Foreign leader on Putin’s doorstep sounds alarm over Iran fueling Moscow’s war machine

UNITED NATIONS — Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned Wednesday that military cooperation between Russia and Iran poses a growing security concern, telling Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview that Iranian drone technology has helped Moscow wage war in Ukraine as Latvia prepares to contribute to a U.S.-led effort in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Rinkēvičs said Latvia, a country of approximately 1.84 million and still a core member of NATO's eastern flank, has already made the political decision to send military specialists to support international operations in the Middle East in response to President Donald Trump's request for European assistance.

"Yes, I am concerned. Actually, we have already seen Iran helping Russia a lot, especially at the very beginning of Russia's aggression against Ukraine," Rinkēvičs said when asked about the growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

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"The first drones Iranian made, or Iranian-designed drones, were used by Russia. Now Russians are actually modernizing them, making completely new technologies. But, actually, the design is still Iranian."

Earlier this week, Fox News Digital revealed documents obtained from the Russian Foreign Ministry detailing a roadmap between Russia and Iran for cooperation between 2024-2026 in multiple fields, including nuclear, finance and aviation, as well as infrastructure.

Asked whether Europe should take a more active role in countering Iran's military activities and respond to Trump's call for support, Rinkēvičs confirmed that Latvia has already taken steps toward joining an international effort in the Strait of Hormuz.

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"From our side, we have already made a parliamentary decision. That our EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) diver specialists could be sent to the Strait of Hormuz or to the Middle East to help out the United States, the coalition that is being formed," he said.

Rinkēvičs said Latvia hopes military activities will give way to a political solution and the restoration of global energy supplies, while expressing skepticism about the prospects for negotiations with Tehran and Moscow. 

"It's very, very difficult to have diplomacy with Iran. It's very difficult with Russia," he said.

Turning to the security situation in Europe, Rinkēvičs said Latvia does not see evidence of an imminent Russian military invasion despite growing concerns about Moscow's intentions toward NATO's eastern flank.

"If Russia were able to attack us ... that would have happened already," he said. "The Russian military is not the same as it used to be back in 2022. Remember they tried to take Kyiv in three days. They are still trying to take some certain small pieces of Ukrainian territory 4½ years after the full-fledged."

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Explaining the immediate threat to Latvia comes instead from sabotage, cyberattacks and information campaigns, which he described as intensifying, adding that European leaders face the difficult task of preparing their populations for potential threats without creating unnecessary panic.

Rinkēvičs also warned that NATO must accelerate its adaptation to the rapidly changing nature of warfare, particularly the growing role of drones and missile technology.

While traditional military equipment, including tanks and armored personnel carriers, remains essential, the president said the war in Ukraine has demonstrated how quickly new technologies are transforming the battlefield.

The president welcomed increased NATO defense spending, crediting Trump's push for greater investment, but cautioned that additional funding alone would not resolve the alliance's military readiness challenges.

"You have money, but not always you can buy the stuff immediately, or at least you can order things. And they are delivered soon enough," he said.

Rinkēvičs said he plans to meet with U.S. defense companies during his visit to the U.S., saying, "When it comes to the U.S. support, let me just say that the United States does an amazing job already. We do have U.S. troops, not big numbers, but I think sufficient numbers are now stationed in our airbase in Lielvārde.

"U.S. presence in the Baltics is very important, and we are working with our U.S. partners about further rotations."

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Melania Trump’s home-country leader rips UN ‘double standards’ as Trump promise is revealed

UNITED NATIONS - Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the United Nations of applying double standards to global conflicts, arguing that the international community's focus on Gaza has overshadowed Russia's war in Ukraine and other humanitarian crises, while revealing that President Donald Trump has promised to visit Slovenia, the homeland of First Lady Melania Trump.

Speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Janša said the international body must give greater attention to conflicts beyond the Middle East rather than concentrating its diplomatic efforts on a single crisis.

"We have to get rid of double standards," Janša said, calling for the UN to apply its available diplomatic and security tools equally instead of putting its attention, money and energy into one conflict while neglecting others.

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The Slovenian leader said he was struck by how extensively Gaza dominated speeches during the opening of the General Assembly, while Ukraine, a war much closer to his country's borders, received comparatively less attention.

