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Ukraine: German Chancellor Scholz arrives in Kyiv — live updates

Deutsche Welle — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:51:10 +0000

Along with France’s Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Mario Draghi, Scholz is making his first trip to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Follow DW for the latest.

—3 European leaders go to Kyiv, expected to meet with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy
—10,000 civilians remaining in Sievierodonetsk, governor says
—Germany says can deliver weapons to Ukraine ‘end of July or the start of August’

This was last updated at 07:22 UTC/GMT

Governor says 10,000 civilians still in Sievierodonetsk
Serhiy Gaiday, the governor of the eastern Ukrainian Luhansk region, said that around 10,000 civilians are still in the key city of Sievierodonetsk, where fighting has been raging amid a dire humanitarian condition.

“Out of 100,000 residents, around 10,000 remain,” Gaiday said on the Telegram messaging app.

He said Ukraine’s army is “holding back the enemy as much as possible.”

Earlier this week, Ukraine said Russian forces destroyed all bridges connecting the city, making it difficult to evacuate civilians or deliver humanitarian aid.

Russia is believed to be now in control of at least the majority of the city.

European leaders arrive in Kyiv
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, the French presidential palace said.

Scholz said the three leaders wanted “to show their support for Ukraine and the citizens of Ukraine.”

“But we don’t just want to demonstrate solidarity, we also want to assure that the help we organize — financial and humanitarian, but also when it comes to weapons — will be continued,” he said. Support will continue for as long as is necessary, he said.

The trio took an overnight train to Kyiv from Poland. They are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Major German and Italian media outlets, including Germany’s ZDF and Italy’s Repubblica, had earlier published a photo of the three leaders on the train.

It is the first time the three travel to Kyiv since the war started in Ukraine.

There had been speculation earlier this week that Scholz would be part of the joint trip ahead of a G7 summit at the end of June.

The visit also comes a day before the European Commission is set to make a recommendation on Ukraine’s status as an EU candidate.

The three leaders have come under criticism over their response to the war. Critics say France and Germany, and, to a lesser extent, Italy, have been slow to deliver weapons to Ukraine. Scholz and Macron have also been criticized for maintaining contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

German minister: Weapons can be delivered to Ukraine by August
German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said three multiple rocket launchers could be delivered to Ukraine in July or August after Ukrainian forces receive adequate training on them.

Kyiv has complained that weapons that Germany pledged to Ukraine were not delivered. Berlin says Ukrainian troops must first be trained to use them.

“The training on these multiple rocket launchers can begin at the end of June, meaning they can be delivered at the end of July or the start of August,” Lambrecht told reporters as she arrived for a second day of talks with her NATO counterparts in Brussels.

German ex-chancellor seeks to recuperate parliamentary office
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has sent a letter to the Bundestag budget committee that challenges the decision to revoke his right to a parliamentary office.

Schröder was Germany’s chancellor from 1998 to 2005. After leaving office he was involved with Russian energy firms Gazprom and Rosneft. Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, he has drawn criticism for his ties to Moscow.

The committee voted in May to wind down his office. The office was allocated more than €400,00 ($418,000) last year.

In a letter to the committee’s chair, Schröder’s lawyer said that the former chancellor had learned “via the media” that his office was being “put on hold.”

“This decision is based on the determination that he no longer has any ‘continuing obligations arising from the office,'” Schröders lawyer said in the letter, adding that this determination is not substantiated and that it was unclear what these “continuing obligations” would constitute.

The letter also argues that a resolution taken from the media is “evidently illegal and unconstitutional.”

Schröder’s lawyer said that he hopes for “the chance to reach a mutually acceptable settlement by way of conversation on an even playing field.”

Gazprom cuts gas supply to Germany by around 60% in 2 days
Russian energy giant Gazprom has begun reducing the volume of gas it supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to a daily maximum of 67 million cubic meters early on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Gazprom announced it would reduce the maximum delivery volume to 100 million cubic meters of gas per day, down from 167 million cubic meters.

Overall, the cut represents an approximate 60% reduction in gas supplies to Germany in just two days.

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck accused Moscow of attempting to create unease and increase gas prices. He added that it was still possible to source alternative gas supplies on the market, albeit at a high price.

Report: 2 US volunteers in Ukraine missing
Two Americans who volunteered to support Ukraine’s armed forces have reportedly gone missing.

The Telegraph newspaper cited an unnamed fellow fighter as saying that the two Americans were captured by Russian forces during a June 9 battle northeast of Kharkiv.

The two Americans are identified as Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, US military veterans who had been living in the state of Alabama.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said that he could not confirm the disappearance, but that “if it’s true, we’ll do everything we can to get them safely back home.”

Kirby went on to discourage Americans from volunteering to fight in Ukraine.

“It is a war zone. It is combat. And if you feel passionate about supporting Ukraine, there’s any number of other ways to do that that are safer and just as effective,” Kirby said.

