Russia Monitor Monthly 7/23
Content
Romania May Relocate Its Embassy to Jerusalem
The conflict between PM of Romania and President of Romania was especially visible in the international arena during the speech of PM of Romania to the representatives of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) which took place on March 24, 2019, in Washington. Then, PM of Romania declared that the Romanian embassy would be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
A New Impulse in The European Union Project
During her Thursday (21.03.2019) speech in the European Parliament in Brussels, the Prime Minister of Romania Viorica Dăncilă stated that the European Union needed a new impulse for further actions. The Romanian PM underlined that Romania, which took over the governance over the Council of the European Union in January 2019, would act in favour of changes in the alliance.
Russia’s Hybrid Warfare in the Western Balkans
Russia sees further processes of NATO and EU enlargement to the Western Balkans as a potential threat, hoping to keep the region away from these Western structures. Russia destabilizes the region by sustaining “frozen conflicts” and escalating tensions.
Gas Transit Through Ukraine
Russia enhanced its position in negotiations concerning a possible prolongation of gas transit through Ukraine to European markets. This time, Gazprom used its partners from Hungary and political satellites in Kiev. The message from both meetings, which took place the same day, is clear: Gazprom is preparing for gas export to Europe, bypassing Ukraine, yet at the beginning of 2020.
Gasoline Prices in Russia Remain Frozen Until Mid-2019
The Russian government has decided to extend an agreement with oil companies on regulating gasoline prices in the country. Fuel prices will be thus frozen until late June, Russian Deputy Ministry Dmitry Kozak has informed. He also said that the government is currently working on a draft bill on introducing licenses on oil products.
Relocating the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem: Good or Bad Idea?
The decision announced by Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă concerning the relocation of Romania’s embassy in Israel has caused quite a stir both among politicians and the global media. Although Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are separated from each other by just over one-hour car ride, this political move may result in more than mere symbolic changes.
Newsweek U.S. Quotes the Warsaw Institute Article
Jason Lemon from Newsweek U.S. in his text “U.S. Creates Additional Tensions by Flying Nuclear-Capable Bombers Near Russia, Kremlin Says” refers to one of the last articles from our Russia Monitor program: “U.S. Stratofortress Jets Perform a Simulated Attack on Russia’s Baltic Fleet”
Follow the Petro-roubles: European Officials Go Into Russian Business
Another former Western European leader is believed to take over a top position in Russia’s state-run energy giant. Austria’s Wolfgang Schüssel, said to become a head of Lukoil’s supervisory board, will, therefore, follow the example of Germany’s Gerhard Schröder and former Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, both of whom were proposed jobs in Gazprom.
Russia Monitor Monthly 02/2019
All February Russia Monitor articles, which include reviews of the most important events related to Russian security and its foreign policy, available in one file.
Secret services of Sweden and Estonia: Russia is the biggest threat
In the 2018 report of SÄPO secret services published in March, Russia was indicated as the main danger to the security of Sweden. Similarly, according to the report of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia is the only dangerous threat to the security of the region, including the sovereignty of Estonia and other Baltic states.
Russia Moves Its S-300 Systems to the Baltic Sea
Dislocated in Britain’s RAF Fairford base, U.S. B-52 bombers regularly visit the Baltic region, which causes concerns in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Moscow said their fighters managed to intercept one of the U.S. jets, claiming also that Russia also strengthened the anti-aircraft defense of the Baltic Fleet’s main naval base of Baltiysk.
New Nuclear Power Technology for Romania
Talks on the possible future construction of a new nuclear power plant have recently been initiated in Romania. This time, however, they are not focused on building a huge nuclear power plant, such as the one already existing in the town of Cernavodă, but rather about the possible implementation of modern modular reactors.
Mare Nostrum Strategy: Russian Military Activity in the Black Sea
Owing to its geographic location, Russia’s prerequisite to acquire and maintain the status of a superpower has long been to seize and retain control over two maritime “windows to the world.” This strategy was first mapped out by Peter the Great and led to multiple wars in the Baltic and Black Seas.
Putin’s Ultras Say “No” to the “Regime”
A group of Putin’s staunch supporters, whose members expressed bitter disappointment over “betraying” most imperial elements of the president’s policy, has recently intensified its political activities. Although their meetings so far have attracted little attention from the public while members refrain from attacking Putin directly, it cannot be ruled out that this milieu may soon appear problematic for the regime.
Not All Russian Oligarchs Pay Homage to Putin
Representatives of Russian business industry may feel particularly unhappy with the situation worldwide, with particular regard to the Russian-Western conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin is in need of money to revive the country’s economy so the government’s policy is essentially aimed at forcing big business to invest in the domestic market while bringing back all financial assets from the outside.
The Crimea – unwanted topic in the political campaign
This year, the anniversary of the annexation of the Crimea falls in the middle of the presidential campaign in Ukraine. It was not a reason for joy for the candidates as it is not a good topic to be used in the campaign. Part of them would have to defend their decisions made in February and in March 2014 (and is concerns Tymoshenko even more than Poroshenko).
Russia’s Governor Reshuffles: Putin’s Trusted Men Take Power
A new wave of large-scale personnel changes took part in the second part of March when Vladimir Putin replaced four governors within just a several dozen hours. This exemplifies the Kremlin’s effort to increase the control the state federal authorities over individual regions. Such centralization processes are part of Moscow’s tightened domestic course while constituting a strategy to prevent serious social and political unrest.
New Road to the Baltic Sea
Contrary to the provisions of the Polish-Soviet border agreement of 1945, the Pilava Strait linking the Vistula Lagoon to the Baltic Sea was not opened to Polish merchant vessels while Poland’s port of Elbląg had no longer access to the Baltic Sea. In June 1990, the yacht “Misia II” under the skipper Edmund Krasowski, a Member of Polish Parliament at the time, as the first sailed from Elbląg to Gdynia across the Pilava Strait.
Marine Priorities. The U.S. and NATO Support Ukraine
The United States will channel more financial resources for Ukraine for the purchase of weapons and for the enhancement of the Ukrainian navy potential. In the conflict with Russia, which is dangerous not only to Ukraine, Kiev can count on the full support of NATO and on the future membership in the alliance – according to the report by the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg.
Pompeo Criticizes Rosneft CEO Sechin for Buying Oil from Venezuela
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo openly accused Russia of backing Venezuela’s Maduro regime. In response, Russia’s state-run oil company Rosneft, which administers a number of oil investments in the country, said it will sue Pompeo to the court.
Warsaw Institute