For Slovenia and other European countries, he said, Russia's invasion represents an immediate security threat, with no clear indication that Moscow is prepared to negotiate an end to the fighting.

Janša argued that the UN was established to prevent such conflicts and should not allow its attention to be consumed by one region.

He also pointed to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and other humanitarian crises, arguing that the international body must recognize that different countries face different security and humanitarian challenges.

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Janša said he intends to raise the issue during his own address to the General Assembly, scheduled for Thursday.

His criticism comes as Slovenia undergoes a significant shift in its foreign policy, particularly toward Israel.

Under the previous government of Prime Minister Robert Golob, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood in June 2024 and imposed an arms embargo on Israel in July 2025. The government defended those measures as necessary to protect Palestinian civilians and uphold international law.

Since returning to power, Janša has sought to strengthen Slovenia's relationship with Israel, marking a shift from the previous government's more critical approach toward the Jewish state.

Earlier this month, Israel opened its first resident embassy in Slovenia, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar visited the country for talks aimed at expanding political and economic cooperation. The two governments also signed a cooperation program covering education, science, culture, youth and sports through 2030.

Janša described his government's approach as a return to the traditionally good relations between the two countries rather than a dramatic diplomatic realignment.

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He also criticized European governments that, in his view, have failed to recognize the broader strategic connections between Iran, Russia and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Janša said he has supported the Iranian opposition for decades and argued that lasting peace in the Middle East would remain elusive without political change in Tehran.

He accused some European governments of applying inconsistent standards by supporting Ukraine while taking positions toward Iran that he believes fail to account for Tehran’s relationship with Moscow, citing Ireland and Spain as well as Slovenia under the previous government before this year’s change in leadership.

Janša also suggested that some European leaders have used the Palestinian issue to divert public attention from domestic economic and political problems, particularly ahead of elections.

The prime minister's visit to New York also provided an opportunity to strengthen Slovenia's relationship with Washington, a relationship that carries a personal dimension because of the country's most prominent American connection: First Lady Melania Trump.

Born in Slovenia in 1970, Melania Trump grew up in the town of Sevnica before moving to the United States and becoming the nation's second foreign-born first lady.

The prime minister praised Melania Trump’s work on initiatives for children, describing her role in the White House as a source of pride for many Slovenians. He said his wife met the first lady for the first time on Tuesday and that he also spoke briefly with President Trump.

According to Janša, he invited Trump to visit Slovenia and received a positive response. "He promised he'll come," Janša told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital's Tyler Speicher contributed to this report.

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Trump likely ‘smirked’ as 'crass' Iranian president lashed out at US in UN speech: expert

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s sharp rebuke of Washington at the United Nations would have drawn little more than a "smirk" from President Donald Trump, who knows he "holds the cards," a foreign policy expert told Fox News Digital Wednesday.

The assessment came after Pezeshkian and Trump addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York from the same podium within 24 hours of one another, trading sharp rhetoric as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to mount.

"Trump understands he holds the cards, and he may not even have paid much attention to what the Iranian president was saying," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital.

Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran while portraying his country as the victim of aggression.

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"We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian claimed.

"Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country. America and Israel attacked us."

"I’m sure that would have drawn a smirk or a smile or a chuckle from the president’s face, seeing that crassness," Taleblu said, pointing to what he described as a sharp contrast between Pezeshkian’s rhetoric and the Iranian government’s track record.

Pezeshkian’s address came after Trump used the same U.N. stage to defend the U.S. conflict with Iran and warn that Tehran faces a stark choice between reaching a deal and facing further destruction.

"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?" Trump said on Tuesday.

While the rhetoric from both leaders was pointed, Taleblu said their broader diplomatic positions remain largely predictable.

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"To a certain degree, both President Trump and President Pezeshkian’s speeches before the U.N. General Assembly’s 81st session were predictable," Taleblu said.

"Predictable because the status of both countries and their foreign policy toward the other are in a fairly predictable pattern right now."

Despite the threats and recriminations, the two adversaries also appear to be still testing a diplomatic path behind the scenes.

Trump said Tuesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with Iranian officials for roughly three hours on the sidelines of the General Assembly and characterized the discussions as productive.

Witkoff later said the talks were conducted through mediators who shuttled between the U.S. and Iranian delegations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also represented Tehran in the discussions, according to reports.

