Nagorno-Karabakh: Russia reinforces troops after Azerbaijani armed incursion
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
A View from Baku: How Azerbaijan perceives the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Armenian Weekly, Mar 29 2022Azerbaijan continues to utilize the preoccupation of the international community with the war in Ukraine to pursue its long-term policy of ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh, by cutting off gas supplies and harassing the people, as well as achieving certain tactical gains on the ground through military means. By doing so, Azerbaijan is also testing the limits of the Russian peacekeepers and exerting psychological pressure on the Armenian government. Knowing that the EU needs its energy resources and Russia is busy in Ukraine, Azerbaijan will continue exerting additional pressure on Armenia to sign a conditional and humiliating “peace deal” with Baku.
Azerbaijan paving the way for new provocations in Karabakh, says Armenia
PanArmenian.net, Mar 29 2022Azerbaijan is paving the way for new provocations and attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), the Security Council of Armenia said in a statement on Monday, Mar 28. The Council said the security situation around Nagorno-Karabakh was extremely tense, and that their analysis shows that Azerbaijan, trying to find imaginary justifications, is paving the way for new provocations and attacks in Artsakh, including accusing Armenia of “unconstructive actions in the issue of the peace treaty.” “The Security Council, drawing the attention of the international community on the chances for armed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, considers it necessary to launch international containment mechanisms to prevent further military escalation and ethnic cleansing in the region.” The statement came amid renewed violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, as Azerbaijan stormed into the zone of the responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers stationed in the area and is refusing to completely withdraw its forces from strategic heights.
Artsakh MPs expect Azerbaijani troops to return to their initial positions
Panorama.am, Mar 29 2022The five factions of the Artsakh National Assembly on Tuesday issued the following statement after the restoration of gas supplies in the country: “On Mar 28, the gas supply, which had been artificially disrupted by Azerbaijan for a few days, was restored in the Artsakh Republic. Gas supply is a purely humanitarian issue, but Azerbaijan has used it as a means of exerting pressure on and terrorizing the Artsakh people. However, the Artsakh Armenians, once again demonstrating high civic responsibility, managed to overcome the situation. This policy of repressions has been strongly criticized by the Republic of Armenia, the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the international community, in particular, the Russian Federation, the US, France, as well as a number of other countries and international organizations. All the factions of the National Assembly of the Artsakh Republic express gratitude to the international institutions and our friends for taking a principled stance. At the same time, highly valuing the consistent steps being taken by the Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in the Artsakh Republic, we expect the Azerbaijani troops to return to their starting positions.”
Russian Peacekeepers to Boost Presence in Askeran Region of Karabakh
Massis Post, Mar 29 2022The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh said on Tuesday that it will deploy more soldiers in and around a local village that was occupied by Azerbaijani forces last week. In a social media post, the contingent’s command said the deployment of its “reserve forces” is aimed at preventing the Azerbaijani army from pushing deeper into Karabakh’s eastern Askeran district. Azerbaijani troops captured the Askeran village of Parukh and advanced towards a strategic mountain to the west of it last Thursday, meeting with stiff resistance from Karabakh Armenian forces. Deadly fighting there stopped by Saturday evening following the intervention of the Russian peacekeepers. The peacekeepers took control of Parukh on Monday after Moscow warned Baku to leave their “zone of responsibility.” According to Karabakh authorities, although Azerbaijani forces withdrew from the village itself, they continue to occupy a section of the Karaglukh mountain. Karabakh’s Defense Army said on Monday that it is also taking “additional containment measures” to avert further Azerbaijani advances in the area about 35 km east of Stepanakert.
Azeri troops trying to annoy Karabakh residents out of their homes
PanArmenian.net, Mar 29 2022The Azerbaijani military has been loudly playing mugham pieces for three days now, as well as threatening through loudspeakers, thus trying to make the residents of the Armenian village of Taghavard leave their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). According to Rudik Baghdasaryan, a local official, the villagers are getting used to the “unpleasant” music and trying to live as best they can. “Now they have come up with something new: they say ‘abandon the village if you don’t want to suffer the same fate as Parukh,’” Pastinfo cited Baghdasaryan as saying on Tuesday, Mar 29. Baghdasaryan’s comments come amid renewed violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, as Azerbaijan has stormed into the zone of the responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers stationed in the area and is refusing to completely withdraw its forces from strategic heights.
