Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech which denied that Russia was trying to build a new empire and accusing the United States of violating the world order. He specifically mentioned the role of the US in funding rebels in Syria and argued that the US was responsible for the growth of the Islamic State. The speech will certainly resonate with those in the world who believe that the US is using its power to destabilize regimes it does not favor.
The Swedes have called off the search for what was believed to be a foreign submarine in its territorial waters. The search was focused on the archipelago near Stockholm which is an incredibly difficult area to reconnoiter. Analysts continue to believe that the submarine was Russian, but there is absolutely no credible evidence to back up that suspicion. The Swedes, however, as well as others in northeastern Europe, believe that the Russians are applying military pressure to the northern tier of NATO.
The European Council has agreed to try to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the EU by 40% from 1990 levels by 2030. The countries in Europe which rely upon coal for their energy supplies had resisted the proposal, but pressure was on the EU to come up with an agreement prior to the 2015 Climate Conference which is to be held in Paris. The hope is that the European action will place pressure on other countries to come to a globally binding agreement in 2015.
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