Ignoring international law would lead to “the beginning of total chaos,” the French president has said
French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed back against the idea of seizing frozen Russian assets, warning that doing so could backfire on the West and undermine global stability.
In an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation aired on Sunday, Macron was asked about what the West was planning to do with the $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets which were frozen after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
“We are all very much attached to being compliant with international rules. You cannot seize these assets from the central bank, even in such a situation,” the French leader said, describing it as “a matter of credibility.”
“When some countries start to disrespect international laws… this is the beginning of a total chaos. So we will respect international law. We are predictable, and we will not do all impossible things with these frozen assets,” he added, recalling that Kiev’s Western backers are already using proceeds from the frozen assets to prop up Ukraine.
Throughout the conflict, Western policymakers have considered seizing Russian assets – most of which fall under EU jurisdiction – but have so far refrained due to the lack of a legal basis and fears it would damage global trust.
Last year, however, G7 nations supported a $50 billion loan to Ukraine secured by the income from Russian reserves. Western nations have also directly handed over to Kiev approximately $4.3 billion in proceeds from Russian assets. This month, the EU Commission floated a proposal to use Russian assets to back a reparation loan to Ukraine, which Kiev would be obligated to repay only if it receives “compensation” for damages from Moscow.
Russia has denounced both the freeze and the profit-transfer scheme as “theft,” warning that confiscation would damage the global financial system and trigger retaliation from Moscow.
The situation in Belgorod Region remains “highly difficult,” according to the local governor
Two people were injured in Belgorod, Russia on Monday morning after a Ukrainian drone exploded next to the city council building, local officials have said.
Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that a man has suffered facial wounds and a woman has sustained a leg injury from shrapnel.
Mayor Valentin Demidov shared photos from the scene showing debris scattered across the street as first responders worked to secure the area.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted 114 Ukrainian kamikaze drones overnight, including 19 over Belgorod Region.
Gladkov earlier described the situation in the region as “highly difficult,” reporting three civilian deaths in two separate incidents over the weekend and additional attacks that injured ten people.
Support for the new chancellor continues to plummet amid a cost-of-living crisis and concerns over migration, a new survey suggests
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s approval rating has fallen to a historic low, according to a new poll released on Sunday.
An INSA survey commissioned by the Bild newspaper found that 62% of respondents said they were unhappy with Merz’s performance, a three-point increase in a month, while 63% expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition of the center-right CDU and the Social Democrats. Only 26% of respondents approved of Merz’s performance, and just 23% backed his government.
A separate study by the insurance company R+V Versicherung, published last week, found that Germans are most concerned about the rising cost of living, the immigration and refugee crisis, as well as high taxes and potential welfare cuts, which Merz has insisted are necessary.
Merz, who took office in May, has also pledged to revive the stagnant economy, strengthen the military, help secure continued US support for Ukraine as well as significantly cut the German welfare state.
The right-wing, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has strongly criticized the government’s decision to allocate taxpayer money to Ukraine instead of addressing domestic needs. The AfD is currently the second-largest force in the Bundestag and is leading in national polls.
Moscow says Western countries must release the results they are alleged to hold
Russia has demanded that the West provide evidence related to the alleged poisonings of Russian anti-corruption campaigner Aleksey Navalny and former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
The call came after Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, suggested that the results of key tests on her husband’s remains are being withheld from her due to unspecified “political considerations” and because influential people “did not want the uncomfortable truth to emerge at an inopportune time.”
Moscow says it has not received test results from the Charite clinic in Berlin where Navalny was treated after falling ill during a flight in Russia. “We are AGAIN demanding that the Western laboratories provide the test results,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram on Sunday.She stressed that conclusions must be “grounded in facts, not in imaginary slogans or random memes.”
Navalny died in a Russian prison in February 2024 while serving a sentence on extremism charges.
His family and allies allege that the Russian government previously attempted to kill him in 2020 using the nerve agent Novichok, a claim supported by Western governments.
