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According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba, the government is discussing the continuation of American aid with US politicians. Ukrainian presidential advisor contradicts Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock. The current developments in the live blog.
Ukraine is trying to secure continued American aid for the defensive war against Russia through talks with politicians from both major US parties. Against the background of a possible shutdown in the United States, a very in-depth discussion (…) is being held with the Republicans and Democrats, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of a meeting with the Foreign ministers of the EU states in Kiev.
So far there is no feeling that the US commitments no longer stand. “The United States understands that there is much more at stake in Ukraine than just Ukraine,” Kuleba said. It’s about the stability and predictability of the world and that’s why he is convinced that we will be able to find the necessary solutions. He thinks that what happened in Congress over the weekend was just an incident.
On Saturday, Congress passed an interim budget until mid-November, thus averting a so-called shutdown. However, the agreement does not contain any further support for Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia. During the vote, the Democratic and Republican leaders announced that they would ensure that additional support for the attacked country should be voted on as quickly as possible. US support for Ukraine will not end immediately. But the aid funds that have already been approved are running out, which is why new funds will have to be approved soon.
Western military experts see a possible new threat to Ukraine in the revival of the Russian Wagner private army under the control of the power apparatus in Moscow. Wagner, as a united and large formation with military equipment under the control of the Russian National Guard or the Ministry of Defense, could become a danger to Kiev, according to an analysis published by the US Institute for War Studies (ISW). This would mean correcting earlier assessments that the army was not a threat following the death of its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash in August.
The ISW experts referred to sources close to Wagner, according to which Prigozhin’s son Pavel could also take over leadership of the units. Accordingly, Pavel Prigozhin should negotiate with the National Guard, which is subordinate to the presidential administration and has its own combat technology. Nevertheless, weapons, ammunition and logistics would have to be provided by the Ministry of Defense, it said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the former Wagner official and co-founder of the army, Andrei Troschev, to the Kremlin last week and commissioned him to form volunteer units. Putin had also emphasized that the units should primarily be used in the war against Ukraine.
According to British assessments, Russian naval aviation is becoming increasingly important in the war against Ukraine. Russia is also using naval air power in an attempt to control the northwest of the Black Sea in the face of Ukrainian attacks on the Russian navy, the British Ministry of Defense said.
The main task is probably the early identification of drone boats with which Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russian ships. For this purpose, the naval aviators primarily used amphibious aircraft of the Be-12 Chaika type (NATO code: Mail). Attacks would be carried out with Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, including one most recently on the strategically important Snake Island in the west of the Black Sea.
A Sukhoi SU-24 aircraft
The EU foreign ministers traveled to Kiev for an informal meeting to support Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced this on Monday. It is the first time that there has been such a meeting of representatives of all 27 EU states outside the EU. As was usual during the Russian war of aggression, the trip was not announced in advance for security reasons.
As a topic for the EU meeting, Borrell mentioned his proposal to make longer-term financing commitments for military aid to Ukraine and to use EU money to support the delivery of modern fighter jets and missiles. European support is also important at a time when US aid funding is in limbo because of a budget dispute in Washington.
The Slovakian election winner Robert Fico has indicated an end to his country’s military aid to Ukraine if a government is formed. “We maintain that we are ready to help Ukraine in a humanitarian way,” Fico said yesterday in Bratislava. “We are ready to help rebuild the state, but you know our opinion on arming Ukraine.” The NATO country Slovakia has more important problems than Ukraine. But his party will do everything to bring about peace talks.
Fico campaigned for Ukraine with the slogan “Not a single bullet.” The party of the left-wing and pro-Russian former Prime Minister Fico has won the parliamentary election. There are fears in Brussels that Fico could join forces with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. This in turn increases the possibility of a confrontation with the EU over the rule of law, the war in Ukraine and migration issues. However, it is unclear whether and how Fico will actually implement his statements from the election campaign. His pragmatism during previous terms in office, when he led Slovakia into the euro and largely avoided clashes with EU and NATO partners, alleviates some concerns.
According to a report in the news magazine “Spiegel”, Ukrainian presidential advisor Vladislav Vlasyuk has rejected doubts about the effectiveness of Russia’s sanctions. “Russia faces numerous problems due to sanctions,” Vlasyuk told the magazine. Wlasjuk was referring to recently revealed doubts expressed by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Baerbock was disappointed that the sanctions had no economic impact on Russia. “I don’t agree with that,” Vlasyuk said.
Nevertheless, he sees considerable potential for improvement in the enforcement of the sanctions that have already been decided. The G7 countries must “urgently take steps to tighten the price cap for Russian oil,” said Vlasyuk. In addition, Moscow still has too easy access to supplies for its weapons manufacturers. With its eleventh sanctions package, the EU has created the basis for imposing sanctions on companies from third countries if they help circumvent the Russia sanctions. However, these regulations are still applied too rarely. The Europeans should “not be afraid to use all the instruments of the eleventh sanctions package,” warns Vlasyuk.
The SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich blames targeted machinations by Russia and Belarus for the sharp increase in asylum applications in Germany. “We are experiencing a series of hybrid warfare on the part of Russia, in which refugees are being flown in and smuggled through directly from Syria and other crisis areas with the aim of destabilizing Europe,” the SPD politician told the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
The sharp increase in the number of asylum seekers entering Germany via the borders of Poland and the Czech Republic indicates that many refugees are being deliberately trafficked into the EU via detours from Russia via Belarus. “Of course these people are fleeing war and oppression, but Russia is shamelessly exploiting this situation.”
“We’ll get it done” – despite a transitional budget without aid to Ukraine, US President Biden has promised further support. Russia reports destruction of Ukrainian missiles over Crimea. Sunday’s developments.