February 27, Tuesday, 2024

1. Japan’s ruling and opposition camps are at odds over whether or not a Lower House ethics council meeting should be open to the public. The fundraising scandal involving the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party will be discussed at the meeting.
2. French President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out the option of sending ground troops to Ukraine. Macron invited leaders and ministers from more than 20 countries to Paris on Monday to discuss support for Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion of the country goes into its third year. Attendees included representatives from the United States and Europe.
3. Leaders in Sweden have cleared the final hurdle allowing their country to join NATO. On Monday, they saw lawmakers in Hungary approve their bid to join the alliance. Prime Minister Viktor Orban had promised Hungary would not be the last of NATO’s 31 members to ratify. But, last month, members of parliament in Turkey approved Sweden’s request. Finally, he relented. “We make alliances to defend each other in case of outside attack. There is no more serious commitment than this,” Orban said.