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Both sides, Taleblu said, are attempting "to make time a weapon on their side" and "to put the burden of choosing between escalation and engagement on the other."

But Taleblu went on to characterize Pezeshkian’s broader message as an attempt to cast Iran as a victim through an anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-imperialist framework.

"It seemed to be more of a global South, anti-American, anti-Israeli, kind of anti-colonial, anti-imperialist message that he was looking to kind of paint the Islamic Republic as the victim," Taleblu said.

"In reality, the long-serving victim in this entire crisis is the Iranian people because of the policies of the Islamic Republic."

The competing messages — confrontation from the U.N. podium and diplomacy behind the scenes — highlighted the unresolved tensions between Washington and Tehran as officials explore whether negotiations can produce an off-ramp from the conflict.

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"Despite the tough talk at the podium, both sides still feel like they need to signal an interest in talks, even though they’re both trying to use talks to shape an outcome that is more conducive to their interests," Taleblu said.

Pezeshkian also told the General Assembly that Tehran would not surrender to military pressure while signaling that Iran remained open to diplomacy.

"I think the Iranians are trying to signal an interest in talks, but they may run into a brick wall quite soon if they foot-drag or delay or don’t meaningfully provide any kind of substantive change in their policy," Taleblu said, citing Iran’s positions on the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear program.

"Ultimately, if the positions remain the same, the fact that they’re oscillating between shooting and talking doesn’t mean much because the red lines haven’t actually moved.

"Of course, the Trump administration is looking for a political win here."

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NATO ally pushes ‘Fort Trump’ US military base as Russian helicopter penetrates airspace

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has revived a proposal to establish a permanent U.S. military base in Poland named "Fort Trump" as Warsaw pushes to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank amid continued Russian incursions into allied airspace.

Nawrocki said that he was confident Warsaw and Washington would reach a deal on the base, which Poland has sought as part of its effort to secure a long-term American troop presence and boost defenses against Russia.

"I hope that when work on the base is completed, President Trump will be able to personally attend the inauguration of ‘Fort Trump,’" Nawrocki said in New York Sept. 22.

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The proposal dates back to 2018, when Nawrocki’s predecessor, President Andrzej Duda, suggested naming a permanent U.S. military installation in Poland "Fort Trump" as part of an effort to secure a lasting American military presence in the country.

The urgency behind Warsaw’s push this month was underscored within hours of Nawrocki’s remarks in New York, when a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter briefly penetrated Polish airspace from Russia’s Kaliningrad region.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also mentioned the issue during a briefing with Polish media following his address to the U.N. Security Council in New York on Wednesday.

According to the Polish Army Operational Command, the helicopter entered Polish territory north of the town of Braniewo at 11:08 a.m., reaching a maximum depth of about 300 meters.

The Russian aircraft remained in Polish airspace for 42 seconds before exiting.

Polish radar systems tracked the helicopter throughout the incursion, prompting fighter aircraft to scramble while ground-based air defense units were placed on standby.

Polish military authorities said the brief violation indicated Moscow was once again testing the readiness and response times of NATO air defenses.

The incident adds urgency to Poland’s push for a permanent U.S. military base. Nawrocki acknowledged that specific deadlines have not yet been established because administrative and financial details are unresolved.

"It’s hard for me to give specific dates, but I think this matter has been definitively confirmed, because President Trump is known for keeping his word," Nawrocki said.

"Infrastructure preparation is progressing. In fact, the appropriate infrastructure is already being selected," he told Bloomberg.

Nawrocki also called the establishment of the base "only a matter of time" and seemed optimistic that construction could be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2029.

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Deputy Defense Minister Stanisław Wziątek had also mentioned establishing the U.S. base, with the remaining question being the precise location, according to reports.

Wziątek said the installation would likely host between 3,000 and 5,000 U.S. troops.

Poland ultimately hopes to host "around 15,000" American troops, building on the roughly 10,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in the country, largely on a rotational basis.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned Sept. 18 that, according to intelligence available to Warsaw, Russia was planning drone and missile strikes against eastern NATO countries that Moscow could present as accidental, The Associated Press reported.

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Russian drones have repeatedly entered NATO airspace and crashed on alliance territory, including in Poland and Romania, while NATO countries have scrambled fighter aircraft in response to Russian aerial activity near their borders over the years.

