Fears are growing that Russia may use gas supplies as a weapon

 

 The British authorities fear that the imposition of severe economic sanctions against Russia will provoke Moscow to retaliate, which will include disruption of gas supplies to Europe, which will cause an energy crisis in the region, writes the British newspaper The Times, citing sources from the United Kingdom Government.

 Senior members of the British government believe that Moscow, in the event of Western sanctions, could "use as a weapon" the energy dependence of continental European countries on the Russian Federation and sharply reduce fuel supplies to European countries. According to the publication, such actions could worsen the already difficult energy situation in many parts of Europe.

 At the same time, the United Kingdom itself will suffer not so much from a possible reduction in Russian gas supplies, which account for only 3%, but from the inevitable rise in commodity prices in such a scenario. Currently, almost half of the gas that enters the UK market comes from the British North Sea shelf. Norway is the largest exporter of gas to the country. At the same time, just over 15% of imports come from liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, most of which come from Qatar, the United States and the Russian Federation.

 The British government is of the opinion that the pledge of a sustainable supply of liquefied natural gas to Europe in the event of Moscow's possible actions in the energy market may not be justified, as this will ultimately lead to a rapid increase in fuel prices. According to experts, liquefied gas tankers in these circumstances will be ready to supply gas only to those countries where they can offer the best price terms of the deal, which for European consumers will mean competition with the growing Asian market.

 Therefore, according to British media, the effect of the restrictions will be felt not only by Germany and Finland, traditionally dependent on Russian gas, but also by the United Kingdom, which is already facing a serious energy crisis in recent months.

Biden wants to deploy several thousand US troops in the Baltic region and Eastern Europe

 US President Joe Biden is considering the deployment of several thousand US troops, as well as warships and aircraft in NATO allies in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe, thus expanding US military involvement amid growing fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to employees of his administration, writes The New York Times.

 This move will signal a major turnaround for the Biden administration, which until recently held a restrained stance on Ukraine for fear of provoking Russia. But after Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped up his threatening actions against Ukraine and talks between US and Russian officials failed to discourage him, the administration is now beginning to abandon its "Do Not Provoke" strategy.

 At a meeting Saturday at Camp David, the Maryland presidential mansion, senior Pentagon officials presented Biden with several options that could move US forces much closer to Russia, officials said. Options include sending 1,000 to 5,000 troops to Eastern European countries, with the potential to increase that number tenfold if things get worse.

This information was shared on condition of anonymity, as employees were not authorized to speak publicly about the discussion.

"Even while we're involved in diplomacy, we're very focused on building defense, building deterrence," Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in an interview with CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday. "NATO will continue to be significantly strengthened if Russia commits acts of aggression. It's all on the table. "

So far, none of the military options under consideration include the deployment of additional US troops in Ukraine itself, and Biden has indicated that he does not want to enter a new conflict after America's painful exit from Afghanistan last summer after 20 years of conflict. 

 

The West is trying to prepare the information field for major provocations

 

 The West is trying to prepare the information field for a number of major provocations, including military ones. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova on the air of the program "Evening with Vladimir Solovyov" on Russia-1 TV, quoted by TACC.

"Preparations are underway (in the information environment), probably for a number of major provocations. The public consciousness, the public opinion, is preparing for this. "It is extremely important for the collective West, for NATO, for the Anglo-Saxons, to create an information field, without which they cannot act," she said.

 "Why are they doing it, why are they doing it? We do not rule out large-scale information manipulations and provocations in the future, we do not rule out military provocations, by the way," the diplomat added.

 "Today there was a throw-in at the British Foreign Office. The most interesting thing is how it was done. We are talking about materials that were published in their official resources and in which it was said that Russia was allegedly preparing a coup in Ukraine. <...> The material was prepared in advance, it seemed possible to cover it on Saturday afternoon or evening. No, from their point of view, a good time was chosen - 01:30 Moscow time, - she said. "They believed that we would not respond and sent the material to the media in advance. "... We have reacted and we will react."

 Zakharova called the actions of the British Foreign Office malicious information aggression. "The invasion, the coups, that is, the line is widening to support the subject indefinitely," the diplomat added.

Russian embassy in London warns Britain to "stop dangerous rhetorical provocations"

 

 The Russian embassy in the United Kingdom has called on the British Foreign Office to stop "dangerous rhetorical provocations" about Ukraine, explaining the constant heating up of anti-Russian sentiment in London by "remaining on the sidelines of real diplomatic processes," TACC reported.

"We urge London to stop the stupid rhetorical provocations that are very dangerous in the current heated situation and to contribute to real diplomatic efforts to provide reliable guarantees for European security," a representative of the Russian diplomatic mission told TASS.

 "The latest news - about Russia's intention to bring to power in Kiev a former member of the Verkhovna Rada (Evgeny Muraev), who in Russia itself is under sanctions as a threat to national security - is completely anecdotal," the embassy said.

"Being on the sidelines of real diplomatic processes as a result of its short-sighted line, London sees its role in the constant incitement of anti-Russian sentiment. The logic is simple: every day he accuses Russia of preparing an "inevitable" invasion of Ukraine, and on this fictitious "basis" they are trying to play the role of ideological leader of the "free world" defending itself against the "autocrats".

 "This slogan is combined with the obvious degradation of the British expert potential in the Russian and Ukrainian directions. What does the statement of Foreign Minister Liz Truss mean that Ukraine has faced numerous invaders in its history - "from the Mongols to the Tatars", the embassy said, acknowledging that there is nothing funny in this state of affairs. "We see the true professional level of people who, along with these absurd statements, are sending deadly weapons to Ukraine, building their own military presence near Russia's borders and encouraging Kiev to sabotage the Minsk agreements," the Russian diplomatic mission said.

We are disappointed with Germany's refusal to supply defense weapons to Ukraine

 

 Ukraine appreciates Germany's political support, but is disappointed with Berlin's reluctance to provide weapons to Kiev. This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in an interview published on Sunday for the German newspaper Die Welt.

"We are disappointed with Germany's refusal to approve the supply of defense weapons to Ukraine," he said. According to him, this disappoints not only politicians but also the public. "Unfortunately, Ukrainians will remember this for decades to come, and for me as head of the foreign ministry, it is very sad," Kuleba said.

 Germany, contrary to the demands of the Ukrainian side, has repeatedly stated that it will not sell deadly weapons to Kiev. Berlin explains this by the fact that it does not make such deliveries in crisis regions. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Analena Burbock and Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht spoke about this.

Berlin has allocated 5.3 million euros for a mobile field hospital for the Ukrainian army and will hand it over in February.

