Europe's leaders to hold Ukraine talks at 'turning point in history'

BRUSSELS, Belgium

EU leaders gather in Brussels on Thursday for a special council on defence, as France's President Emmanuel Macron warned that the continent was at a "turning point of history".

As well as rearmament, leaders are expected to discuss how the body can further support Kyiv in the face of US President Donald Trump's announcement on Monday that he would suspend aid to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is invited to the summit.

Nerves have grown increasingly frayed across Europe since Trump and Zelensky's showdown at the White House last week, and the rhetoric around Thursday's summit leaves no doubt about the importance EU officials are ascribing to it.

Three years on since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Trump administration's overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin have left many in Europe concerned the continent would not be able to rely on US support for its security.

Washington's decision on Wednesday to pause intelligence sharing with Ukraine did nothing to allay those worries.

In a sign of the depth of concern, President Macron said France was open to discussing extending the protection offered by its nuclear arsenal to its European partners, during an address to the nation on Wednesday.

That followed a call from Friedrich Merz, likely to be Germany's next chancellor, to discuss increased nuclear sharing.

Europe was facing a "clear and present danger on a scale that none of us have seen in our adult lifetime", European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said, while European Council President António Costa said this was a "defining moment for Ukraine and European security".

In a letter to European leaders, von der Leyen also said the continent had to "meet the moment" and "unleash our industrial and productive power and direct it to the goal of security".

On Monday, von der Leyen announced an unprecedented defence package - dubbed ReArm Europe - and said that Europe was ready to "massively" boost its defence spending "with the speed and the ambition that is needed".

Von der Leyen said the three proposals outlined in the ReArm Europe plan would both support Ukraine and "address the long-term need to take much more responsibility" for European security - likely referring to the fact many Europeans feel the continent can no longer automatically rely on the US to come to its aid.

The proposals include:

• Allowing countries to increase national deficit levels to give room for more defence spending
• €150bn (£125bn) in loans for defence investment in domains that could benefit the defence of the EU as a whole - for example, air and missile defence, anti-drone systems, and military mobility - helping pool demand, and reduce costs through joint procurement
• Allowing countries to redirect funds earmarked for cohesion policy programmes (policies aimed at levelling the differences between more and less advantaged regions) to defence spending

The European Investment Bank would also be allowed to finance military projects.

Support for Ukraine will be at the centre of Thursday's summit

According to von der Leyen, the plan could free up a total of €800bn ($860bn; £670bn) in defence expenditure.

Many European leaders have signalled their support for swift, decisive action in regards to the continent's security.

Donald Tusk, Poland's prime minister, said the Commission's plan represented "a fundamental shift", while Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that the summit would give Europe the opportunity to show "whether it's just a debate club or whether we can make decisions".

But dissent from certain European leaders sympathetic to Moscow is expected.

Earlier this week, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said the EU's "peace through strength" approach was "unrealistic".

And in a letter to Costa, Hungary's Viktor Orban demanded that Ukraine not be mentioned in any written conclusions following the summit.

Orban - who has repeatedly attempted to block EU aid to Ukraine and has praised Trump for "standing bravely for peace" - said there was now a "strategic divide... between the majority of Europe and the USA".

"One side insists on prolonging the war in Ukraine, while the other seeks an end to the conflict," he added.

Yet Orban left the door open for a "greater probability for cooperation" with other leaders over issues of common security and defence.

While Thursday's crisis summit is taking place in Brussels, UK Defence Secretary John Healey will be in Washington for discussions with his counterpart Pete Hegseth on the US decision to pause intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Their bilateral meeting will focus on a possible peace plan while efforts continue to bridge a transatlantic rift over Kyiv's future security.

Perhaps in a final bid to try and achieve unity ahead of the summit, Emmanuel Macron - who has positioned himself at the centre of the EU's efforts to bridge the gap between Kyiv and Washington - invited Orban to have dinner in Paris on Wednesday evening.

The two leaders met immediately after the French president gave a sombre address to the nation in which he said that France and Europe needed to be ready if the US was no longer by their side.

"We have to be united and determined to protect ourselves," Macron said. He added that the future of Europe could not be tied to Washington or Moscow, and said that while he "wanted to believe that the US will stay by our side, we have to be ready for this not to be the case".

The French president plans to hold a meeting of European army chiefs in Paris next week.

Macron said that "decisive steps" would be taken in Brussels, leaving European countries "more ready to defend and protect themselves".

"The moment calls for unprecedented decisions," he concluded.

UN backs Arab plan for Gaza as US, Israel voice opposition

CAIRO, Egypt

Arab leaders have approved a reconstruction plan for Gaza, spearheaded by Egypt in collaboration with Palestine. The initiative, now an official Arab League proposal, rejects any forced displacement of Palestinians and outlines a structured path for rebuilding the war-torn enclave.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit emphasized the significance of the plan, stating: “Presenting a clear, practical and realistic alternative for the proposal of displacing Palestinians, which is a plan prepared by Egypt in cooperation with Palestine and it became, after its approval by the summit minutes ago, an Arab plan that is completely approved by all Arab countries, societies and nation.”

