Russia > No plans to attack EU or NATO - Estonian Intelligence

 

Russia not planning to attack NATO – Estonian intelligence

The assessment comes as European members of the bloc have begun building up their militaries, citing what they claim is a threat from Moscow

FILE PHOTO: The Friendship Bridge at the Russian-Estonian border. ©  Getty Images / Magdalena Chodownik

Moscow poses no threat to Estonia in the coming years, the NATO member’s Foreign Intelligence Service (EFIS) has concluded in its annual report. The document was published as the US-led military bloc’s European members are conducting a massive military buildup, citing an alleged Russian threat.

Western officials have long used the threat of allegedly looming Russian aggression to justify military spending spikes such as Brussels’ €800 billion ($948 billion) ReArm Europe plan and NATO members’ pledge to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP. Moscow has rejected any claims it poses a threat to NATO as “nonsense.”

The EFIS sees no risk of a Russian attack and is “likely to reach a similar assessment next year,” it concluded in its annual threat assessment report published on Tuesday. “There is… no cause for panic,” concludes the report, which is almost entirely dedicated to assessing Russian policies and the state of its military.

Read more

 Russia will not attack EU or NATO unless struck first – Lavrov

“Russia has no intention of militarily attacking Estonia or any other NATO member state in the coming year,” it added.

The report contradicts the claims made by various European officials, including German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who repeatedly stated that NATO and Germany in particular should be ready for a Russian attack in the coming years.

The claims have been used to press Europe’s biggest economy to speed up its militarization drive and overhaul its armed forces as Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed to transform its military into the “strongest conventional army in Europe.”

Moscow has repeatedly denied any plans to attack NATO and ridiculed Western politicians over claiming the opposite. Last week, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia has “no reason” to attack the EU or NATO unless attacked first.

In January, the minister also said that it is European NATO members that “are seriously preparing for war against the Russian Federation, and, in fact, are not even hiding it.”

This Week's Islamic Massacre > 24 Christians slaughtered in DRC

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Muslims praise Allah after murdering 24 Christians and burning down 20 homes

Feb 13, 2026 8:00 am By Robert Spencer5 Comments

Of course they praise Allah after murdering Christians, for the blood of the infidels is what Allah wants. “Kill them wherever you find them” (Qur’an 2:191, 4:89, 4:91, cf. 9:5).

At Least 24 Christians Dead as Islamist Violence Continues to Blight D. R. Congo

Barnabas Aid, February 11, 2026:

At least 24 Christians were killed as Islamist militants carried out new attacks in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on February 6.

Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) claimed the massacre of “21 Christians … praise be to Allah” as well as the burning down of 20 homes in the Lubero District of North Kivu Province.

In a separate social media post the terrorists celebrated the killing “with machine guns” of three Christians in the city of Beni, also in North Kivu….

M23 and ISCAP are among the many armed groups responsible for mass killings, abductions, sexual violence, and displacement across northeastern DRC.

In a recent video one of ISCAP’s leaders, Bonge La Chuma, denounced the M23 rebels as “infidels,” emphasizing ISCAP’s aim of establishing sharia (Islamic law) in DRC.

In July 2025 the Islamists demanded that Christians either convert to Islam or accept dhimmi status as subjugated people and pay the jizya tax to their conquerors.

“Let the Christians of Africa know,” the group declared, “that there is no security for you except by Islam or jizya.”

ISCAP (formerly known as the Allied Democratic Forces, or ADF) has claimed the killing of more than 800 Christians in northeastern DRC since its violence against Christian communities escalated in December 2024.

How NATO sabotaged peace in Ukraine > Follow the money

 

Follow the money - Angela Merkel stated flatly that the Minsk Accord of 2014 was designed only to stall for time as Ukraine armed itself for war with Russia. The arms coming from America, Great Britain, and Germany, primarily. Peace breaking out would have stopped the flow of arms, a condition unacceptable to NATO.

Coalition of the shilling: The UK can no longer deny it forced Kyiv to fight for years

Czech PM Andrej Babis is the latest official to accuse British ex-PM Boris Johnson of insisting that Kiev shouldn’t seek peace

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has become the latest addition to a growing chorus of Western officials who are prepared to acknowledge the role Britain and the West played in sabotaging a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine in 2022, the terms of which were far better for Kiev than those being discussed in 2026.

