Political Report

EU Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis says Russian sanctions are working. Speaking with Maria Tadeo on "Bloomberg Surveillance," Dombrovskis also comments on EU gas supplies and his views on using frozen Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine.

Senator Mike Lee and other members of Congress are calling for an investigation into the Nord Stream attack that could lead to impeachment proceedings against President Biden. Russia is now calling for an emergency U.N. meeting over the pipeline attack.

Russia is not the only country with grievances about Ukraine. Hungary and Romania also accuse the country of persecuting ethnic groups living in Ukraine and now forcibly conscripting them into military service. Now the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission will investigate Ukraine for violations of minority rights.

Vladimir Putin order two Russian bombers with possible nuclear weapons accompanied by 30 Russian Fighter jets to fly by the coast of the United States near Alaska. The DOJ targets Trump and now believes they will get Trump by getting Mike Pence. China points out some serious issues in American politics and the media. Stephen Gardner update today.

General Milley tells the American people on national TV that Russia has lost the war. Biden comes clean on the 3 unidentified objects. Trumps Georgia Election interference detailed revealed today and Americans believe Pete Buttigieg is doing a terrible job. Russia is not losing the war. Colonel Douglas Macgregor says Russian and Putin has 60,000 rounds of ammunition a day while Ukraine has only 6,000. Scott Ritter also agrees Russia is not losing, they are just fighting different than NATO wants.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has been greeted by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey’s capital Ankara on a visit to express support and offer help following the devastating earthquakes.

Mr Stoltenberg is also trying to convince Turkey to ratify Sweden and Finland as members of Nato.

Finland and Sweden applied to join the military alliance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Applications to join must be approved by all member countries – which include the US and UK - and Ankara isn't yet on board.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out giving up any of his country's territory in a potential peace deal with Russia.

Almost one year on from the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky said in a BBC interview that conceding land would mean Russia could "keep coming back”.

Russian forces launched part of their full-scale invasion from Belarus 12 months ago. Zelensky still believes Ukraine's forces can continue resisting Russia's advance until they are able to launch a counter-offensive - although he repeated his calls for more military aid from the West.

"Today, our survival is our unity," said Zelensky on how he thought the war will eventually end.

Feminist foe Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as Scottish First Minister unexpectedly today. Why now? Is she dying on the sword of trans rights after sending sexual predators into women's prisons or is there more to it? We break down the issues that brought down the leader who has enjoyed celebrity status with the Western press.

Nearly a year after Putin launched his attack on Ukraine, NATO says Russia’s much-feared spring offensive is already underway. Both sides are suffering painful losses and running through vast stocks of ammunition as they wage a fierce battle for small gains in the east of the country. In strategically important Bachmut, for example, months of unrelenting assault by the private mercenary group Wagner have taken a bloody toll on both sides and destroyed the city. Putin needs Wagner to succeed, but the group’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin says the battle’s far from over. Where does that leave the other side? As ammunition stocks dwindle and casualties rise, we’re asking: Putin's latest offensive: How is NATO responding?”

#russia #ukraine #nato

Both Russia and Ukraine have been focusing on long range weapons. Which means finding enough of this has become a major priority for both sides. They are burning through a lot of resources as they pound each other with long-range artillery weapons. The weapons themselves come in many shapes and sizes.

Estimates for how much ammunition both sides are using in the Ukraine war vary widely. Western experts estimate Ukraine used between 6,000 to 7,000 artillery shells a day in the summer of 2022, and Russia between 20,000 and 60,000. Exact numbers are military secrets. But even when considering conservative estimates, that's more than either side can produce itself. The Unites States, Ukraine's main supplier of ammunition, only produced around 500 rounds a day at the time. And that is just counting conventional shells, not rockets.

When it comes to Russian supplies, it's clear the country is digging deep into its stocks. Ukrainian officials say Russia is firing less artillery shells now than last year, and using old ammunition, which suggests the Russian military is trying to conserve shells.
Ukraine on the other hand has to deal with a mix of old Soviet equipment and modern weapons supplied by Western allies. Ukraine is dependent on those allies to deliver enough ammunition for the weapons they provided. And they need deal with the logistical issues, caused by all these different weapons needing all kinds of different supplies and parts.44Both sides are now having to ration supplies, including ammunition. And upping capacities to re-stock will take a significant amount of time. For that, both sides depend on other nations. As the war drags on, these issues are likely to become even more important. Russia is expected to launch a fresh offensive that will keep burning through its stocks - and Ukraine is already pleading with the West for more ammunition to defend itself.”

