Former US National Security Advisor Lt Gen (retd) H R McMaster has stated there is an “undeniable complicity” between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terrorist groups. In his book, “At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House,” McMaster reveals that during his tenure under President Donald Trump, there was resistance from the State Department and the Pentagon regarding the cessation of security aid to Pakistan.

Trump had ordered an end to all aid to Pakistan until it ceased providing safe havens to terrorists. However, McMaster writes that then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was preparing to send a military aid package to Islamabad, which included over $150 million worth of armored vehicles. The aid was eventually halted after McMaster’s intervention.

He recounts that it was challenging to get the State Department and the Pentagon to comply with Trump’s directives. Despite the South Asia strategy calling for a suspension of all aid to Pakistan, Mattis was set to deliver a substantial aid package during his visit to Islamabad. Although Mattis eventually stopped the aid shipment, other forms of assistance continued, prompting Trump to tweet on New Year’s Day criticizing the aid given to Pakistan.

McMaster also notes that Pakistan had not altered its behavior and even released Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, just before Mattis’s visit. Additionally, a recent incident involving hostages in Pakistan highlighted the ISI’s complicity with terrorist groups. While news reports at the time criticized Trump’s tweet as impulsive and lacking a clear policy, McMaster argues that halting aid was a vital part of the South Asia strategy that Trump had approved in August at Camp David.

A lunch hosted by Trump on December 14, which included Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Tillerson, Mattis, Chief of Staff Kelly, and McMaster, provided insights into why it was challenging to implement Trump’s policy on Pakistan or to coordinate on contingency plans for North Korea.

BELGRADE, Serbia — On Thursday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced a $3 billion agreement to purchase 12 French warplanes, signaling a shift away from Serbia’s reliance on Russian military equipment.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who was on a two-day state visit to Serbia.

French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day state visit to Serbia on Thursday, focusing on the potential sale of 12 Rafale multi-role fighter jets to the country, which has maintained close ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.

Macron is scheduled to meet with the populist leader President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Thursday evening, when the deal, reportedly worth 3 billion euros, is expected to be finalized.

An unnamed official from Macron’s office, speaking under the condition of anonymity due to French presidential policy, stated that the discussions about the warplanes are part of a broader strategy to “bring Serbia closer to the EU.”

Serbia is looking to modernize its air force, and the Rafale jets represent a “strategic choice” for Belgrade, which might otherwise continue to depend solely on Russian equipment, the official added.

While Serbia has formally applied for European Union membership, it has made little headway in the areas of rule of law and democratic reforms under Vucic’s increasingly autocratic governance, both of which are essential criteria for joining the 27-member bloc.

In a letter addressed to the Serbian public and published in local media on Thursday, Macron encouraged the Balkan nation to pursue its path towards the EU, though he acknowledged that “the prospect of joining the European Union does not seem to be as appealing as it should.” He referred to “concerns and fatigue over the pace of accession talks and also, at times, a feeling of resentment, even mistrust,” toward the EU.

“I am here in Serbia today with a clear message: The European Union and its member states need a strong and democratic Serbia within their ranks, and Serbia needs a strong and sovereign European Union to defend and advance its interests while respecting its identity,” Macron stated in the letter, which was published in the liberal Danas newspaper.

Macron also cautioned that following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Serbia’s “balancing act” between global powers is merely an “illusion.” He emphasized that Serbia can safeguard its interests and maintain its identity only as part of the EU.

Serbia has been considering the acquisition of new Rafale jets for over two years, ever since its neighboring rival, Croatia, purchased 12 used jets of the same model for approximately 1 billion euros.

KYIV, Ukraine — U.S. experts have joined a Ukrainian investigation into the crash of an F-16 fighter jet that Ukraine recently received from its Western allies. The aircraft went down earlier this week during a Russian attack, according to the country’s air force commander.

Commander Mykola Oleshchuk stated on Telegram that “a thorough analysis is already underway” to determine why the fighter jet crashed on Monday, during a significant missile and drone attack by Russia on Ukraine.

“We need to carefully examine what occurred, the circumstances surrounding the incident, and who is responsible,” Oleshchuk wrote in his post.

This crash marks the first reported loss of an F-16 in Ukraine, which received the jets at the end of last month. It is believed that at least six of these warplanes have been supplied by European nations.

Military analysts suggest that these planes will not dramatically shift the war’s dynamics, given Russia’s large air force and advanced air defense systems. However, Ukrainian officials have welcomed the arrival of the supersonic jets, which can carry modern NATO weapons, as they offer a chance to counter Russia’s air superiority.

