
The ring exchange agreement—which was never binding between the two parties—failed to materialize after Germany stated that could not fulfill Morawiecki’s government’s demands for the latest version of the Leopard tank.
Robert Semonsen —
The ring exchange agreement—which was never binding between the two parties—failed to materialize after Germany stated that could not fulfill Morawiecki’s government’s demands for the latest version of the Leopard tank.
Robert Semonsen —
On Thursday, May 19th, the EU Commission decided to allow gas importers to open ruble accounts for gas payments to Gazprombank. For a long time, the EU Commission had rejected the Russian demand for payment in rubles, as it was considered to violate EU sanctions against Russia. The condition for this turnaround is that European […]
David Boos —
Weak armies, illegal immigration, debt, energy dependence, and unbalanced trade are all undermining the European nation-state, argues Juan Ángel Soto Gómez.
Juan Ángel Soto Gómez —
After being pressured by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and receiving anonymous threats, Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv had to cancel a performance of a work of Tchaikovsky in Germany.
David Boos —
Contrary to what many Western journalists and politicians persistently assume, there exists little continuity between Imperial Russia and the Soviet regime, just as there was no ideological or political identity between pre-war France and the Vichy regime.
Nikolai Tolstoy —
The fuel shortage is an additional strain on Ukrainians already under fire from Russia, many of whom are travelling either to return to homes they abandoned in the initial fear and shock of the Russian invasion, or to seek safety and shelter in another part of the country.
Bridget Ryder —
PM Orbán’s resolute neutrality has placed him in the cross hairs of Ukrainian ultranationalists
Robert Semonsen —
by Eugene Vodolazkin; translated by Marian Schwartz
Walden, NY: Plough Publishing House, 2022
J.C. Scharl —
Eurasianism, with its glorification of the Mongol Golden Horde and eastward orientation, tends to divorce Russia from its European heritage, a divorce that is incompatible with any drawing closer to Ukraine. Geography and natural resources will motivate political conflict, but identity and national construction will determine what social cleavages can be exploited by local and foreign agents in that conflict.
Carlos Perona Calvete —
After evading numerous requests by Ukraine for heavy weapons, the German governing parties have now acquiesced and voted for a parliamentary proposal for such a delivery, alongside training offers for Ukrainian soldiers on German soil.
David Boos —
There are a few things that the West can do. One is to follow the Latin motto “Si vis pacem, para bellum,” or “If you want peace, prepare for war.” This certainly applies to the Benelux, Germany, and Sweden, whose armed forces have been severely weakened over the past three decades.
Pieter Cleppe —
The position of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who believes that “more arms to Ukraine does not mean more war,” is also being defended by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Hélène de Lauzun —
In Eastern Germany, a soviet memorial for victims of the war and a memorial for victims of a concentration camp have been defaced. Besides Swastikas, pro-Ukrainian messages have been spray painted in blue and yellow.
David Boos —
Organic association and the principle of subsidiarity are the rescue of nations. They allow for the political articulation of common roots without alienating local cultural differentiation. They also permit overarching identities to be honored along with overlapping ones. Keeping this principle in mind, we may trace the history of relations between Moscow and Kyiv with an eye to how it could have been, and may yet, be applied.
Carlos Perona Calvete —
It is not possible for Europe to continue its transition into nothingness and decadence. We will not be able to meet the challenges—which are already violent today—if it remains ensconced in comfort, lies, a war on effort and excellence, gender madness, and the culture of death.
Jaime Mayor Oreja —
“We strongly believe that this procedure will take place in the coming weeks and that it will be positive for the history of our people,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, April 18th.
Sven R. Larson —
If Ukraine has indeed put the Moskva—a 12,500-ton guided missile cruiser—out of commission, at least for now, the victory is not only substantial but also iconic.
Bridget Ryder —
“As an American citizen, I can’t wrap my mind around this, how people who share the same faith—because Russia is predominantly Orthodox, and Ukraine is predominantly Orthodox—could be so evil to each other. But then, we have to think about Cain and Abel, he killed his brother, so, nothing new under the sun, unfortunately,” Rev. Tomson said.
