Raphael Minder | Financial Times
Poland’s president has called on the US to transfer nuclear weapons to Polish territory as a deterrent against future Russian aggression, a request that is likely to be perceived as highly provocative in Moscow. Andrzej Duda said it was “obvious” that President Donald Trump could redeploy US nuclear warheads stored in western Europe or the US to Poland, a proposal the Polish president said he recently discussed with Keith Kellogg, US special envoy for Ukraine.
Reuters
China will hold a meeting on Friday in Beijing with Russia and Iran on the Iranian "nuclear issue", its foreign ministry said, with both nations sending their deputy foreign ministers. Ties between Iran and Russia have deepened since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, with a strategic cooperation treaty signed in January. Both have good relations with China… The meeting will follow a closed-door gathering of the United Nations Security Council in New York the same day regarding Iran's expansion of its stocks of uranium that are close to weapons-grade.
Lee Hyo-jin | The Korea Times
The U.S. government's recent move to designate Korea as a "sensitive country" in the energy sector is seen as a subtle warning amid growing calls within Korea to develop its own nuclear arsenal, analysts said, Tuesday. According to diplomatic sources, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is reviewing whether to classify South Korea as a sensitive country on its internal list, a measure that will take effect on April 15. A "sensitive country" is one that requires "particular consideration for policy reasons, including national security, nuclear nonproliferation, regional instability, threats to national economic security, or support for terrorism".
Seo Ji-Eun | Korea JoongAng Daily
North Korea recently revealed it was building a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time. However, military experts believe Pyongyang faces overwhelming technical challenges that make its nuclear submarine ambitions nearly impossible — even with Moscow’s help. North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun on Saturday released images of a “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine” under construction, along with a report of leader Kim Jong-un's visit to a major shipyard.
Thorsten Benner | Foreign Policy
The incoming German government, rattled by the prospect of U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing security guarantees, is preparing a fundamental readjustment of its defense posture. The new coalition of Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD) has already agreed to push for changes to the debt brake that would pave the way to dramatically higher military spending. Germany’s likely next chancellor, CDU leader Friedrich Merz, stated that “in view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent,” the government’s new motto needs to be “whatever it takes.”
W.J. Hennigan | The New York Times
President Trump’s deference to Russia, his unprecedented rebuke of Volodymyr Zelensky and his no-holds-barred approach in prodding European partners to spend more on their military budgets are having an unintended impact among America’s longtime allies: a possible nuclear free-for-all. In recent days, emergency meetings have been convened in foreign capitals, and alarming public statements have been delivered by Poland, Germany and South Korea about their consideration of acquiring nuclear weapons. It’s a remarkable turn of events that portends a new nuclear landscape.