World

Borrell's final warning: EU has reached 'breaking point' in Ukraine

Published

1 year ago

November 29, 2024

Borrell's final warning: EU has reached 'breaking point' in Ukraine

In an interview before leaving office, Josep Borrell sounds the alarm about Russia’s military superiority in its war of aggression in Ukraine and urges EU countries to “do more and quicker” to support Ukraine. “We don’t have a sense of urgency.”

As his five-year mandate as the European Union’s foreign policy chief comes to an end, Josep Borrell issues a final warning about the danger that Russia’s expansionism poses for the entire bloc and calls, one last time, on member states to ramp up their military assistance and prevent Ukraine from succumbing to Vladimir Putin’s control.

“We’ve reached the breaking point. Now it’s the moment when member states have to decide: we go and we support,” Borrell said in an interview with a group of media, including Euronews, two days before the end of his tenure.

“The Russians are pushing a lot. The Russians are not waiting for negotiations. Russia continues pushing slowly but continuously,” he went on. “The situation on the frontline is not good (but) the Ukrainians resist.”

Borrell’s comments come at a critical time in the war, with Russian troops making substantial territorial gains in the East and escalating their large-scale attacks against Ukraine’s energy system and civilian infrastructure. At the same time, an estimated 11,000 North Korean soldiers have joined the battle in the Kursk region, which Kyiv partially occupies and hopes to use as leverage in future talks.

“The Russian superiority continues. They have been provided by North Korea much more than we have been able to provide to the Ukrainians,” Borrell said as he directly challenged the belief that Moscow has become a pariah on the global stage.

“I have to recognise: is Russia politically isolated? Certainly not. How many people went to Kazan?” he asked, referring to the BRICS summit in October that saw Putin host the likes of China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphose and, controversially, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, among other guests.

“I can’t frankly say that Russia is becoming isolated in the international community.”

The High Representative, one of Kyiv’s staunchest supporters in the bloc, spent a great deal of his time in office haggling with governments over sanctions to weaken the Kremlin’s war machine and military supplies to strengthen Ukraine’s army.

While his efforts ensured a continued flow of assistance, the overall picture has fallen short of expectations: the EU achieved this month its much-touted target of providing Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition – originally pencilled for the end of March. Meanwhile, a €6.6 billion fund in collective assistance is still under Hungary’s firm veto.

“This pace is completely insufficient,” Borrell lamented. “We have to speed up and do more and quicker. Do more and quicker. We’ve got 1 million rounds. Okay, that’s good. But Russia is shooting 800,000 rounds of ammunition per month. Figures matter.”

‘No sense of urgency’

Having a brutal war raging at its doorstep has forced the EU to reinvent its defence policy, long ignored under the mirage of peaceful times. Defence spending has drastically increased until reaching €326 billion in 2024, an unprecedented 1.9% of the bloc’s GDP, according to the latest report of the Europea Defence Agency.

But there is a growing awareness that much more needs to be done to prepare for the post-war reality of an emboldened Russia. One of the ideas that has gained traction, and which was recently endorsed by Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland, is the issuance of joint debt, or Eurobonds, to boost the bloc’s defence industry.

Although not opposed in principle, Borrell believes this project is not adequate to respond to the invasion because it would only yield results sometime in the future.

“There is something that in Europe we miss very often, which is a time dimension of things,” Borrell said. “If you have to wait to issue debt to collect the money and develop the industrial capacity to produce, (then) it’s too late, my friend. It’s too late. If you have to substitute the military capability of the US, it’s not by issuing bonds, collecting the money, investing and producing. That’s for the next war. For this war, you have to mobilise what you have. Because time matters.”

When EU leaders decided in 2020 to establish a €750-billion recovery fund backed by joint debt, it took Brussels several months to obtain legal consent from the 27 capitals and have the plan up and running. By the time payments began, most countries were already out of COVID lockdowns and enjoying a healthy economic recovery.

“If Russia breaks the front in the next spring, they will not wait for you to issue bonds,” Borrell said. “By the way, how long does it take to issue bonds? I don’t know, but past experience shows that it’s quite slow.”

The war in Ukraine is a “race against time,” he underlined, meaning the financial thinking that was applied to the pandemic cannot be copy-pasted as a solution now.

“Use what you have today, use the tools and the instruments that have been invented in the past to be used in the present,” Borrell said.

We spend too much time designing the strategies for the day after tomorrow when the problem is for today and (it’s) immediate. We don’t have a sense of urgency.”

