Zelenskyy Visits Poland
Macron visits China, convinced that Xi Jinping can talk Russia into stopping the war!
Day 406 (5 April)
Zelenskyy visits Poland, and the official trip was announced beforehand. The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop businesses and to aid reconstruction of Ukraine. Poland has promised to send more jets if they are needed (the idea is for other countries to send jets now). Other agreements and discussions included other military aid such as air defence systems and also the issue of grain exports (cheap Ukrainian grain has undercut the price of Polish grain).
Putin responded by saying, “…there is every reason to say that the resources of third countries, western intelligence services, are engaged in the preparation of such sabotage and acts of terrorism.” Basically, blaming the West for supplying weapons to Ukraine and calling them acts of terrorism.
President Duda presents Zelenskyy with the Order of the White Eagle for his contribution towards human rights, security, and for developing further ties between the countries in terms of security, and economy.
Both Poland and Lithuania push through legislation supporting Ukrainian membership of NATO. Stoltenberg has said that Ukraine cannot join until it is independent and democratic, and that means no part of Ukraine can be annexed. That is why Russia will not leave the occupied regions as it will allow Ukraine to join NATO. One should wonder whether Hungary is an independent country as it seems to be in conflict with the Prime Minister saying one thing and the President saying another.
During the UN meeting to discuss the nuclear weapons being deployed from Russia to Belarus, Maria Lvova-Belova, (Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights) spoke at the meeting. The ICC has a warrant out for her arrest over the war crime of deporting vulnerable children to Russia. She claims it is a humanitarian act (to evacuate them even though Russia was doing the attacking), and the UK and US blocked the UN webcast as they did not feel it appropriate to permit propaganda to be broadcast in the UN. Delegates from the UK US, Albania and Malta walked out when she spoke.
A statement on behalf of 49 other countries was read out, ‘in response to the Russian Federation is arria-formula meeting on the unlawful forced deportation of children by the Russian federation in Ukraine. What will be done? The UN can do nothing and it isn’t even trying to do anything except to talk and hold votes that are unenforceable. All it can do is tell us which countries support Ukraine and which ones support Russia.
Erdogan of Turkey speaks, but he is up for re-election in the next month too and has stated that the UN Security Council in its current structure is unsustainable. That’s what we all said more than a year ago, and it is more relevant now as the UN Security Council will be chaired by Russia for the whole of April.
More corruption in Ukraine is being dealt with. A notice of suspicion has been served to the former CEO of Antonov state enterprises (Serhiy Bychkov) for being involved in the destruction of the Mriya cargo aircraft. It has been discovered that he terminated insurance coverage, ignored warnings from the state, and did not ensure the safe transportation of the aircraft to a secure location.
The former head of the SBU in Crimea (Oleg Kulinich) has been arrested for collaborating with the Russian FSB. Charges include high, treason, setting up a criminal organisation, seizure of weapons, while colluding with a group of persons, under martial law, an unauthorised, leaving of a place of service, while under martial law. He is thought to have been working covertly with the Russians under the codename, ‘Kotyhoroshko’.
Day 407 (6 April)
Macron is on an official visit to China and has said that he is counting on Xi Jinping to help stop the war in Ukraine by influencing Russia to leave Ukraine. Obviously Macron is still deluded into believing that this war can be ended with a series of peace discussions, where he failed to talk Putin out of invading Ukraine. Ukraine as a result has suffered greatly from Macron’s arrogance and now he thinks he can trust China to do what he failed to do? China has many qualities, but trust in human rights is not one of them, and as a Communist state, they do not advocate for democracy or independence. Hardly the right party to support a democratic state to fend off a communist state.
I know I can count on you to bring Russia to its senses. (Macron to Jinping)
Meanwhile, Macron has his own problems as civil unrest in France continues with protests against the law changing, through bypassing the proper procedures to raise the pension age from 62 to 64 years of age. He may well have his own civil war to deal with if he fails to address the issues and is not in a position to advise others when his house is literally on fire.
Putin in a speech in the Kremlin has claimed that Russia has no hostile intentions to any country. Well he did promise not to invade Ukraine and then did a few days later. Many see his speech as the beginning of further restrictive measures in occupied regions and to increase the penalties for those who speak out against the Russian army to justify repressive domestic legislation.
Xi Jinping said he would speak with Ukraine when the conditions and time was right, but did not offer to divulge what conditions he believed were right. China cannot be trusted and do not appear to be interested in helping Ukraine, but look as if they are going to represent Russian interests. Perhaps he means the conditions are right when Ukraine has no more weapons and must negotiate a surrender?
Masha Moskalava, the girl who drew an anti-war picture which left her father under arrest and who subsequently was given a 2 year prison sentence has been handed over to her estranged mother who she has not seen for 7 years. Alexei Moskalev is currently on the run after reports claimed Belarus had detained him at Russia’s request. These are now unconfirmed and his whereabouts are unknown
Ukraine has stated that they are proposing negotiations for Russia to leave Crimea. Basically leave peacefully or we will come in and remove you it seems. Russia has already withdrawn equipment from the north of the region, and Russian have fled Crimea since the recent explosions, and many have left their homes or tried to sell them. They know Ukraine is on its way to reclaim its land.
The US and Poland have built a new logistics storage unit where repairs can be carried out on military equipment. Looks like they expect this war to carry on for quite a while, and this will also act as a sign that NATO is increasing its levels of security and operations.
Bulgaria is now tightening its ports and any ships on the Russian Maritime, Register of Shipping will not be permitted irrespective of the country/flag of registration.