Spain is sending warships to the Black Sea to prevent Russian aggression

 

 Spain is sending its warships to join NATO's naval forces in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In addition, in an attempt to prevent Russian aggression, it is considering sending military aircraft to Bulgaria, writes the American newspaper The Hill, citing Reuters.

One of the miners of the Spanish fleet is already on the way, and the frigate "Blas de Leso" will do it in three or four days, said the Spanish Minister of Defense Margarita Robles.

 "Russia cannot tell any country what to do, so NATO will defend and maintain the sovereignty of any country that can or wants to join NATO," the Spanish minister said. She added that Spain insisted on "extremely diplomatic methods" to resolve the conflict.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but wants to join the Alliance. Russia strongly opposes this. Meanwhile, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization rejects demands from Moscow, which is urging NATO to halt its eastward expansion. It is this pretext that the Kremlin is using to justify deploying forces along the Ukrainian border.

The EU is working on a package of sanctions against Russia in the event of an escalation of the situation in Ukraine

 

 The European Union is working on a package of economic and financial sanctions against Russia in the event that the situation in Ukraine escalates, said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schalenberg in an interview with Presse am Sonntag.

"We are currently working on an extensive package of economic and financial sanctions. In the event of an escalation, a very clear, unambiguous and swift response will follow," Schalenberg said.

 The Austrian Foreign Minister did not rule out the possibility of excluding Russia from the SWIFT system. "Nothing is excluded from the discussion. Much will depend on what is actually happening. If Russian troops invade Ukrainian territory on a broad front, then this is the worst case scenario. There are other scenarios: cyberattacks, attacks on mercenaries without identification. "said Schalenberg.

At the same time, he again opposed sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 project because of the situation in Ukraine. "We in Europe are somewhat dependent on energy from Russia. That is the reality, and Nord Stream 2 is not yet part of that reality. We will not change that overnight if we want to have heat and electricity." he concluded.

The United States has called for Kaliningrad to be "neutralized" in the event of war with Russia

 

 The Kaliningrad factor could be very important for Russia in the event of war with the West. This is what Sarah White, an analyst at the Lexington Institute, wrote in an article for the American publication 19Fortyfive, quoted by the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets.

According to her, Western countries must resort to a plan to neutralize the region in the event of a conflict. However, Kaliningrad is well armed. Iskander-M complexes are located there. There are also fighters in the region armed with cruise missiles. In addition, part of the Russian fleet is based in Kaliningrad. Geographically, the Kaliningrad region borders Poland and Lithuania.

 So in the event of war, it will be necessary to neutralize this region first. But it will not be easy for Poland and Lithuania to tackle this task alone, the analyst said.

According to her, other European countries urgently need to strengthen their air defenses and armaments. In particular, it is necessary to acquire American Patriot anti-aircraft systems, as well as M1 Abrams tanks and fifth-generation F-35 aircraft.

Britain could impose sanctions if Russia tries to put a "puppet regime" in Kiev

 

 The UK government is ready to impose severe economic sanctions on the Russian Federation, not only in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, but also in an attempt to bring pro-Russian politicians to power. This was announced on Sunday by the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Minister of Justice Dominique Raab in an interview with Sky News.

 "Russia will face serious consequences if it tries to invade Ukraine or establish a puppet regime," Raab said in an interview with Sky News. Asked by the host whether London was considering excluding the Russian Federation from the international banking system SWIFT, the minister said that a wide package of "economic and financial restrictions" would be applied against Moscow

The commander of the German navy resigned

 

 The commander of the German navy has resigned after provoking criticism, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin deserves respect and that Kiev will never get its annexed Crimea back from Moscow, Reuters reports.

"I have asked the Minister of Defense, Christine Lambrecht, to relieve me of my duties immediately," Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach said in a statement. "The minister accepted my request."

Schönbach spoke at a discussion in India on Friday, and the video was posted on social media. The comments come at a delicate time when Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops along Ukraine's borders.

 In New Delhi, Schönbach, speaking in English, said Putin wanted to be treated as an equal by the West.

"What he (Putin) really wants is respect," Schönbach said.

"And God, giving someone respect is a low price, even without a price ... It's easy to give them the respect they really demand - and probably deserve it," Schönbach said, calling Russia an old and important country.

 Schönbach apologized for his comments.

"My reckless remarks in India ... are putting more and more strain on my office," he said. "I consider this step (resignation) necessary to prevent further damage to the German navy, German forces and the Federal Republic of Germany as a whole.

Ukraine's foreign ministry has called on Germany to publicly reject the fleet chief's comments. Schoenbach's comments could hurt the West's efforts to de-escalate the situation, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

 "Ukraine is grateful to Germany for the support it has already provided since 2014, as well as for its diplomatic efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. But Germany's current statements are disappointing and contradict this support and efforts," he wrote. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter.

London has announced plans by Moscow to put in power in Ukraine a leadership loyal to the Russian Federation

 
 The British Foreign Office claims that it has received information showing the desire of the Russian Federation to bring to power in Ukraine leaders who are positive about Moscow, reports the Russian agency "Interfax".

"We have information that the Russian authorities are trying to bring a pro-Russian leader to power in Kiev. This work is being done at a time when the Russian Federation is considering attacking and occupying Ukraine," the British Foreign Office said in a statement. posted on Sunday night.

"Former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Muraev is seen as a potential candidate for the role," it said.

 According to London, Russian intelligence services have been in contact with many former Ukrainian politicians, such as former First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Arbuzov, former First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuyev, former Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Vladimir Sivkovich, and former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

"Some of these people are in contact with members of Russia's security services, who are currently involved in planning the attack on Ukraine.

 Former member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Yevgeny Muraev, whom the British Foreign Office declared a "pro-Russian leader in Kiev", said it was a matter for Mr. Bean, RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

"Since 2018, I have been under Russian sanctions due to a conflict with (Viktor) Medvedchuk. My family's assets have been arrested there (in Russia). Like the British intelligence services and the Foreign Ministry, this is combined with the fact that Russia wants me "appointed head of the 'occupation government' is a matter for Mr Bean," Evgeny Muraev told the opposition Ukrainian newspaper Strana.

The working groups for the joint meeting of the governments of RSM and Bulgaria have been formed

 

 The last preparations are coming to an end before the joint meeting of the governments of the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, which will take place on Tuesday (January 25th) in Sofia. Working groups have been formed on both sides, and their co-chairs have been appointed, the Skopje-based Nezavisen newspaper reported.

 Macedonia and Bulgaria in the forthcoming period and within the new dynamics of cooperation announced by the two Prime Ministers Dimitar Kovachevski and Kiril Petkov, should through the meetings of the working groups to converge positions in several areas, to focus on what is practically feasible in thus paving the way for finding solutions to more difficult issues and finally resolving the dispute and unblocking the start of the first intergovernmental conference of Macedonia and the European Union.

