Friday, March 11, 2022
Say ‘Yes’ to Kissing; Say ‘No’ to Bombing!
EU Leaders Pledge Increased Military Aid for Ukraine | DW News
Mar 11, 2022 • As Russia's invasion continues, EU leaders have pledged more financial assistance and said further sanctions against Russia were in the works.
Europe has earmarked another €500 million ($550 million) for military aid to Ukraine, the President of the European Council Charles Michel said.
He spoke at the end of the meeting of EU leaders at Versailles in France. The money will be on top of the €500 million the EU has already committed to support Ukraine. At the same event,
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe would impose a fourth round of sanctions on Russia and President Vladimir Putin soon. She also said Ukraine's application for EU membership was being considered favorably, adding that the country is already "a member of the European family."
"Ukraine's membership application is an expression of their will and their right to choose their own destiny. Today we have opened the pathway towards us for Ukraine," she added
. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU would hold an extraordinary summit by May to discuss joint defense investments in the block.
Lien connexe ici.
Europe has earmarked another €500 million ($550 million) for military aid to Ukraine, the President of the European Council Charles Michel said.
He spoke at the end of the meeting of EU leaders at Versailles in France. The money will be on top of the €500 million the EU has already committed to support Ukraine. At the same event,
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe would impose a fourth round of sanctions on Russia and President Vladimir Putin soon. She also said Ukraine's application for EU membership was being considered favorably, adding that the country is already "a member of the European family."
"Ukraine's membership application is an expression of their will and their right to choose their own destiny. Today we have opened the pathway towards us for Ukraine," she added
. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU would hold an extraordinary summit by May to discuss joint defense investments in the block.
Lien connexe ici.
L'Union européenne doit «en faire plus» pour l'Ukraine, estime Zelensky
LE FIGARO : Le président ukrainien a fait part de son mécontentement après que les dirigeants des 27 ont exclu la veille toute adhésion rapide de l'Ukraine à l'Union européenne.
Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky a estimé vendredi 11 mars que l'Union européenne devait «en faire plus» pour l'Ukraine, après que les dirigeants des 27 eurent exclu la veille toute adhésion rapide de l'Ukraine à l'UE.
«Il faut aller plus fort. Ce n'est pas ce que nous attendons», a déclaré Volodymyr Zelensky dans une vidéo sur Telegram. «Il faut que les décisions des hommes politiques coïncident avec l'humeur de leurs peuples, les peuples européens (...) L'Union européenne doit en faire plus pour nous, pour l'Ukraine.» » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 11 mars 2022
M. Zelenskyy : Soyons clairs sur les raisons pour lesquelles l'Union européenne a pris la décision de ne pas accélérer l'adhésion de l'Ukraine à l'Union européenne : peur de la Russie et représailles. – © Mark
The Psychology of an Isolated Russia | The New Yorker
CALLEkocht : Deftiger Räubertopf. Ein "one pot" - Gericht nach Omas Rezept bei 160°
Zutaten:
1,5 kg Gulaschfleisch vom Schwein
1 kg mehligkochende Kartoffeln
500 g Champignons
800 ml stückige Tomaten
4 Knoblauchzehen
4 Zwiebeln
2 rote Paprika
2 gelbe Paprika
200 ml Saure Sahne
500 ml Sahne
Salz und Pfeffer
3 EL Paprikapulver
Öl zum Anbraten
Guten Appetit!
Senior Ukrainian Official: Bennett Pushed Zelensky to ‘Surrender’ to Putin — Report
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin, which would require Kyiv to make significant concessions in order to end Moscow’s invasion, the Walla news site reports.
Walla does not divulge the details of Putin’s offer, but previous reports from the news site said that Putin is demanding an independent Donbas region, but stopping short of regime change in Ukraine.
“If I were you, I would think about the lives of my people and take the offer,” Bennett told Zelensky during a phone call on Tuesday, according to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke to Walla on condition of anonymity.
Zelensky did not take well to the proposal, responding with a brief “I hear you.”
“Bennett has proposed that we surrender,” the senior Ukrainian official tells Walla. “We have no intention of doing so. We know that Putin’s proposal is just the beginning.” » | LIVEBLOG | Friday, March 11, 2022
Biden Announces Plan Suspend Normal Trade Relations with Russia
Ukraine: What Would Stop Putin? I ARTE. tv Documentary
Mar 11, 2022 • As Russian troops wage a fierce battle against the Ukrainian army, and as the West imposes tough sanctions against Russia, the question remains: what else can stop Putin? Two experts on Russia provide some answers.
Ukraine: What Would Stop Putin? I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 03/03/2023
Ukraine: What Would Stop Putin? I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 03/03/2023
Statement from the Proprietor in Response to Media Speculation
EVENING STANDARD: It troubles me that I am even writing this at a time when others are suffering so much and deserve unreserved focus. The harrowing news we are hearing from Ukraine is heart-breaking. Each hour brings fresh reports of a child killed, lives lost or families forced to flee their homes.
Nevertheless, accusations are coming from credible media outfits who are posing incredible questions to me so I feel I have no option but to respond. As someone who believes in transparency and the freedom of the press, I want to provide this statement as some context.
I am a British citizen. I first moved here as a child and was educated in the United Kingdom at primary and secondary level. I am proud to be a British citizen and consider Britain my home.
I have publicly made clear my condemnation of the war in Ukraine and called on President Putin to end the invasion of the country in the most public way possible through a letter to him published on the front page of the Evening Standard.
Our Ukraine Appeal has so far already raised £300,000, with every penny going to help the men, women and children who are fleeing the fighting in search of safety and desperately need food, water and medicines. » | Evgeny Lebedev | Friday, March 11, 2022
More about Evgeny Lebedev.
Related links here.
Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev insists he is not ‘an agent of Russia’: Media magnate issues statement in relation to peerage, as 386 Russian MPs added to UK sanctions list »
Boris Johnson and Evgeny Lebedev: a decade of politics, parties and peerages: Pair have been friends since 2009, but security concerns were raised because of the Russian tycoon’s father, a one-time Moscow spy »
Evgeny Lebedev Says He Is 'Not Some Agent of Russia'
THE GUARDIAN: Evgeny Lebedev has said he is “not some agent of Russia” following allegations that a British security services assessment said he posed a national security risk was withdrawn following an intervention by the prime minister.
The Russian-born owner of the Evening Standard and Independent and member of the House of Lords said “I am not a security risk to this country”. » | Miranda Bryant (now); Léonie Chao-Fong and Samantha Lock (earlier) | Friday, March 11, 2022
Related links.
The Russian-born owner of the Evening Standard and Independent and member of the House of Lords said “I am not a security risk to this country”. » | Miranda Bryant (now); Léonie Chao-Fong and Samantha Lock (earlier) | Friday, March 11, 2022
Related links.
