Zelenskyy Calls For Changes In The UN Charter
Poland stops supplying weapons to replenish its own stocks
The inevitable happened, and I could see this coming and it was Ukraine just pushing things too far. Poland has announced it would stop supplying weapons to Ukraine to replenish their own stocks, but also seems to be a response to the ban of Ukrainian grain imports being lifted. The EU permitted the temporary ban which ended on 15 September 2023, but Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia wanted the ban to be renewed.
Poland has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine since the invasion began (mainly because of the shared borders and history with Russia), and Russia is probably rubbing its hands with glee. Instead, Poland says it is arming itself with weapons because with Belarus getting officially involved, the threat to Poland has increased and NATO has shown its weakness, and appears to have forced Poland to take action themselves.
How will this affect the jet and tank coalitions? It will set things back for sure, and Zelenskyy’s harsh words claiming some countries have ‘feigned’ support will not have gone down well as the Ukrainian ambassador in Poland was summoned to explain Zelenskyy’s remarks. The mistake I believe was for Ukraine to announce they would sue Poland via the WTO over ignoring the grain import ban being lifted. You can’t alienate your allies—choose grain that isn’t wholly necessary, or weapons that can defend your country and liberate occupied regions.
Strained political ties between Ukraine and the allies so early on in a war is a bad sign, and other countries have already restricted the supply of weapons, saying they need them for themselves. The NATO strategy of giving Ukraine weapons as and when to ward off the Russians is not working as ammunition supplies are running low, and the supply of drones too. Russia has no interest in leaving the occupied areas in Ukraine, and is planning to occupy more, and NATO and the UN keep ignoring this basic fact.
With Poland making an announcement during the UN General Assembly, it could influence other countries to do the same on the quiet. Countries with low stocks such as Greece have said they don’t have any spare weapons to supply, and politicians need to appease the domestic crowds and find a balance between assisting Ukraine and ensuring their own country has enough weapons to defend itself. Relying solely on NATO membership doesn’t feel as secure as it once was.
While Poland still supports Ukraine against Russia, the political tensions cannot be ignored. Poland has stated it will place an embargo on other Ukrainian goods in addition to grain to protect their own markets (and Ukraine to also place embargoes on other Polish and Hungarian goods). What it boils down to is that most countries have donated old weapons to Ukraine and no longer have anymore to send, and as a world war is probable, these countries need to arm themselves now.
Day 573 (19 Sept)
Ukraine files a lawsuit with the WTO as Poland, Hungary and Slovakia refuse to lift the ban on Ukrainian grain imports. This probably isn’t a good move by Ukraine as it is only a few countries, and Slovakia was able to come to a compromise a few days later with a licensing deal, and Ukraine halted the complaint against Slovakia.
Ukraine has said it will introduce an embargo on Polish fruits and vegetables, such as onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and apples in response to the Polish embargo on grain imports.
However, this action led to tensions between Poland an Ukraine, where the Prime Minster of Poland made a televised announcement that Poland would no longer supply weapons to Ukraine as they needed to replenish their own stocks. The current Hungarian regime , as we know is silently pro-Kremlin and so any talks would but fruitless.
Most of the world leaders arrive in NYC for the UN General Assembly. Macron (France), Sunak (UK), Putin (Russia) and Jinping (China) have not attended, leaving all the leaders of the UN Security Council absent bar Biden of the USA. What message does this send? That they don’t see that the UN is important or that it makes a difference? It shows that the UN is weak and powerless, and is merely symbolic as an organisation.
Norway is supplying Ukraine with 50 cargo carrying vehicles to help with the logistics of moving military equipment. Most arrive via Poland, and then must travel south where the frontline battles are being fought in Donetsk, Bakhmut, and Luhansk.
An overnight drone attack in Lviv destroyed 300 tonnes of humanitarian relief according to a UN coordinator. Ukraine targets military targets, while Russia targets humanitarian aid.
Denmark will purchase for Ukraine, 45 additional tanks in collaboration with other countries. These will include Leopard 1 and T-52 tanks. Ukraine recently rejected a delivery of Leopard 1 tanks because they needed repairs that they could not carry out, and were unfit for purpose.
The 15th Ramstein meeting was held in Germany to discuss the tank coalition and training for Ukrainian pilots on the F-16s.