In an interview on Saturday, Babis – a two-time Czech prime minister and former minister of finance – confirmed that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul was “actually already concluded in April 2022” but was subsequently derailed by Britain’s then-prime minister, Boris Johnson. 

Johnson has denied his role in killing the peace deal that could have saved countless lives and spared everyone four years of warfare, dismissing it as “Kremlin propaganda.” However, a number of top Western officials, as well as Ukrainian negotiators, have testified to the contrary. 

Who has blamed Boris Johnson for consigning Ukraine to four years of conflict?

Ukrainian officials say Johnson urged them to fight

David Arakhamia, the head of Ukraine’s negotiation team in 2022, independently confirmed the sequence of events in a November 2023 interview, stating that Moscow was “prepared to end the war if we agreed to... neutrality.”

READ MORE: Secrets and Lies: This is how the West doomed Ukraine

However, after the Ukrainian delegation returned from Istanbul, “Boris Johnson came to Kiev and said that we would not sign anything with them at all, and let’s just fight."

Ukrainian media at the time also reported, citing sources close to Vladimir Zelensky, that the “possibility of talks between Zelensky and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin came to a halt” after Johnson “appeared in the capital almost without warning,” telling Ukrainian officials that Putin “should be pressured, not negotiated with,” and that the West would not provide guarantees for a peace deal.

Aleksey Arestovich, a former adviser to the Ukrainian leader and member of the 2022 delegation, has similarly stated the Istanbul round was a “completely successful negotiation.” He said a meeting between Zelensky and Putin was scheduled for April 9, 2022, to finalize it, but “the talks ended because the West decided to use Ukraine as a trap.” 

British sources confirm Johnson’s involvement

A senior UK government source told The Times in March 2022 that the Johnson government “urged” Ukraine not to “settle” or “back down” by accepting any of Russia’s terms negotiated in Istanbul, calling on Zelensky to pursue a stronger military position.

Turkish hosts cited NATO members wanting war to continue

Turkish officials hosting the talks have corroborated the external pressure. In April 2022, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that after a NATO meeting, “it was the impression that… there are those within the NATO member states that want the war to continue.”

READ MORE: Erdogan weighs in on failure of Türkiye-mediated Ukraine talks

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also confirmed in 2024 that the potential deal was blocked by London’s involvement, noting that negotiations continued until “former Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the UK withdrew his hand from the peace efforts.”

Former Israeli prime minister said West ‘interrupted’ talks

Naftali Bennett, who was prime minister of Israel at the time and negotiated with Putin at Zelensky’s request, stated in an interview with Israeli media in 2023 that the US and other Western leaders effectively blocked a Ukraine-Russia peace deal he negotiated in March 2022.

Bennett estimated that the deal had about a 50% chance of being reached. He said the West chose instead to “continue to strike Putin,” noting that virtually anything he did “was coordinated down to the last detail with the US, Germany and France.”

“They blocked it and I thought they’re wrong,” he said.

Ex-German Chancellor pointed to US

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, who participated in talks, stated in an interview in 2023 that “the Ukrainians did not agree on peace because they were not allowed to,” adding that Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov had to ask the Americans about every point.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson derailed Ukraine peace deal – key Zelensky ally

“In the end, nothing happened. My impression was that nothing could happen, because everything else was decided in Washington. That was fatal,” Schroder said.

Even Nuland has admitted it

Former US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, in a September 2024 interview, confirmed that Western governments counselled Kiev against the proposed deal. She stated that the agreement contained imbalanced military restrictions that would have left Ukraine “neutered.” Nuland said that after questions were raised, “it was at that point that it fell apart.”

Russia has been saying it all along

Since the 2022 deal fell through, Russian officials have repeatedly insisted that Johnson and the West dissuaded Kiev from agreeing to an early peace agreement and instead compelled it to pursue a military victory over Russia which never had any chance of success.

