Less than a week ago, Russia held a so-called “presidential election” that once again confirmed that Putin’s rule poses a real threat to millions of people both inside and outside Russia. On 22 March, Russia launched one of the largest attacks on Ukraine, using 151 aerial attack weapons: 63 strike UAVs of the Shahed-136/131 type,…
Photo by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash The third high-level meeting of the EU-Ukraine Transport Dialogue has taken place in Kyiv. The meeting on 21 March focused on efforts to keep Ukraine’s exports and imports moving via the Solidarity Lanes, improving connectivity, safety and security as well as sustainability. Reaction to the meeting came from the EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean. The…
Welcoming the Secretary General of NATO to Azerbaijan on 17 March, President Ilham Aliyev said that the NATO-Azerbaijan partnership has more than 30 years of good partnership. Azerbaijan participated in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and Afghanista and is today modernizing its defense capability demonstrating a high level of professionalism. During many years of our discussions,…
Photo by Emad El Byed on Unsplash MEPs say they are “deeply concerned” about what they call “the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza. They say this includes the risk of imminent starvation. In a resolution adopted by 372 votes in favour, 44 against and 120 abstentions, MEPs called on Israel to immediately allow and facilitate full aid delivery…
Photo by Linus Mimietz on Unsplash A senior MEP has welcomed Sweden’s accession to NATO. Danuta Hubner, a Polish member, told this site: “Back in the 16th century Poland and Sweden acting together deprived Russia of its access to the Baltic Sea.” The former EU commissioner and Government Minister, added, “Now we have a chance again to be together in…
A Brussels Conference has been told there is allegedly “no freedom of assembly, no freedom to protest, no freedom of religion in China.” Speaking at the event veteran rights campaigner Willy Fautre also warned that “the path forward is uncertain.” Fautre opened the conference “Unveiling Authoritarianism: Assessing China’s Governance and Human Rights Landscape”, at the Press…
Photo by Diego Marín on Unsplash MEPs in Strasbourg have approved the EU-Chile Advanced Framework Agreement and its complementing deal on trade and investment liberalisation. The agreements lay down the framework for deeper and broader political and economic cooperation between the like-minded partners on global issues. These include foreign and security matters, sustainable development, environmental protection, climate change,…
Russia should bear “criminal responsibility” for the death of dissident Alexie Navalny, according to MEPs. The claim, by the Greens, came on the day Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya , made a speech to the EU parliament plenary session in Strasbourg. Her husband died in suspicious circumstances in a Russian jail over a week ago. Sergey…
Photo by mahdi rezaei on Unsplash Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of murdered Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei, has made an emotional appearance in the European Parliament. Fighting back tears in an address to a packed plenary in Strasbourg on 28 February, she accused the Russian mafia state, led by President Vladimir Putin, of having orchestrated her husband’s killing. She…
Photo by Cédric VT on Unsplash Over 7,000 people took part in a demonstration in Brussels on Sunday against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. The gathering, on the initiative of “Promote Ukraine,” an NGO, is part of an international campaign commemorating the second anniversary of the war. The demonstration was supported…
