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The article by Hellmut Hoffmann titled "Is the Security of the West Now Defended on the Dnieper? Russia's Aggressive War and NATO's Two Percent Defense Spending Goal" deals with the security landscape following Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022. NATO has already initiated a defense spending program in 2014, which obliges alliance partners to increase their defense expenditures to two percent of their gross domestic product by 2024. It is argued that Russia's attack on Ukraine poses a threat to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region. An analysis of the military balance of power shows that NATO has a significant advantage. However, it is pointed out that the media often only present the defense budgets of NATO partners in relation to their gross domestic product, while comparisons of the armed forces between NATO and Russia are rarely presented. The presence of the United States remains essential for many, as they are better able to enforce joint military action. [Extracted from the article]

The Vienna negotiations on reviving the nuclear agreement with Iran are continuing. The negotiations began at the end of November after a hiatus due to the election of a new president in Iran. The goal of the negotiations is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The Iranian nuclear agreement (JCPOA) was reached in 2015 but was abandoned by the United States under President Trump. The US's breach of the agreement was strongly condemned internationally. The willingness of the new US administration to return to the agreement is seen as an opportunity for a negotiated solution in the Middle East. [Extracted from the article]

Der Vertrag über die abschließende Regelung in Bezug auf Deutschland vom 12. September 1990 legte Begrenzungen für die Streitkräfte des vereinten Deutschlands fest. 24 Jahre später fassten die Staats- und Regierungschefs der NATO einen Beschluss, der die Bundesrepublik großem Druck aussetzt, ihre nach dem Ende der Ost-West-Konfrontation im Sinne einer „Friedensdividende" reduzierten Verteidigungsausgaben deutlich zu erhöhen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]