Russian official calls on MP to refrain from making unfriendly statements against Azerbaijan
AzerNews, Mar 29 2002Russia’s Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov called on Member of State Duma Mikhail Delyagin to control his personal emotions and abstain from making unfriendly statements against Azerbaijan, Trend reports citing TASS. “This statement derives from an outburst of personal emotions. We would urge to control these emotions and refrain from such statements, particularly against our partners. Azerbaijan belongs to the category of partner states,” Peskov said while commenting on the MP’s announcement on the possibility of strikes against the Azerbaijani oil infrastructure amidst the escalation of the situation in Karabakh.
Biden’s colossal military budget, global bellicosity won’t save him from domestic crisis
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Biden mired in credibility crisis on Ukraine amid attempt to seek defense spending boost
Fanning war to divert internal conflicts won’t work or make US great
Wang Qi, Liu Xuanzun, Global Times, Mar 29 2022The White House on Monday asked Congress for an $813b national defense in 2023, including $773b for the Pentagon, a 4% rise from the 2022 submission, with the “pacing challenge” of China and the “Russian aggression” to justify the request. A day after Biden forcefully declared in Poland that Putin “cannot remain in power,” a national poll released by NBC News on Sunday ironically showed that Biden’s job approval fell to its lowest in his presidency, amid inflation, COVID-19 outbreaks, and concerns of rising military expenditure and the escalating Ukraine crisis. On the sharp contrast between the record-breaking defense budget request and lowest approval rating, Chinese experts said the White House should be aware that creating rivals and showing military toughness is not the way to win public support and make the US look great again. The days of creating tension or even war to solve deep problems at home are gone, and the US’ position on the Ukraine crisis is not as justified as it thinks it is, they said. The budget, according to US media, also includes $6.9b for the European Deterrence Initiative and $1.8b to expand the US military presence in the Indo-Pacific region. And there is an additional $682m for Ukraine to fight Russia.
“Persistent threats” posed by Iran and North Korea were also mentioned in the budget request. US Sec Def Austin said in a statement on Monday that the budget “reflects our National Defense Strategy and the focus of that strategy on the pacing challenge of China.” But the fact is that China’s defense budget in 2022 is about $230b, meaning that the US military budget will remain nearly four times China’s and leads the world. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin slammed Washington on Tuesday that their report is full of Cold War and bloc confrontation mentality. “China and Russia are two major countries. The US attempt to contain and suppress them will not succeed. The US should reflect on its responsibilities in the Ukraine crisis, review and correct the practice of creating imaginary enemies, ignoring other countries’ political and security concerns and mobilizing bloc confrontation,” Wang said. The US’ military spending hike risks an arms race and threatens global stability and peace, and this is dangerous to not only China, but also other countries, analysts said. The US has been fanning the flames and stirring trouble all over the world so it can benefit from the conflicts, analysts said, noting that the US not only gains geopolitical advantages through the conflicts it triggered, but also economic gains through the sale of arms, among others.
It is very likely that the latest poll would not impact Biden’s aggressive 2023 budget. A day before the defense budget request, a poll conducted by NBC News showed that 70% of Americans expressed “low confidence” in Biden’s ability to deal with the Ukraine crisis. It also found that the 79-year-old president’s job approval ratings had declined to 40%, the lowest of his presidency, during the country’s largest inflation spike in 40 years. 71% of Americans said they believe the nation is headed on the wrong track, according to a NBC poll. Some experts said some Americans are panicked by the “threat of a war” their government is fomenting, but Biden could also lose points if he is not strong enough on the Ukraine crisis to underscore US “international leadership.” Liu Weidong, a research fellow at the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that isolationism has played a critical role in US political culture, and for a long time, Americans have been reluctant to get directly involved in foreign conflicts that do not concern them. In the wake of the Ukraine crisis, isolationists felt more threatened because they believe that the US would be drawn into another foreign war, especially as American troops were just withdrawn from Afghanistan, Liu said.