Ukraine has been under attack from the air for a year now... from fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles. What’s left of Ukraine’s small air force is all but powerless against Russian fighter jets. Pilots at the frontlines in southern and eastern Ukraine run an extremely high risk of being shot down. Ukraine has old Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets. It won’t reveal how many but they have to contend with modern anti-aircraft defenses. Pilots and ground personnel in Ukraine are already preparing for the NATO F-16 fighter jet. But military experts are also discussing other Western battle jets. We take a closer look at why Ukraine is pleading for Western fighter jets

Authorities in Ukraine say they have shot down most of the six suspected Russian surveillance balloons detected in the skies over Kyiv. The Kremlin hasn't commented on the reports, but Russian forces HAVE launched a new round of missile attacks across Ukraine. Among the targets hit is the country's largest oil refinery. Ukraine has repelled some attacks, but authorities say targets in the north, west, south, east and center of the country have been struck. We talk to Igor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine

Peter Zeihan: Chinese Empire Is Built On The Pillars Of Sand, China Is Entering A Horrific Crisis
#peterzeihan
#zeihanongeopolitics
#zeihan

Chinese leader Xi Jinping lavished praise on Iran Monday, as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi began his three-day visit to China. The meeting in Beijing comes as both Iran and China face increasingly strained ties with Western governments and is the first state visit by an Iranian president to China in more than 20 years.

China, Iran hail cooperation amid tensions with West
"In the face of the current complex changes in the world, times, and history, China and Iran have supported each other (and) worked together in solidarity and cooperation," Xi said in remarks cited by Chinese state-run news outlet CCTV. According to Iran's state-owned Islamic Republic News Agency, Raisi described "Iran and China as two friends in hard times." Raisi's three-day visit to China comes as both countries have been condemned and sanctioned by the West on various issues. Western countries such as the US and Germany, for example, have criticized Iran's nuclear ambitions and its crackdown on anti-government protesters, with Washington and Berlin also critical of China's drills near Taiwan and its treatment of the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. In addition, Iran and China have been criticized by the West for not condemning Russia's war on Ukraine. Russia has even used Iranian drones to carry out attacks on Ukrainian cities, with the Iranian government rejecting it supplied the weapons.

On the issue of Tehran's nuclear program, Xi told Raisi that Iran has a right to safeguard its interests. Xi said Beijing will continue to "participate constructively" on international negotiations regarding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018, saying the Iranian government was not holding up its end of the bargain. The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, lifted sanctions on Iran in return for Tehran's promises that it won't develop a nuclear weapon. "No matter how the international and regional situation changes, China will unswervingly develop friendly cooperation with Iran," Xi remarked.

Closer economic cooperation
Iran and China also deepened their economic ties during the visit. China is Iran's biggest trading partner. Iranian media reported that China and Iran signed 20 cooperation documents during the visit, in areas such as tourism, international commerce, and technology. Raisi is accompanied on the China trip by a large trade and finance delegation. Xi previously held talks with Raisi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Uzbekistan last September.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for allies to make a swift decision to send further military support to Ukraine as NATO defense ministers met and Russia attacked the country's eastern front line. Russia's artillery fire was focused on Bakhmut, a ravaged city in Donetsk province and a main target for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its capture could provide Russia with a stepping stone to further cities in the region and potentially give momentum to its offensive.

Ukraine is going to receive fewer battle tanks than previously envisaged by Berlin, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said after a meeting of NATO defense ministers. No new pledges for Leopard 2A6 tanks were made at a meeting of the so-called tank coalition of interested nations at the sidelines of the NATO meeting in Brussels. As only Germany and Portugal are ready to supply the Leopard 2A6 tanks, the supply of this model is currently below battalion strength, Pistorius said. Germany pledged 14 such tanks and Portugal three. Sweden is still assessing if it can supply Leopard 2A6 models to Ukraine, where a battalion is usually equipped with 31 tanks.

