Defense Minister Pistorius announced the delivery of three missile launch systems to Ukraine during his visit to the United States. He assured his American colleague Austin of Germany’s greater military commitment.
Germany will pay for the delivery of three HIMARS rocket artillery systems from the United States to Ukraine. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced this decision in Washington after talks with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin.
“They come from US Armed Forces stocks and are paid for by us,” he said. The systems cost more than millions. HIMARS („High Mobility Artillery Rocket System”) is a multiple rocket launcher artillery system mounted on a truck chassis.
Ahead of the NATO summit in July, Pistorius wants to use his trip to the United States and Canada to, among other things, correct the critical view of Germany that emerged in previous years and illustrate Germany’s stronger military commitment.
Pistorius stressed Germany’s readiness to bear more military responsibility for security in Europe and the world. He announced that Germany was ready to make „further contributions for a fair transatlantic burden-sharing.” He pointed to the achievement of NATO’s 2% target, the continued deployment of a combat-ready brigade in Lithuania and the Air Defense in Europe initiative initiated by Germany.
Meanwhile, during his meeting with Austin at the Pentagon, Pistorius called on the US government not to relax its shared commitment to Europe. Pistorius was received there with full military honours.
In a speech at the Pentagon, Austin pointed to what Germany is doing to defend Ukraine and NATO, as well as security in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans.
“Whether it is deterring Kremlin aggression or promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific region, our two proud democracies are moving forward,” Austin said, describing Germany as a “force for peace and security.” “Germany remains one of our strongest and most reliable partners,” he said.
Billion orders in the United States of America
The previous day, Pistorius visited a helicopter factory owned by Boeing Defense in Philadelphia. The CH47-F Chinook heavy transport helicopter is produced there. Germany has ordered 60 of them in the latest Block II variant for the German Army. In the future, they will be the backbone of the Air Force when it comes to transporting personnel and materials. Pistorius was assured that everything was on schedule and delivery could take place by 2027.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Germany has ordered weapons and equipment for the German army worth 23 billion euros from the United States. In total, there are about 380 contracts with US defense companies.
During the visit of European Parliament President Mitsula, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that Ukraine wants to take the initiative on the front after the arrival of Western weapons.
Ukraine wants to regain the initiative
With the arrival of Western weapons, Ukraine wants to regain the initiative on the front. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a press conference with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Mitsola, in Kiev that the Russian armed forces are currently launching an attack in eastern Ukraine, and this is not a secret.
“As soon as the arms shipments arrive, we will stop their initiative,” Zelensky promised. But his army needs „something strong” to make this happen. An outdoor press conference in front of the presidential office was canceled shortly afterwards due to an air raid warning.
According to Zelensky, the Russian army is currently preparing for a major attack. For this purpose, forces will be gathered in the north and east of the front. However, not everything is going as well for the Russians as they thought. The Ukrainian president emphasized: “It is not that I want to raise your morale. This is the reality.”
In an interview, Reinhold Messner, 79, settled scores with his sons. Now the son of the mountaineering star is coming forward – and revealing new details.
Updated as of July 25, 2024 at 2:45 PM: Reinhold Messner caused a stir in an interview last weekend. The mountaineering legend described, among other things, the early inheritance of his sons as “one of my biggest mistakes”. The 79-year-old revealed that “the question of who got more was the main focus”. But now son Simon responds: “It’s unfortunate and sad.” Bavaria Radio His father’s accusations.
He himself greatly values the inheritance he received from his father: two mountain farms in Vinschgau in South Tyrol, and he always passed this on to his father. „That’s why I fundamentally don’t understand this accusation,” says Simon Messner. He sees no similarity between the inheritance and the break in the family, which happened gradually and had other causes, says Simon Messner. Father Reinhold did not want to comment further on this topic.
After inheritance dispute: Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner 'on the brink’
First report dated July 21, 2024: Bolzano – Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner turns 80 in September. But things don’t always go well for Messner, especially in his old age – he recently drew attention to himself with a thoughtful Instagram post in which he wrote: “I’m coming to the end.” Now the 79-year-old is talking about the circumstances in his family. In an interview with Pharmacy Journal Miser gives insight into his relationship with his children, which was strained by his decision to leave the majority of his assets to them in his will before his death.
Reinhold Messner talks about the biggest mistake of his life – the 79-year-old was 'on the edge of the abyss’
“One of my biggest mistakes was leaving them the majority of my assets in my will before I died,” Meisner says of his children. “They don’t understand that everything was a gift and don’t appreciate my generosity.” This is very disappointing to him, especially compared to his childhood, when there was nothing to bequeath but respect and gratitude.
Meisner explains to Pharmacy Journal “We were a big family, with many brothers and sisters, and we took care of our parents when they were old. For me, it was the opposite. The moment I distributed my material inheritance to my children and my wife, the family collapsed. The question of who got more was at the forefront and I was on the edge of the abyss when I was 75 years old.
Reinhold Messner
September 17, 1944
Brixen (South Tyrol)
Member of the European Parliament (1999-2004)
Climbing Mount Everest Without Oxygen
Asked if he would like to improve the relationship again, Meisner replies, “What parent wouldn’t want to?” He stresses that each person should find their own path rather than following in the footsteps of others: “Everyone should do it. Follow their own path, go their own way.”