Robert Semonsen —
The New York Times’ verification of the video’s authenticity comes amid recently surfaced video footage depicting the abuse of Russian POWs.
Robert Semonsen —
Following a decision by the German Conference of Minister-Presidents, Ukrainian refugees are now being treated as recognized refugees, giving them access to better healthcare, basic benefits, and the workforce. Critics fear this might create a new pull-factor within the EU.
David Boos —
Following a month-long occupation by Russian forces—and their subsequent withdrawal from the area—spiritual leaders at a seminary outside of Kyiv, have returned to discover that its statue of Our Lady of Fátima has been desecrated.
Robert Semonsen —
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—refusing to adopt policies that run counter to the interests of the Hungarian people—has agreed to pay Moscow in rubles for gas imports.
Robert Semonsen —
On April 7th, the EU Parliament voted to place an embargo on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear fuel, which was closely followed by a EU Commission ban on its coal exports. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly suspended the country from its Human Rights Council.
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
Why are we allowing corporations to profit both from the desperation of people struggling with infertility and women in poverty?
Georgia L. Gilholy —
The anti-Spanish slant of the Agencia EFE tweet provoked a strong reaction from supporters of VOX on Twitter, as they called for Zelensky’s speech to the Spanish Parliament scheduled for Tuesday, April 5th, to be cancelled.
Bridget Ryder —
War plunges us into the depths of the darkness inflicted by man; but it also allows us to resurrect eternal forgotten truths. Among them is the reality that women are the sanctuary of life.
Hélène de Lauzun —
Russia pointed to the neutrality status of Sweden and Austria as possible models for Ukraine. Kyiv, however, emphasised that “only Kyiv could design a system that would be acceptable to Ukrainians.
Sven R. Larson —
To combat the disruptions in the agricultural sector, the European Commission has proposed €500 million in direct payments to farmers from the EU’s budget and allowing individual countries to complement this support by up to 200%.
Bridget Ryder —
When grilled about the ‘regime change’ comment by reporters on Monday, Biden was not willing to “walk anything back.” He explained he said it out of “moral outrage,” and that it was a “personal feeling.”
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
After Anastasia Kotvitska had been waved through by Ukrainian border officials, Hungarian customs discovered cash amounts of $28 million and €1.3 million, hidden in the suitcases during an inspection March 14.
David Boos —
A fiscal crisis would force U.S. Congress into unchartered territory. Never in modern history has this legislative body been forced to be austere with its resources. Tax cuts do not work anymore, and you cannot cut taxes when your creditors are running away from your debt. There are only two options: spending cuts, or tax hikes.
Sven R. Larson —
Moldova, Romania, and Hungary are welcoming Ukrainian refugees but, if the situation continues for long, tensions could come to the fore.
Francesco Giubilei, Daniele Dell'Orco —
The ages-old concept of the balance of power is supposedly understood by every international relations student. However, preoccupied with the ideas of globalism, American and European leaders often forget to take it into account when forming their policies.
Daria Fedotova —
Russia bears the full moral and economic burden for the war, but it is also clear that America’s neoconservative doctrine is one of the losers in that conflict. It is time for the foreign-policy elite in Washington to accept that neoconservatism served America well during the Cold War, but should now be gracefully retired.
Sven R. Larson —
Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal missile has apparently destroyed an arms depot in western Ukraine—the use of hypersonic missiles and Russian missile advancement will likely shape the European rush to increase military budgets and purchase weaponry.
Carlos Perona Calvete —
The Italian government, through the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini, announced its decision to finance the reconstruction of the Mariupol theatre as it was.
Hélène de Lauzun —
Ukrainian President Zelensky asked the German Bundestag for more sanctions against Russia and spoke about the “historical responsibility” of Germany to help Ukraine. Opposition leaders were outraged about the lack of debate in the Bundestag following the speech.
David Boos —
Germany has started to beat the drums of war, fueled by a desire to redeem its ancestral sins, and embracing the Russian scapegoat as a distraction from its failed energy politics.
