U.S. reaffirms commitment to Baltics amid troop cuts, weapons delays

by Rebecka Eriksdotter Pieder | May 14, 2026 | Featured, National Security, Politics

WASHINGTON, May 14 (UPI) — A State Department official told Congress on Thursday that NATO remains a critical deterrent to Russian aggression, and he reaffirmed U.S. support for the Baltic states. That reassurance comes as the war in Iran has resulted in delayed...

Farmers, lawmakers to Trump officials: lift fertilizer import duties

by Rebecka Eriksdotter Pieder | May 13, 2026 | Agriculture, Economy, Foreign Affairs

WASHINGTON, May 12 — Farmers and lawmakers called on the Trump administration Tuesday to lift duties on imported phosphate fertilizer, arguing during a Senate hearing that rising fertilizer costs due to the Iran war have hurt U.S. producers who already face tight...

Silent plea with teddy bears echoes U.N. findings on Ukrainian children

by Rebecka Eriksdotter Pieder | Apr 27, 2026 | Featured, Foreign Affairs

WASHINGTON — Exactly 20,000 tiny teddy bears adorned a fence on the National Mall, each stuffed toy representing one Ukrainian child abducted by Russia since the start of the war. Created by two Ukrainian advocacy groups, the display near the U.S. Capitol on Thursday...

U.S. senators split over U.N. reform through budget cuts and nationalism

by Rebecka Eriksdotter Pieder | Apr 16, 2026 | Featured, Foreign Affairs, National Security

WASHINGTON (AN) — Senators voiced bipartisan support for United Nations reform as U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz testified before the Foreign Relations Committee, but some disagreed over whether funding cuts and reduced engagement are the best way to put American...