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Western alliance

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With classic English understatement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked Donald Trump for “changing the conversation”.

‘Five minutes to midnight’: New-look America sets clock ticking for Europe

Amid a growing divide between the United States and Europe, the continent has sharply accelerated its efforts to address pressing defence needs.

  • Rob Harris

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Illustration by Joe Benke

Trump no longer leads the free world. So the West must confront a vexing question

European leaders are suddenly questioning whether America, under Donald Trump, remains their ally. Australia may have to confront the same question.

  • Nick Bryant
US president Donald Trump cannot hope to maintain America’s energy supremacy while also bringing Russia in from the cold

Enough of Trump’s lies – it’s time for NATO to take a stand

Clueless European leaders appear to be quaking in fear of Trump and his lackeys, writes Donna Wieman.

Putin, Trump, Zelensky

Europe has been blindsided by Trump on Ukraine. Wasn’t it listening?

The confused messages from Donald Trump’s administration have caught leaders flat-footed – as if they hadn’t been paying attention during the past 12 months.

  • Rob Harris
A rare earths plant in Kalgoorlie, West Australia, run by the Australian company Lynas.

The sweetener Australia will use to try to dodge Trump tariffs

Australia has rare earth metals crucial to high-tech manufacturing that will become more important for the US to get as it enters a trade war with China.

  • David Crowe
Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin sprints to his imagined finish line in Ukraine war

Putin is mobilising troops and stepping up collaboration with allies ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20, hoping the West tires of the conflict.

  • Mick Ryan
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Telling Israel the killing must stop in Gaza is not antisemitic

Israel had every right respond to Hamas, but some of its supporters ignore a critical constraint under international law.

  • Rodger Shanahan
If Putin can be believed, Russia moved some of its short-range nuclear weapons into Belarus, closer to Ukraine and onto the doorstep of NATO’s members in Central and Eastern Europe, last year.

Putin’s chilling nuclear threat has one strategic target

Vladimir Putin’s nuclear sabre-rattling is spooking many in the West, but its main purpose may be to shape the approach of the incoming US president.

  • Mick Ryan
Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed Australia at a press conference outside Moscow.

‘Small dogs on a leash’: Putin takes aim at Australia’s NATO links

Vladimir Putin has lashed Australia in a speech that praised China and castigated the West in another sign of deepening ties between Russia and China.

  • Rob Harris

The US wants to avoid World War III, so Ukraine has no choice but attack

Since the end of the Cold War, Western nations have largely been able to assume a posture of strategic timidity. Ukraine doesn’t have that choice.

  • Mick Ryan

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/western-alliance-1mp3