Trump had also signaled progress in strengthening the U.S.-Polish military relationship, calling the developments on a base a "historic step for our Great US/Polish Alliance" and indicating on Truth Social that further details could be announced.

"Thanks to the bold leadership of my friend, Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland, major progress is being made towards establishing a US Army base in Poland," Trump said Sept. 17.

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Lukashenko reveals bizarre argument he and Putin have over who is the ‘bigger dictator’

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed during a speech to youth leaders in Minsk that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin regularly joke and argue over which of them qualifies as the ultimate dictator.

The Belarusian leader's comments at "Youth. Belarus. Future." Sept. 17 also underlines the close alignment between Moscow and Minsk with Lukashenko enjoying his position as Europe’s longest-serving head of state.

Lukashenko has ruled over Belarus unhindered since 1994, with Putin leading Russia since 2012, also serving as president between 2000 and 2008.

"You know what they say about me?" Lukashenko asked the audience during his Sept. 17 address, according to Novaya Gazeta.

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"[I am] the last dictator, the second-to-last dictator in Europe. Dictator, dictator. Vladimir Putin and I often joke and argue over which of us is more of a dictator.

"They say I’m the last dictator, the last dictator in Europe. Dictator — so be it. Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and I often argue, jokingly, about which of us is the bigger dictator."

Lukashenko, 72, a former Soviet collective farm manager, is also known to be Putin’s closest international partner and ally.

While Minsk has not committed ground troops to the war in Ukraine, it serves as a strategic staging ground for Moscow, with Russia relying on Belarus for military and strategic support in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

According to the Kyiv Post, Belarus specifically provides Russia with key weapons components and allows its forces to launch military strikes from Belarusian territory.

An August report by Ukrainska Pravda also highlighted a new railway construction capable of handling military trains in Belarus' Gomel Oblast near the Ukraine border.

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The strength of the relationship between the two countries comes as Western officials increase pressure on Moscow and its allies and with the two leaders reported to be in frequent contact.

After meeting in Moscow Aug. 27, Lukashenko officially congratulated Putin Sept. 21 after the Russian election results.

He praised the "unprecedented turnout of millions of voters" and the majority secured by the United Russia party, calling it a proper response to "cynical attempts from the outside to discredit the campaign and sow discord."

Addressing the youth forum in Minsk on political succession in Belarus, Lukashenko insisted no one is prepared to take over power.

"Never believe those who say that Lukashenko is ‘clinging to power with blue-knuckled hands’," he told the audience.

"Good Lord, let them say it. I have had my fill of this power to the point where I could not possibly want any more of it.

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"The only question is whether you are capable today of taking over the country and holding on to it," he added. "If you are, start tomorrow. To be frank, I cannot yet answer that question positively. Do not take offense.

"I became a dictator then because I stood up against the entire ‘civilized world.'"

Western nations maintain strict economic pressure on Minsk. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys recently reiterated the Baltic nation's firm stance.

"We do not see any reasons why our position on Belarus should soften as Belarus is not changing its behavior," Budrys said.

"On our side, we have to be very exact and continue what works, and that is the pressure on the regime."

Despite international sanctions, Lukashenko announced Sept. 11 that Belarus has begun selling potash, a primary export used in fertilizer, to the United States.

While Western nations maintain economic restrictions over human rights abuses, U.S. sanctions on Belarusian potash were lifted after recent political prisoner releases, though European Union sanctions remain active.

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Battle-tested Zelenskyy sounds chilling alarm on where Putin’s war could head next

UNITED NATIONS - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Tuesday that Russia could launch attacks against other European countries, telling Fox News Digital that the risk of a new offensive is "very high" as Moscow seeks to undermine European unity and weaken support for Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Zelenskyy was asked by Fox News Digital about the possibility that Russia could invade or attack another European country in the near future.

"That's why the risk of offensive by drones, missiles or land operation is very high against other countries who are bordering Russia or Belarus," Zelenskyy said.

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The Ukrainian leader argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin, unable to achieve his military objectives in Ukraine, could seek to create instability elsewhere in Europe to pressure Western governments into reducing their support for Kyiv.

"How to divide unanimity in Europe? ... To attack somebody else. To attack and say, look, I will go further if you will not stop this," Zelenskyy said.