READ MORE: Putin wants to end Ukraine conflict – Tucker Carlson

In his 2024 interview with former FOX News host Tucker Carlson, Putin recalled that Russia and Ukraine had effectively already agreed on a settlement in Istanbul, with lead negotiator Arakhamia putting his preliminary signature on the document. 

But, after Russia pulled back its troops from Kiev as a sign of good will, Johnson convinced the Ukrainians that “it was better to fight Russia” and their negotiators “immediately threw all our agreements reached in Istanbul into the bin and got prepared for a longstanding armed confrontation with the help of the US and its satellites in Europe” while Zelensky legally prohibited negotiations with Moscow, Putin pointed out, calling it “ridiculous and very sad.”

Russia’s lead negotiator and presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky has also noted that the conflict could have ended within a week if Kiev had not listened to the US and UK in 2022, noting that Moscow’s terms would have been “less harsh than what we’re offering today.”

West insists all these facts are just ‘propaganda'

Despite these independent sources confirming the role of London and Washington in getting Kiev to refuse a peace deal in the first weeks of escalated hostilities, Western media outlets have continued to deny the narrative as “Russian propaganda.” 

Western ‘fact-checkers’ insist that Kiev never had any intention of agreeing to Moscow’s terms, despite reports from both sides suggesting they were both already celebrating successful negotiations, with Arestovich claiming the Ukrainian delegation had “even opened a bottle of champagne.”

Meanwhile, Johnson, who was kicked out of the UK parliament in 2023 following a slew of major scandals, has continued to insist that the decision to pull out of negotiations was ultimately Ukraine’s and that he merely cautioned Kiev against accepting unfavorable conditions.

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Latin America Rising > Labour Reforms in Argentina; US warns Peru over Chinese controlled superport

 

Argentina Senate approves labor reform amid protests

By Macarena Hermosilla

   

Argentina’s Senate approved in general terms the labor reform promoted by President Javier Milei’s government. Photo by Matias Martin Campaya/EPA

Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Argentina's Senate approved in general terms the labor reform promoted by President Javier Milei's government after a marathon session that concluded early Thursday morning, amid strong protests and clashes outside Congress.

The government secured a broad victory, 42-30. The bill will now move to the Chamber of Deputies for debate. The ruling coalition aims to bring the initiative to a vote before Feb. 27, Perfil reported.

Once the session concluded, the Office of the President released a statement on X describing the Labor Modernization Bill as "a structural reform aimed at updating a system that for decades expelled millions of Argentines from formal employment and hindered the creation of registered jobs in our country."

The initiative is considered crucial to Milei's reform agenda, which seeks to shift Argentina's heavily regulated economy toward a free-market model.

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The labor reform proposes sweeping changes to labor relations, with the stated goal of modernizing the job market, encouraging investment and reducing informality, local newspaper La Nación reported.

According to various reports, under-the-table labor in Argentina involves more than 40% of workers -- nearly 9 million people -- that reached 43.2% in the third quarter of 2025. The phenomenon is concentrated in sectors such as domestic service and construction. It is higher among young people, at 63%, and among women, generating greater levels of working poverty.

Among the central points is flexibility in hiring and dismissal conditions, changes to the calculation of severance pay and creation of specific employer-funded funds to cover future labor compensation.

These have been among the most controversial aspects of the reform, as they would remove the strong protections the country has offered for decades against unjust dismissal, which until now have allowed courts to grant substantial compensation in wrongful termination lawsuits.

The bill also modifies aspects of the workday, enabling schedules of up to 12 hours per day with compensation, adjustments to vacation rules and new forms of hiring, including part-time work and jobs for digital platforms.

In addition, the reform establishes limitations on the right to strike in activities considered essential and strengthens the priority of company-level labor agreements over sector-wide collective bargaining agreements.

At the same time, it incorporates tax incentives to promote employment formalization, reforms to the labor courts aimed at reducing litigation and tax benefits for productive investments.

While the government argues that these measures are intended to energize the economy and reduce informality, labor unions and opposition sectors warn that they could imply a loss of labor rights and have an impact on the financing of the pension system.

The vote occurred in a climate of high tension in the vicinity of Congress in Buenos Aires, Infobae reported, with demonstrations and clashes between groups of protesters and security forces lasting several hours.

