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Europe
Hungary
January 31, 2022 5:51 PM GMT+1 British defence minister backs de-escalation of Ukraine-Russia crisis. Britain's defence minister Wallace said today it was important to defuse the Ukraine-Russia crisis as a war would lead to greater instability, higher fuel prices and migrant flows. Wallace also expressed support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's planned trip to Russia tomorrow for talks with President Putin, adding: "We need to de-escalate this and stand up for the right for sovereignty of Ukraine". Wallace said it was "important to signal to Putin that the very thing he fears, that is, more NATO close to Russia, would be the consequence of invading Ukraine ...This is why the UK offered NATO more ground forces, more readiness as a deterrent." Hungarian Defence Minister Benkő told the same news conference that right now there was no need for a deployment of foreign NATO troops in Hungary, an alliance member state that borders to the northeast with Ukraine. Benkő said the Hungarian government was not against NATO deploying troops in central and eastern European countries closer to Ukraine but that Hungary was able "to perform this task on its own" in its territory. "If any country is not able to do this on their own, its their sovereign right to receive NATO forces," he added. Orbán's Hungary has relatively good relations with Russia despite tensions between the alliance and Moscow over Ukraine. Orbán said on Friday, January 28, he would seek to increase the amount of gas it receives from Russia at his talks with Putin in Moscow, after Hungary agreed a new long-term gas supply agreement with Russia's Gazprom in August. Orbán is also expected to discuss an ongoing expansion of Hungary's Paks nuclear plant, where Rosatom is building new reactors. Moscow denies planning to attack Ukraine and is demanding security guarantees including a promise by NATO never to let Kyiv join the alliance. /video/ (Source: Reuters)? https://tinyurl.com/2p8dkudj
Germany
January 31, 2022 It’s too early and too counterproductive to write off Berlin and jump to the conclusion that Germany looks East rather than West. Germany’s new government is under fire for its Russia policy during one of the worst crises in European security since the Balkan wars. Recent signals coming out of Berlin on sanctions and defensive weapon deliveries created confusion across the Atlantic, threatening to upend a unified response to a Russian incursion into Ukraine. Is Germany reverting to its weaker stance on Russia from before the country invaded Crimea in 2014? Or, is Germany returning to its historical Mittellage, moving to the middle between Moscow and Washington? Both NATO secretary-general Stoltenberg and U.S. secretary of state Blinken traveled to Berlin last week to scrutinize Germany’s position and shore up the ally’s support. That’s because the status quo is confusing. An array of messaging came from German officials comprising its multiparty government, making it difficult to distinguish which voices represent Germany’s official position and which are a confusing casualty of coalition governance. For the first time in the country’s history, Germany is governed by a three-party coalition. There is political infighting both within and between the governing parties. For example, the left-wing of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which has been traditionally softer on Russia, has become stronger in recent years; whereas the Greens have come a long way from their pacifist roots. The coalition agreement outlining the government’s policies only papered over points of contention, resulting in a lot of confusion over internal dynamics within the new government. The German chancellor had been silent for too long while some members of his own party have created confusion within the alliance, undermining confidence at a time when it is absolutely critical. As a result, this skepticism still persists. Despite all the criticism, there is no indication that Germany wants to be responsible for fracturing the U.S.-led approach. Germany sees as a diplomatic necessity to bring Russia back to the negotiation table and away from military escalation. (Source: TheNationalInterest)
Spain
January 31, 2022 Right leaders agree on ‘roadmap for sovereign and patriotic Europe’. Nine European leaders, among others Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and France’s Le Pen, have agreed on a “roadmap” for a patriotic Europe during a meeting held in Madrid. The Madrid summit was organised by Spain’s right Vox party, the third political force in the Spanish parliament after the socialist PSOE and centre-right Partido Popular (PP). Some of other European leaders who took part in the summit: Svazek (Austria), Van Grieken (Belgium), Karakachanov (Bulgaria), Helme (Estonia), Sofo and Borchia (Italy), Tomasevski (Lithuania), Roos (the Netherlands) and Pavelescu (Romania). The nine parties met for the first time in Warsaw in December 2021. Now they reiterated their concern about “internal and external attacks” on the European Union. Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki expressed his conviction that the nine parties who met in Madrid are the “alternative for the future of Europe”, with common values and a joint defence of sovereign states. The text signed by those in attendance was clear that they "condemn Brussels’ politically motivated attacks on Poland and Hungary, which show a complete disregard for EU basic principles and a breach of the spirit of the treaty. "We must cooperate and join forces to protect Europe from the ideologies imposed on it and the anti-democratic slide that leads to its loss.” In a joint declaration approved in January 29, Saturday, the nine leaders focused on Russia’s military build-up on the Ukrainian border. “Russia’s military actions on Europe’s eastern border have brought us to the brink of war,” they stressed. “Solidarity, determination and defence cooperation between the nations of Europe are necessary in the face of such threats,” the joint document reads. Viktor Orbán advocated “peace, de-escalation and negotiation” in the face of the Ukrainian crisis and rejected the notion that the solution to the conflict is a strategic agreement between Russia and the United States on European security without the participation of Europeans. The nine parties which attended the Madrid summit have signed a document with nine specific commitments for the future, including fighting illegal immigration, promoting the birth rate and defending the sovereignty of member states. “We are the ones who defend Europe. We will not allow the flag of the hammer and sickle to be raised here, nor the crescent flag, nor the dark flag of the globalisation elites,” Abascal said in his closing speech. (Euractiv / EFE)
See also: 2022. jan. 29. "La Cumbre de los «partidos patriotas europeos» concluye con nueve compromisos" (Source: euroefe)
United Kingdom
January 31, 2022 Gray’s report into Downing Street parties was published. Top government official Gray said Scotland Yard had prevented her from publishing details of the most egregious offenses - including a party in Johnson’s private apartment at the height of lockdown restrictions - but she still concluded that the events “should not have been allowed,” rejecting the defense that these were merely work events. The report confirmed that the police are now carrying out criminal investigations into 12 parties held by the government allegedly in contravention of their own coronavirus legislation. (Source: TheDailyBeast)
The following events were in scope: • 15 May 2020; a photograph showing a number of groups in the garden of No 10 Downing Street; • 20 May 2020: a gathering in the garden of No 10 Downing Street for No 10 staff; • 18 June 2020: a gathering in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall on the departure of a No 10 private secretary; • 19 June 2020: a gathering in the Cabinet room in No 10 Downing Street on the Prime Minister’s birthday; • 13 November 2020: a gathering in the No 10 Downing Street flat; a gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser; • 27 November 2020: a gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser; • 10 December 2020: a gathering in the Department for Education ahead of the Christmas break; • 15 December 2020: a gathering in No 10 Downing Street for an online Christmas quiz; • 17 December 2020: a gathering in Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall to hold an online Christmas quiz for the Cabinet Secretary’s private office; • a gathering in Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall on the departure of a senior Cabinet Office official; • a gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a No 10 official; • 18 December 2020: a gathering in No 10 Downing Street ahead of the Christmas break; • 14 January 2021; a gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of two No 10 private secretaries; • 16 April 2021; A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a senior No 10 official; • A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of another No 10 official.
See also: Timeline of regulations 26 March 2020: restrictions on leaving one’s home without a reasonable excuse, first announced on 23 March, come into legal effect in England. Very limited exceptions permit travel to work where it is not reasonably possible to work from home. Participating in a gathering of more than two persons is prohibited except where the gathering “is essential for work purposes”... (and further thirteen similar national measures) /Source: TheGuardian/
Asia
India
31 January 2022 India's parliament opens amid a political storm over fresh allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government bought Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to snoop on its critics. Similar allegations emerged last year, and the government had denied them. The allegations are expected to result in a heated debate as parliament assembles for a joint session of both houses. This comes ahead of the annual budget, which will be tabled in February 1, and days before five states go to the polls to elect a new government. Last year, Indian media outlet The Wire reported that some 160 Indians, including prominent activists, lawyers and politicians, were spied on using the Pegasus malware. Pegasus infects iPhones and Android devices, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones. An investigation by a global consortium of media outlets showed how the malware was used by governments around the world to hack phones of dissidents. The targets' phone numbers were on a database believed to be of interest to clients of Israeli firm NSO. It's unclear where the list came from or how many phones were hacked - and NSO has denied any wrongdoing. It said the software was intended for tracking criminals and terrorists and was only sold to military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies from countries with good human rights records. Pegasus and a missile system were the "centerpieces" of a roughly $2bn deal that took place between India and Israel in 2017 when Mr Modi made his first trip to the country. The visit - and a subsequent one by Mr Netanyahu the following year - marked a significant turn in India's relationship with Israel. Opposition politicians have questioned the government's "silence" on the issue and demanded that Mr Modi must address the country. (Source: BBC)