‘Don’t pretend it’s for free’

An external factor that might help the EU gain the sense of urgency that Borrell regrets is lacking is the upcoming return of Donald Trump to the White House.

The Republican has promised to heavily revise aid to Ukraine and strike a deal to end the war “in 24 hours,” without providing specific details. Should America, a world-class producer of high-tech weapons, withdraw from the West’s common front, Europe will be essentially left alone in supporting the war-torn nation.

“Are we able to supply arms to Ukraine in order to substitute the US engagement? No. Can you realistically say yes?” Borrell said during the interview.

“In three months or two months, things may change a lot in the front line and they (Ukrainians) are not sitting and waiting for Trump to come and decide something.”

To avoid a last-minute scramble to fill America’s vacuum, Borrell urges member states to replenish their military stock, donate as much as possible now and lift all restrictions on the use of weapons so that Ukraine could strike targets deep into Russian territory. US President Joe Biden has already dropped his veto but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains categorically opposed to delivering long-range Taurus missiles.

“Now we have to restock because these stocks ended. No more stocks. So that’s the question. We survived and Ukraine survived thanks to the fact that the former Soviet Union countries have stocks of arms that the Ukrainians knew how to work,” Borrell said, referring to the first months of the war.

“Until the last minute of my mandate, I’m going to continue recommending member states what I have been saying for months: do more and quicker,” he added.

“If there’s a cut on the supply lines, these people cannot fight. And this is my concern. This has to arrive every day. If there are stockpiles, they have to be sent by train, by plane. They have to arrive. They have to be paid.”

The chief diplomat, however, admitted backing Kyiv requires not just the endorsement of presidents and prime ministers but also the buy-in of ordinary citizens, who might be wondering why their taxes should be spent in a distant nation. Communication, he said, is fundamental to helping people understand the threat that Europe also faces.

“In order to continue supporting Ukraine as much as needed, which is much more than until now, members have to win the battle of internal politics because we live in democratic countries. And the governments need the support of the population in order to continue spending money for Ukraine,” he said.

“We have to have the support of the people, and we have to tell them the truth: it’s not for free. Our war cost money and cost lives. And thankfully, it’s not our lives, but it’s our money. Don’t pretend this to be for free,” he went on.

“Someone has to explain to the public opinion in the public debate what is at stake. And I think we are not doing enough. And we try to hide the cost. Don’t hide the cost. Be honest with the people. This has a cost.”

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World

Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone and ‘Hamnet’ Win at Irish Film and TV Awards With Indie Drama ‘Christy’ Taking Top Prize

Published

7 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Press Room

Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone and ‘Hamnet’ Win at Irish Film and TV Awards With Indie Drama ‘Christy’ Taking Top Prize

Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone and the independent Irish drama “Christy” were among the winners at the 2026 Irish Film and Television Awards, announced in Dublin on Friday.

The Brendan Canty-directed “Christy” (not to be confused with the Sydney Sweeney boxing drama of the same name) entered the night as the top-nominated title with 14 mentions and delivered in key races, winning best film, director and casting, along with editing and a supporting actor prize for Jamie Forde. The film follows a young man seeking independence after leaving the foster system.

Elsewhere in the film categories, “Hamnet” notched wins for best international film, lead actress for Oscar frontrunner Jessie Buckley, supporting actor for Paul Mescal and script for Maggie O’Farrell and Chloé Zhao. Other Oscar hopefuls that received notices in the international lead acting races ahead of Sunday’s BAFTA ceremony were Leonardo DiCaprio’s work as a former revolutionary in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” and Emma Stone, for her work as an executive who may or may not be an alien, in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia.”

At the same time, Éanna Hardwicke took lead actor for “Saipan” while the double-nominated Kerry Condon prevailed with a supporting actress prize for Joseph Kosinski’s “F1.”

On the television side, “Blue Lights” won best TV drama, while Ailbhe Keogan won script for “Trespasses.” Anthony Boyle took lead actor in drama for “House of Guinness,” and Lola Petticrew won lead actress for “Trespasses.” Chris Walley won supporting actor for “The Young Offenders,” and Alison Oliver was named supporting actress for “Task.” Louisa Harland won the Rising Star Award.

“Christy” and “Saipan” led the nominations heading into the ceremony, with “Saipan” earning 12. The ceremony also marked a record number of women nominated in directing categories, with seven across film and TV.

This year, Ciarán Hinds is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The list of winners is below.