Russian Military Moves into Firing Positions around Ukraine Capital Kyiv - BBC News
Mar 11, 2022 • The Russian military convoy that had been outside Kyiv appears to be on manoeuvers, taking up positions around towns near Kyiv.
US officials say that Russian forces have moved closer to Kyiv in the last 24 hours in what could be a renewed push.
More people are leaving their homes as fears grow of use of chemical weapons. At the same time volunteers are arriving in Kyiv to help fight the Russian invasion.
US officials say that Russian forces have moved closer to Kyiv in the last 24 hours in what could be a renewed push.
More people are leaving their homes as fears grow of use of chemical weapons. At the same time volunteers are arriving in Kyiv to help fight the Russian invasion.
Beth Rigby Interviews... The Prime Minister on the War in Ukraine
Mar 10, 2022 • Sky News' Political Editor Beth Rigby speaks to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the war in Ukraine and the UK's response.
Asked if Russia's potential use of chemical weapons was a red line, which could push the UK to military involvement, Mr Johnson said it was an 'agonising' situation, but there was no Western country where that kind of involvement was on the agenda.
He described the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "one of the most extraordinary leaders of recent times". But he defended the UK's response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, saying his government wanted to be 'generous but fair'.
Asked if Russia's potential use of chemical weapons was a red line, which could push the UK to military involvement, Mr Johnson said it was an 'agonising' situation, but there was no Western country where that kind of involvement was on the agenda.
He described the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "one of the most extraordinary leaders of recent times". But he defended the UK's response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, saying his government wanted to be 'generous but fair'.
Russians Are "Brainwashed," Says Litvinenko's Widow | DW News
Mar 11, 2022 • In Russia, there are some signs that opposition to the invasion of Ukraine is beginning to form, but with almost every Russian media outlet under state control - anti-war voices are struggling to be heard. And the Putin regime has a history of suppressing dissent by any and all means. Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy and Putin critic was poisoned on the streets of London in 2006 with the radioactive substance Polonium
A British legal investigation found Russia responsible for the killing. Litvinenko's widow, Marina, has been a leading critic of Putin and the Russian state. Echoing her late husband's call that they can silence one person, but not the whole world. She is now calling for a stop to Russia's war against Ukraine.
A British legal investigation found Russia responsible for the killing. Litvinenko's widow, Marina, has been a leading critic of Putin and the Russian state. Echoing her late husband's call that they can silence one person, but not the whole world. She is now calling for a stop to Russia's war against Ukraine.
If PM Can’t Say It, We Israelis Must: Zelensky, We’re with You; Putin, Stop the War
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: Damagingly and ultimately untenably for Israel, Bennett believes he dare not alienate Russia by publicly condemning it. Even so, there’s more he should be doing now to help Ukraine
We know Israel has genuine security concerns, and is realistically wary of becoming an adversary of Vladimir Putin — now that the United States is much less influential in Syria, and Russia much more so.
We realize that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett believes he simply cannot afford to alienate the Russian presidential bully over his war on Ukraine, when Israel may need him as it faces down our own potentially existential foe, Iran.
We understand that Bennett truly thinks he might be uniquely placed to help mediate a resolution to the Russian invasion that brings a faster conclusion, with less loss of life.
And we recognize that Israel’s leadership has tried to square the impossible circle by having Foreign Minister Yair Lapid do the condemning of Russia while Bennett refrains from pointing the direct finger of blame.
But such considerations and maneuverings become more untenable with every passing day of bloodshed.
If Bennett feels he cannot safely do so, then it must fall to the rest of us Israelis to say it:
Putin’s assault on Ukraine is intolerable and cannot be condoned. Every fresh bombardment, every new targeting of civilians, renders it increasingly despicable. » | David Horovitz | Friday, March 11, 2022
We know Israel has genuine security concerns, and is realistically wary of becoming an adversary of Vladimir Putin — now that the United States is much less influential in Syria, and Russia much more so.
We realize that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett believes he simply cannot afford to alienate the Russian presidential bully over his war on Ukraine, when Israel may need him as it faces down our own potentially existential foe, Iran.
We understand that Bennett truly thinks he might be uniquely placed to help mediate a resolution to the Russian invasion that brings a faster conclusion, with less loss of life.
And we recognize that Israel’s leadership has tried to square the impossible circle by having Foreign Minister Yair Lapid do the condemning of Russia while Bennett refrains from pointing the direct finger of blame.
But such considerations and maneuverings become more untenable with every passing day of bloodshed.
If Bennett feels he cannot safely do so, then it must fall to the rest of us Israelis to say it:
Putin’s assault on Ukraine is intolerable and cannot be condoned. Every fresh bombardment, every new targeting of civilians, renders it increasingly despicable. » | David Horovitz | Friday, March 11, 2022
‘My Plan Is There Is No Plan’: The Foreign Fighters Flocking to Ukraine
THE GUARDIAN: Thousands of people from around the world have joined the war effort, unsure when or if they will return home
Igor Gavrylko: ‘My grandfather spent 10 years in a Soviet camp in Kazakhstan.’ Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The Guardian
Igor Gavrylko was at his home in west London when the Russian bombs began to fall on Ukraine. A British citizen originally from Ukraine, he had lived in the UK since 1996, working most recently for Nissan as a forecourt salesperson. He rang his boss. “I knew a Russian invasion was going to happen,” he said. “My Ukrainian grandfather fought against the Red Army and the Nazis in world war two. Now it’s my turn to help.”
Gavrylko set off by car from Ealing and drove across Europe. By the time he arrived in Ukraine his elderly parents had already had a narrow escape. Russian missiles had destroyed the airport in their home town of Ivano-Frankivsk. “My city was bombarded,” he said. Gavrylko arranged for his mother, sister and four-year-old niece to escape to Poland. His 74-year-old father, Bogdan, refused to leave.
Now based in the western city of Lviv, Gavrylko is one of thousands of volunteers from around the world who have come to Ukraine to defend the country from Russian attack. Some have Ukrainian roots. Others are military veterans with no family ties who have decided to fight with Ukraine’s army. According to Gavrylko, “several hundred” Britons have already arrived, including Ben Grant, the son of a Tory MP. » | Luke Harding in Lviv | Friday, March 11, 2022
Igor Gavrylko was at his home in west London when the Russian bombs began to fall on Ukraine. A British citizen originally from Ukraine, he had lived in the UK since 1996, working most recently for Nissan as a forecourt salesperson. He rang his boss. “I knew a Russian invasion was going to happen,” he said. “My Ukrainian grandfather fought against the Red Army and the Nazis in world war two. Now it’s my turn to help.”