Navalnaya said laboratories in two unnamed countries outside Russia have independently examined her husband’s biological samples and “concluded he was murdered, specifically poisoned.”
“I demand that the laboratories that conducted the tests publish their results,” she said.
A former Russian intelligence officer, Skripal was released to the UK in a 2010 prisoner swap and fell ill along with his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in 2018. The UK accused Russia of attempting to assassinate them using Novichok, while Moscow denied any involvement. Skripal has not been seen in public since the incident.
A ceremony honoring the slain conservative activist is being held in Arizona
US politicians and conservative figures paid tribute to slain activist and podcaster Charlie Kirk at a memorial service in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday. The speakers praised Kirk’s Christian convictions and his ability to connect with young people.
Kirk, who co-founded conservative action group Turning Point USA at just 18 years old, was killed by a sniper on September 10 as he was speaking to students at a college in Utah.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described Kirk as a “warrior” who had the “Biblical heart of a soldier.” He urged the activist’s followers to “live worthy of Charlie Kirk’s sacrifice.”
WATCH | Pete Hegseth: "My charge to all of you: live worthy of Charlie Kirk's sacrifice, and put Christ at the center of your life as he advocated for giving his." pic.twitter.com/XyB7sL85GR
Journalist Tucker Carlson said Kirk believed faith was more important than politics. “The main thing about Charlie and his message is that he was bringing the Gospel to the country,” Carlson added. “He was doing the thing that the people in charge hate most, which is calling for them to repent.”
Tucker Carlson, speaking at the memorial for Charlie Kirk, blames the Jews for the death of Jesus and Charlie Kirk. This is very dangerous. And he laughed. pic.twitter.com/MS5c0ySCMK
Utah resident Tyler Robinson has been charged with Kirk’s murder. Speaking at the memorial service, Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, said she has forgiven her husband’s killer, stressing that his mission was to “save young men just like the one who took his life.”
“That young man, I forgive him,” she said, struggling to hold back tears. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love.”
WATCH: Erika Kirk on the suspected assassin who took Charlie Kirk’s life: “That young man, I forgive him.” pic.twitter.com/UkS6CieGIt
Kirk gained prominence by touring college campuses and debating students. His clashes with left-wing opponents often went viral on social media. He was widely credited with energizing young conservative voters and helping President Donald Trump secure a second term in office in 2024.
The US president paid tribute to the slain conservative activist at a memorial service in Arizona
US President Donald Trump has called slain conservative podcaster and activist Charlie Kirk one of the “giants of our generation,” honoring his influence and legacy in remarks following Kirk’s memorial service.
Kirk, who co-founded conservative action group Turning Point USA at just 18 years old, was killed by a sniper on September 10 as he was speaking to students at a college in Utah.
Speaking at the memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, Trump said the country has lost “one of the brightest lights of our times.”
Kirk was “heinously murdered by a radicalized, cold-blooded monster for speaking the truth that was in his heart… He was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice, for God, country, for reason, and for common sense,” the president said.
“He is a martyr for American freedom,” he added. “None of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk, and neither will history.”
Kirk gained prominence by touring college campuses and debating students. His clashes with left-wing opponents frequently went viral on social media. He met with Trump several times and was widely credited with energizing young conservative voters, playing a role in helping Trump secure a second term in office in 2024.
Utah resident Tyler Robinson has been charged with Kirk’s murder. According to the prosecution, Robinson held left-wing and pro-LGBTQ views and confessed to the crime in text messages to his transgender partner.
The Israeli prime minister says he has fought against a two-state solution despite “tremendous pressure”
A Palestinian state will never be established west of the Jordan River, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted.
Portugal followed the UK, Canada, and Australia to formally recognize Palestinian statehood on Sunday, joining a growing list of countries that have done so since the start of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre on October 7 – you are handing a huge reward to terror,” Netanyahu said in a video statement on X on Sunday.