 The two governments formed four working groups. The Government of  Macedonia is forming the groups on Economy, Trade and Innovation, Infrastructure, Transport and Connectivity, European Integration and Green Policies, and Culture, Science and Education.

The co-chairs of the first group on the Macedonian side are Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Coordination of Economic Policies and Investments Fatmir Bitici, Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi and Economy Minister Kreshnik Bektesi. On the Bulgarian side, the group will be co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Economy and Industry and Minister of Economy Cornelia Ninova, Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds and Minister of Finance Asen Vassilev and Minister of Innovation and Growth Daniel Lorer.

 The second group on the Macedonian side will be co-chaired by Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoy Bochvarski, Minister of Local Government Goran Milevski and Minister of Information Society and Administration Admirim Aliti, and the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister for Regional Development and Public Relations and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. Karadjov, Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev and Minister of Energy Alexander Nikolov.  

 The co-chairs of the third working group on the Macedonian side are Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Maricic, Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance Slavica Garkovska and Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Nasser Nuredini. On the Bulgarian side, the group will be co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Minister of Environment Borislav Sandov, Deputy Prime Minister for Effective Governance Kalina Konstantinova and Minister of Justice Nadezhda Yordanova.

The fourth working group on the Macedonian side will be co-chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Political System and Inter-Community Relations Artan Grubi, Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stoychevska and Minister of Education and Science Yeton Shakiri, and on the Bulgarian side by the Minister of Education Science Nikolay Denkov, Minister of Culture Atanas Atanasov, Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov and Minister of Youth and Sports Radostin Vassilev

 The working groups will also include representatives of line ministries and institutions, and the co-chairs will take turns according to the topic that will be included in the agenda of the meetings.

The prime ministers announced five working groups, the fifth is the historic one, but the two governments have not formed a separate working group, and Kovachevski and Petkov told a news conference in Skopje. it will continue to work in its current format.

Biden discussed the situation in Ukraine with his colleagues

 

 US President Joe Biden met with representatives of the administration in charge of national security at his residence in Camp David, Maryland, and discussed with them the situation around Ukraine and diplomatic engagement with Russia, the White House press service said. TACC.

"Today, President Biden met in Camp David in person and virtually with his national security team to discuss Russia's ongoing aggressive actions against Ukraine," the statement said.

 In particular, Biden was briefed on "the current state of Russian military operations", which are alleged to be taking place "on the border with Ukraine". He discussed with his staff "ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation through diplomacy, as well as a number of mitigation measures closely coordinated by allies and partners, including the continued provision of assistance to Ukraine." "President Biden reiterated that if Russia invades Ukraine again, the United States will provide rapid and severe consequences for Russia along with our allies and partners," the document said.

A new law in France could lead to chaos in European tournaments

 

 Champions League players Real Madrid, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain or Lille are in danger of not relying on their unvaccinated players against COVID-19 for some of the upcoming elimination matches in the European tournaments. This was acknowledged by UEFA after a request from ESPN.

A law banning unvaccinated people from participating in sporting events will take effect in France next Monday. The restriction also applies to spectators who want to attend the events. Real and Chelsea will visit there as part of the round of 16 battles in the Champions League, respectively against Paris Saint-Germain and Lille.

 However, France has three more representatives in the Europa League and the Conference League - Lyon, Monaco and Marseille, which means that six more clubs are also likely to suffer.

UEFA may ask French clubs to offer another stadium outside their home country.

Putin has made Gazprom director Alexei Miller a Hero of Russian Labor

 

 Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Gazprom chief Alexei Miller the title of Hero of Labor, Izvestia reported, citing a decree issued on January 20.

As FOCUS News Agency reported earlier, the net profit of the Russian state concern Gazprom for 2021 will be a record, exceeding 2 trillion rubles (over 23 billion euros). The company will also reach record revenues exceeding the figure of 8.2 trillion rubles (about 92 billion euros), said Gazprom Deputy Chairman of the Board Famil Sadigov.

 "Net profit will reach the maximum value for the entire existence of the company, exceeding 2 trillion rubles. At the same time, the net profit for the first nine months of 2021 already amounts to 1550 billion rubles, which exceeds the results of each previous calendar year, "he said.

According to him, Gazprom's revenues in 2021 will exceed the record figure of 2018 - 8.2 trillion rubles. EBITDA will also reach a record record of 3.5 trillion rubles. The volume of capital investments in the Gazprom Group will amount to 1.9 trillion rubles, and free cash flow will exceed 1 trillion rubles, which is more than the amount of dividends paid in 2021.

French parliament formally declares China's attitude towards Uighurs "genocide"

 

 The French National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution officially declaring Beijing's attitude towards the Uighur-Muslim minority in Xinjiang a "genocide". With this, the deputies have undermined the political plans of President Emmanuel Macron, who will attend the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in two weeks, writes the European edition of Politico.

The resolution officially recognizes the violence perpetrated by the authorities of the People's Republic of China against the Uighurs as a crime against humanity and genocide "and calls on the government to do the same and take action to stop the violence.

 Only one MP voted against: Buon Tan, a member of Macron's Republic Forward party and chairman of the France-China friendship group in parliament.

Macron's stance on China has been in the spotlight in recent days as the Beijing Olympics approach. While several countries - including the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Lithuania - are boycotting the event, France is among the countries to send representatives to Beijing.

French Trade Minister Frank Riester also condemned human rights abuses in China, but said only international organizations should determine whether there is "genocide"

 "It is not the government's job to express an opinion on the legal qualification of the situation," he told lawmakers on Thursday, insisting that France "systematically" expressed concern about forced labor and human rights abuses in China in diplomatic talks with Chinese officials.

 In a statement, the Chinese embassy in France "expressed its deep concern" that the resolution "would seriously damage China-France relations and France's trust and image in the eyes of the Chinese." It added that the French side was fully aware of the absurdity and harmfulness of this resolution. It must show coherence between words and deeds and take concrete action to protect the healthy development of Sino-French relations. "

Such resolutions have sparked debate in several parliaments inside and outside the EU.

 

Russia is building a S-500 shield against US hypersonic missiles

 

 The United States will continue to invest in hypersonic weapons, despite problems in their development, "said Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko in a comment to VZGLYAD newspaper after the Pentagon had previously questioned the appropriateness of spending on supersonic weapons.

"There should be no doubt that the Americans will sooner or later eliminate the temporary difference with Russia in terms of hypersound. "Our foreign intelligence agencies clearly report this to the country's political leadership," said the newspaper's interlocutor, who is also the editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine.