Gavrylko set off by car from Ealing and drove across Europe. By the time he arrived in Ukraine his elderly parents had already had a narrow escape. Russian missiles had destroyed the airport in their home town of Ivano-Frankivsk. “My city was bombarded,” he said. Gavrylko arranged for his mother, sister and four-year-old niece to escape to Poland. His 74-year-old father, Bogdan, refused to leave.
Now based in the western city of Lviv, Gavrylko is one of thousands of volunteers from around the world who have come to Ukraine to defend the country from Russian attack. Some have Ukrainian roots. Others are military veterans with no family ties who have decided to fight with Ukraine’s army. According to Gavrylko, “several hundred” Britons have already arrived, including Ben Grant, the son of a Tory MP. » | Luke Harding in Lviv | Friday, March 11, 2022
Guerre en Ukraine : l’OTAN ne veut pas de « guerre ouverte » avec la Russie ; 2,5 millions de personnes ont fui le pays
LE MONDE : « Nous estimons également qu’environ deux millions de personnes sont déplacées à l’intérieur de l’Ukraine », a indiqué le chef de l’agence de l’ONU pour les réfugiés, Filippo Grandi.
Londres sanctionne 386 élus de la Douma
La ministre britannique des Affaires étrangères Liz Truss a annoncé des sanctions contre 386 députés de la Douma, la chambre basse du Parlement russe. Dans un communiqué, la ministre précise que ces élus, qui avaient voté pour reconnaître l’indépendance des régions séparatistes prorusses de Donetsk et de Lougansk dans l’est de l’Ukraine, se voient frappés d’une interdiction de voyager et d’un gel de leurs avoirs au Royaume-Uni :
" Nous visons les complices de l’invasion illégale de l’Ukraine par Poutine et ceux qui soutiennent cette guerre barbare. Nous ne relâcherons pas la pression et nous continuerons à serrer la vis à l’économie russe par le biais de sanctions.Cette décision porte à 400 le nombre total de membres de la Douma sanctionnés par le Royaume-Uni. La Pologne, principal pays d’accueil des réfugiés ukrainiens » | vendredi 11 mars 2022
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Calls Russia ‘Terrorist State’ over Aid Shelling as Forces Close In on Kyiv
THE GUARDIAN: Ukraine president accuses Moscow of deliberate attack on humanitarian corridor in Mariupol as Russian forces appear to be regrouping in order to encircle capital
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has accused Russia of being a “terrorist state” after its tanks prevented a delivery of food, water and medicine to the besieged city of Mariupol, and said Moscow was capable of chemical weapon attacks.
As Russian forces appeared to be regrouping in order to encircle Kyiv and the US planned to ratchet up the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin, Zelenskiy tried to rally Ukrainians with another video address late on Thursday condemning Moscow’s relentless assault on cities.
“This is outright terror ... from experienced terrorists,” he said of the alleged attack on the aid convoy. “The world needs to know this. I have to admit it – we are all dealing with a terrorist state.
“They did it deliberately, they knew what they were blowing up, they have an order to keep the city a hostage, abuse it and bomb it constantly, and shell it.”
More than 400,000 people remain trapped in Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian forces, and basic supplies are running out. Some 200,000 are believed to want to leave amid a relentless Russian artillery onslaught but have not been able to do so despite the daily declaration of humanitarian corridors. With video » | Martin Farrer, and Luke Harding in Lviv | Friday, March 11, 2022
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has accused Russia of being a “terrorist state” after its tanks prevented a delivery of food, water and medicine to the besieged city of Mariupol, and said Moscow was capable of chemical weapon attacks.
As Russian forces appeared to be regrouping in order to encircle Kyiv and the US planned to ratchet up the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin, Zelenskiy tried to rally Ukrainians with another video address late on Thursday condemning Moscow’s relentless assault on cities.
“This is outright terror ... from experienced terrorists,” he said of the alleged attack on the aid convoy. “The world needs to know this. I have to admit it – we are all dealing with a terrorist state.
“They did it deliberately, they knew what they were blowing up, they have an order to keep the city a hostage, abuse it and bomb it constantly, and shell it.”
More than 400,000 people remain trapped in Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian forces, and basic supplies are running out. Some 200,000 are believed to want to leave amid a relentless Russian artillery onslaught but have not been able to do so despite the daily declaration of humanitarian corridors. With video » | Martin Farrer, and Luke Harding in Lviv | Friday, March 11, 2022
Facing Economic Calamity, Putin Talks of Nationalizing Western Businesses.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Besieged by an onslaught of sanctions that have largely undone 30 years of economic integration with the West in the space of two weeks, President Vladimir V. Putin on Thursday opened the door to nationalizing the assets of Western companies pulling out of Russia and exhorted senior officials to “act decisively” to preserve jobs.
With Russia in danger of defaulting on its sovereign debt and facing a sharp contraction in its economy, the West is betting that the looming, generation-defining economic crisis could make Russians turn on their president. It is also possible, however, that the crisis could end up strengthening Mr. Putin, validating his narrative that the West is determined to destroy Russia.
“I have no doubt that these sanctions would have been implemented no matter what,” Mr. Putin said in televised remarks on Thursday, arguing that his invasion of Ukraine served merely as a pretext for the West to try to wreck Russia’s economy. “Just as we overcame these difficulties in years past, we will overcome them now, too.”
But the sanctions imposed in the two weeks since the invasion — combined with multinational companies that employ tens of thousands of Russians voluntarily deciding to withdraw amid the global outrage — dwarf any other economic pressure that Russia has faced under Mr. Putin.
With the ruble having lost nearly half its value in the last month, prices of basic goods have risen sharply, causing panic buying at supermarkets. The central bank, which has kept the Moscow stock exchange closed since the war began, has introduced new capital controls, preventing companies from withdrawing more than $5,000 in cash for the next six months. » | Anton Troianovski | Thursday, March 10, 2022
With Russia in danger of defaulting on its sovereign debt and facing a sharp contraction in its economy, the West is betting that the looming, generation-defining economic crisis could make Russians turn on their president. It is also possible, however, that the crisis could end up strengthening Mr. Putin, validating his narrative that the West is determined to destroy Russia.
“I have no doubt that these sanctions would have been implemented no matter what,” Mr. Putin said in televised remarks on Thursday, arguing that his invasion of Ukraine served merely as a pretext for the West to try to wreck Russia’s economy. “Just as we overcame these difficulties in years past, we will overcome them now, too.”
But the sanctions imposed in the two weeks since the invasion — combined with multinational companies that employ tens of thousands of Russians voluntarily deciding to withdraw amid the global outrage — dwarf any other economic pressure that Russia has faced under Mr. Putin.
