Amid the dispute with the West over a troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, the Russian government has announced numerous naval maneuvers. All Russian fleets from the Pacific to the Atlantic are involved in the missions, the Ministry of Defense said. It would involve 140 warships and support units, 60 aircraft and about 10,000 soldiers. The maneuvers are planned for January and February. Iran’s IRNA agency, meanwhile, quoted a member of the Iranian Armed Forces’ press staff as saying China, Russia and Iran would hold joint naval exercises on Friday. (01/21/2022)
Great Britain warns Russia and China against strong Western cohesion
Britain warns Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping that the West will stand together to fight for democracy against dictatorships. “It’s time for the free world to take a stand,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in her speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia. According to the minister, the West must react together to global threats, deepen relations with the democracies in the Indo-Pacific region and stand up to global aggressors. Truss said President Putin should pull out of Ukraine before he makes a major strategic mistake. (01/21/2022)
Ukraine demands exclusion of Russia from Swift payment system
The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, has called for Russia to be excluded from the Swift payment system. “The Ukrainians are therefore calling on the Ampel government to put aside all concerns and decouple Russia from Swift,” Melnyk told the Funke media group. This harsh punitive measure must “remain in the toolbox of hellish sanctions as an efficient deterrent against Putin”.
If banks can no longer use the international banking communication network Swift, this can have far-reaching consequences for their business. Because the institutes are then virtually excluded from international money flows. Transferring money from abroad to a country then becomes more difficult, and vice versa. A possible exclusion of Russia from Swift is being discussed intensively as a sanction against the country in the tense Ukraine conflict. (01/21/2022)
Blinken calls Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘real threat’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned against a Russian invasion of Ukraine. “It’s a real risk and it’s a high risk,” said Blinken on Thursday in the ZDF-heute journal. Russian soldiers have recently been sent to Belarus.
Regarding the statements made by US President Joe Biden, who said on Wednesday that a minor aggression by Russia would trigger a milder reaction from the West than a large-scale invasion, Blinken said: If even one Russian soldier crosses the border into Ukraine, then it will it is a “very clear attack” that entails a corresponding response. Biden’s statements, on the other hand, referred to scenarios that were different from an invasion, such as attempts to bring about a coup d’etat in Ukraine.
When asked whether he would give security guarantees at his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday, Blinken said: “We have already shown a concession. Not just in the past few weeks, but over many years.” NATO has repeatedly extended a hand to Russia, unfortunately it has been rejected. Regarding possible German arms deliveries to Ukraine, Blinken said that each country makes its own decisions. But of course you have to make sure that Ukraine can defend itself. (01/20/2022)
Baerbock warns Russia of “serious consequences”
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has clearly warned Russia against further aggression in the Ukraine conflict and has shown her willingness to take tough measures. After a conversation with her US counterpart Antony Blinken, Baerbock said the way out of the crisis was a political one that only led through dialogue. Unfortunately, the Russian behavior “speaks a different language”, for example through the deployment of troops to Belarus and military maneuvers in the border area with Ukraine. “We urge Russia to take steps to de-escalate,” Baerbock said. Any further aggressiveness would have “serious consequences”.
The Federal Foreign Minister emphasized: “The issue is nothing less than maintaining the European peace order. It is essential for us.” You have no choice but to stand up for them. This also applies expressly if the measures “have economic consequences for us”. Baerbock also announced an upcoming joint trip to Ukraine with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. (01/20/2022)
Biden triggers irritation with statements about the western reaction
US President Joe Biden has caused irritation with his comments on the reaction to a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The US Democrat appeared to imply at a press conference on Wednesday that threatened NATO sanctions could depend on the extent of a potential Russian invasion: “It’s one thing if it’s a minor intrusion,” Biden said. “But if they actually do what they are able to do with the forces gathered at the border, then it will be a disaster for Russia.” When asked, Biden said he considered cyber attacks on Ukraine or attempts by Russian agents to create a pro-Russian mood in Ukraine as “minor intrusion”.
The US broadcaster CNN quoted an unnamed Ukrainian official said he was “shocked that US President Biden distinguished between incursion and invasion”. The US opposition reacted indignantly to Biden’s press conference. The Republican Senator Lindsey Graham commented, he was “stunned” by Biden’s statement. The Conservative Senator Tom Cotton explained on Twitter, Biden gives Putin the “green light” for an invasion.
Shortly after Biden’s appearance, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki sought clarification: “President Biden has made it clear to the Russian President: If Russian forces move across the Ukrainian border, that is a renewed invasion, and the United States and our allies to respond swiftly, forcefully, and as one.” The US President knows, however, that Russia has “an extensive range of instruments for aggression” below the threshold of military action – such as cyber attacks and paramilitary tactics. Biden has reiterated that even such aggression by the Russians “will be answered with a resolute, mutual and joint response”.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, warns of an escalation of the conflict after Biden’s threats. The statements do not contribute to relaxation and could lead to a destabilization of the situation, said spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday. “They could give false hope to the hotheads of some representatives of the Ukrainian leadership that they will decide to start a civil war again and solve the problem in the south-east (Donbass) by force.” (01/20/2022)
US allows arms shipments to Ukraine
The US allows the Baltic States to ship US-made weapons to Ukraine. The US State Department confirmed on Thursday that it had granted approval to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the United Kingdom.
The ministry did not provide details on the type of weapons. A person familiar with the process told Reuters news agency that Estonia was allowed to do so javelin-Anti-tank weapons and Lithuania stingers-Supply anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. Under export control regulations, states must obtain authorization from the US Department of State before transferring weapons received from the US to third countries. (01/20/2022)
Blinking: “Don’t let Moscow divide you!”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has again made serious accusations against Russia in the Ukraine conflict. “Moscow has systematically tried to weaken Ukraine’s democratic institutions and divide Ukrainian society,” said Blinken after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Russia currently has around 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian border, said Blinken. That number could double in a relatively short period of time, he warned.
Amid the severe tensions in the Ukraine conflict, Blinken landed in Kiev on Wednesday morning for talks. He stressed that his visit was intended to show the United States’ “unwavering support” for Ukraine. Ukraine’s democracy, its fundamental right to exist as a sovereign, independent nation, faces an unprecedented challenge from Russia. “We have made it clear that we prefer a diplomatic route to defusing the conflict with Russia. That is the responsible route,” emphasized Blinken. Addressing Ukraine, he said: “Don’t let Moscow divide you!”
President Zelensky put some pressure on the brakes over the warnings of an invasion. “The risks have not existed for a day and they have not increased,” he said in a speech on Wednesday evening. “The only thing that has gotten bigger is the hype around them.” Addressing his compatriots, he said: “Now it is not our country that is taking action, but your nerves are being attacked so that you have a constant feeling of alarm.” (01/20/2022)