 He called on the Russians to "soberly assess the enemy" and stressed that the Russian military leadership was working ahead. Therefore, if the Pentagon uses hypersonic systems against Russia in the future, the strike will be reflected by a special "shield" of anti-aircraft missile systems (AMS). "As soon as the United States receives its own means of destruction using hypersonic technology, we will receive the fifth-generation S-500 air defense systems," he said.

 "To date, their mass production has already started. "They are able to deal effectively with American hypersonic strike systems in the event of an attack on Russia," he said.

"But I repeat: in terms of the development of hypersonic, the Americans will be fine, their weapons will be successful. And there is no need to draw far-reaching conclusions about what a particular official said there, "Korotchenko added.

Turkey wants to organize a meeting on the Minsk agreements with the participation of the DPR and LPR

 

 Turkey plans to hold talks on the Minsk agreements in Istanbul, inviting representatives of the unrecognized Donbass republics DNR and LNR and OSCE, the country's authorities want to make these meetings "frequent and regular", the date of the talks has not been announced yet, RIA reported News, citing a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

"Negotiations on the Minsk agreements will be held in Istanbul. They will feature the same players as before: Russia, Ukraine, Donbass and the OSCE. The date of the talks has not been set yet, "the agency's interlocutor revealed.

 It is noted that Turkey has taken a clear position in the Ukrainian crisis from the very beginning. Ankara considers it necessary to reduce tensions and avoid armed conflict. The country is interested in maintaining and strengthening dialogue between other countries in the future.

"We also hold this position in NATO. "Turkey's position at the moment is very influential," the source said.

Kiril Pektov "Recognizes Macedonian Identity and Language"

 

 Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said before his visit to Skopje that he did not question the Macedonian identity and language, informed the Russian electronic publication Regnum, which closely follows the events in the Balkans.

The media quoted the Albanian news agency Telegrafi Maqedoni as saying Pektov stressed that he was proud that Bulgaria was the first to recognize Macedonia's independence.

"As it is an independent state, we do not question the identity, the language of Macedonia. This is your right to identity, no one disputes it, "Kiril Petkov was quoted as saying by Regnum, recalling that on January 18 Petkov announced the recognition of the abbreviated name of  Macedonia.

 The media commented that "the experience of EU countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary shows that EU enlargement sometimes brings big problems." According to the agency, "the accession of Albania and Kosovo to the EU will be just a mockery of Europe. That is why it is beneficial for the European Union to keep the Western Balkans in a state of disarray, in any way delaying their actual entry into the Union. This achieves the goals of limiting the growing influence of Russia, Turkey and China in the region and creating a "sanitary cordon" in the Balkans against Asian migrants.

Skopje's new approach to Sofia will only benefit Bulgaria

 

 Former Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov warned that Skopje's new approach to resolving issues with Bulgaria separately, instead of all at once, is likely to work, but in Bulgaria's favor. The two prime ministers, Dimitar Kovachevski and Kiril Petkov, boasted during a meeting in Skopje on Tuesday that they had resolved the issue with the Macedonian's short name, but Dimitrov said Bulgaria had not made any concessions.

"While I was inside, I supported the other approach - nothing has been agreed until all issues have been agreed - as my successor (Bojan Maricic) said publicly yesterday. But on the second day without me, the approach and the essence changed into "salami tactics". They say that now with the new approach we have results immediately - Sofia "agreed" to use the short name, something that in itself is not our problem, but theirs and theirs. In order to accept this unfounded request, we sent a note to the UN, which Sofia wanted for two years and did not receive, without making any concessions, "Dimitrov wrote on Facebook.

 Bojan Maricic, who replaced Dimitrov in the new government, accused it was symptomatic that both Dimitrov and former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva had been criticized for resolving the short name problem.

"If you noticed, on the same day some of our critics, including Mr. Dimitrov, said that this was a wrong move that weakened our position, but at the same time, for example, former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said: This is a bad move, with which Sofia has fallen into the trap of Skopje. On the same day, there was a negative reaction from both sides of the people who were literally in the process until yesterday, "Maricic said.

 According to him, the note that Skopje sent to the UN that it has no territorial claims to Bulgaria is not the last, but the first trump card of the Macedonia and cannot harm.

"We are actually closing one of the three blockades we have. One blockade was for the short name, the second was for the language, and the third was for the start of negotiations. So we have solved one, all the other problems, which does not mean that we will divide them one by one, we must solve them as a whole and at the end of this process to have a solution to all open issues. It was a gesture of goodwill and I think that by closing an issue no one loses, on the contrary, "Maricic explaine.

 For now, Dimitrov does not say specifically what damage was done with the note to the UN, but predicts that with this new approach of the Macedonian government, the decision will be to the detriment of Skopje.

It is impossible to block Russia's access to banks, as well as Moscow to stop gas exports to Europe

 

 Experts say one way to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from taking over Ukraine is to stop Russia's access to the global banking system. This should deprive Russia of access to hard currency and therefore Putin should gradually begin to withdraw Russian troops from the Ukrainian border. However, according to Forbes columnist John Tamney, the truth is that neither the United States nor any other country has a reasonable way to exclude Russia from global finance.

 As the author of the article continues, the US dollar and other reliable world currencies, in fact, as well as finance itself, give new meaning to goods and everything that can be measured physically. Looking at all this from the point of view of a relatively sanctions-free present, Russia has access to the global banking system and dollars, not because the United States allows it, but because its economy is strong enough and funding sources are actively seeking to turn economic money into money. activity carried out there. Therefore, if we assume that the United States is able to deprive Russia of access to American sources of funding, we must not forget that more than half of the US dollars in circulation today circulate outside the United States.

"The money goes where it treats them well, and if they think it's safe for them in Russia, they will rush there, completely ignoring the wishes of America's domestic and foreign political elites," the Forbes author wrote.

 He notes that if, for example, President Biden asked the banks J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to suspend their operations in Russia, this will not make much of an impression on the financial institutions with which the above banks work. If Morgan and Goldman Sachs stop financing economic activity in Russia, all other international sources of funding will line up to take their place in Russia.

Market share is gained with great difficulty. In a "closed economy" such as the world economy, it is impossible to interrupt financial flows. Those who leave the business will be quickly replaced, writes John Tamney.

 He believes that on the same occasion, there should be no fear that in response to sanctions, Russia will suspend gas supplies to Europe in the winter. Moscow needs money, so it is unlikely to give up such a valuable market, whose share will be very difficult to regain.

"In fact, any economic sanctions aimed at solving certain foreign policy problems are symbolic. In other words, it is impossible to exclude Russia's access to banks, and it cannot stop exporting its gas in the same way. How does all this threaten Ukraine? There is no answer, as he has neither foreign policy knowledge nor experience. But another question can be answered. "All attempts by experts, politicians and foreign politicians to play economy in order to curb Putin's ambitions will not lead to anything," the author concluded.

