Moscow’s increased activities in Africa might threaten NATO security, London and Madrid claim
Russia’s expanding presence on the African continent might pose a “worrying” threat to the southern flank of NATO, Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace stated at a joint press conference in Madrid on Wednesday.
African nations such as Libya and Mali see increased activities of both the Russian government and the nation’s private security companies like the Wagner Group, the two defense chiefs claimed, adding that such developments are “very clear” and that Moscow could use it as leverage against Europe or NATO.
Robles and Wallace linked Russia’s activities to the rising threat of organized crime and terrorism in the region, saying that, if coupled with growing instability and the risk of hunger in Africa, such developments can pose a serious risk to Europe.
“If [Russia] can use migrant flows as a weapon at one end of Europe, they can certainly use it at the other,” Wallace said. The UK defense secretary was referring to what Europe calls a crisis on the Polish border with Belarus, where thousands of migrants that arrived from third countries, mostly in the Middle East, are trying to cross into the EU.
Western nations previously accused the Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, of fomenting the crisis by encouraging migrants to take this route to Europe. The Kremlin was also accused of supporting Minsk in this endeavor. Both Russia and Belarus denied they were behind the problem.
Now, the Spanish and UK defense chiefs fear that Moscow might also pose a threat to the military bloc’s security in the south. “NATO cannot remain indifferent in this situation,” Robles said, while Wallace suggested that the alliance’s “strategic concept has to involve the whole of NATO, all the territory it covers through its partnership.”
The British defense secretary also assumed that Russian President Vladimir Putin could “use his navy as a way of intimidating his enemies and that means he will be in other parts including the southern flank.” He also said that NATO should treat the Russian Navy as “more of a threat” than Moscow’s ground forces, which are, according to Wallace, “already exhausted” in Ukraine.
At the same time, Wallace called on Moscow to “do the right thing” and open Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for grain export. “That grain is for everyone, Libya, Yemen, people around the world are relying on that grain to feed themselves,” Wallace said.
Western countries accuse Russia of blockading Ukrainian ports. However, according to Moscow, it is the sanctions the West imposed that are impeding free trade, including the trade in agriculture products.
The meeting between the Spanish and UK defense chiefs took place ahead of a NATO summit in Madrid scheduled for late June. Earlier this month, the Baltic States demanded a massive NATO buildup on the eastern flank. Finland and Sweden have also officially voiced their willingness to join the military alliance.
Conflict continues to inflict “widespread civilian death and injury†a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday, outlining the “grim reality†for those caught up in the crossfire of war.
Read the full story, “‘Grim reality’ of war’s deadly toll on civilians laid bare in Security Councilâ€, on globalissues.org →find more fun & mates at SoShow now !
ATHENS, Greece, May 25 (IPS) – Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has sparked a new introspection in the West. A number of commentators, most of them writing from the US and the UK, have come up with their latest scapegoat: Germany’s to blame, they say, with its decades-long policy of appeasing Russia. Really?Read the full story, “So, Germanys to Blame for Putin. Really?â€, on globalissues.org →find more fun & mates at SoShow now !
The government had to be sure that Roman Abramovich, sanctioned over his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, did not profit from the enforced sale of one of football’s most successful clubs.
New Reuters poll suggests Biden’s approval rating sank to 36% this week, the lowest of his presidency so far
Joe Biden’s popularity among American voters continues to slip, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll published on Tuesday, which revealed that only 36% of respondents favorably view his presidency. This is the lowest score since he took office.
The poll, which gathered responses from a total of 1,005 adults, including 456 Democrats and 358 Republicans, suggests that more than half of Americans (59%) are dissatisfied with Biden’s performance as president. The approval rating of 36% was down by 6 percentage points in just one week from the previous 42% reading.
Even Biden’s popularity among fellow Democrats seems to be waning, as his approval rating within his own party fell from 76% last week to 72% in the new survey.
Meanwhile, another survey, conducted by Gallup over May 2-22 and also published on Tuesday, found that a staggering 83% of Americans think that the US has gone in the completely wrong direction, citing record high inflation, baby-formula shortages, record gas prices and mass shootings.
Additionally, the Gallup Poll found that even Democrats have grown increasingly frustrated with the way things are, as satisfaction has plummeted 14 points since April to just 24%, reaching its lowest point of Biden’s presidency.
Such low confidence in Biden’s performance and the growing unpopularity of Congress – 77% of respondents said they disapprove of the job it’s doing – could end up spelling trouble for the president and his Democratic Party in the upcoming midterm elections in November.
“With less than six months to go before the midterm elections, the public’s mood is sour, with few Americans satisfied with the direction of the country and approving of Congress, making the Democratic congressional majority extremely vulnerable,” Gallup said, adding that Biden’s approval rating was particularly weak among independents and was nowhere near the level required for a president to stave off significant midterm losses in Congress.
The Democrats currently hold a razor-thin majority control over both the US Senate and House. However, unless they find a way to raise the public’s confidence and provide solutions to the number of issues facing everyday Americans, the party could end up losing at least one chamber to the Republicans if polls are any indication of how people intend to vote in the 2022 midterms.
“The likelihood of a dramatic economic turnaround before November’s congressional elections appears slim, which puts pressure on Democrats to persuade voters to keep them in power despite the nation’s current struggles,” concluded the Gallup pollsters.
ATHENS, Greece, May 25 (IPS) – Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has sparked a new introspection in the West. A number of commentators, most of them writing from the US and the UK, have come up with their latest scapegoat: Germany’s to blame, they say, with its decades-long policy of appeasing Russia. Really?
ABUJA, May 24 (IPS) – Nigeria’s accountant-general, the administrative head of the country’s treasury, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly stealing 80 billion naira ($134 million). This is a staggering theft in a country that has an estimated poverty rate of 95 million (48% of the population) and some of the worst health indices in the world.Read the full story, “Corruption Killsâ€, on globalissues.org →find more fun & mates at SoShow now !