With the ruble having lost nearly half its value in the last month, prices of basic goods have risen sharply, causing panic buying at supermarkets. The central bank, which has kept the Moscow stock exchange closed since the war began, has introduced new capital controls, preventing companies from withdrawing more than $5,000 in cash for the next six months. » | Anton Troianovski | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Le patriarche Kirill – la guerre en Ukraine ? : C’est un «guerre sainte» de Vladimir Poutine !
Vraiment ? Dieu sanctionne-t-il les attaques contre la maternité ? Comment ce patriarche peut-il dire que la guerre de Poutine contre l'Ukraine est une « guerre sainte » ? De quel genre de théologie chrétienne s'agit-il ? Où dans la Bible Dieu sanctionne-t-il les attaques contre des innocents, sans parler des femmes enceintes ? Si c'est ce que ce patriarche entend par une « guerre sainte », alors les honnêtes gens ne devraient rien accepter ! Quelle absurdité ! – © Mark
La Serbie, seul pays d’Europe à soutenir massivement la Russie de Poutine
LE MONDE : Le pays, candidat à l’entrée dans l’Union européenne, refuse de prendre des sanctions contre Moscou. Des milliers de militants d’extrême droite ont même défilé dans les rues de Belgrade en criant « tous les Russes sont des frères des Serbes ».
Des manifestants pro-russes défilent dans les rues du centre de Belgrade, en Serbie, le 4 mars 2022. STR / REUTERS
Toute l’Europe est derrière l’Ukraine ? Oui, à une exception de taille près. Depuis le début de l’invasion russe, la Serbie, pays des Balkans comptant 7 millions d’habitants, se démarque du reste du Vieux Continent, en évitant soigneusement de sanctionner Vladimir Poutine.
Vendredi 4 mars, des milliers de militants d’extrême droite ont défilé dans les rues de Belgrade pour soutenir l’offensive, en brandissant des drapeaux russes. « Tous les Russes sont des frères des Serbes », a proclamé Damnjan Knezevic, un des organisateurs de la manifestation et le chef du mouvement d’extrême droite Patrouille du peuple, qui s’est fait connaître en Serbie, ces dernières années, pour ses agressions violentes contre des migrants. » | Par Jean-Baptiste Chastand( Vienne, correspondant régional) | jeudi 10 mars 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés
Toute l’Europe est derrière l’Ukraine ? Oui, à une exception de taille près. Depuis le début de l’invasion russe, la Serbie, pays des Balkans comptant 7 millions d’habitants, se démarque du reste du Vieux Continent, en évitant soigneusement de sanctionner Vladimir Poutine.
Vendredi 4 mars, des milliers de militants d’extrême droite ont défilé dans les rues de Belgrade pour soutenir l’offensive, en brandissant des drapeaux russes. « Tous les Russes sont des frères des Serbes », a proclamé Damnjan Knezevic, un des organisateurs de la manifestation et le chef du mouvement d’extrême droite Patrouille du peuple, qui s’est fait connaître en Serbie, ces dernières années, pour ses agressions violentes contre des migrants. » | Par Jean-Baptiste Chastand( Vienne, correspondant régional) | jeudi 10 mars 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés
Western Europe Leaders Rebuff Ukraine Fast-track EU Membership Appeal
THE GUARDIAN: Emmanuel Macron says ‘we must be vigilant’ despite eastern member states wanting to show Ukraine ‘path is open to them’
Emmanuel Macron has led western European leaders in rebuffing appeals from Volodymyr Zelenskiy for fast-track EU membership for Ukraine despite the backing of eastern member states.
At a summit in Versailles, the 27 EU countries acknowledged as one the “tectonic shift in European history” caused by Russia’s invasion of its neighbour and vowed to bolster their military might and “strengthen our bonds and deepen our partnership” with Kyiv.
But calls from Ukraine’s president, supported by Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, for a special membership process failed to convince France, Germany, Spain or the Netherlands.
France’s president said he wanted to “send a strong signal in this period to Ukraine and to the Ukrainians” of solidarity but “at the same time, we must be vigilant”, adding that he did not believe it possible to “open an accession procedure with a country at war”.
“Should we close the door and say never, it would be unfair,” he said. » | Daniel Boffey in Versailles | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Emmanuel Macron has led western European leaders in rebuffing appeals from Volodymyr Zelenskiy for fast-track EU membership for Ukraine despite the backing of eastern member states.
At a summit in Versailles, the 27 EU countries acknowledged as one the “tectonic shift in European history” caused by Russia’s invasion of its neighbour and vowed to bolster their military might and “strengthen our bonds and deepen our partnership” with Kyiv.
But calls from Ukraine’s president, supported by Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, for a special membership process failed to convince France, Germany, Spain or the Netherlands.
France’s president said he wanted to “send a strong signal in this period to Ukraine and to the Ukrainians” of solidarity but “at the same time, we must be vigilant”, adding that he did not believe it possible to “open an accession procedure with a country at war”.
“Should we close the door and say never, it would be unfair,” he said. » | Daniel Boffey in Versailles | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Florida's Controversial "Don't Say Gay" Bill - A Threat to the LGBTQ Youth? | Brendon Wolf Interview
War in Ukraine: 'More Than 300 UK Fighters Heading to Ukraine'
Mar 10, 2022 • The founder and commander of the Georgian National Legion of the Ukrainian Army, Mamuka Mamulashvili, says more than 300 Britons have volunteered to fight in Ukraine.
But Mr Mamulashvili said no serving British soldiers were being allowed to take part in the conflict.
But Mr Mamulashvili said no serving British soldiers were being allowed to take part in the conflict.
War in Ukraine: 'Trump Dossier' Author Says Invasion Could Finish Putin
Mar 10, 2022 • Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence officer who authored the infamous report on Donald Trump's alleged connections to Russia, says the invasion of Ukraine could end Vladimir Putin's regime.
Mr Steele said the Russian leader had overstretched himself in Ukraine and pressure would mount on him, domestically and internationally.
ut he warned more violence would be inflicted on Ukraine in the short-term.
Mr Steele said the Russian leader had overstretched himself in Ukraine and pressure would mount on him, domestically and internationally.
ut he warned more violence would be inflicted on Ukraine in the short-term.
Chinese State Media Pushes Putin's Lies about Ukraine Invasion
Mar 10, 2022 • In public statements and at international summits, Chinese officials have attempted to stake out a seemingly neutral position on the war in Ukraine, neither condemning Russian actions nor ruling out the possibility Beijing could act as a mediator in a push for peace.
But while its international messaging has kept many guessing as to Beijing's true intentions, much of its domestic media coverage of Russia's invasion tells a wholly different story. CNN's David Culver reports.
But while its international messaging has kept many guessing as to Beijing's true intentions, much of its domestic media coverage of Russia's invasion tells a wholly different story. CNN's David Culver reports.