Ukraine says Russian companies use Georgian entities to bypass sanctions
David Arakhamia, Ukraine’s chief negotiator with Russia, said Russian people and companies are circumventing Western sanctions by making use of Georgian entities to do so.

He told a German Marshall Fund event in Washington that Russians are “heavily” using “Georgian banks, Georgian financial system, Georgian companies and so on,” to dodge the West’s sanctions regime.

“If you are a sanctioned Russian person, you go to the Internet, you open up a Georgian company, open up remotely the bank account and start processing,” Arakhamia added.

He also urged Washington to take action to close the loophole.

What happened in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said defending the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine was “vital” as the outcome would indicate “who will dominate in the coming weeks” of the war.

Serhii Haidai, the governor of Luhansk province, said that the fighting around the contested city of Sievierodonetsk and other places in eastern Ukraine “is getting more difficult.” By contrast, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said that Russian forces were now in control of the city of Sievierodonetsk.

The United States will provide Ukraine with another $1 billion (€963 million) to help the country amid Russia’s assault in the eastern Donbas region. The latest boost of aid will include major weapons systems that the Ukrainian government has appealed for such as howitzers, anti-ship missile launchers and rounds for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.

The US will also send an additional $225 million in humanitarian aid to provide assistance for drinking water, food, shelter and other essential items.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its missiles had destroyed a warehouse in the Lviv region, which was being used to store ammunition for weapons donated by NATO members.

Germany will only be able to deliver three instead of four planned rocket launchers to Ukraine, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country is ready to host four-way talks with the UN, Russia and Ukraine in order to unblock the passage of grain through the Black Sea.

A UN panel investigating possible human rights violations said they are collecting evidence, but that it is too early to say whether the allegations constitute war crimes.

Chinese state media reported Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin by phone and said his country would continue to support Russia’s “sovereignty and security.”

You can revisit our updates from Tuesday, June 15, here.

fb, ar, sdi/jsi (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-german-chancellor-scholz-arrives-in-kyiv-live-updates/a-62146502

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Germany is destroying the European community

Grzegorz Adamczyk, Jerzy Haszczynski, via Rzeczpospolita — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:24:05 +0000

By betting on its national interests and pursuing business with Russia, Germany is destroying European solidarity, writes Jerzy Haszczyński, the head of the foreign desk of Rzeczpospolita daily.

Vladimir Putin has recently relented. He is not threatening anyone, he is not occupying anyone, he is not gathering thousands of soldiers on someone’s border. He also isn’t breaching international law, isn’t supporting separatists, and has displayed disdain for hacker attacks against Western institutions and companies.

He most definitely isn’t imprisoning opposition leaders in camps and would not even dare consider the idea of poisoning a critic. Finally, he is convincing Lukashenko to consider whether he had actually won the Belarusian elections.

Putin has changed because he suddenly likes and respects us and is impressed by our values.

So much for the shouting of the Russophobes from small Central and Eastern European states. They probably feel silly now.

A reward is in order for Putin’s metamorphosis, and the EU-Russian relations reset should be this reward. Angela Merkel prepared it, supported by French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

According to this proposal, the Russian leader is to return to European salons — participate in meetings at summits with EU leaders. Of course, he will heed all sorts of conditions including the most important one: if he does something naughty next time, then the EU will respond. Perhaps even as decisively as it has previously. Of course, Putin will heed this warning.

In this way, one can describe the EU’s security and international policy shaped by its strongest players during times of crisis.

After all, should others have to accept that the EU is a game in which Germany always wins?

Angela Merkel is ending her chancellorship, holding her final speeches, making important decisions, and giving tips to her successors. She is also encouraging the evaluation of her work.

Merkel isn’t looking too good. Her decisions related to issues key to Europe’s security are harmful, at least for the weaker states which the EU was meant to care for. Merkel, who has used her term to work on both Nord Stream pipelines, is risking that she will be remembered as a variant of Gerhard Schröder. Meanwhile, her most likely replacement as chancellor, Armin Laschet, hasn’t even set sail and is already well-known to be a Moscow sympathizer.

Even in Poland, people are claiming that Germany is merely adhering to its own interests as Russia does not threaten them and is a crucial economic partner.

There is therefore no surprise that Germany wants to connect with Russia for generations through a pipeline with cheap gas.

The problem is that by betting on national interest and pursuing Russian business, Germany is destroying the European community. This does not fit the narratives that usually come from Germany about Europeaness, EU values, solidarity, and common EU interests.

The greatest responsibility for this not to be empty words lies with Berlin, the EU’s strongest player. We are becoming increasingly convinced that these are empty words. When it comes to business, Germany is always meant to benefit, no matter the consequences.

For Poland and other countries in our region, this is a painful lesson. Germany is their most important partner in the EU. Through imposing its own interests which are in opposition to ours in key matters, Berlin is undermining trust towards the European project. It is forcing the emancipation of Central and Eastern Europe.

