DW presents a timeline of US and NATO activity in Afghanistan over the recent decades and the causes that led up to it.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says Afghanistan's "situation is extremely serious and unpredictable" after the Tabiban takeover and that what is happening in the country "is a tragedy".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. He pressed for a firm commitment on NATO membership from the US, but got little encouragement.

It’s a big moment for Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to end her 16-year stint at the head of government of the EU's biggest economy. In this edition of Talking Europe, we speak to one of Angela Merkel's close CDU party allies, German MEP David McAllister.

Moscow is also closing the alliance's liaison mission. The announcement comes after NATO expelled eight members of the Russian mission to the military alliance.

Several EU member states are seeking a bloc-wide rapid reaction force. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says the defense efforts should not duplicate existing structures.

In a UN Security Council draft resolution, Beijing and Moscow have called for the lifting of trade sanctions on Pyongyang "with the intent of enhancing the livelihood of the civilian population."

The military alliance has urged Russia to be "transparent about its military capabilities" on its border with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Germany has called on Moscow to exercise "restraint."

Can NATO strike the right balance of force and diplomatic fortitude to make the Kremlin back off? Aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, Teri Schultz tees up a key meeting of foreign ministers in Riga.

NATO said there would be "consequences" for Russia if it launches an invasion of Ukraine. Russia, meanwhile, warned the West to stear clear of Moscow's "red lines."

Would Russia really invade Ukraine? Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are speaking by video link after more than a month of escalation in eastern Ukraine and across the Russian border, where a troop build-up has got NATO allies warning of red lines and harsh sanctions if those troops cross over. We debrief the virtual summit and Washington's threat to send more troops to Eastern Europe in case of attack.

Would Russia really invade Ukraine? Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are speaking by video link after more than a month of escalation in eastern Ukraine and across the Russian border, where a troop build-up has got NATO allies warning of red lines and harsh sanctions if those troops cross over. We debrief the virtual summit and Washington's threat to send more troops to Eastern Europe in case of attack.