A Moscou, l’inquiétude contenue des consommateurs russes
LE MONDE : Malgré la hausse des prix, et la crainte d’une crise économique profonde, la capitale garde son calme.
A l’intérieur du centre commercial GUM, à Moscou (Russie), le 4 mars 2022. AP
Le territoire de Ioulia T., dans le centre commercial Mozaïka du sud-est de Moscou, est modeste : un petit stand qui vend des accessoires pour smartphones. Mardi 8 mars, les clients ne se bousculent pas et la jeune femme, propriétaire de l’échoppe, s’inquiète. L’effet des sanctions et celui de l’effondrement du rouble se conjuguent : les produits de fabrication occidentale, notamment de la marque Apple, sont déjà plus difficiles à trouver ; ceux venant de Chine ont vu leurs prix s’envoler d’au moins 30 %. « Les prix vont continuer à monter et les gens auront de moins en moins d’argent », prédit-elle.
Quelques jours plus tôt, le 3 mars, quand une foule immense s’est massée dans le centre commercial, la jeune femme s’est réfugiée derrière son comptoir. « La queue s’étendait sur deux étages du mall, dans un climat de tension tel que la police a dû intervenir », se souvient-elle. L’objet de cette agitation : la possibilité de faire un dernier achat chez Ikea, peu après l’annonce par l’enseigne d’une fermeture de ses magasins. » | Par Benoît Vitkine (Moscou, correspondant) | jeudi 10 mars 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés
Le territoire de Ioulia T., dans le centre commercial Mozaïka du sud-est de Moscou, est modeste : un petit stand qui vend des accessoires pour smartphones. Mardi 8 mars, les clients ne se bousculent pas et la jeune femme, propriétaire de l’échoppe, s’inquiète. L’effet des sanctions et celui de l’effondrement du rouble se conjuguent : les produits de fabrication occidentale, notamment de la marque Apple, sont déjà plus difficiles à trouver ; ceux venant de Chine ont vu leurs prix s’envoler d’au moins 30 %. « Les prix vont continuer à monter et les gens auront de moins en moins d’argent », prédit-elle.
Quelques jours plus tôt, le 3 mars, quand une foule immense s’est massée dans le centre commercial, la jeune femme s’est réfugiée derrière son comptoir. « La queue s’étendait sur deux étages du mall, dans un climat de tension tel que la police a dû intervenir », se souvient-elle. L’objet de cette agitation : la possibilité de faire un dernier achat chez Ikea, peu après l’annonce par l’enseigne d’une fermeture de ses magasins. » | Par Benoît Vitkine (Moscou, correspondant) | jeudi 10 mars 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés
How the British Upper Class Became Servants to the Global Elite
THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Who better to understand the needs of global capitalism’s mega-rich than Britons who grew up with staff themselves?
‘London is known to the world’s wealthy as a place to eat in expensive restaurants, park your supercar outside Harrods (above), and check on your barely used properties and hidden investments.’ Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images
Britain is good at wealth. Not necessarily at generating it, or distributing it in ways that make a contented society, but at looking after it, helping it grow and making it respectable – converting it into social and cultural capital. For centuries, British bankers, lawyers, accountants and other assistants to the wealthy have discreetly performed these roles.
Their customers used to be mostly British: slave traders, self-made industrialists, people who had extracted fortunes from our colonies. But in recent decades, foreigners have become the main beneficiaries of Britain’s readiness to serve the rich regardless of how they made their money. So significant is this change that Britain has become “butler to the world”, according to a persuasive new book by the anti-corruption campaigner and journalist Oliver Bullough. » | Andy Beckett | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Britain is good at wealth. Not necessarily at generating it, or distributing it in ways that make a contented society, but at looking after it, helping it grow and making it respectable – converting it into social and cultural capital. For centuries, British bankers, lawyers, accountants and other assistants to the wealthy have discreetly performed these roles.
Their customers used to be mostly British: slave traders, self-made industrialists, people who had extracted fortunes from our colonies. But in recent decades, foreigners have become the main beneficiaries of Britain’s readiness to serve the rich regardless of how they made their money. So significant is this change that Britain has become “butler to the world”, according to a persuasive new book by the anti-corruption campaigner and journalist Oliver Bullough. » | Andy Beckett | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Saudi Arabia and UAE Refuse to Take Biden’s Calls on Oil
THE TIMES: Joe Biden has been rebuffed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in his attempts to persuade them to produce more oil in the wake of a US ban on Russian imports.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan both declined requests to speak to the US president in recent weeks, officials told The Wall Street Journal, amid frosty relations with his administration.
After declining to speak to Biden, both rulers took calls from President Putin of Russia last week. They both also spoke to President Zelensky of Ukraine and a Saudi official said the US had requested that MBS, as the Saudi prince is known, mediate in the conflict. » | David Charter, Washington | Charles Bremner, Paris | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Enjoy unlimited digital access, free for one month. Subscription offers here.
Umfrage in Moskau: Das hat sich für die Russen geändert
Ukraine: The Information War I ARTE.tv Documentary
Mar 10, 2022 • Parallel to the very real war in Ukraine, an information war is raging. Some Ukrainian newspapers are translating their articles into Russian to combat what they see as Moscow’s distorted media picture of the conflict.
Ukraine: Information War I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 01/03/2025
Ukraine: Information War I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 01/03/2025
Ros Atkins on... Food Price Rises and the Ukraine War
Read a few more details here.
Borrow billions or see incomes squeezed, Rishi Sunak told: Chancellor Rishi Sunak faces a "huge judgment call" over whether to borrow more or allow household budgets to be squeezed, new research suggests. »
Kremlin Vet: They’ll Overthrow Putin before Giving Him ‘Bad News’ about Russian Setbacks in Ukraine
UK Freezes Assets of Seven Russian Oligarchs Including Roman Abramovich
THE GUARDIAN: Others added to sanction list are Igor Sechin, Oleg Deripaska, Andrey Kostin, Alexei Miller, Nikolai Tokarev and Dmitri Lebedev
Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich. Photograph: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Chelsea football club owner, Roman Abramovich, is among seven of Russia’s wealthiest and most influential oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the UK in an effort to further punish allies of Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich was found by the UK government to have “received preferential treatment and concessions” from the Kremlin and through his business links been “involved in destabilising Ukraine and undermining and threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence” of the eastern European country.
The Foreign Office said he was implicated through a steel manufacturing and mining company, Evraz PLC, in which he had a significant shareholding and over which he exercised effective control.
