The Marriott Leaves Russia
The Swiss re-evaluate their neutral status
More companies are considering how and if they continue to do business in Russia. Currently, it is loss making as they have to pay staff and costs but generate little or no revenue, and there is the threat that Russia will take goods and property for themselves. I imagine many companies are evaluating their options, and have accepted that this war will not be end in a few weeks time.
Macron, again has been repeating his rhetoric that everyone criticized him for, and have done so again. Does his arrogance have no bounds? Repeating the same thing and hoping people will come around to your way of thinking simply won’t work. Even the French are ashamed of him, but he doesn’t seem to care. He wishes to battle with Erdogan as the mediator to claim that they were party to resolving the conflict. All ego, and no actual action.
The longer Russia is allowed to remain in occupied areas, the harder it will be to retake them. We saw that from Crimea already, and now Russia is set to Russianize Mariupol, and Kherson.
What has been telling from this invasion is how other countries have reacted. Hungary for example is a surprise, but only because Orban is in power and who has had ties with Putin. Switzerland has adapted their neutral position, adopted sanctions, and allowed weapons that had been resold to be delivered to a conflict zone, contrary to their laws. The food shortage and energy crisis are issues that will affect them, so they know they must do their part in Europe.
Ukraine cannot give up, and the rest of the world should be helping them. The Baltic states have provided support, and will continue to do so. There are several ways this conflict can end, but it is necessary for Russia to surrender so that they do not invade other territories again. That is a tall order, for appeasers (Macron, Scholz, and Erdogan) want a ceasefire which will not solve the issue but put it in ice and pause. What purpose will that serve when the world needs stability and peace?
Day 101 (3 June)
The Marriott hotel chain is to leave Russia. It has 22 franchise hotels which has made suspension of operations difficult, but the company has decided that it cannot operate with the current UK, US and EU restrictions in place. The chain has been in Russia for 25 years, and the company joins other international companies in exiting Russia.
Alexander Nevzorov, a Russian journalist is has a warrant for his arrest in Russia has been granted Ukrainian citizenship. He fled Russia with his wife after he was wanted by Russian authorities for speaking out against the ‘special military operation’ and is accused of spreading false information, particularly about the Mariupol hospital bombing on social media.
Zelenskyy has addressed the US Conference for Mayors, calling out those cities that still retain twinned links with Russia. Some may say it is a small thing as these things are more symbolic, and others say that Zelenskyy has no right to dictate to US cities what they should do. The premise is to isolate Russia, and is a message to tell the citizens that the International community do not want to be associated with Russia due to their actions. This was similar to the anti-German movement during and after the Second World War. It took decades before people would forgive Germany, and to this day there are some who still mistrust Germans. Chicago and Albany suspended their linked relationships afterwards.
The city of Mykolaiv continues to be shelled and has been a Russian target since the start of the invasion. The city lies between occupied Kherson and Odesa, which has been a prime target as it is a crucial port. The fall of the city would elongate the ‘land bridge’ from Russia to Moldova and the rest of Europe.
The battle for Severodonetsk continues as the Russian retreated from Bakhmut in the south-west, but are still advancing towards capturing Lyman near the Seversky Donets River.
The Russians are using more guided cruise missiles to destroy convoys of equipment and to disrupt the movement of Ukrainian troops in the Donbas area, which is the current prime Russian target.
Macron has been trying to save face, and has stated in a recent call to Putin that he has told him that Russia is isolated, and that he had made a ‘historic and fundamental error’ with his special military operation in Ukraine. I’m sure Putin took note of what Macron said—not. Macron has been criticised again by Ukraine for trying to take the role of mediator by stating the world should not humiliate Russia. Macron has offered support, but not political support, nor has he visited Ukraine to date.
We must not humiliate Russia so that the day when the fighting stops we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means. I am convinced that it is France’s role to be a mediating power.
I think, and I told him (Putin), that he is making a historic and fundamental mistake, for his people, for himself, and for history. Emmanuel Macron.
Switzerland, known for being neutral has re-evaluated their status since the Russians invaded Ukraine. Weapons bought or made in Switzerland cannot be sent or sold to areas that have a conflict by law, but they have allowed Germany to send tanks that they had previously sold to Germany. Other countries have requested permission, and it was not granted, but changed their position. A request from Poland to buy decommissioned tanks has been denied, but might be approved by parliament.
The country has also previously resisted sanctions, given that Swiss bank accounts are a place for anonymous investors to hide their assets. This time after a short period of hesitation, they adopted all suggested sanctions and declared Russia’s act as a violation of international law.
In a short space of time, Switzerland has had to make decisions that would have conflicted with their neutral status, yet they are aware that they need to do their part in helping Ukraine. As the war continues, countries that have made requests may find them granted as the war dominates the future of Europe, and quite possibly the world.
In Mariupol, it is claimed that Russia has sent Russian textbooks to schools and disposed of the Ukrainian ones. Children will be forced to learn Russia and Russian history.
Ukraine and Russia did a soldier swap on 2 June—160 Russian bodies for 160 Ukrainian one.
Intercepted calls from Russian soldiers prove that they have been looting, and carrying crimes such as rape.
Zelenskyy urges UNESCO to remove Russia from the organisation as they have destroyed heritage sites in Ukraine.
