International

Additional funding for Ukraine only possible through tax increases and austerity measures

from “Hungary today”

(6 February 2026) (CH-S) The EU Commission is acting dictatorially. It wants to incur debts for the war in Ukraine, which current and future generations of EU member states will have to pay off. Hungary is even receiving instructions from the EU Commission on which social benefits to cut and where further savings should be made. This report on the news portal “Hungary today” is documented by “Swiss Standpoint”.

The US-Israel hybrid war against Iran

Jeffrey D. Sachs* & Sybil Fares**

(6 February 2026) The question is not if the US and Israel will attack Iran, but when. In the nuclear age, the US refrains from all-out war, since it can easily lead to nuclear escalation. Instead, the US and Israel are waging war against Iran through a combination of crushing economic sanctions,1 targeted military strikes, cyberwarfare, stoking unrest, and unrelenting misinformation campaigns. This combination strategy is called “hybrid warfare.”

Peace in the Ukraine conflict?

Why efforts to date have not been enough

by Ralph Bosshard,* Switzerland

(30 January 2026) (CH-S) The association “Swiss Standpoint” invited Ralph Bosshard to speak and participate in discussions at its New Year’s conference (2–4 January 2026). The article below picks up on current developments and links them to the central themes of his presentation.

Brief history of Iran-US relations

The difference between perceived history and actual figures

by Larry C. Johnson,* USA

(23 January 2026) (CH-S) Iran is currently back in the geopolitical spotlight. Contrary to all international legal agreements and conventions, the US administration, together with the Israeli government and the silence of “the West”, is considering further military action against the country.

Francesca Albanese and the lonely road of defiance

by Chris Hedges,* USA

(16 January 2026) (CH-S) Following the abduction of the Venezuelan president and his wife by the US military, which violated international law, there has been little coverage in the public media of the catastrophic conditions in Gaza and the illegal “sanctioning” of UN employees who draw attention to these conditions. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese draws attention to the conditions in Gaza. For this reason, she is on the US blacklist and is treated like a terrorist.

A day of shame!

What next for the occupied Palestinian territories?

by Karin Leukefeld*

(26 December 2025) (CH-S) There are few independent journalists like Karin Leukefeld who have been closely following the complex situation in the Middle East with its multi-layered international interdependencies for decades.

Can the “Trump peace plan”, which contradicts the UN Charter and previous UN resolutions, be a chance for a peaceful solution to the Gaza conflict? Judge for yourself. Karin Leukefeld provides a preliminary assessment.