkish Journalists’ Union (TGS) on Sunday demanded the release of three journalists arrested in connection with footage filmed near a sensitive airbase that hosts US troops in southern Turkey. The footage was shot near the Incirlik airbase for Turkey’s independent Anka news agency as Israel and the US began striking Iran, which retaliated with missile barrages against Gulf states hosting US bases, and against Israel. The Turkish base, which has hosted US troops for decades, is a key Nato... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345049/turkish-journalists-jailed-filming-near-nato-base-hosting-us-troops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345049/turkish-journalists-jailed-filming-near-nato-base-hosting-us-troops?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:51:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A new Dutch government took power on Monday, with 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten sworn in as the country’s youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay one. Jetten pulled off a stunning election win in October, coming from behind to dethrone the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by firebrand politician Geert Wilders by a razor-thin margin. The snap election was called after the PVV withdrew from the previous coalition, the Netherlands’ most right-wing government in recent history,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344354/new-dutch-government-under-centrist-jetten-takes-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344354/new-dutch-government-under-centrist-jetten-takes-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:20:58 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Five European nations have announced a new programme to produce low-cost air defence systems and autonomous drones using Ukrainian expertise hard-won over the past four years of war against Russia. Friday’s initiative of the E5 nations – France, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy – comes as one of many European efforts to bolster defence along their borders, like a “drone wall” with Russia and Ukraine to better detect, track and intercept drones violating Europe’s airspace. Both... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344210/5-european-nations-make-drones-tapping-ukraines-war-experience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344210/5-european-nations-make-drones-tapping-ukraines-war-experience?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:31:41 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The global order has outgrown itself. The 2026 Munich Security Report describes this moment as a period of “wrecking-ball politics”, in which the post-war order constructed in 1945 is “under destruction”. However, that order was designed for a world shaped by bipolar rivalry and later sustained by American predominance. Today’s global system looks very different: economically diffuse, environmentally constrained and politically fragmented but deeply interconnected by both trade and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343875/its-time-global-governance-reflect-new-realities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343875/its-time-global-governance-reflect-new-realities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Munich Security Conference that it would be “geopolitical malpractice” not to talk to China, as he pledged that Washington would carefully manage its differences with Beijing. “Because we’re two large countries with huge global interests, our national interests will often not align,” Rubio told the event in a keynote address on Saturday morning. “We owe it to the world to try to manage those as best we can, obviously avoiding conflict, both economic and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343577/rubio-european-allies-our-destiny-will-be-intertwined-yours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343577/rubio-european-allies-our-destiny-will-be-intertwined-yours?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:13:34 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall North Korea’s claim that Japan has crossed a diplomatic “red line” by deepening its security partnerships is less about Tokyo’s defence policies than Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election victory, analysts say, as a weaker mandate may have pushed her towards negotiations with Pyongyang. With a commanding majority secured in Sunday’s poll, Takaichi now faces fewer domestic constraints as she signals plans to expand defence cooperation with Western partners and potentially push ahead... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343322/why-takaichis-japan-election-victory-has-sparked-north-koreas-childish-fury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343322/why-takaichis-japan-election-victory-has-sparked-north-koreas-childish-fury?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nato said on Wednesday that it had launched a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, part of an effort to defuse severe tensions within the alliance prompted by US President Donald Trump’s push for the US to acquire Greenland. The new mission, Arctic Sentry, will coordinate an increasing military presence of Nato allies in the region, including exercises such as Denmark’s Arctic Endurance on Greenland, the ‌alliance’s military headquarters said in a statement. Nato did not quantify... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343235/nato-launches-arctic-sentry-mission-bid-ease-greenland-tensions-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343235/nato-launches-arctic-sentry-mission-bid-ease-greenland-tensions-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:44:52 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Luuk van Middelaar is the director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, a think tank he co-founded in 2022. A political theorist and historian by trade, he has written several books and was in the cabinet of the first European Council president Herman Van Rompuy. Van Middelaar is widely read and cited across Europe for his analysis of the EU’s political evolution, with his books translated into many languages and awarded major European literary prizes. He writes regularly for leading... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342650/europe-must-act-fast-trumps-more-brutal-new-world-order-luuk-van-middelaar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342650/europe-must-act-fast-trumps-more-brutal-new-world-order-luuk-van-middelaar?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:00:30 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canada and France, which both oppose US President Donald Trump’s claim to Greenland, opened consulates in the Danish autonomous territory’s capital on Friday, in a show of support for the local government. Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has insisted that Washington needs to control the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island for security reasons. Trump last month backed off threats to seize Greenland after saying he had struck a “framework” deal with Nato chief Mark Rutte to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:54:04 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Combine three wary nations, deep historical mistrust, rapid technological change, the most destructive weapons ever developed and a US unwilling to extend Thursday’s last formal nuclear weapons guardrail, and you have the ingredients for much worse geopolitical tension, if not a slide towards global disaster, warn nuclear weapons negotiators, analysts and former government officials. While Moscow has offered to formally extend its New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) with the US for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:02:50 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Luuk van Middelaar is the director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, a think tank he co-founded in 2022. A political theorist and historian by trade, he has written several books and was in the cabinet of the first European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy. Van Middelaar is widely read and cited across Europe for his analysis of the EU’s political evolution, with his books translated into many languages and awarded major European literary prizes. He writes regularly for leading... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/europe/article/3342456/historian-trumps-new-world-order-ukraine-war-and-europe-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/europe/article/3342456/historian-trumps-new-world-order-ukraine-war-and-europe-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 04:20:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nato said on Tuesday that military planning has started for a new mission to bolster security in the Arctic, after US President Donald Trump made protecting the region central to his demands for Greenland. “Planning is under way for a Nato enhanced vigilance activity, named Arctic Sentry,” said Martin O’Donnell, a spokesman for Nato’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. “The activity will even further strengthen Nato’s posture in the Arctic and High North,” he added, without providing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342290/nato-starts-planning-arctic-military-mission-amid-greenland-row-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342290/nato-starts-planning-arctic-military-mission-amid-greenland-row-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:02:32 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi At this turbulent crossroads of 2026, the global order is undergoing a major paradigm shift. This is signalled most vividly by a wave of Western leaders visiting Beijing. From British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s historic mission last week – the first visit by a UK prime minister in eight years – to the high-profile arrivals of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo last month, a clear pattern of strategic recalibration has emerged. These moves represent a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342113/american-allies-are-finally-hedging-against-american-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342113/american-allies-are-finally-hedging-against-american-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:30:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The mayor of Greenland’s capital on Thursday called on media professionals and content creators to act responsibly after a failed attempt by a German comedian to hoist the US flag. Bavarian comedian Maxi Schafroth, 41, attempted to run up the Stars and Stripes on a flagpole near the cultural centre in Nuuk before he was confronted by angry passers-by. When questioned, he claimed to be a US official before leaving to disapproving looks from locals, according to a journalist at the scene. He was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341745/greenland-mayor-issues-warning-after-us-flag-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341745/greenland-mayor-issues-warning-after-us-flag-stunt?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:38:36 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian At Davos, US President Donald Trump declared he had “always had a very good relationship with President Xi” Jinping, calling the Chinese leader “an incredible man”, “highly respected by everybody”. Trump also praised TikTok’s decision to transfer parts of its US business to a consortium of US investors, thanking Xi on social media. This broadly friendly rhetoric is likely to be a signal of Washington’s keen interest in finalising a trade deal with the world’s second-largest economy. Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341461/trumps-power-politics-paving-way-g2-world-order-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341461/trumps-power-politics-paving-way-g2-world-order-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +0000