The Bank of Russia wants a ban on cryptocurrencies

 

 The Bank of Russia is proposing a ban on the issuance, extraction and use of cryptocurrencies in Russia. This is stated in the report of the regulator "Cryptocurrencies: trends, risks, measures", reports TASS.

"The status of the Russian ruble, which is not a reserve currency, makes it impossible to take a soft approach in Russia and ignore the growing risks. In our opinion, the additional measures are appropriate, "the document reads.

So, "in order to reduce the threats posed by the spread of cryptocurrencies," the Bank of Russia proposes to introduce a number of changes in legislation.

 "Introduce a ban on organizing the issuance and (or) issuance, organizing the circulation of cryptocurrencies (including through cryptocurrencies, cryptocurrencies, P2P platforms) on the territory of the Russian Federation and establishing liability for violating this ban," the document reads. .

It is also proposed to establish liability for violating the legal ban on the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment for goods, works and services sold and purchased by legal entities and individuals - residents of the Russian Federation.

 "Introduce a ban on investments by financial institutions in cryptocurrencies and related financial instruments, as well as on the use of Russian financial intermediaries and Russian financial infrastructure to conduct cryptocurrency transactions and establish liability for violating this ban," the Bank of Russia said. report.

The regulator also considers the introduction of a ban on cryptocurrency mining in Russia to be the best solution.

 According to the report, the Bank of Russia believes that the current scale and further spread of cryptocurrency mining in Russia poses significant risks to the economy and financial stability: it creates unproductive electricity consumption, threatening the energy supply of residential buildings, social infrastructure buildings and enterprises, as well as the implementation of the environmental program of the Russian Federation; generates demand for infrastructure for cryptocurrency transactions, which exacerbates the negative effects of cryptocurrency proliferation and creates incentives to circumvent regulation.

 The negative impact of extraction on neighboring markets and the environment is noted, as well as the fact that the tendency to increase Russia's share in total production may increase the country's carbon footprint and hinder the achievement of sustainable development goals. .

"We believe that in view of the significant negative effects it has on the energy, environment and industrial sectors, it is advisable to implement a set of measures to limit them," the report said.

 "The Bank of Russia plans to improve the system for regular monitoring of cryptocurrency transactions, including working with financial regulators of countries with registered cryptocurrencies to obtain information on Russian clients' transactions in foreign cryptocurrency markets," the statement said. in the report.

Poland receives formal request to pay fine for judicial reform

 

 The European Commission has sent a formal notice to Poland to pay about 70m euros in fines for failing to lift illegal disciplinary action against judges, a spokesman said, escalating a dispute between Warsaw and the European Union over the rule of law, Reuters reported.

The case is one of many disputes between the EU and Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), which came to power in 2015 and has since faced accusations of undermining democratic freedoms.

Last October, the EU's Supreme Court fined Warsaw for failing to immediately suspend the work of the Polish Supreme Court's Disciplinary Chamber pending a final verdict on the scheme.

 The Commission insists that the disciplinary system allows for political interference in the courts and therefore violates the laws in the 27-nation EU, as well as in Poland, which establish the independence of the judiciary.

Commission spokesman Christian Wiegand said on Thursday that a "call for payment" had already been sent to Warsaw for failing to lift the disciplinary regime, as ordered by the European Court of Justice.

Earlier, sources told Reuters that the fines amounted to about 70m euros and that the Commission would give Warsaw about 45 days to pay.

The EC is already blocking Poland's access to billions of euros in EU incentives designed to help the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 More from the EU's shared budget of 1.1 trillion euros ($ 1.25 trillion) by 2027 is pledged as the bloc grows stronger in its intention not to pay money to countries that could direct the means to support policies that undermine liberal democratic principles.

Warsaw says judicial reform was needed to make the courts more efficient and end communist influence. The nationalist PiS party also says it will not submit to what it calls EU blackmail.

Moldova has declared a two-month state of emergency for lack of gas money

 

 Moldova has declared a state of emergency for 60 days. This decision was taken by the country's parliament after approval by the government. Russia's Gazprom has threatened to cut off gas supplies if Moldova fails to pay its January advance, Kommersant reported.

Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grossu said 58 out of 101 lawmakers supported the state of emergency initiative, according to the local newspaper Deschide. Communist and Socialist parliamentarians did not support the decision.

 The reason for the state of emergency was a letter from Gazprom, the gas supplier to Moldova, sent to Moldovagaz on January 18th, warning that if Chisinau did not pay the January advance by January 20th, gas supplies would be suspended. Earlier, the Moldovan government said they were missing about 25m euros.

Gazprom owns 50% of Moldovagaz's shares. The remaining shares are distributed among the Government of Moldova - 35.3% of the shares, the Republic of Transnistria - 13.44% of the shares - and individuals - 1.23% of the shares.

The European Commission has published a final report on the sectoral study of consumer Internet of Things

 

 The European Commission has published the findings of its sector inquiry into competition in the field of consumer Internet of Things (IoT), the EC's press office said. The final report and the accompanying Commission Staff Working Paper identify potential competition concerns in the fast-growing markets for IoT-related products and services in the EU.

The documents published today present the Commission's findings, taking into account the comments received during the public consultation on the June 2021 Preliminary Report, and confirm the conclusions of the Preliminary Report published in June 2021.

 The main findings of the sector survey on consumer internet of subjects cover aspects that were also included in the preliminary report:

(i) the characteristics of consumer IoT products and services,

(ii) the characteristics of competition in those markets,

(iii) the main problem areas identified by stakeholders regarding the current functioning of consumer IoT markets and their prospects.

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the occasion of January 20 - National Day of Mourning

 

 On the night of January 19-20, 1990, by order of the Soviet leadership, 26,000 Soviet soldiers invaded Baku, Sumgait and other cities in Azerbaijan. As a result of this military intervention, 147 civilians were killed and 744 were seriously injured. The event goes down in the history of modern Azerbaijan as "Black January".

 Before these events took place, the movement against the Soviet government in Azerbaijan was fueled by Armenia's unfounded territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the late 1980s, the aggressive separatist actions of Armenian radicals in the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of the former Azerbaijani SSR. and support for this illegal activity by the Soviet leadership, as well as the forcible and brutal deportation of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia. The Soviet army, stationed in the country to prevent the national movement and break the will of the Azerbaijani people for independence, is carrying out a pogrom against the civilian population, violating the provisions of international law and the constitutions of the former USSR and Azerbaijan.

