Russia Monitor Monthly 2/23
Content
The state of transatlantic relations – prospects for 2021 | Summary
The risk of the financial crisis, energy security and Nord Stream 2, Polish-Canadian trade exchange, Poland’s image abroad and economic development after COVID-19 were among the topics discussed during the conversation with the Polish Ambassador to Canada, Dr. Andrzej Kurnicki.
The First Quad Meeting in 2021
The Foreign Ministers of the member countries of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, or Quad) forum, comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, held a meeting on February 18, 2021. This initiative is seen as an effort to offset China’s growing military and economic power.
Warsaw Institute’s President’s speech for the Poland In program
The last NATO summit in Brussels and the Alliance’s defense strategy against disinformation and hybrid threats were the subject of the speech by the President of the Warsaw Institute Foundation, Tomasz Kijewski, in the World News Guest program broadcasted by the English-language public television Poland In.
Russian Fleet Holds Naval Drills in Indian Ocean
Russia is carrying out naval drills involving many countries off the Pakistan coast simultaneously with other maneuvers in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Two units of the Russian navy took part. Moscow is showing interest and flexing military muscle in the Indian Ocean, not only in support of Iran.
A Number of Generals Quit Russia’s National Guard
Top generals in charge of key Rosgvardia boards and department have recently filed their resignation from the National Guard. No other Russian power structure has ever experienced such a wave of dismissals among its senior officers. What is the reason? Rosgvardia declined to comment, but there are two top plausible reasons behind this.
Rosneft’s Net Profit Drops Dramatically
Poor financial performance is not surprising for the biggest Russian oil business as 2020 was a horrible year for the whole industry, the CEO of Rosneft Igor Sechin told at the meeting with Vladimir Putin. It is hard to expect the Russian leader to scold the businessman.
Russia Reports Biggest Increase in Mortality in 70 Years
Russia noted a dramatic surge in mortality in 2020 fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic. The latest figures from the federal statistics agency Rosstat are far more pessimistic than those so far reported by the government. According to critics of the authorities, these rushed too much to ease lockdown measures last summer, which resulted in a uptick in new infections and deaths.
Public Opinion on China in European and V4 Countries – Podcast
The November report “European public opinion on China in the age of COVID-19. Differences and common ground across the continent” prepared by the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS), a Slovak think tank, presents interesting data on the attitudes of European citizens, including the members of the Visegrad Group (V4), towards China.
A Record-Breaking Deal in the Russian Oil Sector
Only recently has it been made public that Rosneft and NNK, a firm owned by Eduard Khudainatov, were involved in a deal to purchase oil fields in the Taymyr peninsula. In fact, it is all about swapping oil-rich deposits of crucial importance for Rosneft’s flagship project and already drilled fields elsewhere in Russia.
Kremlin Again Plays Donbas Card as Ukrainian Troops Die in Blast
Ukrainian service personnel again died on the Donbas frontline despite the truce being in force. At the same time, many signs are that the government in Moscow might in the future push harder for its narrative of “serving the Russian-speaking population in southeastern Ukraine.”
The Regulation of Artificial Intelligence – What Can America and the World Expect?
International measures aimed at developing artificial intelligence (AI) are not only the domain of global corporations. AI-based technologies are also used in the security sector. That is why they are a subject of transatlantic cooperation within the framework of NATO.
Chinese Experts’ Opinions on the Biden Administration: A Mix of Hope and Realism
It has been a few weeks since the new US President Joe Biden was sworn in. Several top-level appointments have already been made, including those related to security and international relations. How are they perceived in Beijing?
U.S and Russian Bombers In Tug-of-war Over Arctic
The U.S. Air Force said it was preparing to deploy bombers B-1 to Norway for the first time. Shortly after, Russia informed its strategic bombers had flown for several hours over this part of the Arctic. These events show again that the Norway-Russia border and the seas nearby are turning into another strain in NATO-Russia ties.
Russian Plane Violated NATO Airspace Over Baltic Sea
A Russian military cargo plane has violated Estonia’s airspace, an incident that prompted the country’s authorities to hand Russia’s ambassador a protest note. Moscow denies any incident took place. As NATO’s easternmost territory, Estonia is an obstacle for a military connection between the Kaliningrad exclave and the rest of Russia.
Nord Stream 2 Returns Amid Favorable Political Conditions
Russia’s vessel Fortuna has resumed laying pipes for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Danish waters, as informed back on February 6. Although works were suspended amid bad weather conditions, Russia and Germany won a symbolic victory, trying to complete the gas link as favorable conditions materialized.
“Operation Borrell”: Russian Triumph, European Humiliation
Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, made a horrible mistake, viewed as absolutely unacceptable in diplomacy. His decision to go ahead with the trip to Russia as planned outraged many while what he said and what he did not in Moscow was an even bigger disgrace for the bloc’s top diplomat.
Joe Biden’s Victory and US Relations with Central and Eastern European Countries
The victory of Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the battle for the presidency of the United States, caused concerns among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) about the future cooperation with the new administration. The upcoming presidency will focus on, among others, reversing Donald Trump’s decisions. Will the relations with CEE countries share a similar fate?
Beijing is Reaching Out to the US
Recently, authorities in Beijing have been signaling that they are ready for cooperation and a fresh start in relations with Washington and the Joe Biden administration. The Chinese officials are very conciliatory and portray the PRC as a non-confrontational party that is reaching out to the new US administration and encouraging it to abandon the former policy of the White House which Beijing perceives as “confrontational.”
Tensions Across the Taiwan Strait
Chinese warplanes, including the H-6K bombers and four J-16 fighter jets, entered Taiwan’s airspace on Saturday, January 23. The administration of Joe Biden immediately backed the island nation. Consequently, tensions between Washington and Beijing will escalate once again.
Huawei in Poland and Hungary. Could it be a part of 5G? – Podcast
Since the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, Huawei has achieved a leading position on the markets of the Visegrád Group, both in terms of digital infrastructure and mobile devices. During Donald Trump’s presidency (2017-2021), the US authorities made extensive diplomatic efforts to eliminate Huawei from the European Union’s (EU) 5G infrastructure, pointing to political and intelligence threats and the company’s cooperation with the Communist Party of China.
Warsaw Institute