’I’m Coming to the End’: Reinhold Messner’s Fans Worried
Recently, Messner caused concern among fans with his Instagram post: “I’ve reached the end, this is reality,” the mountaineering legend used the words to say. Messner’s post caused great concern among some fans.
“I leave with a clear conscience and the knowledge that I was a good person, did my best, was a loving father, a good friend, and a good brother,” Meisner continued in his post. “Now it’s time to live my last dreams and love the people who mean the most to me, but most importantly, gratitude.”
Many years after his climbing career ended, Messner remains one of the world’s most famous mountaineers. He was the first person ever to climb all eight-thousanders. However, in his native South Tyrol, a different Messner has been in the spotlight in recent months: his younger brother Hubert Messner, 71, a former pediatrician who also took part in numerous expeditions, recently became health minister for the northern Italian region.
Recently, there was also a fuss about the Guinness World Records being stripped of Reinhold Messner’s record. The mountaineer spoke of „conspiracy theories”.
’Symbolic’ Consequences – EU Moves Ministerial Meeting From Budapest to Brussels
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Hungary, led by Viktor Orban, has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union since July 1.
Source: German Press Agency/Alexander Zemlianichenko
There is still a lot of anger in Brussels about Viktor Orbán’s “peace mission”: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wants to ban Budapest from the next meeting of foreign and defence ministers. But the shot could backfire.
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DrThe European Commission is drawing further conclusions from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s unilateral actions: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that upcoming meetings of foreign and defence ministers will be held in Brussels – not in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Borrell said after a ministerial meeting in Brussels that he had taken the decision after a majority of ministers spoke out against Hungary and wanted to impose „symbolic” consequences on the country. According to Borrell, 25 foreign ministers condemned Orban’s behaviour. The Hungarian received support only from Slovakia.
But Borrell has also been heavily criticised for his uncoordinated move to cancel the Budapest meeting. “Spain does not support a boycott in the EU,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said. Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel called the idea of a boycott “nonsense”. Bettel said he would rather go to Budapest and express his opinion to the Hungarians. Germany, France and the Netherlands have also voiced opposition to Borrell’s proposal.
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In Brussels, it cannot be ruled out that Borrell’s boycott campaign will ultimately backfire: several ministers are now said to be staying away from the Brussels meeting on 28-30 August in protest.
Read also
Hungary has held the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union since the beginning of July. Immediately after that visit began, Orbán made a surprise visit to Ukraine, Russia and China on a self-proclaimed “peace mission.” He also met with US presidential candidate Donald Trump. His meetings have drawn criticism from EU member states.
The European Commission had already reached its first conclusions a week ago. A Council spokesman had said that no commissioners would be sent to informal meetings of the Hungarian Council Presidency, but only senior officials. The decision was taken by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. There will also be no customary inaugural visit by the Commission to the new Council Presidency.
After Biden’s withdrawal from the US election campaign, Vice President Harris appears to be the new Democratic nominee. The Trump camp and the Republicans have already adjusted their strategy.
While US President Joe Biden is widely respected by Democrats for his decision, the reaction from Republicans seems somewhat different.
The crowd began to boo when Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, declared at a rally in Ohio: “Joe Biden is out of the race.” In his hometown of Middletown, the newly elected Vance has now thrown himself into the campaign.
That has changed dramatically for the Republican Party as a result of Biden’s withdrawal. So they are immediately adopting a new strategy and portraying the planned change of candidates as undemocratic.
Republicans make serious claims
Vance, for example, rails against the supposed Democratic elite who, in his view, were pulling the strings in the background: “Now to nominate someone else because George Soros and Barack Obama and a few elite Democrats decided behind closed doors to prioritize the Democrats.” Joe Biden is out “This is a threat to democracy. It’s not the Republican Party that fights for democracy every day.”
House Republican Leader Mike Johnson goes a step further. On CNN, he says that in some states you can’t just change the nominee. 14 million people voted for him in the primary — and Biden’s withdrawal now renders their votes invalid.
In the US states of Wisconsin, Georgia and Nevada, there are already regulations on how to conduct a candidate swap, but since Biden has not yet been formally nominated, it probably won’t help that Republicans go to court much.
The second strategy directly targets Biden’s likely successor, current Vice President Kamala Harris. Donald Trump, who is running for the White House as a Republican, has already made a pitch at a campaign event in Michigan..
Trump, who mispronounced her name, says he just calls her „Laughing Kamala.” „You can tell a lot from her amazing smile,” the 78-year-old said. „She’s crazy.”
But the attacks are not limited to the personal level: Trump and Republicans are also blaming Harris on the political level — for everything the Biden administration has done.
Just an hour after he announced he would not run for re-election, the first TV ads came out: Harris was accused of covering up Biden’s supposedly poor health.
The short ad reads: “Kamala knew Joe couldn’t do the job, so she did it.” What they achieved was an invasion of the border, soaring inflation, and the death of the American dream.
Attack Surface When It Comes to Immigration
The immigration issue in particular could make Harris vulnerable to Republicans. As vice president, President Biden has tasked her with immigration policy.
“She didn’t do her job,” Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said on Fox News. “Harris is a failure.” Abbott said Americans should reject her at the ballot box in November.
It remains unclear whether Kamala Harris will actually run as a Democrat. Republicans are certainly preparing for that.