At a press conference at the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan in Moscow, immediately after the tragic events, national leader Heydar Aliyev strongly condemned this atrocity and demanded a political assessment of the mass murder committed among our people, as well as punishment for the perpetrators. At a special session of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) in February 1994, the brutal massacre of innocent people on 20 January 1990 was declared a military aggression and a crime, and as a result of the March 1994 debate, a decision was taken. "On the tragic events that took place in Baku on January 20, 1990." Since then, January 20 has been celebrated as National Day of Mourning.

 32 years have passed since the tragedy of January 20, 1990, but this gross violation of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international legal instruments, being, in essence and scope, one of the gravest 20th century crime has not yet received international political and legal evaluation. The former Soviet leadership is directly responsible for this crime. According to international law, the events of January 20 must be considered a crime against humanity, and the initiators and perpetrators of this crime must be brought to justice.

 Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, as a result of the 44-day war, the brave Azerbaijani army achieved the territorial integrity of our country and today the Republic of Azerbaijan, in its 31st year of independence, is a reliable and responsible member of the world community.

Strengthening the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is the basis of our statehood and our struggle to constantly uphold these basic principles. We will continue to be determined to respond to all possible threats to the independence and integrity of our country, and all necessary steps will be taken to bring those responsible for various crimes against the people and the state of Azerbaijan to justice.

With deep respect and gratitude we honor the memory of all our heroes who gave their lives for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

Our presence at Bondsteel is a testament to our commitment to regional stability

 

 The new US Ambassador to Pristina, Jeffrey Hovenier, met with KFOR Commander in Kosovo General Ferenc Kayari, Gazeta Express reports.

After the meeting, the ambassador wrote on Twitter that she reaffirmed US continued support for KFOR.

"The meeting with KFOR Commander MG Kayariou confirmed the unwavering and continued US support for KFOR. "The contribution of US troops to Bondsteel, one of the largest allies, is a testament to our commitment to KFOR's indispensable role in ensuring regional stability," the diplomat said.

 

German foreign minister under investigation for "coronavirus bonuses"

 

 The Berlin prosecutor's office is conducting an investigation against members of the Greens' Presidium and co-chairs of the political party Robert Habeck and Analena Burbock, Der Spiegel reported, citing a statement from the faction and the oversight body. In the winter of 2021, after the change of government, Mr. Habek became Minister of Economy and Deputy Chancellor, and Burbock headed the German Foreign Ministry.

According to the publication, representatives of the party's presidium in 2020 illegally received payments for the "coronavirus" in the amount of 1.5 thousand euros each. The presidium of the party calculates and accrues these bonuses independently. The presidium of the party calculates and accrues these bonuses independently. Among other things, all members of the presidium are accused in the case, including Ricarda Lang and Jamila Schaefer, as well as party director Michael Kellner and its treasurer Mark Urbach.

The very fact of Analena Burbock's payments became a major topic during the election campaign. Last May, on the talk show of journalist Sandra Meischberger Burbock, she said that it was a matter of paying the so-called Christmas bonus, which she had declared. The Foreign Minister then admitted that she had not informed the President of the Bundestag about the payments. She later said she regretted the mistake.

Serbian government suspends Rio Tinto mine deal

 

 At a meeting Thursday, the Serbian government is expected to announce its official decision to withdraw from the Yadar lithium mine project, reaffirming an earlier statement by Prime Minister Anna Bernabic about Serbia's exit of Rio Tinto, Belgrade said, news edition. This is the final victory for the large-scale protests of the Environmental Uprising Movement, which has been organizing large-scale actions across the country for months, with protesters demanding an end to the project.

 After the meeting, the Prime Minister is expected to address the media, which said on Wednesday that the company will no longer be in the country in a few weeks, that the permits issued to them will soon expire, and that the development plan will be changed, the Yadar project.

Bernabic recalled that the company had been brought to our western neighbor by the former government and had received permission to investigate in 2004, in an attempt to deny responsibility to Vucic's administration.

Sofia continues to deny the existence of Macedonians in Bulgaria

 

 Denying the existence of Macedonians as a minority in Bulgaria is in fact denying the existence of Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia and pressure to recognize "Bulgarian roots", wrote commentator Yasminka Pavlovska in the opposition newspaper Nova Makedonija.

 According to her, the Bulgarian logic is that there are no Macedonians in Bulgaria, because the Macedonians in the Macefonia are in fact "deluded Bulgarians", and the Macedonian nation must "re-Bulgarianize". The "non-existence" of a separate nation in a country, according to Bulgarian logic, makes it a legitimate target for territorial claims, especially since they have risen to the level of historical and national fiction and frustration in Bulgaria. This is the whole point of the list of conditions in the so-called 5 + 1 plan, now supposedly reduced to 4 + 1. That is why Macedonia constantly insists on guarantees for the absence of territorial claims and public refusal of civil servants from the Macedonian minority.

 According to Pavlovska, “the uniqueness of the Macedonian national substrate is represented by Macedonians living in the Macefonia state, but also those in the neighborhood (although citizens of neighboring countries), as well as around the world. The right of each of them, wherever the Macedonian minority is, is equal to the whole national identity everywhere and always. "

If Russia invades Ukraine, it will have devastating consequences

 

 US President Joe Biden told a news conference at the White House on the end of the first year of his presidency that it was a year of challenges and progress, saying that if Russia invaded Ukraine, it would have devastating consequences. He said Moscow would be held accountable if, as he put it, it "invaded Ukraine", the Associated Press reported.

"I assume that Putin will turn to Ukraine," he said, adding that invading the country would provoke a response that would cost Russia and its economy dearly.

Biden said he believed Russia was preparing an action in Ukraine, although he believed Putin had not yet made a final decision.

 The American leader suggested that he would limit Russia's access to the international banking system if it invaded Ukraine.

Speaking about the pandemic, he said he was aware that Americans were disappointed with the whole situation and its consequences for the economy.

"After almost two years of physical, emotional and psychological consequences of this pandemic, it was too much for many of us," Biden said.

"Some people may call what is happening now a 'new norm,' but I call it work that is not over." "Things will get better," he said.

 Biden said the United States will persevere in its efforts to vaccinate against coronavirus, as the practice has been shown to work. The president stressed that the United States would not return to locking and closing schools, and that the Omicron wave was not a cause for panic.

In a few days, there will be a proposal for an ambassador of the Macedonia in Sofia

 

 The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, announced that in a few days there will be a proposal for an ambassador to Bulgaria, MIA reports.

Osmani said it was a mistake for Skopje not to have an official representative in Bulgaria for several years, but expressed hope that this would happen in the next few days.

The last ambassador of Northern Macedonia to Bulgaria was Maryan Gjorchev, whose term expired at the end of March 2020.

Britain has been sending weapons to Ukraine for several days

 

 For several days now, Britain has been arming its air force in Ukraine with military transport aircraft. This was stated at a briefing on Thursday by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, quoted by TASS.