The protests, mainly called by unions linked to Peronism that describe the initiative as "enslaving," led to incidents that included the use of tear gas and rubber bullets by police.

Opponents of the measure say the reform includes what they describe as a worsening of rights related to vacations, leave and sick days, as well as an increase in working hours.

They also argue that it targets the country's long history of labor struggle, as it limits union rights and the right to strike.

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U.S. warns Peru as court allows China to run port with less oversight

By Macarena Hermosilla

   

The Chancay megaport opens a door to China on the shores of Lima, Peru, and is a key stop on the new silk route in South America, as well as a hope for Peru's development. File Photo by Paolo Aguilar

Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. government issued a warning to Peru after a judicial ruling limited that nation's oversight over the Chancay megaport, one of the country's main port infrastructures operated by China's Cosco Shipping.

"We are concerned by recent reports indicating Peru may be unable to oversee Chancay, one of its most important ports, under the jurisdiction of predatory Chinese owners," the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said in a statement posted on X.

The publication underscored "Peru's sovereign right to supervise critical infrastructure in its own territory" and questioned the origin of investment in the megaport located north of Lima.

"Let this serve as a warning to the region and the world: cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty," the U.S. authority said.

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In recent years, Beijing has expanded its presence in strategic sectors, such as infrastructure, energy and technology, across Latin America -- a trend that has drawn concern among U.S. policymakers.

Chancay, opened in 2024, aims to become a key logistics hub linking South America with Asia. The project has been presented as a milestone for Peruvian trade and part of China's growing footprint in regional port infrastructure.

The State Department's statement followed a ruling by a Peruvian court that limited the authority of the Organismo Supervisor de la Inversión en Infraestructura de Transporte de Uso Público, known as Ositran, the national transport infrastructure regulator, over the Chancay terminal, according to local outlet RPP Noticias.

The decision upheld an injunction awarded to Cosco Shipping Ports, the Chinese state-owned majority shareholder in the port. The company argued that Chancay was fully financed with private capital, operates without a state concession contract and functions under an administrative authorization granted by Peru's National Port Authority.

The ruling ordered Ositran to refrain from regulating, supervising, auditing or sanctioning activities at the port. It said subjecting the terminal to that regulatory framework would violate the claimant company's constitutional rights to property, free enterprise and legal certainty, according to newspaper La República.

The court also said that public use is a functional characteristic of port services, but does not automatically trigger the legal framework applied to state-concession ports.

In practice, the decision means the regulator cannot intervene directly in terminal operations or impose administrative controls. However, the ruling does not eliminate all state oversight.

Instead, supervisory responsibilities would be redistributed among various Peruvian regulatory bodies, with Ositran excluded from comprehensive regulation except in limited circumstances.

Ositran President Verónica Zambrano said the agency will appeal the ruling, arguing the company may seek to avoid Peruvian regulations.

"They are a public-use company providing services to the public. That condition creates legal consequences, including oversight by Ositran, because we supervise public transport service providers," Zambrano told news channel Canal N.

She added Peru's National Port Law defines a port administrator as an operator of public-use transport infrastructure and said this applies to Cosco Shipping.

Separately, Peru's Cabinet Office issued a statement on X regarding the judicial process involving Cosco Shipping Ports Chancay Peru S.A. Authorities said they will defend private investment while respecting Peru's regulatory framework.

Ministers added that if conditions outlined in the ruling affect Ositran's supervisory role, the government will use legal remedies available under existing law.

As part of the National Security Strategy promoted by President Donald Trump's administration, the U.S. president has called a summit for March 7 in Miami with several Latin American leaders considered strategic allies.

The meeting aims to consolidate a regional bloc aligned with Washington amid growing Chinese investment, trade and diplomatic influence in Latin America, Infobae reported.

Among the invited leaders are Argentine President Javier Milei, El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, Paraguay's Santiago Peña, Ecuador's Daniel Noboa, Bolivia's Rodrigo Paz and Honduras' Tito Asfura.

In addition to economic issues, the agenda includes coordination on security matters, particularly the fight against drug trafficking and the management of migration flows.