According to NBC‘s poll, 82% said they’re concerned that the Ukraine crisis will involve nuclear weapons, and 74% said they’re concerned the US will send combat troops to Ukraine. By increasing military spending, the US continues to foment conflict and antagonism, which will cause more anxiety and panic, Liu said. A combined 57% of respondents said they believe the US is already at war with Russia or that it will be within the next year, according to the NBC. Unlike the embarrassing war in Afghanistan which the US found itself mired in for over two decades, Biden now faces Russia, a nuclear power, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. According to Lü, Biden’s approval rating has slipped further after almost every big international diplomatic event. Tensions between the US and many other countries, including Russia, are deepening rather than being relieved. During his trip to Europe to reinforce ally unity, Biden said surprisingly on Saturday that Putin should no longer remain in power. He also condemned Putin as a “butcher.” Biden on Monday said he was expressing his outrage but will not make apologies.
Given that a federal tax investigation on President Biden’s son Hunter’s gains and relations with a Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings, which reportedly also has close ties with Zelensky, analysts view the US President as complicating matters in Ukraine. Russia on Sunday claimed that Hunter helped finance a US military “bioweapons” research program in Ukraine, the Daily Mail reported, citing new emails it exclusively obtained. Emails from Hunter’s abandoned laptop show he helped secure millions of dollars of funding for Metabiota, a US DoD contractor specializing in research on pandemic-causing diseases that could be used as bioweapons. Biden is personalizing the bilateral ties between the US and Russia, and Americans are aware of the additional risks that personal grievances pose to the country, Lü said. “Once the entire US is dragged into a conflict with Russia because of the Biden family, the cost of war would be unaffordable.” Citing Trump’s criticism of the Iraq war during the 2016 election race, Lü said the old days of using war or conflict to divert internal conflicts are gone and this does not make leaders great. “The American people are tired of war because the lessons of the past 20 years have been too profound.”
EU advisers urge full NATO membership for Israel
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Israel urged to join NATO as Turkey seeks ‘golden prize’ of EU membership
Daily Express (Britain), Mar 29 2022Israel has been urged to join NATO after two diplomatic experts said “it is time to start building” towards full membership of the intergovernmental military alliance. Israel took a step closer to NATO in 2014 when it was granted the so-called ‘Major Non-NATO Ally’ classification which added additional support on both defence and energy infrastructure. Further steps have been taken in 2016 when Israel was allowed to launch its liaison office at NATO headquarters and in 2017 after it formally signed a cooperation agreement with the defence bloc. Writing in the Brussels Times, EU advisors Alexandre Krauss and Nuno Wahnon-Martins said: “With a solid democracy and values driven society, Israel military capabilities would fit perfectly the present and future needs of the Alliance. The military quality hardware, technology or intelligence would enhance NATO’s existing capabilities. In a moment where NATO’s budget burned share is at the centre of many debates, Israel’s military budget is near the singular value of 4.5% of GDP.” However, Krauss and Wahnon-Martins warn one of NATO’s articles could make war in the Middle East more likely if Israel ascended into the bloc.
Pentagon: NATO executes military deployments to Russian border with unmatched speed
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
General Says NATO Is Stepping Up Defense Investments
US Dept of Defense, Mar 29 2022“We are witnessing a generational moment, a historic demonstration of unity in will and an unprecedented effort by allies to strengthen defense while simultaneously helping those in need,” said USAF General Tod Wolters, head of EUCOM and NATO SACEUR. For instance, NATO ally Germany has committed to meeting the alliance’s 2% benchmark for military spending, he said. “We expect other allies will follow and redouble efforts to adequately invest in defense…from Turkey in the southeast, to Norway, Sweden and Finland.” Years of focused investment through the European Reassurance Initiative and European Deterrence Initiative include facilities, prepositioned equipment, rotational deployments, and all-domain exercises to improve speed and agility, Wolters said. Thanks to these initiatives, the Army was able to deploy an entire armored brigade combat team from the US to Germany in just one week amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he said. “That level of speed and agility is unmatched.” USAF Gen Jacqueline D Van Ovost, commander of US Transportation Command, testified that TRANSCOM, in concert with EUCOM, is providing critical aid to Ukraine and assuring NATO allies through troop deployments and exercises.