Best Film

“Aontas”
“Blue Moon”
“Christy” (WINNER)
“Four Mothers”
“Saipan”
“Steve”

Director – Film

Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn — “Saipan”
Brendan Canty — “Christy” (WINNER)
Myrid Carten — “A Want in Her”
Lorcan Finnegan — “The Surfer”
Ruán Magan — “Báite”
Edwin Mullane, Adam O’Keeffe — “Horseshoe”

Script – Film

Sarah Gordon, Damian McCann — “Aontas”
Maggie O’Farrell, Chloé Zhao — “Hamnet” (WINNER)
Alan O’Gorman — “Christy”
Sheena Lambert — “Báite”
Darren Thornton, Colin Thornton — “Four Mothers”
Enda Walsh — “Die My Love”

Lead Actor – Film

Steve Coogan — “Saipan”
Daniel Day-Lewis — “Anemone”
Colin Farrell — “Ballad of a Small Player”
Éanna Hardwicke — “Saipan” (WINNER)
Cillian Murphy — “Steve”
Daniel Power — “Christy”

Lead Actress – Film

Jessie Buckley — “Hamnet” (WINNER)
Carolyn Bracken — “Horseshoe”
Carrie Crowley — “Aontas”
Fionnula Flanagan — “Four Mothers”
Eleanor O’Brien — “Báite”
Fiona Shaw — “Hot Milk”

Supporting Actor – Film

Liam Cunningham — “Palestine 36”
Jamie Forde — “Christy”
Paul Mescal — “Hamnet” (WINNER)
Diarmuid Noyes — “Christy”
Seán T. Ó Meallaigh — “Aontas”
Andrew Scott — “Blue Moon”

Supporting Actress – Film

Brid Brennan — “Aontas”
Kerry Condon — “F1” (WINNER)
Kerry Condon — “Train Dreams”
Sarah Greene — “Trad”
Dearbhla Molloy — “Four Mothers”
Emma Willis — “Christy”

International Film

“Bugonia”
“Hamnet” (WINNER)
“One Battle After Another”
“Palestine ’36”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”

International Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio — “One Battle After Another” (WINNER)
Ethan Hawke — “Blue Moon”
Michael B. Jordan — “Sinners”
James McArdle — “Four Mothers”
Sean Penn — “One Battle After Another”
Jesse Plemons — “Bugonia”

International Actress

Chase Infiniti — “One Battle After Another”
Jennifer Lawrence — “Die My Love”
Margaret Qualley — “Blue Moon”
Renate Reinsve — “Sentimental Value”
Emma Stone — “Bugonia” (WINNER)
Teyana Taylor — “One Battle After Another”

George Morrison Feature Documentary

“A Want in Her” (WINNER)
“The Essence of Eva”
“Listen To The Land Speak”
“Sanatorium”
“Testimony”
“Útoipe Cheilteach”

Rebbreast Short Film Award

“The Ban”
“No Mean City”
“No Time Wasters”
“Nostalgie” (WINNER)
“Punt”
“Three Keenings”

Animated Short

“Éiru”
“Inside, The Valley Sings”
“Rerooted”
“Retirement Plan” (WINNER)

Cinematography

“Bugonia” — Robbie Ryan
“Christy” — Colm Hogan
“Die My Love” — Seamus McGarvey (WINNER)
“Saipan” — Piers McGrail
“Severance” — Suzie Lavelle

Casting

“Christy” — Amy Rowan (WINNER)
“Four Mothers” — Louise Kiely
“The Rainmaker” — Emma Gunnery
“Ready Or Not” — Maureen Hughes
“Saipan” — Aine O’Sullivan

Costume Design

“Blue Moon” — Consolata Boyle (WINNER)
“Christy” — Hannah Bury
“Four Mothers” — Joan O’Cleary
“Saipan” — Lara Campbell
“Video Nasty” — Joanne O’Brien

Editing

“Blue Lights” — Helen Sheridan
“Christy” — Allyn Quigley (WINNER)
“House of Guinness” — Ben Yeates
“Saipan” — John Murphy, Gavin Buckley
“The Surfer” — Tony Cranstoun

Make-up & hair

“Blue Moon” — Linda Gannon, Liz Byrne
“Christy” — Jennie Readman, Edwina Kelly
“Saipan” — Polly McKay
“Trespasses” — Natalie Reid (WINNER)
“Wednesday” — Lynn Johnston

