Thomas Bollen

NEW: 🇺🇸The head of NATO Mark Rutte "NATO is a platform for the United States to project power on the world stage."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Iran: Today more than ever, it is essential to remember that one can be against a hateful regime, as is the case with the Iranian regime, as is the whole of Spanish society, and at the same time be against an unjustified, dangerous military intervention outside of international law. That one must be against a war initiated without the authorization of the United States Congress or the United Nations Security Council and, as I have said before, one that violates international law. And that there is always room for a negotiated solution, instead of being dragged along by the devastation of arms as the only possible way out. Therefore, I would like once again, as we have done since the beginning, to appeal for immediate de-escalation, for full respect for international law in all the conflicts we are unfortunately suffering, and for the urgency of resuming dialogue as soon as possible. That is where Spain will be, and that is where I believe the whole of the European Union should be.

🇨🇦 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the World Economic Forum at Davos that the U.S.-led “rules-based international order” is finished and “will not return.” “For decades, countries like Canada benefited from what was called the rules-based international order,” Carney said. “We joined its institutions. We praised its principles. We benefited from its predictability.” But, he added, “we knew the story… was partially false.” “The strongest would exempt themselves when convenient,” Carney said, arguing that “trade rules were enforced asymmetrically,” and “international law applied with varying rigor depending on the identity of the accused or its victim.” “We participated in the rituals. And we largely avoided calling out the gaps between rhetoric and reality.” That “pleasant fiction,” he states, no longer works. The new world is one where economic integration and financial infrastructure are openly used by hegemons—hinting at the United States—as “weapons” for “economic coercion.” Carney rejected reliance on bilateral deals with dominant powers. “When we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness,” he said. “This is not sovereignty. It is the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination.” Instead, he called for “values-based realism,” urging middle powers to act together and build a third path that is not a “world of fortresses,” but partnerships with partners with shared standards. If you are not at the table,” Carney said, “you are on the menu.” His remarks were met with a rare standing ovation in the room. Full speech below.

President Donald J. Trump meets with María Corina Machado of Venezuela in the Oval Office, during which she presented the President with her Nobel Peace Prize in recognition and honor.🕊️