US senator, ex-VP candidate pushes permanent NATO membership mandate
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Senate bill aims to prevent US from leaving NATO
WDVM, Mar 29 2022Virginia Senator Tim Kaine is pushing for legislation that could prevent the US from leaving NATO. The bill was first introduced in 2018 by Kaine alongside Senators Jack Reed, John McCain, and Cory Gardner. It was reintroduced by Kaine and Florida Senator Marco Rubio in April of last year. Sen Kaine says the bill would require any president to get Senate approval to leave NATO. If the president tries to leave without that approval, the bill would block any funding to enable the exit and the attempt could be brought to court. “I think Congress sending a very clear…message that we’re strongly supporting NATO and that no president would ever be able to withdraw from NATO, absent approval by the Senate or Congress would be a reassurance and additional level of reassurance to our NATO allies,” Kaine said. Kaine argues there is no guidance for how the United States exits a treaty. He went on to explain that this bill would not be applicable to all treaties but only to the Washington Treaty, formerly known as the North Atlantic Treaty which NATO is named after. He told reporters during a press availability that NATO is more important now than ever, especially with the current war in Ukraine. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 21 to 1 to pass the bill which is now headed to the Senate floor.
Marine deployment raises recent US Eastern European buildup to 12k troops
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
400 Marines deploy in Eastern Europe as part of US response to Ukraine war
Air Force Times, Mar 29 2022Three Marine Corps aviation units have joined more than 10k US troops mobilized to Eastern Europe and Germany in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the DoD announced Tuesday. The Marines already had been on the continent as part of NATO’s Cold Response exercise in Norway, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Military Times. Now, 200 members of Marine Air Control Unit 28, based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, are in Lithuania. That brings the number of US troops deployed in response to the war in Ukraine to more than 12k. To date, the vast majority of troops have been Army and Air Force personnel, though the Navy threw its hat in the ring by sending six EA-18G Growlers to Germany, Kirby announced Monday.
NATO to dispatch 800 more Danish troops for Baltic battle groups
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Denmark says ready to send 800 NATO troops to Baltic states
AFP, Mar 29 2022Denmark said on Tuesday it was making a battalion of 800 troops available to NATO in Baltic countries. The Nordic country has already deployed some 200 military personnel, fighter jets to Estonia and Lithuania and sent a frigate to the east of the Baltic Sea. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference: “We are already significantly present on the ground, but we are ready to do more. This is why the government will suggest sending a battalion of 800 to Baltic countries.” Frederiksen is due to travel Wednesday to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including visiting Danish troops there.
Denmark may be sending 800 additional troops to Baltic states
ERR News, Mar 29 2022Denmark may commit to sending 800 more troops to the Baltic States, that country’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, says. Denmark is already a regular contributor to the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup at Tapa, and around 200 of its personnel are currently based there. Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV 2, ERR reports: “We’re already there, but we’re ready to do significantly more.”
Projects with NATO states, Israel: Romania to produce mini-submarines, drones for Black Sea
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
DefMin Dincu: We will have production of subassemblies, drones, mini-subs in Romania
Nine O’Clock News, Mar 29 2022The Minister of National Defence Vasile Dincu declared on Tuesday that our country will manufacture drones and mini-subs in the next two or three years. Asked, in Parliament, if it is possible in our country to open new units of arms manufacturing, Dincu said: “Certainly. We will have at least subassemblies, we will manufacture drones in Romania, we will have a production of mini-subs, we will have productions tied to arms and in the armored area as well. In the coming years, two or three years, we will already have productions and we could even have them sooner. There are elements that have already begun, elements of joint ventures made with important countries, such as Germany, Italy, the US, Israel. We already have maintenance units, such as the one in Bacau, maintenance for F16 aircraft, the national maintenance center, we hope that we will be able to accredit as many national centers for maintenance of armored vehicles as we can.” He added that Parliament will most likely approve next year to increase GDP spending for defence and that there is already an acquisition list in the plan within the strategic document of Romania’s Army 2040.