The plan includes clearing debris, restoring essential services, and securing international funding through a trust overseen by the World Bank.

It also proposes long-term urban development, including green housing, industrial zones, and key transportation projects such as a commercial port and airport.

Beyond reconstruction, the initiative aims to establish a new political and security framework for Gaza. Aboul Gheit highlighted this, saying: “The plan is not only a technical plan but also draws a new political and security path in Gaza.” 

He also stressed that the framework preserves Gaza’s legal status as part of a future Palestinian state alongside the West Bank.

Egypt will host an international conference in cooperation with the United Nations to coordinate global support.

The Arab League has also called on the UN Security Council to deploy an international peacekeeping force in Gaza and the West Bank to stabilize the region.

Army surrounds South Sudan's vice president's home as his allies are arrested

JUBA, South Sudan

South Sudanese soldiers surrounded First Vice President Riek Machar's home in the capital on Wednesday and several of his allies were arrested after an armed group allied to him overran an army base in the country's north.

Machar (pictured above), whose political rivalry with President Salva Kiir has in the past exploded into civil war, said last month that the firing of several of his allies from posts in the government threatened the 2018 peace deal between him and Kiir that ended a five-year civil war in which more than 400,000 people were killed.

Deputy army chief Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, also loyal to Machar, was detained Tuesday over the fighting in the north, while Machar ally and Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol was arrested Wednesday alongside his bodyguards and family. No reason was given for the arrests.

Neither Machar nor his SPLM-IO party has commented about the fighting, but Water Minister Pal Mai Deng, who is also the party's spokesperson, said Lam's detention “puts the entire peace agreement at risk.”

Western envoys last week urged leaders to de-escalate the tension.

Ter Manyang Gatwich, executive director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy, has called for the immediate release of those detained to avert further escalation of violence and further bloodshed from degenerating into what he called a "full-scale war."

South Sudan is yet to fully implement the 2018 peace agreement and elections that were scheduled for last year but were postponed by two years due to a lack of funds.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 06/03/2025

 

"If war is what US wants.....China is ready" - Chinese government

BEIJING, China

In a sharp retort to US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs charge, the Chinese embassy in the US said Beijing is ready to "fight till the end" in any type of war the US wants. 

"If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end," the Chinese embassy's official handle posted on X after Trump's explosive remarks in a joint session at Congress.

Trump said other countries have used tariffs against the US for decades. " Now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada. Have you heard of them? And countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. It's very unfair. India charges us auto tariffs higher than 100%. China's average tariff on our products is twice what we charge them. And South Korea's average tariff is four times higher," he said.

"This is happening by friend and foe. This system is not fair to the United States and never was... That's reciprocal back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them," he said.

Trump has increased previously imposed 10 per cent levies on Chinese goods to 20 per cent. China has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization against the US.

"The United States' unilateral tax measures seriously violate WTO rules and undermine the foundation of China-US economic and trade cooperation," Beijing's commerce ministry said in a statement.

While imposing the tariffs, Trump accused China of not doing enough to halt the trafficking of fentanyl and other highly potent opioids into the US.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has contested this.

"The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise US tariffs on Chinese imports. The US, not anyone else, is responsible for the #FentanylCrisis inside the US. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the US in dealing with the issue. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the US has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes," it said in a statement.

The statement further stated that “Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals.”

US deports Rwandan Genocide convict

KIGALI, Rwanda

The Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) on Tuesday, March 4, confirmed the deportation of Ahmed Napoleon Mbonyunkiza from the United States.

Mbonyunkiza, 57, was deported after serving a 15-year prison sentence in the U.S. for sexual assault-related offenses.

He was, in 2007, tried and convicted, in absentia, by the Nyakabanda Gacaca Court for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

In a statement, NPPA commended U.S. judicial authorities for their cooperation in deporting genocide fugitives and for their continued support in legal matters.

“NPPA commends the U.S.A. judicial authorities for their cooperation in deporting genocide fugitives, their ongoing assistance in matters of mutual legal support, and their contribution to the global fight against impunity,” the statement reads.

His deportation is part of ongoing international efforts to bring genocide perpetrators to justice.

Rwanda faults Germany for halting aid deal

KIGALI, Rwanda

Rwanda has faulted Germany’s decision to halt its new development aid, terming it as “politicization’ of its development cooperation.

The Rwandan government said the move is counterproductive and harmful to regional stability.

In a statement, it stated that Germany had contradicted its own claims of supporting the African–led process to resolve the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Rwanda said this was done by letting DRC off the hook for numerous alleged violations, which only needlessly prolonged the conflict.

