Vanuku

[Kubrick]

Wiel urges Pontesi to invoke 'Article 4e'
1 November 5574, Wiel, Kingdom of Wrnuke, Empire of the Jelbic Peoples


One of the Avlamajolépar 2W7 main battle tanks during a recent exercise, the first of many since the beginning of the conflict.

The government of Wrnuke, the Jelbic Empire's leading member state, has issued a statement condemning Istalia's war against Pontesi and Kafuristan. Both nations are partners of Wrnuke, with Pontesi being a core member of the Jelbic Empire and Kafuristan being one of the Kingdom's close trading partners. Right now there is even a pipeline that ships oil straight to Wrnuke from Kafuristan. The sudden invasion from Istalia has been seen as a suicide mission by many within the Empire and the Prefect already spoke about an "unwinnable invasion" while pleading Istalia to cease its military operations and surrender or request peace talks. These calls however fell on deaf ears and the Istalians continue to try and invade the Empire. As such Wrnuke has mobilised its military forces and is doing non-stop exercises to remain at the highest possible state of alertness. The III. Vlótzgrsho, or Third Fleet, is a naval formation equipped with many frigates and smaller vessels, which are constantly patrolling the pipeline to avoid Istalian sabotage. Separate vessels are already being prepared to carry Royal Marines for a potential invasion of Istalia, though for now Wrnuke remains out of the war as Pontesi has not invoked article 4e of the imperial framework treaty. This article guarantees that if one member state is attacked all others shall defend it, but it is at the discretion of the member state to actually invoke the treaty. So far the Pontesi Kingdom has not yet done that.

Diplomats from Wiel have been pressuring the government in Melikvan but to no avail, as Pontesi insists it can win this fight itself. Military analysts from the King Temrkai Think Tank are inclined to agree with the Pontesian assessment, the northern Majatran nation has decisively revamped and improved its armed forces over the past few decades and trained in tandem with other forces from the Empire. Nonetheless for now the government has signed an emergency decree to give military aid to Pontesi, with ammunition, drones, shells, clothing and other requested items being sent over. Minister of Defence the Duke Zhtál-Merlkai commented that whatever Pontesi needs will be sent over without a second thought. The conflict however has shaken up the diplomacy of Wrnuke, as Zardugal has openly condemned the expansion of the Empire of the Jelbic Peoples. Together with Zardugal openly sending aid to Istalia the government decided enough was enough and abandoned the mediation talks Zardugal was hosting between Wrnuke and Xsampa: "We cannot trust them to be a neutral mediator as they have so blatantly picked sides in this horrible conflict," said Minister Klune Dnk-Karák of Foreign Affairs. The government is taking steps to rescind the treaty of cooperation between the two states, for now the energy relief network has been taken offline a consequence that left several citizens of Zardugal in the dark. It is expected the Empire will close the border with Zardugal in the next few days before threatening sanctions if Zardugal does not stop supporting the Istalian war of aggression. 

Krsyiji Sagmot'l (United Media) is the national news agency of Wrnuke, it is decidedly pro-government but can at times be critical of it.