However, Leopard 2A4 models have been pledged in greater numbers so far with the toll standing currently at almost 30, Pistorius said. In January, the German government said it wants to gather two Leopard 2 tank battalions for Ukraine. NATO's defense ministers were meeting in Brussels for a two-day gathering to discuss the war and ammunition stocks. Zelenskyy said Russia was rushing to advance as far as it could before Ukraine could muster strength. "That is why speed is of the essence," Zelenskyy said in an evening video address. "Speed in everything — adopting decisions, carrying out decisions, shipping supplies, training. Speed saves people's lives, speed brings back security, and I thank all our partners who realize that speed is important," he added.

Russia claims success in offensive in eastern Ukraine
Russia reported a breakthrough through Ukrainian defense lines in part of the Luhansk region. "During the offensive... the Ukrainian troops randomly retreated to a distance of up to three kilometers (1.9 miles) from the previously occupied lines," the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app. "Even the more fortified second line of defense of the enemy could not hold the breakthrough of the Russian military," the ministry added. The ministry did not say in which part of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk the offensive took place.

Ukraine has recently reported increasingly heavy Russian shelling along the frontline in the east of the country and describes the situation as difficult, even if many Russian attacks could have been repelled. Russia now holds areas of the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, including its nuclear plant, nearly all of Luhansk and over half of Donetsk, including its regional capital. We talk to Marina Miron, a defense expert at King's College London.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, NATO has ramped up its forces in the Baltic states. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia all border Russia. NATO's air policing mission is aimed at monitoring the skies there for any unauthorized Russian activity.

#nato #baltics #russia

Qatar recently signed a long-term contract with China for LNG and are also committing to strategic partnerships. Plus, they've stated their desire to provide LNG to Europe as well. So, what does this all mean?

Well, first of all, it's a big deal for Qatar. China is the world's largest importer of LNG, so securing a long-term market for their natural gas is a big win for Qatar. Plus, it'll give them a stable source of revenue, which is always a good thing.

But there are also some geopolitical implications to consider. Qatar has traditionally been aligned with the West, so this move towards the East, particularly towards China, could be seen as a shift in their foreign policy. It could also be seen as a response to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region, including the blockade that's been imposed on Qatar by several Arab states since 2017.

From an energy perspective, there are also some factors to consider. Qatar has a lot of natural gas reserves, but they'll need to invest in expanding their liquefaction capacity and developing new infrastructure to transport the gas to both China and Europe. They'll need to balance the demands of multiple markets, which could be a challenge.

Speaking of Europe, this move could have some geopolitical implications there too. Europe is currently heavily dependent on Russia for its natural gas, which has been a source of tension in the past. So, if Qatar is able to provide an alternative source of natural gas, it could help reduce Europe's dependence on Russia and provide more geopolitical options for European policymakers.

Of course, there are also some potential risks to consider. The geopolitical tensions in the region could impact Qatar's ability to deliver on these plans, especially if there's further instability or conflict. The availability of supply and the ability to meet the demands of multiple markets could be a challenge for Qatar as well.

TOPICS AND TIMESTAMPS:
Qatar and China 0:00
Geopolitical Tensions 3:42

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Around 300,000 Russians spread across multiple battlefields in Ukraine are “moving in” to attack as Kyiv prepares for a spring offensive, according to Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko.

“We see an aircraft on the border, it’s already happening as we speak here, it’s already taking place,” he told Sky News host Chris Kenny.

“It’s pretty big, pretty massive and we need to resupply our stockpiles of ammunition, of long-range missiles, of missiles for air defence systems.

“We know have tanks from the allies, it’s important to get those tanks the sooner the better.”

A nameless White House official telling the media the flow of arms to Ukraine could soon slow down shows an “inconsistency” which confuses Americans and frustrates Ukrainians, according to former US Army vice chief of staff General Jack Keane.

“I’m sure they made a quick phone call to the appropriate counterparts to make certain there has been no change in the Biden administration’s policy and that the tanks are still coming and that the air defence systems they need are still coming and the long-range missiles are still coming,” he told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“As they should be, and I’m confident they are.”