Meanwhile, Russia’s military is making slow but steady advances in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces continue to hold their positions in the Kursk border region of western Russia following a recent incursion.

Oleshchuk criticized a Ukrainian lawmaker, who is the deputy head of the parliament’s defense committee, for claiming that the F-16 was accidentally downed by a Patriot air defense system. Ukraine has received an unspecified number of these U.S.-made systems.

Mariana Bezuhla cited unnamed sources for her claim and called for accountability for those responsible for the error.

Oleshchuk accused Bezuhla of defaming the air force and discrediting U.S. arms manufacturers, expressing hope that she would face legal repercussions for her statements.

The air force did not explicitly deny that the F-16 might have been struck by a Patriot missile.

The Institute for the Study of War noted that losses of Western-supplied military equipment are to be expected in the conflict. However, the Washington-based think tank emphasized that “any loss of Ukraine’s already limited supply of Western-provided F-16s and trained pilots will significantly affect Ukraine’s ability to use F-16s effectively in the near future, whether for combined air defense or air-to-ground support roles.”

Overnight, Russia launched 18 Shahed drones and one ballistic missile at Ukraine, according to the air force. Twelve drones were destroyed, and four others went down before reaching their targets.

The attack resulted in the death of a woman and ignited a fire in Sumy, the regional capital near Russia’s Kursk region, according to the regional administration.

TOKYO — Japan’s Defense Ministry on Friday requested a record 8.5 trillion yen budget for the next fiscal year to strengthen its defense capabilities on its southwestern islands against the growing threat from China. The budget focuses on unmanned weapons and artificial intelligence (AI) to offset the declining number of servicemembers due to the country’s shrinking population.

This budget request for 2025 is part of Japan’s rapid five-year military buildup plan under the government’s ongoing security strategy. Japan aims to allocate 43 trillion yen by 2027 to double its annual military spending to around 10 trillion yen, positioning it as the world’s third-largest military spender after the United States and China.

The Defense Ministry approved the budget request during a meeting on Friday, ahead of its submission to the Finance Ministry for negotiations through December.

Japan has accelerated the defense buildup in its southwestern region in response to China’s increasing military threats and regional sea tensions. China has intensified clashes with Philippine coast guards in disputed South China Sea waters and frequently dispatched coast guard vessels to violate territorial waters around disputed islands in the East China Sea, which are controlled by Japan but claimed by Beijing.

A significant 970 billion yen of the 2025 budget request is allocated for enhancing strike-back capabilities, including the development and acquisition of long-range missiles and related launch equipment, such as from an Aegis-class destroyer. Approximately one-third of the budget is set aside for a satellite constellation to enhance Japan’s ability to detect missile activities, as North Korea, China, and Russia develop harder-to-detect hypersonic missiles.

Facing a declining troop size, Japan is focusing on developing and acquiring more drones for surveillance and combat, with a request of 103 billion yen. The ministry is also seeking 314 billion yen to construct three new multi-purpose compact destroyers requiring 90 crew members each, less than half the current crew size.

Japanese defense officials describe combat drones as “game changers” capable of conducting hours-long missions and reducing human casualties in combat. They see these unmanned weapons as a central element of Japan’s military buildup, which also addresses challenges posed by an aging and shrinking population.

Japan has struggled to meet its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel target of 247,000. The SDF has faced difficulties attracting young recruits in recent years, reaching only half of its recruiting goal of 19,598 last year—the lowest in the SDF’s 70-year history. Additionally, 6,258 mid-career personnel left last year, the highest number in 30 years.

“With declining birth rates and a shrinking working-age population, Japan inevitably faces a severe labor shortage,” the ministry stated in an interim report on human resources released Friday. “We need to build a force that can operate in new ways while strengthening our defense capabilities.”

The report highlighted that a shrinking younger population and more attractive salaries and benefits offered by private companies have created “the worst recruiting environment since the end of World War II.”

The ministry has requested 18 billion yen to implement an AI surveillance system at 40 SDF bases across Japan, aiming to free up 1,000 personnel. An additional 4.3 billion yen is sought for automated supply storage, scheduled to launch in Okinawa in 2027.

In its interim report released Friday, the ministry also called for reforms to improve salaries, working conditions, training, and learning opportunities, and support for working mothers to attract more women into the force.

The ministry has been under scrutiny following a series of revelations of sexual assaults, harassment, and abuse of power in recent years. An internal investigation last year criticized attempts to cover up incidents and a lack of accountability among supervisors. The ministry also faced backlash in July over leaks of classified information and corruption scandals.