David Boos —
A sizable minority of refugees who’ve arrived in France after allegedly fleeing the Russia-Ukraine conflict are not Ukrainian, with many of the new arrivals originating from Africa, the Middle East, Central and East Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, a French media outlet has claimed.
Robert Semonsen —
“The activities of politicians aimed at splitting or collaborating will not succeed, but will receive a harsh response,” Zelensky said.
Robert Semonsen —
Russia eventually took the lead and effectively left the Council. In the statement announcing their decision, Russian authorities emphasised the forced nature of their departure.
Hélène de Lauzun —
The act of consecration will be pronounced on Annunciation Day, Friday, March 25th, during the celebration of Penance that Pope Francis will preside over at 5pm in St Peter’s Basilica.
Hélène de Lauzun —
The initiative proves the advanced degree to which Eastern European countries are dedicated to supporting Ukraine, whereas Western leaders prefer to play it safe.
Hélène de Lauzun —
After being raped by two fellow refugees, an 18-year old from Ukraine has fled to Poland because she did not feel safe in Germany. Police warn against criminals trying to exploit women and children looking for shelter.
David Boos —
Animated by faith and patriotism and buoyed by an unkillable sense of humor, Ukrainians are thus far shocking the world by their steadfastness in the face of Russian aggression.
Jonathon Van Maren —
As I am writing these words, I can hear a battle raging on the other side of the Kyiv Sea. The worst thing about living close to the front line is not knowing where the next missile will land, but we are determined to carry on with our lives for as long as possible.
Daria Fedotova —
The WHO said it had advised Ukraine to destroy high-threat pathogens housed in the country’s public health laboratories to prevent “any potential spills” and worried that continued fighting raised the risk of damage to those facilities. It would not say when it had made the recommendation, nor did it specify what kinds of pathogens or toxins were housed there.
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
The same experience with Soviet hegemony that has rendered Central European states immune, at some level, to the kind of decadence Western leadership favors, also led them to suspect Russia’s intentions.
Charles A. Coulombe —
Swedish MEP Charlie Weimers’ speech in the European Parliament on Putin and Ukraine: “Forcing millions to flee and tearing families apart is incompatible with ‘family values.'”
Charlie Weimers —
French President Emmanuel Macron was keen to display a smiling optimism by answering questions in English to international journalists in Versailles; a few minutes later, he was grave and serious in his address to French journalists, commenting in exactly the opposite terms.
Hélène de Lauzun —
In a recent interview Viktor Orbán urged European politicians to work towards peace in Ukraine by using “strategic calm: to speak sparingly, but then to speak precisely and responsibly.”
The outbreak of war in Ukraine has caused an identity crisis in Europe. Yesterday’s pacifism turned into today’s belligerence in a heartbeat, all the while avoiding the geopolitical elephant in the room in favor of moral indignation. This should be a wake-up call.
David Boos —
Kyiv has been hardly affected by major destruction yet, but there are checkpoints on every corner, and air raid sirens vail every thirty minutes, reminding everyone that a war is going on, right here, right now. A report from the war zone.
Levente László Greczula —
War in the Eurasian breadbasket is causing European countries to have to rethink food security and current agricultural policy for both the immediate and long-term futures.
Bridget Ryder —
Foreign minister Bisera Turkovic said that the Ukraine war “is causing fear and concern in our region that this might now be the beginning of a larger trend in Eastern Europe,” and that “the Balkans is Europe’s Achilles heel.”
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict is resurrecting other clashes over territorial sovereignty elsewhere in the world. Japan is taking advantage of the Ukrainian opportunity to make its claim to the Kuril Islands archipelago heard again, which it has disputed with Russia for more than 70 years. The Kuril Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands located between […]
Hélène de Lauzun —
Days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the creation of the International Legion of Territorial Defense, nearly 20,000 foreign ’volunteers’ are said to have signed up to fight alongside Ukrainians in their armed struggle with the Russian Federation.
