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Ukraine war

Europe Fights For Relevance In Ukraine Peace Talks

European leaders—together with NATO chief Mark Rutte and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—met in London on Sunday to discuss further militarization and support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration following his humiliation at the hands of the US president and vice president. Trump and Vance’s treatment of Zelenskyy only deepened the perplexity that has been haunting European countries since January, when the new US administration began to chill relations towards its Atlantic allies.

Three Years Into Ukraine War, Europe Introduces More Sanctions

Three years into the 2022 Ukraine war, European leaders have unveiled yet another round of sanctions against Russia, its allies, and companies that engage with them—but continue to reject options that might actually bring an end to the conflict. This latest package in the EU’s ongoing effort to stun Russia targets not just Russian individuals and enterprises, but also officials in the Korean People’s Army and Chinese companies. European officials insist these sanctions are working, weakening Russia’s military capabilities. “Today’s decision maintains pressure on the Russian military and defense by listing several industry companies manufacturing weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment and technologies,” the Council of the EU stated.

Putin’s Nuclear Warning Is Direct And Explicit

The specter of Armageddon has been raised often enough during the two-year old war in Ukraine that the reference to it in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state of the union address on Thursday had a familiar ring about it. Therein lies the risk of misjudgement on the part of the Western audience that Putin was only “crying wolf”. Three things must be noted at the outset. First, Putin has been explicit and direct. He is giving advance notice that he is obliged to respond with nuclear capability if the Russian statehood is threatened. Eschewing innuendos or dark hints, Putin actually made a sombre declaration of epochal significance.

The Ghost Of Clausewitz And The Ukraine War

“This week, February 24, 2024 marks the beginning of the third year of the war in Ukraine. Hundreds, if not thousands, of assessments of the first two years of the war will be published, heard, or viewed. As the war now enters its third year, Russia recently announced victory in a major regional battle for the strategic city of Avdeyevka in the Donetsk region of east Ukraine. Avdeyevka was the lynchpin for Ukrainian defenses throughout the region which, by some indications, are beginning to fracture. After similar Russian strategic victories in the strategic cities of Bakhmut in 2023, and Mariupol in 2022, Russia lacked sufficient numerical forces to capitalize on those victories and launch new offensives to further expand its area of control.

Germany Swims Or Sinks With NATO

There couldn’t be a better metaphor than what a Chinese analyst used to characterize the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) while commenting on its secretary general Jens Stoltenberg’s recent remark that the West does not seek war with Russia but should still “prepare ourselves for a confrontation that could last decades.” The Chinese commentator compared Stoltenberg with an in-charge of a firm of undertakers, “a store owner of coffin and casket, which makes no money in peacetime. As an undertaker, NATO needs conflict, bloodshed for earnings. So it spreads fear and panic in order to ensure its member countries continue to contribute military funding.”