If any good is to emerge from the deepening crisis in Eastern Europe, it is the growing evidence that the western alliance may finally have rediscovered the unity of purpose necessary to deal with Russia's troop build-up on the Ukrainian border.
Ever since the US-led Nato security alliance presided over the catastrophic withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan last summer, serious concerns have been raised about the ability of the West to present a united front when dealing with a major crisis. One of the defining features of the Afghanistan fiasco was Washington's willingness to act unilaterally and without engaging in proper consultation with fellow Nato member states and other allies, a failing that contributed significantly to the subsequent chaos that unfolded at Kabul airport as the US and its partners struggled to implement their individual responses to the crisis.
No one would have followed these humiliating events, at least from the West’s point of view, more closely than Russian President Vladimir Putin who, in his desire to reassert Moscow's standing on the world stage, looks to seize upon any sign of weakness or division among its rivals. Indeed, it has been argued that a key motivating factor in Moscow's decision to mount a military presence on the Ukrainian border has been his desire to test the West's resilience, specifically Washington's leadership role.
Even US President Joe Biden's most loyal acolytes would concede that their leader's first year in office has been less than impressive, especially when it comes to working with key allies. Mr Biden's neglect of America's vital relationship with Europe was reflected in the fact that his administration spent nearly all of last year without having appointed ambassadors in many of the continent's capitals, including Berlin, Paris and London, a failing that undermined its attempts to maintain cordial ties.
Indeed, Mr Biden's less-than-convincing performance, on global issues as well as domestic concerns, has led some prominent members of his Democratic Party to question whether he should run for re-election in 2024.
That Mr Biden, in cohort with his European allies, has helped to forge something approaching a coherent and unified approach to the Kremlin's moves near Russia's border with Ukraine is a welcome sign. He has proved that, in a time of crisis, the West still has the ability to summon the resolve to tackle major global issues.
Mr Biden's response has not been faultless. He apparently misspoke during a news conference to mark his first year in office, when he seemed to question whether Nato would respond if Russia only carried out a "minor incursion" in Ukraine. Mr Biden was obliged to issue a hasty clarification the next day, making it "absolutely clear" that any Russian move into Ukraine would be seen as an "invasion".
Nato has remained robust in rejecting all of the Kremlin's key demands
Nor has Mr Biden been the only prominent western leader to struggle to mount an effective response. French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to suggest he was willing to compromise Kiev's sovereignty in return for getting Mr Putin to scale down Russia's military presence on the border.
New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was another key western leader whose performance has been questioned after he described Ukraine's hopes of one day acquiring membership of the Nato alliance as "absurd". Germany's willingness to cut a deal with Moscow, which it relies upon heavily for its energy needs, on the Ukraine issue caused so much alarm in Washington that Mr Biden felt obliged to hurriedly arrange a summit with Mr Scholz to get him to toe the line.
Despite these wobbles, however, Nato has remained robust in rejecting all of the Kremlin's key demands.
As tensions over Ukraine deepened towards the end of last year, Mr Putin made clear his requirements for de-escalating the crisis by presenting Nato with a highly contentious list of security guarantees contained in an eight-point draft treaty released by the Russian foreign ministry in December. The demands included a ban on Ukraine entering Nato and a limit to the deployment of troops and weapons to Nato's eastern flank, in effect returning alliance forces to where they were stationed in 1997, before an eastward expansion.
After studying the proposals in detail, both the US and Nato have formally rejected Russia's demand limiting Ukraine's membership of Nato, while offering the possibility of opening discussions on areas such as missile defence and transparency over military drills. The alliance, moreover, has maintained a unified position in this regard, even if some member states, such as France and Germany, would prefer to find a compromise solution to ease tensions.
This welcome – and some would say long-overdue – display of Nato unity has certainly made life a lot more difficult for the Kremlin, as it contemplates its next move.
Despite the Russian defence ministry's claims earlier in the week that Moscow had begun withdrawing some of its heavy armour, western security officials remain unconvinced. They are concerned that Russia remains committed to establishing a friendly regime in Kiev through military force. While a possible invasion date of February 16 mooted by US intelligence passed without incident, both western and Ukrainian leaders have not ruled out the possibility of an invasion in the coming weeks.
And if an invasion does take place, having a robust and unified western alliance will be vital to dealing with the most formidable security challenge Europe has faced since the Second World War.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)
Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)
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These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
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2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New schools in Dubai
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
