Russian invasionRussian reactions
Analysis: Putin can afford to play a long-term game
Despite the setbacks in the war in Ukraine, Russia shows no signs of backing down, writes Olga Chyzh in an analysis in The Guardian.
Unlike democratic leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin does not have to answer to voters or the media. Which means he's acting in the much, much longer term.
Ukraine is well aware of that, Chyzh continues. And the country needs to prepare for a very long conflict, strengthen its relations with allies and build up its defense industry.
"The only way Ukraine can achieve lasting peace is by stockpiling the biggest weapons they can find."
In an analysis in Foreign Affairs, opposition politicians Garry Kasparov and Mikhail Khodorkovsky are of a partially opposite opinion. Putin's regime is living on borrowed time. But military support is crucial for the war to end, they write.
Still, some of Ukraine's key partners remain hesitant to supply Kyiv with the weapons it needs. In particular, US President Joe Biden's administration appears to fear the chaos that could accompany a decisive defeat for the Kremlin.
"This is a make-or-break moment for Ukraine," they write.
Margus Laidre was asked to leave Moscow during a visit to the Russian Foreign Ministry. AP
Russian invasionRussian reactions
Moscow and Tallinn expel ambassadors: "Russophobia"
Estonia expels Russia's ambassador in Tallinn. The move came just hours after Russia called on Estonia's ambassador in Moscow to leave the country. This is reported by the AFP news agency.
Now the diplomatic relations are downgraded considerably, but at an equivalent level. Russia's expulsion of the Estonian ambassador was said to be due to the "total Russophobia" in Estonia.
According to Helsingin Sanomat, Margus Laidre must leave Russia by February 7 at the latest. Now the same date applies to the Russian ambassador in Tallinn Vladimir Lipayev.
The move is said to be Moscow's response to Estonia reducing the Russian embassy in Tallinn by half. Estonia has expelled three Russian diplomats and closed the Russian consulates in Narva and Tartu. Similarly, Russia has demanded that Estonia close its consulate in St Petersburg.
Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrij Melnyk Michael Kappeler / AP
Russian invasionUkraine's response
Ukraine is pressuring Germany: Maybe time to hurry?
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk wades into the debate over whether Germany should allow its tanks to be exported for use in the war in Ukraine.
On Twitter, Melnyk writes that Ukraine officially asked Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks on March 3, 2022. Seven days after the Russian invasion began.
“Today is the 334th day of the barbaric Russian war. Maybe it's time to speed up this process?”, he writes.
Until last summer, Melnyk was Ukraine's ambassador in Berlin. He had to leave his post after calling Chancellor Olaf Scholz a "wronged liver sausage" ("beledigter Leberwurst", corresponding to "lipsill").
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock/Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki AP
The Russian invasion. The outside world's response
Poland asks Germany to send Leopard 2
Poland will ask Germany for permission to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, according to Reuters. At the same time, Morawiecki announces that it, together with other countries, will deliver tanks even if Germany does not give the green light.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday that the country will not stand in the way of a request from Poland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Russian invasionUkraine's response
Zelenskyy promises to crack down on corruption in the country
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promises to crack down on corruption within the state apparatus in Ukraine. He says so in his daily video speech on Sunday evening.
- The public must be fully informed and the state must take the necessary and powerful steps, he said, adding:
- I want to make it clear that we are not going back to how it worked before.
Corruption is a widespread problem in Ukraine as in several other former Soviet states. Some decisions to curb corruption have already been prepared, Zelenskyy continued in his speech.
The pledge comes after the country's deputy minister at the infrastructure department, Vasyl Lozynskyj, was fired amid allegations of fraud.
A Leopard 2 tank. Archive image. Philipp Schulze / AP
The Russian invasion. The outside world's response
Tanks in focus when ministers meet in Brussels
The EU's foreign ministers are gathering today in Brussels to discuss the Union's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports Bloomberg. One of the big questions is expected to be whether Germany can consider sending tanks of the Leopard 2 type to Ukraine. This weekend, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania demanded that Germany supply the Ukrainian army with the tanks.
Another issue on the table is the support package of 500 million euros that the Union must decide on. The money is to be used to supply Ukraine with weapons. The package is expected to be approved but there are fears that Hungary will veto it to stop it.
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