NATO Wakes Up To The Reality Of The War In Ukraine
The EU discusses membership for the vulnerable states that Russia has targeted
Day 112 (15 June)
A small NATO meeting was held in The Netherlands to discuss the issues of Sweden and Finland joining the alliance in preparation for the summit in Madrid. Denmark, Romania, Belgium, Poland, Latvia and Portugal were in attendance. The result was an agreement to send heavy weapons to Ukraine.
In response to a request made by Ukraine, Europe and the US will help to build storage silos for grain by the Polish border. This will facilitate the transportation of grain by rail and ensure the grain is not wasted as Russia has destroyed a number of grain depots. This is also in the interests of the rest of the world, because if the grain is not exported, food prices will increase due to the shortage.
The storage units will take several months to build, as Ukraine usually produces 5 million tonnes a month and can only export about 1.5 tonnes vis the railways. Meanwhile, Turkey has given up on the idea of de-mining the sea as they are probably feeling the price increases, and have said there is a way to have safe passage without de-mining, and are waiting for the Russians to respond and agree to the humanitarian corridor for the grain. The Russians want it to be de-mined so that they can attack when they want to.
Ukraine has requested specific weapons to help them defend the country, and they claim that they have received 10% of what has been asked for. They make this information known so that countries can send more, and faster (faster than Germany at least) so that they can push back the Russians. The US and NATO have responded and state they will provide Ukraine with more heavy weapons (such as long-range rocket systems), but the question is when.
The US has said they will send Himars rocket systems to Ukraine by the end of June after soldiers have been trained to use the equipment. Germany has also stated they will supply more weapons, but have not said when they would be sent.
The US has announced another $1 billion package for the war in Ukraine. This will include howitzers, and coastal defence systems. Austin (US Defense Secretary) has also stated that there will be ‘deeper coordination and cooperation’.
Russia has banned/blacklisted 29 high-profile British journalists from entering Russia, some who have not been in Russia for a number of years. This is in response to the sanctions imposed against Russia and with a claim that they are spreading false information about the war. The journalists include those from the BBC, Sky, The Guardian and The Times. Another 20 have been blacklisted who are linked to the defence industry.
Zelenskky has addressed the American Jewish Committee Forum, claiming that Russia has set up filtration camps as did the Nazis during World War II.
To date, it is estimated that 30 million hectares of land will need to be demined to make the land safe.
The Romanian President (Klaus Iohannis) has spoken to Macron, telling him that Ukraine must have EU candidate status. I’m not sure Macron listens to anyone but himself, and soon he will be isolating France , virtually of course.
Meanwhile, Macron is saying what he wants people to believe, but is still carving out a role for himself and is planning a Minsk III. He believes the war will be settled at a negotiating table with him at the helm. Utterly selfish, and this is Russia and it is a case of bodies being counted that leads to a win.
Severodontsk is in the same position Mariupol was in before the Russians occupied it. The Russians claim to have opened a humanitarian corridor for he civilians as long as the soldiers surrender. The reports throughout the day have indicated that the humanitarian corridor was not successful. The evacuated civilians will be taken to territory that is Russian occupied, and they have no choice in the matter.
Ukraine claims that they have averted a terrorist attack against the Ukrainian leadership. I have no doubt that traitors are trying to get to those in government and hand them over to the Russians if they don’t kill them.
Zelenskyy addresses the parliament of the Czech Republic. He thanked them for their support and quoted a line, ‘We are with you, be with us’ from a radio broadcast in 1968, just before the Russian invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia.
IKEA is the latest company to scale down their business and to sell their factories. They state that it is unlikely that sales will resume in the current climate.
The NATO-Russia Founding Act is ‘dead’ according to Stoltenberg. I think it has been dead since 2014, where NATO failed to act.
Macron, Scholz, and Draghi are to meet Zelenskyy on 16 June 2022 to discuss their bid for EU candidate status. None o of the men have visited since the war began. Most expect them to try and sell an appeasement plan to Zelenskyy.
It seems that 2 American soldiers fighting for Ukraine have been detained. This could be a case of the Russians using them for propaganda like the British soldiers who have been given death sentences after being accused of being mercenaries. The US has advised that no one travel to Ukraine to fight.
It will be interesting to hear about the discussion in Kyiv on Thursday, when the French, German and Italian leaders meet regarding Ukraine's bid for EU status. Good to hear that the "mini" NATO meeting resulted in an agreement to send heavy weapons to Ukraine.