“For a country which prides itself on taking seriously the warning signs of ethnic extremism, Germany shows an utter lack of courage by ignoring the threat posed by DRC-backed FDLR genocidal militias to Rwanda, as well as to Congolese Tutsi communities in eastern DRC,” Rwanda said.

The African nation added that countries like Germany that bear a historical responsibility for the recurring instability in the region, should know better than to apply one-sided, coercive measures.

“Rwanda will continue to protect its national security while remaining fully engaged in the ongoing regional peace process,” it stated.

On Tuesday, Germany halted the aid, saying it is reviewing its existing commitments in response to Rwanda’s role in the conflict in Congo.

"In coordination with partners, Germany will further restrict bilateral cooperation with Rwanda," a statement by Germany said.

It stated that Berlin had informed Rwanda in advance, of the move and urged it to withdraw any alleged support for the M23 rebel group, which has made advances in Congo.

“It was also underlined when communicating the decision that Rwandan security concerns must be taken seriously and that Germany is also in contact with the Congolese side regarding these concerns,” the statement read.

According to German development ministry, the country last pledged aid of 93.6 million euros ($98 million) to Rwanda in October 2022 for the period 2022 to 2024.

The Europe's 'coalition of the willing' for the Ukraine?

PARIS, France

When European leaders meet for a summit addressing Ukraine on Thursday, it won't be the first time they've recently gathered to discuss European defense and support for Kyiv.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted two groups of top politicians, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a security summit on Sunday following a contentious meeting in the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his US counterpart Donald Trump.

For London and Paris, brokering a peace agreement is top priority, particularly since Trump's announcement late Monday that the US would stop military aid for Ukraine. 

Macron has already hinted at further details. For example, he told French daily Le Figaro, one step toward a possible truce could be a one-month ceasefire "in the air, at sea and in the area of energy infrastructure."

Paris and London intend to work on the peace plan together with one or two other states, Starmer announced Sunday. The detailed plan would then be presented to the United States.

Starmer is banking on a "coalition of the willing" to secure a possible peace plan militarily. Some states already declared themselves ready to participate.

While it is not yet clear which countries would take part and in what capacity, some initial indications are trickling in.

Some two weeks ago, Starmer indicated that he was prepared to secure a possible peace agreement with British troops.

France has also shown itself open to the peacekeeping deployment of troops to Ukraine.

Both countries insist that such a deployment must be backed by the United States.

In the past, the Netherlands and Sweden have also shown themselves to be open to participating in the deployment of troops.

However, according to the German press agency dpa, Macron has clarified that European soldiers would only be deployed in the event of a stable ceasefire — not during the initial truce.

Following an earlier summit in Paris, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his opposition to the deployment of troops as long as the conflict was ongoing.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also said in Paris that she was open to the idea in principle but a number of details needed to be clarified in advance.

Current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his "irritation" when the discussion arose and emphasized that he thought it was premature to discuss which nations would enforce a ceasefire before Russia and Ukraine even met to negotiate the terms of a truce.

Friedrich Merz, probably Germany's next chancellor, expressed a similar view.

So far, however, neither Scholz nor Merz has ruled out the deployment of the German armed forces in Ukraine. 

UK will not pay Rwanda more for scrapped migrant deal

LONDON, England

The United Kingdom government has said it will not send further payments to Rwanda following the cancellation of the migrant deal between the two countries.

On Monday, Rwanda's government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the UK had asked Rwanda to "quietly forgo" the remaining payment - reportedly amounting to £50m ($64m) - based on "trust and good faith".

However, Rwanda has now asked the UK to pay the remainder of the money it says it is owed, accusing the UK of breaching trust by suspending some aid to the country.

In a statement, a UK government spokesperson said that "no further payments in relation to this policy will be made and Rwanda has waived any additional payments".

The row over payments linked to the Rwanda scheme comes after the UK government announced it would halt bilateral aid to the east African country last month, except for "support to the poorest and most vulnerable".

The UK took the decision to cut aid after accusing the country of supporting M23, a rebel group that has captured swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a deadly uprising.

The aid cuts have amounted to "unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security", Makolo said on Monday.

Rwanda has often denied backing the M23 rebel group, but has recently been more defensive, saying it has had to take measures to deal with the "existential threat" posed by genocidal militia near its borders.

UN experts have previously estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops are in eastern DR Congo.

Makolo said Rwanda would now be "following up" on outstanding payments relating to the migrant deal to which the UK was "legally bound".

The plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda, devised by the previous Conservative government in 2022, cost the UK £240m ($310m) before being scrapped by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Speaking in July last year, shortly after being elected, Starmer said the plan was "dead and buried", arguing that the scheme had "never been a deterrent" and would only deport "less than 1%" of small boat arrivals.

In a statement, a UK government spokesperson said: "The Home Secretary has been clear that the costly Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda wasted tax-payer money and should not continue."

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 05/03/2025