Original Music

“Aontas” — Daithí Ó Drónaí
“Báite” — Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart Garfinkle (WINNER)
“Christy” — Daithí Ó Drónaí
“Saipan” — David Holmes, Brian Irvine
“Video Nasty” — Die Hexen

Production Design

“Blue Moon” — Susie Cullen, Kevin Downey
“Christy” — Martin Goulding
“Saipan” — John Leslie
“Wednesday” — Philip Murphy, Neville Gaynor (WINNER)
“Video Nasty” — Tara O’Reilly

Sound

“Anemone” — Steve Fanagan (WINNER)
“Blue Moon” — Hugh Fox
“Saipan” — Tim Harrison, Andrew Graham, Paul Maynes
“The Surfer” — Aza Hand
“Video Nasty” — Patrick Downey

VFX

“Anemone” — Tom Fagan
“Foundation” — Ed Bruce, Andrew Barry
“House of Guinness” — Eoin O’Sullivan, David Sewell (WINNER)
“One Battle After Another” — Ed Bruce, Amrei Bronnenmayer

Television Categories

Best TV Drama

“Blue Lights” (WINNER)
“Leonard and Hungry Paul”
“Trespasses”
“The Walsh Sisters”
“Wednesday S2”
“The Young Offenders”

Director — Drama

Rachel Carey — “Obituary” (WINNER)
Megan K. Fox — “Video Nasty”
Oonagh Kearney — “The Au Pair”
Mia Mullarkey — “Hidden Assets”
Hugh O’Conor — “Showkids”
Aisling Walsh — “Miss Austen”

Script Drama

Peter Foott — “The Young Offenders”
Ailbhe Keogan — “Trespasses” (WINNER)
Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson — “Blue Lights”
Cara Loftus — “Hidden Assets”
Stefanie Preissner — “The Walsh Sisters”
Hugh Travers — “Video Nasty”

Lead Actor – Drama

Anthony Boyle — “House of Guinness” (WINNER)
Pierce Brosnan — “MobLand”
Domhnall Gleeson — “The Paper”
Martin McCann — “Blue Lights”
Aaron Monaghan — “Hidden Assets”
Alex Murphy — “The Young Offenders”

Lead Actress – Drama

Niamh Algar — “The Iris Affair”
Caitriona Balfe — “Outlander”
Siobhán Cullen — “Obituary”
Louisa Harland — “The Walsh Sisters”
Nora-Jane Noone — “Hidden Assets”
Lola Petticrew — “Trespasses” (WINNER)

Supporting Actor – Drama

Jack Gleeson — “House of Guinness”
Cal O’Driscoll — “Video Nasty”
Dónall Ó Héalai — “Hidden Assets”
Fionn O’Shea — “House of Guinness”
Aidan Quinn — “The Walsh Sisters”
Chris Walley — “The Young Offenders” (WINNER)

Supporting Actress – Drama

Cathy Belton — “Hidden Assets”
Ruth Bradley — “Slow Horses”
Katherine Devlin — “Blue Lights”
Danielle Galligan — “House of Guinness”
Alison Oliver — “Task” (WINNER)
Genevieve O’Reilly — “Andor”

Rising Star Award

Carolyn Bracken (Actor, “Horshoe,” “Oddity”)
Brendan Canty (Director, “Christy,” “Gealtra”)
Myrid Carten (Director, “A Want in Her”)
Louisa Harland (Actor, “The Walsh Sisters,” “Derry Girls”) (WINNER)

World

Potential US military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals, pursue regime change: report

Published

8 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Press Room

Potential US military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals, pursue regime change: report

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Potential U.S. military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals and even pursue regime change, a report said.

Two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity reportedly said those are options that have emerged in the planning stage, if ordered by President Donald Trump. They did not say which individuals could be targeted, but Trump, notably, in 2020 ordered the U.S. military attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Department of War for comment.

Trump already said Friday that he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders into a deal over its nuclear program, when asked by a reporter at the White House.

BUILT FOR WEEKS OF WAR: INSIDE THE FIREPOWER THE US HAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST

President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House, on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. Trump said Friday he is “considering” a limited military strike on Iran. (Allison Robbert/AP)

Last week, when questioned if he wanted regime change in Iran, the president said, “Well it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.”

Trump on Thursday suggested the window for a breakthrough is narrowing in talks with Iran, indicating Tehran has no more than “10, 15 days, pretty much maximum” to reach an agreement.

“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” he said.