"For several days now, Britain has been sending weapons to Ukraine by military transport aircraft to its air force. "At least six flights have been organized, and each plane can carry up to 77.5 tons of cargo, a total of about 460 tons of weapons," she said.

Moscow has called on the West to stop helping militarize Ukraine by involving it in NATO, the diplomat added.

Houses in Europe "will not be warmed by political statements"

 

 Political statements will not warm homes in Europe. This was stated in an interview with TASS by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Siarto, commenting on the accusations against Budapest for too close cooperation with the Russian Federation in the energy sector.

"I say this to my colleagues who criticize us for our long-term cooperation with Russia - houses and apartments cannot be warmed by political statements. The only way to heat them is with natural gas, "he said.

 Siarto added that signing long-term contracts with gas suppliers would be key to resolving Europe's energy crisis. "I believe that the key to resolving the gas crisis in Europe will be filling up gas storage facilities and concluding long-term contracts with suppliers," he said.

At the same time, Siarto noted that Russia has proven to be a reliable partner in this area. "If we talk about energy, I must say that we are very pleased with the cooperation with Russia," he said. "In my experience, whatever we agree with Russia, everything is done on time, as we agreed. We respect that a lot. "

 The global gas market is facing a supply crisis amid a sharp recovery in demand in Asia and a shortage of liquefied natural gas capacity. Increased demand for gas in Asia has caused prices to rise and diverted the main supply of LNG, which has contributed to the deepening crisis in Europe. There, the situation is exacerbated by low stocks in gas storage facilities. Against this background, the price of gas in Europe in the autumn of last year for the first time in history exceeded the limit of $ 1,000 per thousand cubic meters, and in December - $ 2,000.

 In October 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the gas that Gazprom supplies to Europe under long-term contracts costs EU countries four times cheaper than purchased on the spot market. According to the head of state, Russia is interested in long-term contracts, while the philosophy of EU countries in the field of gas market regulation has recently been to abandon long-term contracts in favor of spot contracts, which are supposed to be a more market instrument.

NATO is preparing for the worst after the dialogue with Russia

 

 Relations between Russia and the West are "worse than ever": 100,000 Russian troops are stationed near the border with Ukraine and "not only Kiev is afraid of invasion," writes Der Spiegel. Speaking to the magazine in collaboration with the Koerber Foundation, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed: "There is a real danger."

Stoltenberg expressed concern about the "seriousness of the situation". According to him, in addition to the deployment of troops near the border, Russian intelligence is very active in Ukraine. Moscow is "trying to discredit the Ukrainian government in various ways," the NATO secretary general said.

 In the event of an escalation in Europe, the North Atlantic Alliance is ready to bring a large number of troops into combat readiness in a short period of time. However, Stoltenberg said, we need to continue to rely on dialogue. "We do not want to wage war, we want to prevent it," the NATO secretary general said.

At the same time, Stoltenberg suggests, the military alliance "must prepare for the worst." Russia is able to influence Ukraine in many ways: launch a missile strike, launch a cyber attack or organize small-scale events in Crimea. "We have to be ready to react to other scenarios, not just a major offensive operation," Stoltenberg said.

 Russia's ultimatum to NATO expires this week: Moscow is demanding, among other things, assurances that Ukraine will not be admitted to the military alliance. Stoltenberg said he was ready to meet with Russia and present his proposals. According to him, "everything" can be discussed, but no one "will compromise with the basic principles of the Alliance."

These include the right to defend one's allies and the "right of states to self-determination". Stoltenberg believes that Russia should not dictate to Ukraine which alliances to join. "The principle of self-determination of peoples is inherent in every nation," he said. According to politics, Russia's demands apply not only to Ukraine, but also to Sweden and Finland.

At a joint press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Stoltenberg said he had invited Russia to attend a series of meetings within the Russia-NATO Council. NATO partners are ready to make concrete proposals, the Norwegian said. According to him, the subject of negotiations could be reducing risks during hostilities, greater transparency and improving communication channels. He also mentioned arms control, disarmament and the "Ukrainian conflict" as additional topics.

 On the issue of the common position of NATO countries, Stoltenberg said that in an alliance with 30 members there are always disagreements. "This is not a weakness, this is a strength - as long as we agree to defend each other," Stoltenberg said in an interview with the Körber Foundation and Der Spiegel.

The pandemic has led to the collapse of populism

 

 Around the world, support for populism has fallen sharply, writes The Times, citing a study conducted by the University of Cambridge. According to the publication, the study involved 750,000 people from 109 countries. As a result, since the beginning of the pandemic, trust in technocrats and scientists has increased significantly in society, and trust in populists has decreased.

According to the authors of the study, a possible reason for this trend is that many people consider the policies of famous populists regarding the coronavirus pandemic to be a failure (especially Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro). Scholars also suggest that the pandemic has become a "unifying event," while populism tends to prevail in divided societies.

According to The Times, the survey notes that the proportion of Europeans willing to vote for populist parties has fallen by 11%. Researchers say some populists, such as Donald Trump and Andrei Babish, have already lost power, while others (such as Bolsonaro) are so unpopular that they are likely to be replaced soon. Even the position of leaders consolidating power, such as Viktor Orban and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has shaken markedly, the paper said, citing the survey.

 "From Erdogan and Bolsonaro to the 'strong leaders' of Eastern Europe, the world is experiencing a wave of populism. The coronavirus probably caused the smoothing of this wave, "the publication quotes one of the authors of the study, Dr. Robert Foy.

Macron presented his vision for a new European order and security

 French President Emmanuel Macron presented the strategy of France during its EU presidency from the podium in Strasbourg. He was applauded for his efforts to strengthen the autonomy of the European Union and strengthen cooperation in Europe, but was criticized for using the European Parliament's rostrum in his campaign to re-elect France's president, Le Monde reported.

Above all, Macron called on Europeans to be brave so that the EU can establish itself as a "force of the future" and a "sovereign" so that it does not depend on other world powers. He called on Europe to create a "new security order" with NATO in the face of Russia and called for an "honest and demanding dialogue" with Russia.

 "The coming weeks should help us implement the European proposal to build a new order of security and stability. "We need to create it among Europeans, then share it with our NATO allies, and then offer it for negotiations with Russia," Macron said.

Ever since his election as French President in 2017, Emmanuel Macron has been at the helm of the European Union as opposed to nationalists and populists. He says his priority is to protect the rule of law, it is a "treasure", and "nations far from it must be convinced of this". And to strengthen the rule of law, Macron wants to include the right to abortion and the right to protect the environment in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

 Although Macron himself has not yet announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election in France, his opponents have not failed to accuse him of running his own election campaign. Green Representative Yannick Jado said: "You will go down in history as president of climate inaction, preferring to procrastinate rather than call for joint mobilization." Others criticized Macron for his actions on immigration, for his broken promises about the climate, writes Le Monde.
 