North Korea
31.01.2022 South Korea's joint chiefs of staff reported that a projectile had been identified as a medium-range missile launched at around 7:52 a.m. local time (2252 UTC) from North Korea's northern Jagang province that had flown 800 kilometers toward the open sea, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,000 kilometers. The Hwasong-12 is a nuclear-capable ground-to-ground missile. It has a maximum range of 4,500 kilometers if fired on a standard trajectory. The reported flight details make it the most powerful missile North Korea has tested since 2017. Japan's defense ministry and prime minister's office said the weapon was possibly a ballistic missile. Japan's coast guard issued a maritime safety warning, but there were no immediate reports of damage to boats or aircraft. Sunday's weapons test was North Korea's seventh this year. This series of launches violate UN resolutions. The US Indo-Pacific Command's statement said the command assessed that the test did not pose an immediate threat to US territory, personnel or allies. (Source: DW)
Globalization
January 31, 2022, Monday. The U.N. Security Council held a stormy and bellicose debate on Moscow's troop buildup near its southern neighbor. Russia accused the West today of “whipping up tensions” over Ukraine and said the U.S. had brought “pure Nazis” to power in Kyiv. U.S. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield shot back that Russia's growing military force of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders was “the largest mobilization" in Europe in decades. It was the first open session where all protagonists in the Ukraine crisis spoke publicly, even though the U.N.'s most powerful body took no action. Talks between the U.S. and Russia have so far failed to ease tensions in the crisis, The West is saying Moscow is preparing for an invasion. Russia denies it is planning to attack. It demands pledges that Ukraine will never join NATO, a halt to the deployment of NATO weapons near Russian borders and a rollback of the alliance's forces from Eastern Europe. NATO and the U.S. call those nonstarters. Russian Ambassador Nebenzia accused the U.S. of interfering in his country’s internal affairs and seeking “a classic example of megaphone diplomacy.” Thomas-Greenfield countered that the U.S. has held over 100 private meetings in the past few weeks with Russian officials and European and Ukrainian colleagues. After the council gave a green light for the meeting, Nebenzia, looking at Thomas-Greenfield accused the Biden administration of “whipping up tensions and rhetoric and provoking escalation”. “You want it to happen. You’re waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality.” He blamed the U.S. for the 2014 ouster of a Kremlin-friendly president in Kyiv, saying it brought to power “nationalists, radicals, Russophobes and pure Nazis,” and created the antagonism that exists between Ukraine and Russia. “If they hadn’t done this, then we to date would be living in a spirit of good neighborly relations and mutual cooperation,” Nebenzia said. “However, some in the West just don’t clearly like this positive scenario. What’s happening today is yet another attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and Ukraine.” Nebenzia pointedly left the council chamber as the Ukrainian Ambassador Kyslytsya started to speak. The vote on holding an open meeting passed 10-2, with Russia and China opposed, and India, Gabon and Kenya abstaining. The U.S. and its allies had pressed to hold the meeting Monday, the last day of Norway's rotating presidency of the council, before Russia takes over Tuesday for the month of February. Any statement or resolution by the Security Council is extremely unlikely, given Russia’s veto power and its ties with others on the council, including China. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Blinken are expected to speak by phone tomorrow. Biden warned Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in a phone call in January 27 that there is a “distinct possibility” Russia could begin an incursion in February, but the Ukrainian leader sought to play down the war fears, saying Western alarm over an imminent invasion has prompted many investors in the country’s financial markets to cash out. Zelenskyy said in January 28 that “we aren’t seeing any escalation bigger than before,” and charged that the Russian buildup could be an attempt by Moscow to exert “psychological pressure” and sow panic. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Ukraine tomorrow for talks with Zelenskyy, and will also speak with Russian President Putin to urge him to “step back.” Johnson says he is considering sending hundreds of British troops to NATO countries in the Baltic region as a show of strength. Yesterday, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Menendez, said that in the event of an attack, lawmakers want actions against Russian banks that could severely undermine the Russian economy and increased lethal aid to Ukraine’s military. Menendez raised the prospect of imposing punishments preemptively, before any invasion. (Source: TheState)
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