These actions are strengthening those who criticize the EU in its current shape. It also encourages us to more strongly pursue our own interests which could be problematic for Germany. After all, should others have to accept that the EU is a game in which Germany always wins?

See “Germany Europe’s Biggest Power”

Source: https://rmx.news/article/commentary/opinion-germany-is-destroying-the-european-community

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EU states abandon Italy on relocating asylum seekers

Nikolaj Nielsen — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:50:05 +0000

Ireland and Lithuania have each agreed to take 10. Luxembourg has also offered to help. (Photo: noborder network)

Calls in early May for EU states to help relocate asylum seekers from Italy have largely been ignored.

The European Commission had appealed for national capitals to help Italy, after some 1,400 people arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

“Discussions are still ongoing, and we encourage member states to show solidarity and participate in relocation efforts,” a European Commission spokesperson said on Friday (4 June), via email.

Ireland was the first to step forward, offering to take in 10 people on 20 May.

Now Lithuania has agreed to take in 10 as well, while Luxembourg has also expressed willingness to help. It is unclear how many the Grand Duchy will take.

In a tweet, Lithuania’s prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė linked her decision to “an increased illegal migration via Belarus.”

The unwillingness by EU states to help out Rome may be due, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But it is also political, given past efforts to relocate asylum seekers have been met with resistance.

The overall figures, and lack of solidarity with Italy, do not bode well for Greece and Malta either, amid speculation more will arrive there over the summer months.

Between January and April of this year, the total number of crossings on the Western Mediterranean route more than doubled, to 11,600.

The United Nations commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, recently described the figures as manageable for member states.

“What we need is a more predictable, more efficient, state-led mechanism to rescue people at sea,” he said, last month. It is a call likely to be ignored.

Many are also likely to have been returned to Libya. Its coast guard, in part-financed by the European Union, intercepted over 10,300 people last year.

Almost 500 were returned in the span of six days in late May, alone.

Meanwhile, the arrivals for the entire Mediterranean is closer to 30,000, according to UN numbers.

Another 800 have died in the attempt so far this year, says the International Organization for Migration.

Now Italy’s prime minister, Mario Draghi, is piling extra pressure on the Libyans to prevent departures.

Last week, he met with Libya’s national unity government prime minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba in Rome.

“Italy will continue to do its part in terms of resources and training capacities, but determined and rapid EU action is needed,” he said, noting Libya also needs to respect the rights of refugees.

Draghi had managed to get the issue of migration back onto the agenda at the next EU summit in June.

The lack of solidarity with Italy also does not bode well for EU-level initiatives.

Among them is a European Commission plan to better coordinate disembarkation and relocation of arriving asylum seekers.

“We need a temporary arrangement to deal with the situation before we have the pact (asylum and migration reforms) adopted,” said EU home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, in May.

Source: https://euobserver.com/migration/152051

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Eurozone enters double-dip recession

Michael Gray — Wed, 05 May 2021 11:37:12 +0000

The eurozone economy performed marginally better than expected in the first quarter of the year but it wasn’t enough to prevent the single currency area from officially falling into a double-dip recession.

The eurozone’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.6 percent in the first three months of the year, compared with the previous quarter.

The figure was dragged lower by its biggest economy, Germany, falling by 1.7 percent over the same period. Spain and Italy also posted negative figures, but France’s economy beat expectations by growing 0.4 percent over the first quarter – France’s current lockdown measures only began in April.

Germany’s lockdown restrictions have hurt the economy more than expected. /Reuters/Fabian Bimmer

A recession is generally defined as two quarters of negative economic growth. This now applies to the eurozone because its economy also shrank by 0.7 percent in the last quarter of 2020.

The wider European Union, which includes countries that do not use the bloc’s single currency, also contracted but performed slightly better.

For months, economists have warned the gloomy figures were “totally certain” due to problems with the European Union’s vaccination campaign and the measures needed to be taken to tackle the third wave of coronavirus infections sweeping across Europe.

Last year, the pandemic plunged the eurozone into its worst recession since its records began in 1995.

The eurozone’s GDP recovered some ground last summer as lockdown restrictions were eased, but the respite proved to be temporary. The eurozone has now returned to recession for a second time, known as a “double-dip.”

That said, the worst could be over.

Some economists think the eurozone is now on the path to recovery, especially as the European Union begins to distribute its recovery fund worth more than $800 billion.

Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi has unveiled how he plans to spend EU recovery funds. /Reuters/Alberto Pizzoli

Other countries appear to be further along in their economic recovery from the pandemic. This week, the U.S. reported economic growth of 1.6 percent compared with the previous quarter.

China grew by 0.6 percent over the same period, but it posted a record jump of 18.3 percent when compared with the same period one year earlier.

Source(s): Reuters

Source: https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2021-04-30/Eurozone-enters-double-dip-recession-ZT1rwvbr44/index.html

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