Articles from ‘Independent News Roundup’ in ‘Analysis’

Europe is committing unprecedented resources to defence while struggling with industrial competitiveness and the economic consequences of its break with Russian energy supplies. A dispute over Kaja Kallas's proposed defence advisory group reveals that the argument is not simply about Russia, but about who controls Europe's security policy and what its citizens receive in return. INR Report: Based on reporting and commentary by John Gaffney for…

Europe is rearming, NATO is reinforcing its eastern flank and Russia is warning that confrontation could escalate into nuclear war. Yet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says there is currently “no imminent threat to NATO territory.” As military preparations intensify on both sides, the critical question is whether Europe is deterring a future war, or creating the conditions in which miscalculation could start one. For New Zealand, already…

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has opened the possibility of Britain eventually returning to the European Union, saying the Government should examine the full range of options for its future relationship with Brussels. The debate reaches beyond Britain because New Zealand's trade agreement with the UK, CPTPP relationship and broader Commonwealth ties were all developed in a strategic environment partly shaped by Britain's post-Brexit…

Andrew Korybko argues that disputed reports of a possible Russian drone attack on Southern Europe raise another possibility: could Ukraine stage a false-flag incident designed to implicate Moscow and intensify NATO involvement? Pointing to Ukraine’s demonstrated drone capabilities in the Mediterranean, he examines the incentives, escalation risks and why a direct crisis-control channel between Russia, the US and European NATO could be critical Z…

Britain’s calls for greater national war readiness have prompted a dispute over the difference between credible defence planning and public alarm. As European intelligence officials debate the immediacy of Russian threats, the controversy raises questions about how New Zealand assesses international risks and determines its own defence commitments INR Report: Based on commentary by Tarik Cyril Amar for RT HERE, published 24 September 2026.…

Trump is too afraid that even the briefest US aid cut-off window to Ukraine as punishment for Zelensky’s attacks against Russian refineries would be exploited to break through the front and lead to eternal speculation that he secretly helped Putin win the most significant conflict since World War II Zelensky has made a fool out of Trump by continuing to bomb Russian refineries despite Trump earlier claiming to have brokered a deal whereby…

As Western governments commit billions in financial and military support to Ukraine, the contributor questions whether they are giving sufficient attention to pressures at home. Drawing on political developments in Britain, Germany, France and the United States, this opinion examines public concerns about living costs, strained services and government spending, and asks how leaders should balance overseas commitments with domestic priorities. El…

John Mearsheimer argues that the positions of Russia and Ukraine have become so far apart that diplomacy cannot end their war under present conditions. His assessment draws attention to territorial control and security guarantees, while raising a further question: can the two sides negotiate arrangements that neither currently considers acceptable? INR Report: Based on an interview with political scientist John Mearsheimer by Fyodor Lukyanov…

In this opinion piece, Stephen Moore argues that declining marriage rates among young American men carry serious economic and social consequences. Citing figures on unmarried men and married-couple households, he links the trend to loneliness, family instability and reduced economic opportunity. Moore examines changing expectations around marriage and parenthood and calls for a national discussion on strengthening family life. OPINION: The…

Had former Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successors remained true to Helmut Kohl’s vision, then the AfD might never have become Germany’s most popular party, so its astronomical rise is entirely their fault. Putin was asked about the AfD’s recent landslide victory in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the sidelines of this year’s BRICS Summit in Delhi. While politely declining to address the topic directly, he nevertheless said that “all…