“It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan,” he said, adding that he has prevented this for years despite “tremendous pressure” at home and abroad.
Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 people hostage.
Israel responded with a blockade and an extensive military operation against the Palestinian enclave, killing more than 65,000 Gazans, according to the local Hamas-run health authorities.
The military operation has led to growing international pressure. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez canceled nearly €1 billion ($1.18 billion) in military contracts with Israeli companies on Tuesday.
Last week, Netanyahu said Israel needs to start building a more self-sufficient economy.
“We may find ourselves in a situation where our defense industries are blocked,” he said in a speech on Sunday. “We have no choice. At least in the coming years, we will have to deal with these attempts at isolation.”
Tens of thousands of people, including US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, have attended the gathering
A memorial for Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed earlier this month, took place in Glendale in the US state of Arizona on Sunday.
Tens of thousands of people, including US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, attended the gathering.
Kirk, a popular conservative American podcaster and influencer, was assassinated by a sniper on September 10 while speaking at a university in Utah. The murder has prompted tributes from public figures at home and abroad.
🚨 ABSOLUTE CHILLS.
Tens of thousands of people just sang all at once during worship at Charlie Kirk's memorial.
The gathering at the State Farm Stadium was designated a top-level risk event by the Department of Homeland Security. Among those who made speeches to the large crowd were US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and commentator Tucker Carlson.
🚨 TRUMP JR: “To say Charlie Kirk knew more about the Bible than me is an understatement. It's like saying Donald Trump knows more about being President than Hillary Clinton or Kamala Harris. NO KIDDING!”
The US president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. also paid tribute, describing Kirk as “like a little brother” to him. “Eleven days ago, as a cowardly assassin crawled on his stomach to end Charlie’s life on Earth, I’m betting Charlie saw the Son of God standing tall to welcome him home,” he said.
I’m inside State Farm Arena for Charlie Kirk’s memorial and I can say I have never seen more people at any event in my life. This is going to be one of the largest political gatherings in US history. I wouldn’t be surprised if President Trump says something like “wow Charlie Kirk… pic.twitter.com/kLIgRYlfSN
A co-founder of Turning Point USA and staunch ally of Trump, Kirk was widely credited with popularizing conservative ideas among young people and helping Trump secure a second term.
According to the authorities, Tyler Robinson, who was charged with aggravated murder, had embraced left-wing and LGBTQ ideology over the past year. Robinson allegedly left a note for his roommate saying, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”
The French president disagrees with a recent UN report on Israel’s war in the Palestinian enclave
France does not believe that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide, French President Emmanuel Macron has said.
A UN commission of inquiry published a report on Tuesday concluding that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the enclave.
“We don’t qualify as a genocide what’s happening because it is not a political statement,” Macron said in an interview with CBS News released in full on Sunday, when asked about the UN report.
He explained that the verdict will be for “the judges or the historians” to pass after considering the “evidence and clear jurisprudence.”
According to the UN report, Israeli authorities and security forces have committed multiple acts that fall under the 1948 Genocide Convention. These include deliberately imposing conditions on Gaza aimed at destroying “Palestinians in whole or in part,” as well as killing “unprecedented numbers” of people in the enclave.
The death toll among the Palestinians has surpassed 65,000 as of Saturday, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
Thirteen countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Türkiye, Ireland, and Spain, are supporting a genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel in the International Court of Justice. While Israel is not a party to the Hague-based court’s statute, it is a signatory to the Genocide Convention of 1948, a treaty that Pretoria says it has violated.
Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces intensified its campaign against Hamas, launching a major ground offensive on Gaza City in a move it says is aimed at dismantling the militant group’s remaining networks and returning the remaining Israeli hostages.
Hamas-led raiders captured more than 250 hostages and killed around 1,200 people in a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Israeli military says the group still holds around 48 hostages. It is not publicly known how many are still alive.