It said the firm may have supplied steel to the Russian military for the production of tanks. » | Aubrey Allegretti, Political correspondent | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Roman’s empire: how the seeds of Abramovich’s demise were there all along: Almost 20 years after his high profile purchase, the oligarch is looking to sell Chelsea. Here’s the story of how it unravelled »
Abramovich superyacht heads west across Mediterranean after sanctions: Solaris is tracked off coast of Sicily, joining hurried sailings of Russian yachts to avoid seizure »
READ ALSO:
UK to ease entry requirements for Ukrainian refugees, says Priti Patel: Change means people with passports can apply for entry online and do not have to give biometric details until they are in UK »
Chelsea football club owner, Roman Abramovich, is among seven of Russia’s wealthiest and most influential oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the UK in an effort to further punish allies of Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich was found by the UK government to have “received preferential treatment and concessions” from the Kremlin and through his business links been “involved in destabilising Ukraine and undermining and threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence” of the eastern European country.
The Foreign Office said he was implicated through a steel manufacturing and mining company, Evraz PLC, in which he had a significant shareholding and over which he exercised effective control.
It said the firm may have supplied steel to the Russian military for the production of tanks. » | Aubrey Allegretti, Political correspondent | Thursday, March 10, 2022
Roman’s empire: how the seeds of Abramovich’s demise were there all along: Almost 20 years after his high profile purchase, the oligarch is looking to sell Chelsea. Here’s the story of how it unravelled »
Abramovich superyacht heads west across Mediterranean after sanctions: Solaris is tracked off coast of Sicily, joining hurried sailings of Russian yachts to avoid seizure »
READ ALSO:
UK to ease entry requirements for Ukrainian refugees, says Priti Patel: Change means people with passports can apply for entry online and do not have to give biometric details until they are in UK »
Wednesday, March 09, 2022
Guerre en Ukraine : ce sermon du patriarche Kirill qui célèbre la «guerre sainte» de Vladimir Poutine
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Dimanche 6 mars, le patriarche Kirill de Moscou a justifié la guerre en Ukraine par la nécessité de défendre la «sainte Russie» face à un Occident jugé décadent.
C'est un sermon qui a suscité de nombreux commentaires - souvent inquiets, sinon choqués - dans le monde orthodoxe. Quelques jours plus tôt, le primat de l'Église russe orthodoxe avait pourtant été sommé par certaines de ses ouailles de condamner la guerre de Poutine en Ukraine, ou a minima, d'appeler à la paix et à la réconciliation. L'occasion lui était fournie sur un plateau, le 6 mars, dimanche du Pardon, importante fête précédent le début du Carême orthodoxe.
Mais dans la cathédrale du Christ-Saint-Sauveur à Moscou, le patriarche Kirill, qui avait déjà béni les soldats russes le 24 février, jour de l'offensive en Ukraine, puis évoqué les «forces du mal» en référence aux «ennemis» de Poutine et du «monde russe», est allé plus loin encore. Dans cette homélie mêlant théologie et géopolitique, le primat de l'Église russe orthodoxe défend une guerre sainte qui ne dit pas son nom face à un Occident jugé décadent. Un sermon qui en dit long sur la proximité idéologique entre Kirill et Vladimir Poutine. » | Par Bénédicte Lutaud | mardi 8 mars 2022
Réservé aux abonnés
Si ce patriarche veut trouver la décadence, il n'a pas besoin de chercher plus loin que les propres oligarques et kleptocrates de la Russie ! – © Mark
À LIRE AUSSI :
Pourquoi le conflit en Ukraine est aussi une guerre religieuse : DÉCRYPTAGE - Vladimir Poutine instrumentalise les divisions entre les deux Églises orthodoxes d'Ukraine pour justifier l'invasion militaire du pays. Mais le sentiment national ukrainien pourrait l'emporter. »
How Isolated Is the Russian President? | DW News
Children under Rubble after Russian Airstrike on Maternity Hospital, Says Zelenskiy
THE GUARDIAN: Authorities say at least 17 wounded including women in labour as shelling again halts evacuations
Russian bombs have “completely destroyed” a children’s and maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities have said, as shelling again halted mass evacuations from several cities, including the devastated southern port where conditions are described as “apocalyptic”.
As Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmitryo Kuleba, accused Russia of “holding 400,000 people hostage” in Mariupol, much of whose population has been without power, heat, water or phone signal for over a week, the president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, denounced an atrocity.
“Mariupol. Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital,” Zelenskiy tweeted. “People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Stop the killings! You have the power but you seem to be losing humanity.” With video » | Luke Harding in Lviv, Julian Borger in Washington, and Jon Henley | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Outspoken royals don't hide sympathies over Ukraine: With flowers, prayers, colour co-ordination and a few verbal punches, the Royal Family have been unusually outspoken about the Ukraine war. »
Russian bombs have “completely destroyed” a children’s and maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities have said, as shelling again halted mass evacuations from several cities, including the devastated southern port where conditions are described as “apocalyptic”.
As Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmitryo Kuleba, accused Russia of “holding 400,000 people hostage” in Mariupol, much of whose population has been without power, heat, water or phone signal for over a week, the president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, denounced an atrocity.
“Mariupol. Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital,” Zelenskiy tweeted. “People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror? Stop the killings! You have the power but you seem to be losing humanity.” With video » | Luke Harding in Lviv, Julian Borger in Washington, and Jon Henley | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Outspoken royals don't hide sympathies over Ukraine: With flowers, prayers, colour co-ordination and a few verbal punches, the Royal Family have been unusually outspoken about the Ukraine war. »
Britain Fears Russia Could Be Setting Stage to Use Chemical Weapons
THE GUARDIAN: Western officials say they have ‘good reason’ to be concerned about possible use of non-conventional weapons in Ukraine
Britain fears that Russia could be setting the stage to use a chemical weapon in Ukraine, after Kremlin officials alleged without firm evidence that the US had been supporting a bioweapons programme in the country.
Western officials said at a briefing on Wednesday “we’ve got good reason to be concerned about possible use of non-conventional weapons” by Russia, reflecting the experience of chemical weapon use during the Syrian civil war.
The concern arose partly because Russia’s foreign ministry had been engaged in “setting the scene” by making “false flag claims” about a biological weapons programme operating inside Ukraine.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia had documents showing evidence that the US had supported a bioweapons programme in Ukraine, involving plague, cholera and anthrax. Washington and Kyiv both denied the claims, which the US said were “absurd”. » | Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Children under rubble after Russian airstrike on maternity hospital, says Zelenskiy: Authorities say at least 17 wounded including women in labour as shelling again halts evacuations »
Britain fears that Russia could be setting the stage to use a chemical weapon in Ukraine, after Kremlin officials alleged without firm evidence that the US had been supporting a bioweapons programme in the country.
Western officials said at a briefing on Wednesday “we’ve got good reason to be concerned about possible use of non-conventional weapons” by Russia, reflecting the experience of chemical weapon use during the Syrian civil war.