Robert Semonsen —
“This tragedy has proven that Ukraine was right to fear what they foresaw as inevitable, sending the message to the world continuously since 2014: Russia will stop at nothing.”—Dr. Csilla Fedinec
Gergő Kovács —
There is not much good news in the unfolding tragedy that is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the resolve and the courage of the Ukrainian people is one example. We are also beginning to see cracks in the domestic support for Putin’s war in the form of anti-war protests. In addition, sensational reports allege that […]
Sven R. Larson —
The European Union is not NATO, but Ukraine joining the Union, while undoubtedly symbolically effective, could further aggravate tensions between Russia and the rest of the European continent.
Hélène de Lauzun —
While Ukraine’s defense ministry says Denis Kireev was killed while serving in an operation to “defend the nation,” local media, two Ukrainian MPs, and Russian media say the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) shot him dead during an attempted arrest for treason.
Robert Semonsen —
OncoAlert, a global network of oncologists, has cancelled its participation in all collaborations and congresses in Russia, in response to the conflict in Ukraine.
Carlos Perona Calvete —
Unlike the majority of refugees, Transcarpathian Hungarians are at least familiar with Hungary thanks to family ties or working relationships. They do not come as strangers.
Zoltán Veczán —
Initially, the Home Office was only showing generosity to Ukrainians with immediate family residing in Britain. But changes to that more restrictive policy have since been announced.
Harrison Pitt —
The Latin Rite Catholic bishops petitioned Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday, in which they explicitly asked him to consecrate Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Hélène de Lauzun —
Kyiv is under constant air attacks. The sirens can go off at any minute, sending the capital’s residents into basements or the subway, and the warning usually sounds at least a couple of times throughout the day and night.
Bridget Ryder —
Today in France, taking a sovereignist line is unfortunately understood as Putinolatry, and it is extremely difficult to hear a balanced point of view on what the positioning of a strong France in the international game should be.
Hélène de Lauzun —
As of 3:00 pm on Saturday, Russia had failed to observe one of the two agreed-upon ceasefires, according to local authorities.
Carlos Perona Calvete —
The European wave of sanctions has reached the arts sector. Prominent Russian artists, such as Valery Gergiev and Anna Netrebko, are having their contracts terminated for “insufficient distancing” from Kremlin politics.
David Boos —
“I would like to remember the words of Pius XII, a few days before the outbreak of the Second World War: ‘People should come back to their senses,’” Cardinal Parolin said.
Robert Semonsen —
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is expected to make the situation of European farmers worse, as both Ukraine and Russia are major suppliers of farming basics, such as fertilisers, which are integral to conventional agricultural commodities.
Bridget Ryder —
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took to Twitter upon hearing the outcome. She called it a “shame” and a “sham,” adding that “there can’t be any recognition of the ‘referendum’ and its outcomes.”
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
According to data disclosed on Tuesday, close to 400,000 refugees arrived in Poland since the war broke out, and around 100,000 refugees have found shelter in Hungary. And the tiny country of Moldova, outside of the EU, also received 60,000 Ukrainians so far.
Gellért Rajcsányi —
Contemplative religious communities around the world have promised their spiritual solidarity with the war-torn Ukraine.
Bridget Ryder —
“This is the time to be united. This is a war … Russia is condemned by all European leaders, among them Hungary, of course,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
Carlos Perona Calvete —
Banning Russia from SWIFT may be one of the quickest ways to cripple Russia financially, but some European countries hesitated to enact such a sanction because it makes commerce with the country nearly impossible.
Bridget Ryder —
Given the strategic dimension of the companies concerned, some former European leaders believe that remaining on their governing bodies indirectly supports Putin’s policies. Others are still working for Russian firms.
Hélène de Lauzun —
Even before the military attack materialised on the ground, the Russian offensive against its Ukrainian neighbour was observed in computer attacks against the country’s information system.
Hélène de Lauzun —
Some 12,000 ‘local volunteers’ gathered in Grozny, the Chechen capital, responded to Ramzan Kadyrov’s fiery speech with the infamous Islamic battle cry “Allahu Akbar!”
Robert Semonsen —
Russia has sensed opportunity, and will not let go easily now. The noose it has placed on Ukraine’s neck, which has been tightened as a result of Western actions, has now made it very difficult for that country to free itself.
