Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the NATO headquarters in Brussels next week, with the aim of securing an invitation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The request is likely to escalate tensions with Russia, which has always been opposed to Ukraine joining the NATO. In spite of this, the Ukrainian government believes that joining the military alliance will help ensure the security of the country because NATO membership obligates other members to provide mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. Ukraine has long been interested in joining NATO, but the process has been complicated by internal political issues, the ongoing conflict in its eastern territories, and international geopolitics. The final decision about welcoming a new member into NATO rests with the 30 current member countries. The consensus approach is used in decision-making at all levels in the organization, meaning that decisions require the agreement of all member countries. The process may take some time, and there’s no guarantee that Ukraine will be offered membership.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft Corporation. This probe will examine whether the tech giant has engaged in activities that have or could potentially harm competition, reduce innovation, or otherwise negatively affect trade and commerce in the U.S. The investigation could potentially lead to significant legal and financial consequences for Microsoft, depending on its outcome. While the specifics of the FTC’s investigation have not been publicly disclosed, it is likely to focus on areas where Microsoft holds substantial market power. These areas could include operating systems (like Windows), office software (like Microsoft Office), and potentially even new areas like cloud computing, where Microsoft’s Azure platform is a dominant player. An antitrust investigation of this nature often takes a long time to conclude, perhaps several years. The FTC will need to gather and analyze a vast quantity of information from Microsoft, other companies, and potentially even consumers themselves. The FTC has extensive powers to obtain this information through subpoenas and other legal tools. While the investigation is ongoing, Microsoft will likely be under increased public and regulatory scrutiny. This increased scrutiny could potentially affect the company’s strategic decisions, for example, by making it more cautious about launching new products or entering new markets. Should the FTC conclude that Microsoft has violated antitrust laws, it could potentially result in a wide range of penalties. These penalties could include fines, restrictions on the company’s future business practices, or even potentially breaking up the company, although this last scenario is generally seen as a last resort. Microsoft, for its part, will likely assert that it has not violated any laws and that its business practices are lawful, pro-competitive, and benefit consumers. The company will likely have a robust legal defense strategy in place and will use all legal tools available to it to respond to and contest any allegations made by the FTC. It’s important to note that this investigation may not necessarily lead to any findings of wrongdoings or penalties. It is not uncommon for these broad investigations to conclude with the FTC deciding not to take any further action due to lack of substantial evidence pointing to antitrust violations.