🪖VatiCAN Ukraine just surrender? 🇻🇦

Plus: Italian police nab three Palestinian terrorists

Hi there! 👋 The Pope had a diplomatic blunder when he suggested Ukraine should wave the “white flag.” Türkiye's Defense Ministry released its annual report, outlining 49 ongoing modernization and acquisition projects across the military.

Italian police have arrested three Palestinian terrorists in central Italy, accusing them of planning attacks associated with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, recognized as a terrorist group by Israel, the EU, and the US. Happy reading!

Today’s edition is a 4.5 minute read: 

• 🇹🇷 Türkiye: Türkiye sets its sights on big military spend. The Ministry of Defense report signals ambitious plans for modernization and acquisition, with tanks, drones, and submarines being the biggest winners.

• 🇮🇹 Italy: Italian police arrest three Palestinians terrorists plotting attacks. The three are associated with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a designated terrorist organization across much of the West. The trio faces charges of criminal conspiracy for terrorism, including planning suicide attacks on foreign soil. Israel is seeking to extradite one of the trio.

- The WarLytics Team

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📰 THE WORLD TODAY

1. 🇷🇺 Russia: A military plane has crashed seconds after takeoff. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that the plane took off from an air base in western Russia with 15 people onboard when it crashed shortly after takeoff.

2. 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan demands return of 8 villages from Armenia. The villages have been under Yerevan’s control since the 1990s. 4 of the villages currently sit within the borders of Armenia, while the other 4 lie within Azerbaijan’s Qazakh Enclave. Concurrently, Türkiye and the USA have discussed a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan.

3. 🇱🇧 Lebanon: In the latest tit-for-tat, Israel has struck deep into Lebanon. Lebanon's Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, announced on Monday that it had launched a multi-drone attack on an Israeli air defense outpost in the Golan Heights. Israel slapped-back by striking several Hezbollah military targets.

4. 🇳🇴 Norway: NATO holds largest drills since Cold War. Amidst the frigid fjords of northern Norway, the 32 country-strong alliance flexes its muscles with massive wargames, sending a chilling message to Russia.

5. 🇨🇳 China: China's upcoming H-20 stealth bomber, eagerly awaited and shrouded in mystery since 2016, is set to break cover soon. It’s a big step up since the H-6, which lacks stealth and has to fire from quite a distance to evade air defences.

DEEP DIVE

Pope Francis wonders why Ukraine doesn’t just surrender

Background

• Pope Francis sparked controversy by suggesting Ukraine wave a "white flag" to negotiate peace with Russia, a stance initially perceived as aligning with Kremlin narratives.

• The Vatican, through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, swiftly countered this interpretation, insisting Russia, the "aggressor," must first cease its "unjust" war against Ukraine.

• Parolin emphasized the human-caused nature of the conflict, arguing that the same human will that initiated the war holds the power and responsibility to end it, advocating for a diplomatic resolution.

Key Takeaways:

• The Vatican's response underlines its recognition of the war's injustice and the need for Russia to halt its aggression as a precondition for peace talks.

• Francis's comments drew sharp criticism from Ukraine and its allies, highlighting the delicate balance of moral authority and political diplomacy on the global stage.

• By likening the situation in Ukraine to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Parolin pointed out the broader implications of local conflicts spiralling into international crises, suggesting a universal principle against capitulation to aggression.

• The incident reveals the challenges religious and state leaders face in advocating for peace while respecting the sovereignty and resistance of nations under invasion, stressing the intricate dance between advocating for peace and acknowledging the dynamics of power and justice.

🌏 ON ANOTHER NOTE…

1. 🇩🇪 Germany: Nations are going on a defense shopping spree! The pricetag? A whopping $1.7 trillion spent on defense in 2022, with power players like the US, China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia leading the charge. A strong outlook for the defence industry indeed.

2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: DragonFire, a ray of hope in warfare evolution. As we tread the fine line between science fiction and reality, the Ministry of Defence invites us to ponder not just the 'art of the possible,' but the pragmatic utilization of DragonFire's kilowatt precision over kilometers. Put simply: The UK’s got a big laser to blow stuff up!

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