He pointed to drone incursions and disruptions affecting several European countries, arguing that Moscow is already attempting to intimidate European societies and test their response.

Zelenskyy said Putin's inability to secure a decisive victory in Ukraine could push him toward additional confrontations, as he faces pressure to justify the war to the Russian public.

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Asked by Fox News Digital what European countries should do in response to the growing threat, Zelenskyy offered a direct answer.

"Respond. Always respond. It's not about the war. If you don't respond, Russians, they will go further," he said.

The warning comes amid heightened concerns about Russian activity in Europe. Zelenskyy's warning comes amid heightened tensions across Europe following a series of Russian drone incursions and warnings from European leaders about the possibility of further attacks.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Sept. 14 that peace in Europe was under threat, urging European countries to take the danger seriously. Speaking at an EU-Arctic Summit in Finland, Merz said Russia's presence in the region and its hybrid attacks elsewhere in Europe were increasing, calling for a united response from European countries and NATO.

RUSSIA’S STRIKES NEAR MOLDOVA RAISE ALARM OVER PUTIN’S PLANS FOR EUROPE’S EASTERN FLANK

The German leader's warning followed an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4, which German authorities publicly attributed to Russia on Sept. 1.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a separate warning on Sept. 17 that Russia was planning drone or missile attacks against NATO countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland, while potentially portraying the incidents as accidental to weaken the alliance's response.

The concerns are not limited to hypothetical threats. On Sept. 8, a drone entered Romanian airspace before returning to Moldova and crashing, according to Romania's Defense Ministry. A week later, Italian fighter jets operating under NATO's air defense mission shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. Italian officials said the drone most likely came from Russia, although Lithuanian authorities were still investigating its origin.

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Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs also warned in a Sept. 18 interview with The Guardian that European countries and NATO were struggling to keep pace with developments in drone warfare, highlighting gaps in air and missile defenses that could leave European countries vulnerable to Russian attacks.

Zelenskyy's remarks followed talks with Trump in which the Ukrainian leader said he raised the possibility of a mutual halt to attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy infrastructure, as well as Ukraine's need for additional Patriot air defense missiles ahead of winter.

"We are ready," Zelenskyy said of a potential agreement to halt energy strikes, adding that he was unsure whether Russia was prepared to reciprocate.

Zelenskyy also said Trump had expressed a willingness to help Ukraine obtain additional air defense capabilities, although no concrete commitment on immediate missile deliveries had been made.

The meeting came as Russia and Ukraine intensified aerial attacks, including strikes on energy infrastructure, ahead of the UN General Assembly.

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Chinese Coast Guard rams Philippine boat in South China Sea, sparking diplomatic clash

Tensions in the South China Sea escalated again Friday after a Chinese Coast Guard vessel collided with a Philippine government ship, an encounter captured on video that prompted competing accounts from Manila and Beijing.

The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat was distributing fuel to Filipino fishermen when the collision occurred at 11:13 a.m., roughly 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan province — an area Manila says is well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed crew members shouting, "Brace for impact!" moments before the collision. Photographs taken afterward showed bent and detached railings, damaged metal supports and debris scattered across the Philippine ship's deck. No injuries were reported.

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Philippine officials accused Beijing of deliberately ramming a civilian government vessel on what they described as a humanitarian and livelihood mission.

Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for West Philippine Sea concerns, said the Chinese vessel first cut across the Philippine ship's stern at a distance of about 33 feet before repeating the maneuver minutes later and colliding with it.

Beijing disputed Manila's account. Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue said the Philippine vessel "intentionally adjusted its course and suddenly accelerated to cut across the bow" of the Chinese ship after disregarding repeated warnings. China said its vessel had been conducting lawful operations near Sabina Shoal and blamed the Philippine side for the collision.

The incident also drew Washington into the dispute. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton said the United States "strongly condemn[s] the China Coast Guard's deliberate ramming."

The Chinese Embassy in Manila responded by accusing the United States of backing Philippine "infringement and provocations" in the disputed waters.

Friday's collision was the latest in a series of maritime confrontations between China and the Philippines. In July, Manila accused Chinese forces of firing water cannons at government vessels near Scarborough Shoal and striking a Philippine Navy staff member in the head with a wooden baton during an encounter at Second Thomas Shoal.

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