Articles
Putin Names Shoigu, And Not Medvedev, In Kremlin Harsh Election Course
Russian officials just started an election campaign before September’s parliamentary vote. President Vladimir Putin revealed top candidates on the federal list of United Russia, the country’s dominant party that seeks to preserve its constitutional majority despite low popularity ratings. The Russian regime took violent action to stifle opposition and curb the possibility to monitor any instances of vote-rigging. Possibly fearing a popular rally after the vote, Putin might have taken a lesson from Lukashenko and thus has embarked on a harsh course now. Picking defense and foreign ministers to head the United Russia list also hints at the party’s harsh rhetoric. Placing Shoigu as the “number one” on the list instead of Dmitry Medvedev, whom many believed to be the favorite in the run-up, aims to increase voter enthusiasm. While Shoigu is now among the most popular Russian politicians, Medvedev is relatively unpopular.
What Biden-Putin Summit Means for Eastern Europe
As expected, the meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders did not bring any major decisions––let alone a breakthrough in bilateral ties. It seems that both presidents took advantage of the summit to paint their visions and score some political goals. Probably they are both satisfied with the talks in their own manner as Biden posed as a tough politician issuing warnings while Putin showed he is still a top player worldwide. This yet does not mean that the summit has not offered anything to other interested parties.
New developments in US-German relations: energy, security, EU, Russia, NATO
Warsaw Institute & The Warsaw Institute Review quartely have an honour to invite you to our upcoming online event – part of the Warsaw Institute’s “Diplomacy Talks Series”: New developments in US-German relations: energy, security, EU, Russia, NATO.
China’s Response to the G7 Summit in Cornwall
The G7 summit was held in a small town of Carbis Bay in Cornwall, UK, between June 11 and 13. Few passages of the final communiqué devoted to China were criticized by the PRC.
Ukraine Is Afraid of Biden-Putin Meeting
Ukrainian state authorities are right to be fearful of the outcomes of the meeting of the U.S. and Russian leaders. Earlier, the U.S. administration had given the green light to Russia to complete Nord Stream 2 without notifying Ukraine. The U.S. leader Joe Biden also ignored an appeal from Volodymyr Zelensky for a meeting before talks with Vladimir Putin. Ukraine said it would not accept any agreements reached in discussions in Geneva.
Ukraine Ready to Take Legal Action against Gazprom over Gas Transit
Ukraine is prepared to take legal action against Gazprom to unblock the flow of gas through its territory. “If Gazprom does not execute the deal, we are ready to take it to international arbitration,” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was quoted as saying. Ukraine’s Naftogaz estimated its potential claim at some $7.2 billion. Furthermore, the Ukrainian gas company could come back to its $12.2 billion worth of claims against Gazprom it had earlier withdrawn.
Coronavirus in Russia: Moscow Authorities Take Desperate Decision
On June 12, Russia confirmed 14,723 new coronavirus cases–– the most infections the country has seen since mid-February. The situation leveled off in the following days but as of June 14, Russia has reported 5,222,408 cases since the start of the coronavirus pandemic while its total excess fatality count now stands at 126,801.
NATO 2030 at BRUSSELS FORUM
During the meeting co-organized on June 14, 2021 by the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), one of the guests of which was NATO Secretary General – Jens Stoltenberg, issues related to the Alliance summit organized in Brussels in June this year were discussed.
Technology and democracy: A new challenge for European security?
Technology permeates every aspect of our daily lives. However, its increased presence has posed a significant challenge to our liberties. Western democracies need to re-adapt in order to concretely regulate tech and prevent potential new forms of interferences for its institutions. Especially in Europe have democratic states felt the need to develop new normative approaches and regulations to provide a framework regulating Big Tech companies and preventing them from abusing their power.
Rosneft Loses Customs Arbitration Case
Russia Monitor is a review of the most important events related to Russian internal and external security, as well as its foreign policies. Date: Rosneft Loses Customs Arbitration Case The Moscow Arbitration Court dismissed the lawsuit that Russian...
Foreign Ministers of Poland and Hungary in China – Podcast
On 29-31 May, at the invitation of the Chinese side, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Poland and Hungary, Zbigniew Rau and Péter Szijjártó, visited Guiyang city in Guizhou province. There they met with Minister Wang Yi, with whom they discussed the matters of current economic and political cooperation, in particular the future of the 17+1 group. The visits coincided with a crisis in relations between China and the EU as well as the imposition of sanctions by each side in connection with the persecution of the Uighur minority in Xinjiang. The meeting was also prompted by the announcement of the Lithuanian Foreign Minister who said that Vilnius would effectively withdraw from the 17+1 format, which is a platform for cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries.
Russia’s Problem in Sudan: No Chance for Port Putin?
Russia will need to wait for Sudan’s final decision on a naval base on the Red Sea. Close ties to the country’s former dictator Omar Basher and then with Sudanese army generals are not enough to put Moscow’s plans into practice. Also, the United States has joined the game; as Khartoum said it would renegotiate the deal, this means it seeks to get as much as possible from both Moscow and Washington. Yet the prospect of a Russian military base on the Red Sea is becoming more and more distant.
China–Afghanistan–Pakistan Meeting
On June 3, 2021, Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted the fourth online trilateral meeting among the Foreign Ministers of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Moreover, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China outlined five proposals for peace in Afghanistan.
U.S., Germany Continue to Deceive Ukraine over Nord Stream 2
Washington’s decision to waive some sanctions against Nord Stream 2, a move that in fact allows Russia to finish its gas project, was a bitter surprise for Ukraine. Washington and Berlin vowed to do their utmost to shield Kyiv against a blow from Nord Stream 2. But Kyiv should not believe in this as the United States and Germany have no clue how to dissuade Russia from using gas as a coercive weapon against Ukraine.
