Russia accuses NATO member countries of “increasing military activity near Russia’s borders.” Trump administration proposes that the State Department almost completely cut funding for the UN and NATO — WP. Ukrainian Defense Forces regain control of Dniproenerhiia, Volnovakha district, Donetsk region.
Trump administration proposes that the State Department cut funding for UN and NATO almost completely — WP
The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed that the State Department cut funding for the UN and NATO almost completely, The Washington Post reports, citing a document in its possession.
It is noted that the Trump administration has proposed cutting the budget of the State Department and what remains of the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by almost half, with funds for humanitarian assistance, global health and international organizations facing dramatic reductions.
The cuts will leave a total budget of $ 28.4 billion for all activities carried out by the State Department and USAID. This is 48% less than the funding levels approved by Congress for 2025.
Under the proposed budget, described in the document, USAID will become part of the State Department. Humanitarian assistance will be cut by 54%, and funding for global health will fall by 55%. Funding for international organizations will be cut especially sharply, by 90%.
The document says that funding for the UN, NATO and 20 other organizations will be ended. However, targeted contributions for some organizations, including the IAEA and the International Civil Aviation Organization will remain. It also describes a total cut in funding for international peacekeeping missions due to their “recent failures.”
According to WP, the State Department is preparing its own downsizing plan that includes laying off tens of thousands of the department’s 80,000 employees and closing numerous U.S. consulates and facilities.
The memo was signed by Douglas Pitkin, Director of Budget and Planning at the State Department, and Peter Morocco, who has since left his role as Director of Foreign Assistance. The document is dated April 10.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has until Tuesday to respond to the document and make his own suggestions. The document is to be submitted to Congress by the end of April.
The final budget proposal is expected to be presented to Congress in late April. Some aspects may face pushback from lawmakers, and some critics say that the executive branch cannot shutter USAID without congressional approval, WP writes.
Follow the link to read the original article.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces regained control of the village of Dniproenerhiia, Volnovakha district, Donetsk region
The Ukrainian Defense Forces regained control of the village of Dniproenerhiia in Volnovakha district (the Donetsk region) and improved the tactical situation in two critical sectors.
This was stated by lieutenant general Serhii Naiev, commander of the Vuhledar tactical group, on Monday, April 15.
“I have been in command of the tactical group for two months. During this period, we managed to reduce the loss of personnel by 20%, regain control of the village of Dniproenerhiia, and improve the tactical situation on two critical fronts,” he posted on Telegram.
According to Naiev, the group’s units killed about 9,500 soldiers of the aggressor country’s army in two months. In addition, the Ukrainian defenders destroyed 51 tanks, 166 armored combat vehicles, and 819 military vehicles.
Naiev noted that about 70% of the Russians’ losses were caused by UAV strikes. Our defenders use different types of UAVs: General Chereshnia, Baton, Tin, Vyriy Pro, Mavic 3 Pro, Autel MAX 4T.
The commander also noted that the Russian troops are continuing attempts to break through our defense lines. The enemy is ramping up its assault operations, deploying more vehicles and troops to the front.
According to Naiev, during the last large-scale offensive in the Vesele-Skudne sectors, the Russian army used five tanks, 14 armored personnel carriers and six armored vehicles. The enemy’s vehicles moved in four convoys filled with troops.
However, the Russian convoys were spotted by aerial reconnaissance and, as a result of fire damage and UAVs, more than 100 occupiers were killed and four tanks, nine armored personnel carriers and three armored vehicles were destroyed.
Dniproenerhiia is halfway in the red zone on DeepState maps [red color on the map indicates Russian occupation].
Russia accuses NATO countries of “increasing military activity near Russia’s borders”
The Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Serhii Naryshkin, accused NATO countries of “increasing military activity near Russia’s borders,” and said that Poland and the Baltic states would be “the first to suffer” in the event of a conflict between Moscow and the North Atlantic Alliance.
Naryshkin said this on Tuesday, April 15, in Minsk after talking with Oleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA reports, cited by Radio Liberty.
According to the director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Poland and the “Baltic republics” are particularly aggressive. As an example of such aggressiveness, Naryshkin cited Poland’s plans to deploy about two million anti-tank mines along the borders of Belarus and the Kaliningrad region and the fact that Warsaw “would very much like… to receive more nuclear weapons from the Americans.”
“They should understand, although they do not yet understand, that in the event of aggression from the North Atlantic Alliance against the Union State [Russia and Belarus – ed.], damage will certainly be inflicted on the entire NATO bloc, but to a greater extent the first to suffer will be the bearers of such ideas among the political circles of Poland and the Baltic countries,” the senior Russian official noted.
Earlier in April, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said that NATO’s response to the Zapad-2025 exercises in Belarus would depend on the number of Russian and Belarusian troops and means involved.