Anthony Blinken defended Ukraine's "democratic and European path"

 

 US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who visited Kiev on Wednesday, called on Ukrainians to "stick together", warning that - with 100,000 Russian troops gathered at the border - one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's goals is to provoke internal divisions. writes the European edition of Politico.

"Our strength depends on preserving our unity, and that includes unity in Ukraine," Blinken said, appearing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before the meeting. "One of Moscow's long-standing goals is to try to sow divisions between and within countries, and we simply cannot and will not allow them to do so. So our message to all our friends here and to all the global leaders of Ukraine, as well as to its citizens, is to stick together and stick to this unity, to strengthen it. "It has never been more important, especially since the country is facing the possibility of renewed Russian aggression."

Blinken noted that he was part of a parade of Western officials appearing in the Ukrainian capital in recent days. German Foreign Minister Analena Burbock was there on Monday, ahead of a visit to Moscow on Tuesday.

 "I'm tempted to say that the last thing you need is another visitor, because I think Kiev may be the most popular destination in the world right now," Blinken said. But he added that US President Joe Biden had asked him to go and demonstrate Washington's continued support.

"Now, as always, it is up to the Ukrainians and no one else to decide their own future and the future of this country," Blinken said. "The Ukrainian people chose a democratic and European path in 1991. They came to the Maidan to defend this election in 2013. And unfortunately, since then you have faced relentless aggression from Moscow. "Russia has invaded Crimea, provoked a conflict in eastern Ukraine and is systematically trying to undermine and divide Ukrainian democracy."

Zelensky thanked Blinken and reiterated Ukraine's desire to join NATO, but also stressed that his country desperately needs help to defend itself.

"We are allocating the maximum funds during all the years of our country's independence - the maximum money to support our army," he said. "But to take very quick steps to modernize the army - we need help here, especially help in such times, difficult times - I think these times can be called difficult."

Millions die from antibiotic resistance

 

 More than 1.2 million people died globally in 2019 from infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to the largest study to date on the issue, quoted by the BBC.

The number is higher than the annual mortality from malaria or AIDS.

Poorer countries are most affected, but antimicrobial resistance (AMP) threatens everyone's health, the report said. Urgent investments in new drugs and the use of existing ones are wiser recommendations for protection against it.

70% of Covid patients in Bulgaria are unnecessarily prescribed antibiotics.

 Excessive use of antibiotics in recent years for trivial infections means that they are becoming less effective against serious diseases.

People die from common and previously treatable infections as the bacteria that cause them become more resistant to treatment.

British health officials have recently warned that antimicrobial resistance is a 'hidden pandemic' that could occur with Covid-19 if antibiotics are not prescribed more responsibly.

 British authorities warn of a "hidden pandemic" of antibiotic-resistant diseases

The assessment of global deaths due to AMP, published in the authoritative journal Lancet, is based on an analysis of 204 countries by a team of international researchers led by the University of Washington.

They estimate that up to 5 million people died in 2019 from diseases in which AMP played a role, in addition to those 1.2 million directly caused.

In the same year, AIDS is thought to have killed 860,000 people and malaria 640,000.

Britain has already sent seven planes, probably loaded with anti-tank missiles, to Ukraine

 

 The next, already seventh flight to Ukraine, since Monday, was carried out by a heavy military transport aircraft C-17A Globemaster III of the British Royal Air Force, according to data from Western air traffic monitoring sites, the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. “.

Another plane ZZ178 arrived on Wednesday at Borispol airport near Kiev. British planes take off for Ukraine from Brase Norton Air Force Base in England. The operation, which involved at least half of the eight Royal Air Force (RAF) heavy transport aircraft, began on Monday. Each C-17A Globemaster III is capable of carrying up to 77.5 tons of cargo.

 According to The Drive, each aircraft can deliver at least 24 pallets with 9 anti-tank systems in each. As of Wednesday, London may have delivered more than 1,500 NLAW portable anti-tank guided missiles to Ukraine.

The visit of Kiril Petkov with positive assessments in Sofia and Skopje

 

 A day after their first meeting, the Bulgarian Prime Minister said that with the first step Bulgaria has achieved great success. Petkov is satisfied with the agreement reached on cooperation in several areas with Macedonia and emphasizes that one of their main goals is the note that the Macedonian Foreign Ministry sent to the UN has been fulfilled, commented the Skopje TV channel "Channel 5".

On the one hand, we shook hands when we went there first, and on the other hand, they gave us a note that we hoped to receive two years ago. This note is much more important than just the short and long name. This note shows that  Macedonia there are no territorial claims to Bulgaria. It should be understood here that yesterday we achieved great success, "said Kiril Petkov - Prime Minister of Bulgaria.

Macedonian Prime Minister Kovachevski, for his part, said the fact that Bulgaria had agreed to use the country's short name was the first major step in the new chapter, which the two prime ministers promised to citizens of both countries.

"My colleague Petkov and I promised ourselves that we would use the new energy and improve the relations between the two countries through a new approach based on mutual respect. He and I have the same common goal - to create conditions for a better future for the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Bulgaria, "said Dimitar Kovachevski.

 The focus should be on economic cooperation, trade, infrastructure, and history should be kept in the background - this strategy has met with positive reactions from all politicians. But will the rapprochement of the two countries in this way be enough to unblock the path of the Republic of Macedonia for European integration, will the other requirements of the Bulgarian 5 + 1 package still not be circumvented? Political analyst Petar Arsovski says time will tell whether individual scoring is a good tactic.

 "In principle, we have to wait to see if this situation will lead to some new impetus to improve relations and whether a second step will follow. Both in Macedonia and in Bulgaria there is a saying that a swallow does not make a spring. Let's see if this swallow is one of many, or will remain the only one, "said Petar Arovski, a political analyst in Skopje.

One of the Bulgarian demands is the recognition of the Bulgarian minority in Macedonia. For President Pendarovski, this is interference in the country's internal affairs, and he assures that he will not allow unworthy decisions to be made.

 "No, there is no chance of that happening. Such a decision cannot be taken. First I will go to a press conference and say "people, I do not accept this". And I do not think that any agreement should be hidden from the Macedonian or Bulgarian public. This thing is not happening by force, we must tell the citizens - we are talking about it and it does not undermine our national positions, said Stevo Pendarovski - President of Macedonia.

 Unlike the president, according to DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, there is nothing controversial about the inclusion of the Bulgarian minority in the Macedonian constitution.

The chairman of VMRO-DPMNE, Hristian Mickoski, met with Petkov, and the party said he had told the Bulgarian prime minister his already known views.