Sweden 'No Longer Sure' It Will Join NATO by July

Despite applying to NATO simultaneously and voicing plans to join the alliance together, Finland and Sweden have obviously split ways, as Finland's bid gained full acceptance, whereas Sweden's remains swamped with problems.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has said he was no longer sure his country would be able to join NATO by July, following recent objections from Hungary on top of those from Turkiye.

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Governor DeSantis Says Florida Will Not Assist in Extradition Request For Trump

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a statement that the state will not assist in an extradition request for former President Donald Trump due to questionable circumstances surrounding Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

DeSantis, who is Trump's possible Republican rival in the run up to the 2024 presidential election, said Bragg is stretching the law to target a political opponent.

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😏 Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has joked about the White House's recent calls for US citizens to immediately leave Russia, saying that they seem to be addressed only to those involved in espionage in favor of Washington.

▪️ Earlier, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby urged US citizens to leave Russia, following the detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in the country.

💬 "I believe John forgot to add 'involved in espionage' after the words 'US citizens.' This was probably meant between the lines," Zakharova said on Telegram.

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Russia's Skif Satellites to Provide North Pole With Broadband in 2026

Russian Skif-D satellites, the first orbital spacecraft of the Sfera (Sphere) multi-satellite orbital constellation, will provide the North Pole with broadband connection from 2026, Russia's information and navigation systems operator Glonass said.

"Starting in 2026, Russian residents will be able to use the internet at the North Pole. As part of the Sphere project, [Russian] state [space] corporation Roscosmos will provide broadband Internet access in the Arctic zone," the operator told reporters in a statement.

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❗️ Key statements made by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko while delivering his annual address to Parliament and the nation:

▪️ A third world war, complete with "nuclear fires" looms on the horizon; negotiations are needed without preconditions;

▪️ The assertion in Ukraine that they will defeat Russia is stupid: it is impossible to defeat a nuclear power;

▪️ The massacre in Ukraine will not stop until its overseas master gives the go-ahead;

▪️ The West is preparing to invade the territory of Belarus to destroy the country;

▪️ Alexander Lukashenko proposed to stop hostilities in Ukraine, declare a truce without the right to move equipment and transfer weapons from both sides.

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📹 Solntsepyok flamethrower systems in combat as part of the special military operation (video by Russian MoD)

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🇺🇳 Ukraine did not initiate criminal proceedings against its soldiers who shot Russian prisoners of war, despite the fact that several executions have been documented, Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said.

🗣 "We have documented the summary execution by the Ukrainian armed forces of Russian prisoners of war and personnel disengaged from combat, immediately after their capture. We are aware of the ongoing investigations by the Ukrainian authorities, but to date, no prosecutions have been reported," he said in a statement in his speech at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

▪️ Earlier, the head of the UN monitoring mission for human rights in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, said that they had registered at least 25 cases of Ukrainian troops massacring Russian prisoners of war.

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🇮🇳 India's defense ministry signs contract with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited for supply of modern coastal missile systems and supersonic missiles worth more than 17 bln rupees ($206.4 mln)

🚀 The supply of coastal batteries is planned to begin in 2027. The Defense Ministry noted that these batteries "will significantly increase the capabilities of multidirectional naval strikes of the Indian Navy."

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Sweden Plans First Census in Decades as It 'Lost Control of Who Lives in Our Country'

Sweden's minority government, backed by its allies the Sweden Democrats, has announced plans to hold the first national census in more than 30 years.

According to Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson, the loopholes in the registry-based arrangement create a risk that the welfare system gets undermined by widespread fraud, with illegal immigrants being exploited by both employers and criminals, in what he described as "gigantic problem" for society.

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⚡️ Russian and Belarusian tennis players allowed to compete at Wimbledon

⚡️ Russian President Putin signs decree approving new foreign policy concept

⚡ Putin on the new concept of foreign policy: Cardinal changes in the international arena have required us to seriously adjust key strategic planning documents

❗️ Latest statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the new concept of Russian foreign policy:

▪️ The logic of the concept reflects revolutionary advances in international affairs.

▪️ The new foreign policy concept speaks of a major restructuring of the world economy.

