Ukraine War Update NEWS: Geopolitical News

"Your mother was an hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!"

Hello Team

🎦 00:00-00:16⏩

Jonathan welcomes viewers to another ATP Geopolitics video, a Ukraine War News Update, part three for March 27th, 2024. He apologises for the volume of content, noting "too much is happening".

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Hungary to assist with DNA examinations of war dead

🎦 00:17-00:49⏩

Jonathan reports that Hungary will assist Ukraine with DNA analysis of war dead. An agreement was reached between the Ukrainian and Hungarian police chiefs.

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Protests in Budapest following corruption scandal

🎦 00:49-09:28⏩

Thousands of Hungarians are protesting in Budapest demanding Prime Minister Viktor Orban's resignation, following a corruption scandal. Former government insider Peter Magyar released audio recordings of Orban's government discussing bribery and corruption cover-ups. Magyar, the ex-husband of Justice Minister Judith Varga, claims the recordings feature Varga detailing how officials removed evidence from court records. Varga, while confirming it is her voice on the recordings, accuses Magyar of domestic violence and coercion. Jonathan analyses the situation, questioning how Orban will respond. He speculates whether Orban will allow free and fair elections or further consolidate his control. This could lead to a further democratic backsliding, impacting Hungary's relationship with the EU and NATO. Jonathan sees this as a pivotal moment for Hungarian democracy and potentially detrimental to Russian influence in the country. He plans to monitor the situation closely.

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Serbia: President threatens crackdown on Russian dissidents

🎦 09:28-10:52⏩

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that Serbia's national interests are under threat. He threatened a crackdown on Russian dissidents who fled to Serbia following the war. Jonathan speculates that Vučić will likely launch a pro-Kremlin propaganda campaign to sway public opinion in favour of Russia.

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Swedish Foreign Minister calls for increased pressure on Russia

🎦 10:52-12:14⏩

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström stressed the urgent need for action against Russian aggression in Ukraine, calling for greater support for Ukraine and for nations to recognise the gravity of the situation. Jonathan notes that some European countries, including France and the Baltic and Nordic states, recognise the significance of events in Ukraine, while others are failing to grasp the urgency. Billström advocates for "strategic difficulties" for Russia, although the exact nature of these difficulties remains unclear. Jonathan observes a shift in rhetoric, with Sweden, NATO and figures like Macron becoming more vocal in their support for Ukraine, openly labelling Russia as an adversary to Europe and the West.

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US reiterates opposition to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory

🎦 12:14-15:05⏩

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated the US' stance against Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil, claiming it was communicated to Ukraine. Jonathan vehemently disagrees with this position, drawing an analogy of someone throwing bricks at his house. He argues that it's nonsensical to only be able to defend against incoming projectiles and not address the source of the attack. He believes preventing Ukraine from striking Russian territory that facilitates the invasion gives Russia an unfair advantage. He criticises the US position as hypocritical, citing US military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Jonathan questions the rationale behind this policy and expresses concern if this is the official stance of the Biden administration.

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John Cleese criticises MAGA Republicans stance on Ukraine

🎦 15:05-17:14⏩

Jonathan discusses comments made by actor John Cleese regarding former US President Donald Trump's ex-Navy Secretary, Richard Spencer, who suggested Trump lacks understanding of military ethics. Cleese suggests this wouldn't deter MAGA supporters, highlighting their support for Russia in the Ukraine war simply because Democrats support Ukraine. Cleese criticises this partisan approach, where hatred for Biden and the Democrats prevents any bipartisan agreement. Jonathan agrees this is a major problem in US politics, where any position taken by the Democrats is automatically opposed by Republicans, regardless of its validity. Jonathan finds it telling that 40 out of 44 of Trump's former cabinet and advisors refuse to endorse him, suggesting this speaks volumes about Trump's unsuitability for the presidency.

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Zelensky meets Estonian Parliament delegation

🎦 17:14-17:41⏩

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a delegation from the Estonian Parliament to discuss ongoing support from Estonia and other allies. Topics included the use of frozen Russian assets and a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and Estonia. Jonathan highlights the Baltic states' unwavering support for Ukraine.

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Poland accused of facilitating import of sanctioned Belarusian timber

🎦 17:41-18:07⏩

Journalists allege that Poland is allowing sanctioned Belarusian timber into the EU. They uncovered evidence that Belarussian companies are using forged documents to misrepresent their timber as originating from Kazakhstan. Jonathan suspects similar activities are widespread.

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Russia faces difficulties with oil payments as scrutiny increases

🎦 18:07-19:58⏩

Jonathan highlights an exclusive report revealing that Russia is facing difficulties collecting oil payments due to increased bank scrutiny in China, the UAE and Turkey. This is another blow to Russia's ability to finance the war. He credits behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts by the US for this success. Several banks in these countries have strengthened their sanctions compliance, leading to delays and rejections of money transfers to Moscow. This increased scrutiny is driven by fears of secondary sanctions from the US. Banks are now demanding written guarantees from clients, confirming their transactions do not involve individuals or entities on the US SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list. Jonathan applauds the US for its efforts, but emphasises the urgent need for the US Congress to resolve its impasse and actively support Ukraine.

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Turkmenistan repatriates students from Russia following alleged terror attacks

🎦 19:58-20:18⏩

Turkmenistan is repatriating its students from Russia, following alleged terror attacks. Jonathan attributes this to discrimination against ethnic minorities in Russia, who are wrongly perceived as more likely to commit such acts.

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Macron seeks Lula's support for Ukraine

🎦 20:18-22:05⏩

French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Brazil to convince President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to support Ukraine. Brazil, a member of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), has remained relatively neutral on the war. Macron's recent statement about the potential deployment of French troops to Ukraine drew criticism from unnamed US officials, who feared it could escalate tensions with Moscow. Jonathan supports Macron's stance, viewing it as a sign of European independence from the US. He believes Europe should stand up to the US and not be constrained by US red lines. Jonathan jokingly suggests Macron should respond to US criticism with the Monty Python "Holy Grail" insult: "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!"

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UK military could only fight Russia for two months - report

🎦 22:05-24:13⏩

Jonathan discusses a report in the Daily Telegraph, citing Lieutenant General Sir Robert McGowan, stating that the UK military could only sustain combat operations against Russia for two months. Jonathan emphasizes that the purpose of NATO is to distribute the burden of defence across its members, allowing individual countries to allocate resources to other areas like healthcare and social welfare. He argues that the UK doesn't require a massive military force capable of independently resisting Russia for extended periods because of its NATO membership. Article 5 of the NATO treaty guarantees collective defence, meaning an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Jonathan believes the UK military has been underfunded and requires increased investment. He stresses the importance of alliances like NATO, enabling nations to share the responsibility of defence.

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Google Play blocks apps using Russian payment system Mir

🎦 24:13-25:19⏩

Google Play has removed apps that utilize the Russian payment system Mir from its app store. Jonathan sees this as another example of the US government's influence, despite Google being a private company. He speculates that the US administration likely pressured Google into this decision, demonstrating the US' commitment to enforcing sanctions against Russia. This highlights the multi-faceted approach employed by the US to pressure Russia, circumventing the Congressional gridlock. He commends these efforts but reiterates the need for the US Congress to address its internal issues.

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Wrap up

🎦 25:19-25:19⏩

Jonathan thanks viewers for watching and signs off.

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