The concern arose partly because Russia’s foreign ministry had been engaged in “setting the scene” by making “false flag claims” about a biological weapons programme operating inside Ukraine.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia had documents showing evidence that the US had supported a bioweapons programme in Ukraine, involving plague, cholera and anthrax. Washington and Kyiv both denied the claims, which the US said were “absurd”. » | Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Children under rubble after Russian airstrike on maternity hospital, says Zelenskiy: Authorities say at least 17 wounded including women in labour as shelling again halts evacuations »
Blinken: 'Putin Will Fail and Russia Will Suffer Strategic Defeat' in Ukraine
THE GUARDIAN: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken just said that he believes that no matter Russia’s military might and any battle victories, that ultimately the superpower and its authoritarian leader Vladimir Putin will suffer “strategic defeat” in Ukraine.
“I’m convinced that Putin will fail and Russia will suffer strategic defeat” in Ukraine, he said, at an ongoing press conference with Britain’s foreign secretary Liz Truss, in Washington DC.
He signaled, however, that that does not mean Ukraine is going to win this military conflict, as the attacks on Ukrainian cities continue and Russia gathers its forces for whatever is the next stage of its offensive. » | Joanna Walters | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
“I’m convinced that Putin will fail and Russia will suffer strategic defeat” in Ukraine, he said, at an ongoing press conference with Britain’s foreign secretary Liz Truss, in Washington DC.
He signaled, however, that that does not mean Ukraine is going to win this military conflict, as the attacks on Ukrainian cities continue and Russia gathers its forces for whatever is the next stage of its offensive. » | Joanna Walters | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
To All the Homophobes in Russia, with Love!
Indubitably Warm; Unashamedly Luxurious
La peur d’un rideau de fer pousse les Russes à l’exode
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - En quelques jours, plusieurs dizaines de milliers de personnes ont quitté leur pays, dans lequel ils ne se voient plus d’avenir.
Un matin de la semaine dernière, Anton Dolin, critique de cinéma connu en Russie, a trouvé, peinte sur la porte de son appartement moscovite, la lettre Z… Celle-là même qui figure sur les chars de l’«opération militaire spéciale» (1) en Ukraine. Le message de menace était clair. Dimanche, le rédacteur en chef de la revue L’Art du cinéma a quitté son pays. Il se trouve depuis en Lettonie où se tient Artdocfest, un festival international consacré aux documentaires. «Nous verrons ce qu’il se passera ensuite, écrit-il sur son compte Telegram. Je ne pouvais tout simplement plus respirer l’air de Moscou (…) alors que des gens étaient tués et mouraient en Ukraine», raconte-t-il.
Comme lui, ils sont des dizaines de milliers, depuis la date fatidique du 24 février, à avoir pris le chemin de l’exode: artistes, journalistes, cinéastes, jeunes entrepreneurs, cadres dans le domaine de la tech, et plus généralement des Russes issus de la classe moyenne urbaine dotés d’un bon niveau d’éducation. À la sidération des premiers jours, a succédé chez eux l’abattement, la crainte, le dégoût face à un climat répressif de plus en plus lourd - et puis le déclic qui soudain pousse à faire ses valises et à partir, dans la précipitation et sans point de chute assuré. » | Par Alain Barluet | mercredi 9 mars 2022
Gay : Mixed Reports / Gemischte Meldungen / Rapports mitigés
‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Passes Fla. Senate, Heads to Governor's Desk »
Idaho Seeks Life in Prison for Providing Gender-Affirming Health Care: That's in a bill making it through the Idaho legislature, while Alabama is considering a punishment of 10 years in prison. »
Gay Russian man ‘ashamed’ of his country says Putin ‘disconnected from reality’: A gay Russian man has said he feels “ashamed” of his country over its invasion of Ukraine – and believes it’s only happening because Putin is “scared of democracy”. »
Conversion therapy is harmful to LGBTQ people and costs society as a whole, study says: 'It is torture': Canada's lower house passes passes bill banning conversion therapy »
The 20 Most Influential LGBTQ+ Movies Ever Made »
In Bremerhaven gibt es bald einen Christopher Street Day (CSD) »
«Solche Therapien können Leben zerstören» – eine Betroffene erzählt: Nachdem der Regierungsrat eine Motion zum Verbot von Konversionstherapien im Kanton Bern abgelehnt hat, meldet sich nun ein Opfer einer solchen «Therapie» zu Wort. »
Guerre en Ukraine : Qui sont les « Kadyrovtsy », les troupes du président tchétchène ? : CONFLIT Connues pour leur brutalité et leur soutien indéfectible à Vladimir Poutine, les troupes tchétchènes sont venues prêter main-forte à l’armée russe en Ukraine »
Lyon : la ministre de l'Egalité vient soutenir la communauté LGBT engagée dans l'industrie cinématographique : La ministre déléguée de la Diversité se rend à Lyon jeudi 10 mars pour échanger avec les organisateurs du festival de cinéma queer Ecrans , créé il y a 12 ans. »
Costs of War Mount for Russia, and for Civilians in Ukraine
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Russia’s Central Bank limited withdrawals of foreign currency, hoping to shore up the plunging ruble as Western economic penalties take a serious toll. In Ukraine, efforts to evacuate civilians from battered cities resumed, but many remain trapped in the areas of heaviest fighting.
Ukrainian refugees using the ruins of a bridge connecting Irpin and the capital, Kyiv, as a westward escape route away from the area’s heaviest combat zones. | Felipe Dana/Associated Press
LVIV, Ukraine — With Ukrainian resistance holding firm and Western penalties seemingly toughening by the hour, the cost to Russia of its troubled, nearly two-week invasion mounted on Wednesday as its Central Bank limited withdrawals of foreign currency to protect the crashing ruble and the Kremlin’s spokesman accused the United States of waging an “economic war.”
Russia’s isolation continued to deepen as the European Union announced expanded sanctions, more international companies stopped doing business there and import bans threatened its primary commodities, oil and gas. Still, U.S. intelligence officials assessed that President Vladimir V. Putin would intensify his assault, which has so far failed to seize any of Ukraine’s biggest cities despite exacting a monumental toll on civilians.
An apparent Russian strike on a hospital complex in the southern city of Mariupol left destroyed buildings and wounded people being evacuated, according to several videos verified by The New York Times. The number of casualties from the strike wasn’t immediately clear. For the fifth straight day, an evacuation plan was drawn up for the besieged city, where an estimated 200,000 people are without heat and electricity, but local Ukrainian military leaders said active fighting would make escape impossible.
Here are the latest developments: » | Marc Santora and Shashank Bengali | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
LVIV, Ukraine — With Ukrainian resistance holding firm and Western penalties seemingly toughening by the hour, the cost to Russia of its troubled, nearly two-week invasion mounted on Wednesday as its Central Bank limited withdrawals of foreign currency to protect the crashing ruble and the Kremlin’s spokesman accused the United States of waging an “economic war.”