▪️ Under the conditions of external threats, the new concept of foreign policy confirms that the principle of indivisibility of security is possible, given the principle of reciprocity.

▪️ In the new concept of Russian foreign policy, the United States is directly called the main initiator and conductor of the anti-Russian line in the world.

▪️ The new concept provides for the possibility of introducing symmetric or asymmetric response measures.

▪️ The new concept assumes that unfriendly steps towards the Russian Federation will be severely suppressed if necessary.

▪️ Russia is not isolating itself from the US and Europe, but they must be aware that a confrontation with Moscow is futile.

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Catch our Fault Lines show where we provide updates and analysis on all the most vital stories! Here's our line-up for today:

🔺To kick things off, we’ll be discussing the US arrival of the Taiwanese president, who is set to meet with Speaker McCarthy in California
🔺Next, we’ll cover another toxic train derailment, this time in Minnesota
🔺Finally, we’ll speak about the latest in Ukraine

More trending stories coming your way! Tune in to Radio Sputnik at 7am EST|4am PST|12pm CET via the website or app!

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⚡ Key provisions from Russia’s New Foreign Policy Concept:

▪️ Russia has self-determined as an original country-civilization, a vast Eurasian and Euro-Pacific power;

▪️ Russia's attitude towards other states is determined by the constructive, neutral or unfriendly nature of their policy towards Russia;

▪️ Russia does not consider itself an enemy of the West, does not isolate itself from it, and does not have hostile intentions towards it;

▪️ Russia is striving to form a system of international relations that would ensure reliable security;

▪️ Russia intends to actively develop cooperation in all areas with allies and partners;

▪️ Russia will contribute to reducing the ability of unfriendly states to abuse their monopoly or dominant position in certain areas of the world economy;

▪️ The priorities of Russia's humanitarian policy abroad are counteracting the Russophobia campaign, protecting the Russian language, Russian culture, sports, and the Russian Orthodox Church from discrimination, and fighting for historical truth.

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⚡ Key provisions from Russia’s New Foreign Policy Concept:

▪️ The main goal of Russia in the near abroad is to turn the region into a zone of peace, good neighborliness and prosperity;

▪️ Russia aims at a peaceful resolution of international issues in the Arctic;

▪️ Of particular importance for Russia is a comprehensive deepening of ties and coordination with friendly sovereign global centers of power - China and India;

▪️ The flagship project of Russia in the 21st century is the transformation of Eurasia into a single continental space of peace, stability, mutual trust, development and prosperity;

▪️ Russia considers Islamic civilization friendly and will strengthen comprehensive mutually beneficial cooperation with it;

▪️ Russia intends to contribute to the further development of Africa as an original and influential center of world development;

▪️ Russia will increase cooperation with Latin America on a pragmatic and mutually beneficial basis;

▪️ Rejection of the anti-Russian policy and greater independence from the United States would have a beneficial effect on the security and well-being of European countries;

▪️ Russia considers the US course as the main source of anti-Russian policy and risk to its security.

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⚡️ Trump lawyer: 'zero' сhance ex-POTUS will take a plea deal after indictment

Russia's Presidency in UN Security Council Will Be Eventful, Kremlin Says

Russia is to assume presidency in the UN Security Council in April.

"[Russia's presidency] will be eventful. Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. And it will exercise all its rights that are provided for by this. Naturally, remaining a responsible member of the Security Council and the United Nations," Kremlin spokesman told reporters.

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📹 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is not isolating itself from the US and Europe, but they must be aware that a confrontation with Moscow is futile.

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📹 Russian FM Sergey Lavrov: India and China are called strategic partners of Russia in the new foreign policy concept.

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▪️ Prominent member of the US Democratic Party and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi got roasted online over a remark about the indictment of the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump.

▪️ In a recent tweet of hers, Pelosi argued that the Grand Jury that made the decision to indict the ex-POTUS “has acted upon the facts and the law,” before making a rather strange claim about how a trial is supposed to work.

🗣 “No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence,” she wrote, adding that she hopes that Trump “will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right.”

▪️ Quite a few social media users were quick to remind Pelosi about a thing called the presumption of innocence, and that a person who goes on trial is regarded as innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around.

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