TRUMP GIVES IRAN 10-DAY ULTIMATUM, BUT EXPERTS SIGNAL TALKS MAY BE BUYING TIME FOR STRIKE

The USS Gerald R. Ford is heading to the Middle East as the U.S. is building up its military presence there, amid talks with Iran. (U.S Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 6th Fleet / Handout via Reuters)

A Middle Eastern source with knowledge of the negotiations told Fox News Digital this week that Tehran understands how close the risk of war feels and is unlikely to deliberately provoke Trump at this stage.

However, the source said Iran cannot accept limitations on its short-range missile program, describing the issue as a firm red line set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iranian negotiators are not authorized to cross that boundary, and conceding on missiles would be viewed internally as equivalent to losing a war.

In 2020, the Pentagon said President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, left, in Iraq. (Getty Images)

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The source indicated there may be more flexibility about uranium enrichment parameters if sanctions relief is part of the equation.

Fox News’ Emma Bussey and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

World

Iran demands ‘evidence’ as Trump, UN experts highlight protest killings

Published

9 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Press Room

Iran demands ‘evidence’ as Trump, UN experts highlight protest killings

Tehran, Iran – The Iranian government has again blamed “terrorists” for the killings of thousands during last month’s nationwide protests after United States President Donald Trump and human rights experts weighed in.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that the government has released a list of 3,117 people, whom he described as “victims of recent terrorist operation”, including about 200 security personnel.

‘Majority of those killed are ordinary people’

Mai Sato, United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, has said more than 20,000 civilians may have been killed, but information remains limited amid heavy internet filtering by the state, six weeks after a nationwide communications blackout was imposed.

The US-based HRANA says it has documented more than 7,000 people killed during the nationwide protests, and is investigating nearly 12,000 more cases.

Sato was among 30 special rapporteurs and international human rights experts who signed a joint statement on Friday calling on Iranian authorities to fully disclose the fate and whereabouts of tens of thousands arrested, forcibly disappeared or missing in the aftermath of the nationwide protests, and to halt all related death sentences and executions.

“The true scale of the violent crackdown on Iranian protesters remains impossible to determine at this point,” the experts said. “The discrepancy between official figures and grassroots estimates only deepens the anguish of families searching for their loved ones and displays a profound disregard for human rights and accountability.”

The international experts added that “the vast majority of those detained or killed are ordinary people, including children, from all provinces and diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as Afghan nationals”, in addition to lawyers representing protesters, medical professionals who treated the wounded, journalists and writers, artists and human rights defenders.

Iranian state media were accused of regularly broadcasting what the experts said are “widely regarded as forced confessions”.

The latest such incident came on Saturday, when the official Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary released footage from a court session for three men who said they regret setting fire to motorcycles, a mosque and copies of the Quran in Tehran during the unrest.

Also on Saturday, some students in Tehran and across the country returned to university campuses for the first time, as authorities kept universities closed and took some classes and exams online in the aftermath of the protests.

In Tehran’s Sharif University, one of the most prestigious in the country, students clashed after two separate demonstrations. Videos circulating online showed students shouting “dishonourables” at a group of paramilitary Basij students affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who chanted back in favour of the establishment.

The clashes come amid a heightened security atmosphere in Iranian schools and university dormitories. Teachers and schools in a number of cities near the capital went on strike last week to protest the killing of at least 230 children and teenagers, as well as increased presence of security forces in classrooms.

Families dance in defiant grief

The Iranian government held mourning events on Tuesday and Wednesday in Tehran, with some officials in attendance.

Culture Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri announced on Saturday that the government has decided to call the upcoming ceremonies around Newroz, the new Iranian year starting in late March, an exercise in “unity and empathy” with the aim of “getting past the grief” of thousands killed.

But numerous families have been holding defiant commemoration events of their own over the past week to mark 40 days since the killing of their loved ones during the anti-establishment protests.

Footage from many ceremonies across the country this week showed family members, and large crowds gathered to support them, proudly holding up images of those killed and celebrating their shortened lives.

Many chose to clap, play traditional drums and cymbals, and even dance in symbolic shows of resistance and defiance that heavily clash with religious rituals favoured by the theocratic state.

“May your pen break, O fate, if you do not write about that which befell us,” the father of Abolfazl MirAeez, a 33-year-old killed in the city of Gorgan in the northern province of Golestan, told crowds gathered at a ceremony on Thursday.

“My son was neither a rioter, nor an embezzler nor an aghazadeh [child of an elite]. He was the son of a farmer.”