Russia’s isolation continued to deepen as the European Union announced expanded sanctions, more international companies stopped doing business there and import bans threatened its primary commodities, oil and gas. Still, U.S. intelligence officials assessed that President Vladimir V. Putin would intensify his assault, which has so far failed to seize any of Ukraine’s biggest cities despite exacting a monumental toll on civilians.
An apparent Russian strike on a hospital complex in the southern city of Mariupol left destroyed buildings and wounded people being evacuated, according to several videos verified by The New York Times. The number of casualties from the strike wasn’t immediately clear. For the fifth straight day, an evacuation plan was drawn up for the besieged city, where an estimated 200,000 people are without heat and electricity, but local Ukrainian military leaders said active fighting would make escape impossible.
Here are the latest developments: » | Marc Santora and Shashank Bengali | Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Braucht Europa eine Armee? | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE
Mar 7, 2022 • Europa ist verletzlich und kann sich nicht mehr nur auf den Schutz durch den starken Partner USA verlassen. Doch warum war Europa eigentlich nie eine Militärmacht? Die Dokumentation blickt auf die Geschichte der europäischen Verteidigungspolitik zurück und beleuchtet die militärische Herausforderung, vor der die EU heute steht, um sich im 21. Jahrhundert zu behaupten.
Das Erstarken des Terrorismus, der Aufstieg Chinas zur Weltmacht und die Konflikte mit Russland – die weltpolitische Entwicklung der letzten Jahre führte zu neuen Rufen nach einer starken europäischen Verteidigungsunion. Lange Zeit war mangels konkreter Fortschritte davon kaum mehr die Rede gewesen, und angesichts des Wandels der internationalen Machtverhältnisse fühlte sich Europa verwundbar: Die EU konnte sich während der Trump-Regierung zur Gewährleistung ihrer Sicherheit nicht mehr auf Drittländer, insbesondere den amerikanischen Verbündeten, verlassen. Der Krieg in der Ukraine führt aktuell vor Augen, wie schlecht die EU derzeit militärisch dasteht. Trotz einiger Vorstöße ist die Europäische Union bis heute kein einflussreicher und anerkannter strategischer Akteur auf der Weltbühne. Daher gibt es nun erneut konkrete Bestrebungen zur Umsetzung eines großangelegten Sicherheits- und Verteidigungsprojekts, um die strategische Unabhängigkeit der EU zu sichern sowie die zentralen Werte Frieden, Demokratie und Multilateralismus. 2015 erklärte der damalige Präsident der Europäischen Kommission, Jean-Claude Juncker: „Eine gemeinsame europäische Armee würde der Welt zeigen, dass es zwischen den EU-Ländern nie wieder Krieg geben wird“. Auch die ehemalige Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und der französische Staatspräsident Emmanuel Macron plädieren für eine „echte europäische Armee“. Doch die Vertiefung der gemeinsamen Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik gestaltet sich schwierig und langwierig – so wie der gesamte Verlauf der europäischen Integration stets von Rückschlägen und Vorstößen geprägt ist. Noch nie haben Länder mit derart unterschiedlichen nationalen und politischen Traditionen den Aufbau eines gemeinsamen Verteidigungssystems angestrebt. Ohne weitreichende Einigung auf politischem und institutionellem Gebiet sowie bei der militärischen Führung droht das Projekt fehlzuschlagen. Aber muss Europa angesichts des weltpolitischen Drucks den Versuch nicht wagen?
Dokumentation von Jean Crépu (F 2019, 53 Min)
Video auf Youtube verfügbar bis zum 04/05/2022
Europa braucht dringend sein eigenes Militär und seine eigene Verteidigungsmöglichkeiten zu erbauen. Zudem muß Großbritannien dabei sein und einbezogen. Was nun geschieht mit Russland der Ukraine gegenüber ist ein zweifelloser Beweis dafür. Europa muß seine eigene Werte und sein eigenes Territorium verteidigen können. Europas Schicksal muß in seinen eigenen Händen sein. – © Mark
Das Erstarken des Terrorismus, der Aufstieg Chinas zur Weltmacht und die Konflikte mit Russland – die weltpolitische Entwicklung der letzten Jahre führte zu neuen Rufen nach einer starken europäischen Verteidigungsunion. Lange Zeit war mangels konkreter Fortschritte davon kaum mehr die Rede gewesen, und angesichts des Wandels der internationalen Machtverhältnisse fühlte sich Europa verwundbar: Die EU konnte sich während der Trump-Regierung zur Gewährleistung ihrer Sicherheit nicht mehr auf Drittländer, insbesondere den amerikanischen Verbündeten, verlassen. Der Krieg in der Ukraine führt aktuell vor Augen, wie schlecht die EU derzeit militärisch dasteht. Trotz einiger Vorstöße ist die Europäische Union bis heute kein einflussreicher und anerkannter strategischer Akteur auf der Weltbühne. Daher gibt es nun erneut konkrete Bestrebungen zur Umsetzung eines großangelegten Sicherheits- und Verteidigungsprojekts, um die strategische Unabhängigkeit der EU zu sichern sowie die zentralen Werte Frieden, Demokratie und Multilateralismus. 2015 erklärte der damalige Präsident der Europäischen Kommission, Jean-Claude Juncker: „Eine gemeinsame europäische Armee würde der Welt zeigen, dass es zwischen den EU-Ländern nie wieder Krieg geben wird“. Auch die ehemalige Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und der französische Staatspräsident Emmanuel Macron plädieren für eine „echte europäische Armee“. Doch die Vertiefung der gemeinsamen Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik gestaltet sich schwierig und langwierig – so wie der gesamte Verlauf der europäischen Integration stets von Rückschlägen und Vorstößen geprägt ist. Noch nie haben Länder mit derart unterschiedlichen nationalen und politischen Traditionen den Aufbau eines gemeinsamen Verteidigungssystems angestrebt. Ohne weitreichende Einigung auf politischem und institutionellem Gebiet sowie bei der militärischen Führung droht das Projekt fehlzuschlagen. Aber muss Europa angesichts des weltpolitischen Drucks den Versuch nicht wagen?
Dokumentation von Jean Crépu (F 2019, 53 Min)
Video auf Youtube verfügbar bis zum 04/05/2022
Europa braucht dringend sein eigenes Militär und seine eigene Verteidigungsmöglichkeiten zu erbauen. Zudem muß Großbritannien dabei sein und einbezogen. Was nun geschieht mit Russland der Ukraine gegenüber ist ein zweifelloser Beweis dafür. Europa muß seine eigene Werte und sein eigenes Territorium verteidigen können. Europas Schicksal muß in seinen eigenen Händen sein. – © Mark
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)