In The Hague, Russia claims they invaded Ukraine as a means of self-defence in the court case to stop genocide in eastern Ukraine. Russia has tried to use the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide is justification for invading Ukraine. Russia has been ordered to cease military action in eastern Ukraine earlier this year, but the court has no powers of enforcement. However, the judgment of the case could lay the foundations for compensation to be paid to Ukraine for the damage caused by the invasion.
Russia has been stealing coal from Ukraine, as $14.3 million worth of coal was exported to Turkey from the occupied regions in Ukraine.
Shoigu arrived in Tehran to hold talks with the Iran military, which doesn’t help Iranian protests that they did not supply Shahed drones to Russia. Reports claim that Iran is assisting in building drone factories in Russia to restock the supplies of the weapons.
The EU has officially recognised the current Belarusian regime under Lukashenko as an accomplice to Russian war crimes.
Latvia closes the Silene border with Belarus, but retains one border crossing for freight and humanitarian activities and emergencies only. This is due to the migrant crisis that countries that border Belarus have faced since the Wagner troops moved to Belarus.
Day 574 (20 Sept)
Zelenskyy gives an impassioned speech that was interrupted several times by Russia (Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN). The Chair, Eli Rama, the Albania Prime Minister was interrupted by Russia who claimed the Security Council should speak first, even though all other participants have agreed to the order of the hearings. Rama said that if Russia stopped the war, then Zelenskyy would not have to speak, and to stop complaining and end the war instead.
Zelenskyy makes several key points that include suggesting nuclear weapons should be removed from Russia, and that Russia is seeking a world war and that Ukraine is trying to protect the world. In addition, he calls for changes in the UN Charter, mentioning that the UN Security Council veto needs to be reformed and should not be used as a weapon for war, stating that Russia has been abusing its veto rights. He suggests a 2/3 vote in the General Assembly to overcome the veto.
He meets with world leaders to discuss EU ascension and his 10 point peace formula, as well as additional support and the Global Peace Summit.
Evil cannot be trusted. While Russia is pushing the world to the final war, Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that after the Russian aggression, no one in the world would dare to attack any nation. Weaponisation must be restrained. War crimes must be punished deported people must come back home and the occupier must return to their own land. We must be united to make it and we will do it.
Terrorists have no right to hold nuclear weapons. While nukes remain in place, the mass destruction is gaining its momentum.
(Zelenskyy)
Russia believes that the world will grow weary and allow it to brutalise Ukraine without consequence. If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation, secure? (Biden)
The words are meant for the African and South American countries such as Brazil that have strengthened economic ties with Russia in recent months. Zelenskyy also mentioned that some countries showed ‘feigned’ support with a neutral stance, but it appeared to have irritated some of the allied countries who have supplied weapons to Ukraine, such as Poland who have pushed for the jet and tank coalitions since the start of the invasion.
Ukraine leads the way in pushing for a new UN Charter and revisions to how the UN Security Council operates. As it stands, the UN Security Council with Russia and China as permanent members with a veto, block any chance of preventing a world war if they are the instigators.
Norways joins Finland, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia is restricting the entry of Russian registered vehicles entering the country.
A cargo ship in the Black Sea was hit by a sea mine and 12 crew members had to be rescued.
Poland has summoned the Ukrainian Ambassador, Vasyl Zvarych to explain Zelenskyy’s statement at the UN where Poland was criticised for the grain embargo.
Two airplanes and a helicopter were destroyed at the Chkalovsky military airfield in Moscow. It is believed unknown saboteurs were responsible.
More corruption in Ukraine, where a Russian network of spies was uncovered in Mykolaiv, who were reporting on the activities of the Ukrainian army including their locations and what military equipment they were using.
Poland announces that it will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine as the country needs to replenish stocks with new technology. They will honour outstanding shipments which include Krab artillery weapons, but clearly there are political tensions as the announcement was made after Zelenskyy’s criticisms on the grain embargo. The issues should be separate, but it was inevitable that fingers would be pointed eventually. Poland has supported Ukraine admirably, and initiating action against one of the most loyal allies over grain was unwise IMHO.
Day 575 (21 Sept)
Russia began targeting energy infrastructure again for the first time in 6 months as winter approaches in Ukraine. This led to partial blackouts in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Rivne, Zhtomyr, and Dnipropetrovsk as some structures were damaged in central and western Ukraine.
Ukraine receives another aid package from the US for $1.25 billion, named the Public Expenditures of Administrative Capacity Endurance (PEACE), where funds will be used to cover payments to civil servants, medical staff, teachers, emergency workers and and public workers in the country.