The Russian invasion. The outside world's response

 

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö during a press conference before a security meeting at Harpsund. Claudio Bresciani/TT

   

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

Niinistö: No discussions have been held about the Hornet plan 

 

During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin opened up about assisting the country with Finland's old Hornet plane. In that case, it would be done on the day they are replaced with new ones. 

 

But the statement has surprised at home, not least President Sauli Niinistö, reports Swedish Yle.  

 

- There has been no talk of the matter, says Niinistö. Nor did Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen (C) know that the Navy would mention the Hornet plan. According to him, Finland needs the plan itself.  

 

Sanna Marin and Volodymyr Zelenskyi. AP  

 

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

Navy opens to send fighter jets to Ukraine  

 

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin visited Kyiv and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Friday. During a press conference after the meeting, the Navy opened up to the possibility of sending Finland's old fighter plane, Hornetplan, to Ukraine to meet the country's wish, Swedish Yle reports. 

 

- Different countries are evaluating their own ability to deliver this type of military aid. In my opinion, we can also have a discussion regarding the Hornet plan.  

 

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell. Christine Olsson/TT  

The Russian invasion The sanctions  

The EU's foreign affairs chief in Stockholm: Not many sanctions left 

The EU has almost reached the end of the road regarding the economic sanctions against Russia. This is what EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell says to Euractiv after a meeting with the Union's defense ministers in Stockholm. 

- But we can continue to increase economic and military support to Ukraine, says Borrell and continues:

- Ukraine needs a lot of money just to keep the machinery running. A nation at war has many economic needs.  

The EU has so far hammered out ten different sanctions packages against Russia.

 

Both the US and China are developing their own variants, but are lagging behind. That Putin chose to flaunt such sophisticated robots shows that he possesses a capacity "that the United States and its allies do not yet have," writes the Washington Post. And it increases the pressure on Washington in the hypersonic arms race  

 

Russian fighter jet carries a Kinzhal robot. AP 

  

The Russian InvasionThe Battles  

"Unstoppable" robots raise questions about the West's capabilities  

 

Thursday's large-scale attack with hypersonic Kinzhal robots makes the West's vulnerability visible, writes the Washington Post in an analytical text. According to the newspaper, Russia fired half a dozen robots in a series of attacks that claimed a total of six lives and knocked out power in a number of Ukrainian cities.  

 

Hypersonic robots travel five times faster than sound and are easy to maneuver, making them difficult to stop. According to The Economist, they can switch targets mid-course and their trajectories are so unpredictable that a large area is kept at risk when they are in the air. 

 

But, the newspaper writes, even if the missiles are as advanced as Putin says, it is "unlikely that they will change the outcome of the war".  

 

 

Saudi Arabia's Security Adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban, Chinese diplomat Wang Yi and Secretary of Iran's Security Council Ali Shamkhani in Beijing on March 10, 2023. / Demonstration in Tehran on January 4, 2016 after Saudi Arabia's execution of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Noornews/AP/Vahid Salemi Enemies 

 

Iran and Saudi reconcile after seven difficult years  

 

Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic ties on Friday after a period of negotiations in Beijing led by China, international media reported. Riyadh cut ties in 2016 after protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran in response to the execution of a Shiite cleric, and later threatened to attack Iran.  

 

Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, who assisted in the negotiations, said China wants to "show responsibility as a great power," according to CNN.  

 

The two countries promise to open embassies within two months and warm up a frozen security agreement to cooperate against terrorism, drug-trafficking and money-laundering.  

 

- Neighborly harmony between Iran and Saudi Arabia is indispensable for stability in the Gulf region, commented UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, according to AP.

 

Combat aircraft in the Sukhoi Su-35 model. Misha Japaridze / Ap 

Iran: We have completed deal on Russian fighter jets  

Iran will be allowed to buy fighter jets of the Sukhoi Su-35 model from Russia, AFP reports, citing state Iranian media. 

The US has previously expressed concern about the deepened defense cooperation between the countries. John Kirby, spokesman for the US Security Council, warned in December that Russia could send military aircraft to Iran in return for the military support it has received since the invasion of Ukraine. According to the US, Iran has sent, among other things, tank and artillery ammunition.  

According to Kirby, the deal does not necessarily worsen the situation in Ukraine, but could lead to increased problems in the Middle East because it "significantly strengthens Iran's air force relative to its regional neighbors."