Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid & Geopolitics News
Table of Contents 📖
Topic ID | Topic Title | Timestamp |
---|
"There are no objective answers out there because these are subjective evaluations we're all making and we need to come to some kind of agreement."
Hello Team!
Jonathan opens the video by mentioning a previous clip he shared about US funding for Ukraine that was taken out of context. He clarifies that John Kirby was actually referring to the absence of a House speaker who is required to secure additional long-term Congressional funding, not that US support for Ukraine was ending soon. Jonathan apologizes for the misstatement.
Return to top⤴️
Military Aid
- Switzerland will allocate over €100 million to humanitarian demining in Ukraine
- Czechia and Denmark will jointly donate around 50 IFVs and tanks, 2500 pistols, 7000 rifles, 500 light machine guns, 500 sniper rifles, electronic warfare and surveillance equipment, and artillery shells to Ukraine in the coming months
- Dutch ministers said F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots in Romania is to begin within weeks, hoping to transfer 12-18 aircraft there soon
- Estonia approved using frozen assets of sanctioned Russians to compensate for war damage in Ukraine
- Next week, Biden will request additional funding for Ukraine and Israel from Congress
- The US will transfer a large batch of Switchblade 600 loitering munitions to Ukraine, which have a 40+ minute flight time, 90km range, and can target armor
- Ukraine claims it has tested experimental long-range weapon samples with a range of 750-1000km
Geopolitics
- Putin signed a decree mandating certain Russian exporters sell foreign currency earnings on the domestic market to help stabilize the struggling ruble
- The US sanctioned two tanker owners for transporting Russian oil above the G7 price cap of $60/barrel
- Ukraine's economy is projected to grow 4.7% in 2023 after a 29.1% drop in 2022, with inflation falling faster than expected to 7.1% thanks to rhythmic and predictable international financial support
- G7 countries have frozen $280B in Russian assets and will keep them until Russia pays reparations to Ukraine
- The EU is investigating Twitter/X over alleged disinformation after the platform opted out of a voluntary code of conduct on the issue
Rights, Responsibilities and Choosing Sides
Jonathan goes on a philosophical tangent about rights, using the example of how one person's right to free speech could lead to disinformation that causes another's right to life to be violated. He argues there are no objective answers since rights are abstract concepts we agree upon as a society. When rights conflict, we have to subjectively decide which is more important. He relates this to the EU investigating Twitter/X, saying if the platform isn't handling disinformation responsibly, the EU has to deal with the real-world consequences. While respecting free speech, some line needs to be drawn when disinformation crosses into causing harm. Jonathan then discusses countries being pressured to choose sides geopolitically:
- Turkey was called out by the EU VP to decide if it wants to side with the EU/NATO or Russia/Iran, as its stance seems conflicted
- Hungary's foreign minister made his 5th visit to Moscow since the invasion began, prioritizing energy security as "cold weather is coming"
Russian Olympic Ban
The International Olympic Committee suspended the Russian Olympic Committee for including sports organizations from occupied Ukrainian territories. Zelensky advisor Andriy Yermak said it's an important decision showing sports cannot be separated from politics when a terrorist state is committing genocide and using athletes for propaganda. There are close ties between Russian Olympic sports and the military.
Return to top⤴️
Wrap Up
Jonathan ends the video by thanking viewers for their support and apologizing if this part is published before the first part due to editing issues. He signs off until next time.
Return to top⤴️