Krzysztof Mularczyk —
While political figures, journalists, television pundits continue to provide Ukrainians with a never-ending supply of lip service—ACN International has taken substantive action, granting an emergency aid package of 1 million euros to help support the work of the Church in Ukraine.
Robert Semonsen —
The sound of explosions initially sent shock waves through the capital. As the orange glow on the horizon from the first bombardment faded away, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenski put the country under martial law and told citizens to stay home, but also encouraged them to remain calm and have confidence in a Ukrainian victory.
Bridget Ryder —
On Friday February 18th, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson explained that in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden will “not be a major recipient” of Ukrainian refugees. Her statement came on the heels of reports that, according to the Christian Science Monitor, Countries in Eastern Europe are making preparations for potentially hundreds […]
Sven R. Larson —
Hours after recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk as independent, Putin sent so-called peacekeeping troops to the territories.
David Boos —
The meeting between Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin made it clear that the West is no longer in the position to make demands to other world powers. The time has come to look inwards and protect our own values, rather than try to export them.
David Boos —
In a meeting between Chancellor Scholz and President Putin, both sides affirmed their willingness to find diplomatic solutions for the Ukraine conflict. While Scholz raised concerns over civil liberties in Russia, Putin emphasized the attractiveness of Russian gas for Germany.
David Boos —
On the eve of his diplomatic mission to Moscow, in a desperate bid for a de-escalation of tensions on Ukraine’s borders, Macron said that “the geopolitical objective of Russia today is clearly not Ukraine, but to clarify the rules of cohabitation with NATO and the EU.”
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
Today’s Russia is not yesterday’s Soviet Union. What Putin does to his country is unacceptable, but unlike the leaders of the communist state of the last century, he does not have an ideology that compels him to eliminate the economic and political system of the West.
Sven R. Larson —
When pressed by reporters, Scholz avoided making a clear pronouncement on the future of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline through which Russia would export its gas to Germany.
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
Russia has requested the closure of the local office of the German international radio and television station Deutsche Welle. This is the first time that a Western media has been banned in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Hélène de Lauzun —
Nobody knows the war hawks in Moscow better than the Ukrainians, living as they do in the ominous shadows of Putin’s birds of prey. But the Russians are not the only ones throwing war-stirring rhetoric around.
Sven R. Larson —
“This is as clear and consequential a threat to peace and security as anyone can imagine,” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. She added that “Russia’s aggression today not only threatens Ukraine. It also threatens Europe. It threatens the international order.”
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
“We have made it clear that new military action against Ukraine will have massive consequences for Russia. On this basis, we are developing a strong sanctions package… including Nord Stream 2,” Annalena Baerbock said.
Bridget Ryder —
Over the past couple of days, a deluge of events, press releases, and commentary touching on the Russia-NATO issue has buried news desks. It proved, however, highly revealing of the alliance’s internal cracks.
Tristan Vanheuckelom —
Referring to Germany’s refusal to let British aircraft fly military supplies through German air space, Senator Sasse suggested that the German government had returned to a pre-NATO situation.
Sven R. Larson —
In his statements, which came on Sunday during an interview on France 5’s “C Dans L’air,” Zemmour not only called on the Élysée to seek out friendly relations with Moscow but also urged it to stop acting as a “tool of the United States,” which he insisted is trying to pit European nations against one another for its own foreign policy establishment’s benefit.
Robert Semonsen —
While Finland has already declared that it is not pursuing a NATO membership, Sweden still remains open to the idea. So long as the possibility remains open in the current international political climate, it undeservedly transplants the Ukrainian struggle for independence onto the Nordic scene.
Sven R. Larson —
On account of the Ukrainian crisis, Macron attempts to strengthen solidarity among NATO member countries in the face of Moscow.
Hélène de Lauzun —
The psychological games played by Ukraine’s abusive uncle are ruthless. He distorts the truth, and his lies create deep furrows. But, like all lies, they rest on shaky foundations.
Darina Rebro —
Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to the current unrest in the region. Yet, should efforts fail and Moscow attacks Kyiv, it would pay a “high price.”
Tristan Vanheuckelom —