Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid & Geopolitical News
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"To start a war is easy, to finish a war shows how leaders are."
Hello Team!
Jonathan provides an update on the Ukraine war, focusing on military aid and geopolitical news. He apologizes for the delay in posting the video.
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US Military Aid
- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin criticized those endorsing "an American retreat from responsibility" and emphasized the necessity for consistent US leadership. He delivered a lengthy defense of US support for Ukraine and Israel.
- The US can make 100,000 shells per month by 2025, up from 14,000 six to eight months ago, but only if the supplemental budget is passed by Congress. Both parties are at loggerheads over this.
- Overall US military aid to Ukraine in November was 82.2% lower than in the first half of 2023. Direct military aid was the lowest of the entire war.
Congressional Debate on Ukraine Aid
- Congressional Republicans don't expect Ukraine aid to pass by the end of the year due to a growing fight over immigration policy changes. Ukraine aid is being used as a political bargaining chip, which Jonathan finds unfortunate as the two issues should be separate. This will cost Ukrainian lives.
- The sticking points are asylum standards, safe third countries, and parole authority. Democrats seem resigned to accepting a revised asylum threshold but are hostile to meddling with parole authority.
NATO Secretary General's Warning
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that the situation for Ukraine could get worse if the West does not increase armed supplies. Ukraine is in a critical situation and it is necessary to prepare for bad news.
- Stoltenberg emphasized that a victory for Putin would be dangerous for NATO countries as well, so it is in their self-interest to support Ukraine. He noted the fragmentation of the European defense industry as a problem that needs to be solved.
Foreign Fighters in Ukraine
- There are growing numbers of Nepali, Cuban, Syrian, and African soldiers fighting on the Russian side. Russians do not care about them and they won't be exchanged as POWs.
- Ukrainian soldiers captured five Russian soldiers, one of which was a mercenary from Nepal. The others were from poor regions of the Russian Federation.
Geopolitical News
- A protest was held in Paris favoring Russia and demanding a halt to military assistance to Ukraine. Jonathan believes Russia is organizing these protests as Ukraine is mentioned less and less, proving the need for continued open discussion about the war.
- After the 2024 Russian presidential elections, Western leaders will have to decide whether to recognize Putin's legitimacy if he runs and wins. Zelensky stated this could be a turning point regarding Putin's illegitimacy.
- Russian state TV host Vladimir Solovyov suggested that invading the Baltics would take Russia only 15 minutes. A banner hung at the Russia-Estonia border read "Russian borders end nowhere."
- Germany has closed consulates general in three Russian cities - Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk. Representative offices in St. Petersburg and Moscow continue to function.
- Former Luxembourg President Jean Asselborn delivered a powerful speech at the OSCE meeting, calling out Lavrov and Russia directly before walking out. He emphasized his past relationship with Putin but stated Russia has made a big mistake with the war.
- Ukraine outmaneuvered Russia in three prominent global bodies - the OPCW chemical weapons watchdog, IMO maritime association, and OSCE European security forum.
Truckers Protest at Ukraine's Borders
- Almost a thousand trucks are standing at the Slovak border to enter Ukraine as Slovak transporters are on strike. Over 2,500 trucks were at the Polish-Ukrainian border.
- While some claim the protests have connections to Russian influence, the main reasons seem to be unfair competition between EU and Ukrainian truckers. Ukrainian trucks are abusing "solidarity lanes" for essential goods and an electronic queue system to get priority.
- Additionally, Ukrainian truckers can operate in the EU without following EU rules like the mobility package, giving them a significant cost advantage. Small, local Polish and EU carriers are unable to compete under these conditions.
- Jonathan emphasizes the need for the EU, Ukraine, and affected nations to resolve this issue promptly as it is hindering military aid and economic activities. He notes Romania's continued support for Ukraine in contrast.
Domestic Ukrainian Politics
- There is an escalating row as former Ukrainian President Poroshenko has been blocked from leaving Ukraine. He was allegedly meeting with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
- Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko strongly criticized Zelensky in an interview, acting as a thorn in Zelensky's side domestically. Klitschko warned that Ukraine could become like Russia, where everything depends on one man's whim.
- Jonathan notes that not everyone in Ukraine will be happy with Zelensky and how things are run, but hopes it doesn't interfere with Ukraine's defense efforts.
Wrap up
On a positive note, the Scottish city of Glasgow is twinning with the Ukrainian southern city of Mykolaiv as a sign of friendship and solidarity, uniting through shipbuilding after departing from its previous twin city, the Russian Rostov-on-Don.
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