Hungary: Sunday election a referendum on war or peace
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Orbán: Risk of being dragged into war at stake
Hungarian Telegraphic Office, Mar 29 2022The prime minister said in a video on Facebook: “Ruining ourselves won’t help, regardless of how our hearts beat as one with the Ukrainians. The demand by the Ukrainians and the Hungarian left to simply turn off the energy pipelines coming from Russia cannot be met because we’d be ruining ourselves, and I doubt that would have been of any help to anyone. What’s most at stake in the Apr 3 election is whether or not we will be dragged into the war. War destroys things, peace builds them up.”
Orbán: Risk of war at stake in Sunday’s general election
Hungary Today, Mar 29 2022Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with commercial news channel HírTV on Monday: “Hungary’s nationally minded political camp has made it clear that we stand on the side of peace and Hungary cannot be dragged into the war. The nationally minded camp in Hungary says that this is a Russian-Ukrainian war and we’re Hungarians. We’ll help those in need, but at the same time we won’t take a single step that would get Hungary into trouble. We can’t help anyone by ruining ourselves. If we get drawn into the war, which isn’t our war, we’ll have nothing to gain but everything to lose. The nationally minded camp says that we’ll stay on the side of peace, we won’t ship weapons, we won’t send soldiers and we won’t allow the transit of weapons across Hungary’s territory into Ukraine.”
Ukraine Leaders Criticize Hungary
Hungary Today, Mar 29 2022Deputy prime minister Irina Vereshchuk of Ukraine sharply criticised Hungary for refusing to send weapons to Ukraine and mistakenly accused the Hungarian government of not joining Western sanctions against Russia. In Magyar Nemzet, Lászlő Szőcs describes the position of the Hungarian government as one of grief over the suffering of the Ukrainian people, while making sure that the conflict doesn’t spill over Ukraine’s borders. He welcomes NATO’s policy not to send weaponry to Ukraine as an alliance whilst allowing individual member countries to send defensive weapons. He suggests in his closing remark, without mentioning the United States by name, that one country which ‘influenced Ukrainian politics for years’ may now feel remorse at the sight of the destruction there.
Szijjarto: Left would send weapons to Ukraine
Budapest Times, Mar 29 2022If the left wing wins the parliamentary election, they will immediately approve sanctions on natural gas and crude oil supplies and they will immediately start weapons transports to Ukraine, the foreign minister said on Tuesday. Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that Peter Marki-Zay, the “the prime ministerial candidate of the Left,” had sent a message to the Ukrainian president in a Twitter post, showing that they had struck an agreement. They have agreed that in case the left wing forms the next government in Hungary, they will immediately vote in support of sanctions on natural gas and crude oil supplies and start weapons transports to Ukraine, Szijjarto said. The Twitter message supports earlier information about the existence of such an agreement, he added. Szijjarto said Hungary would suffer immediate and serious consequences if that agreement is fulfilled. The start of weapons transports would immediately get Hungary involved in the war because they would be military targets, he said. The approval of the sanctions on crude oil and natural gas supplies would threaten fuel supplies and heating in Hungary, and it would result in the economy getting to the verge of a standstill, he added. The united opposition has called on Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to resign over press reports suggesting that Russia’s secret services have “practically unlimited access to the information systems of the foreign ministry.”
MPs: Georgia doesn’t need another war with Russia at Ukraine’s behest
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Ruling party MP calls on opposition “not to act like fifth column” amid Ukraine war
Agenda.ge, Mar 29 2022Irakli Zarkua, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, has called on opposition parties in Georgia to avoid “acting like the fifth column” in the country amid the crisis of the war in Ukraine. In comments on the parties’ stance on Georgia’s position on the backdrop of the conflict, Zarkua criticised the opposition and urged them to condemn a recent call by some officials in Ukraine for Georgia to help the country’s defence from Russian invasion by opening up military fronts to retake its Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The MP said during a parliamentary debate on Tuesday: “Do not be the fifth column. Come out and say that the statement made by one of the Ukrainian officials is unacceptable. You did not say a word about this. You talk about how you love Georgia. Enough is enough. Georgia went through this in 2008.”
Ruling Party MP: Georgia’s territorial integrity can only be restored through peaceful means
Agenda.ge, Mar 29 2022The citizens living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied territories should know the Government’s position that the country’s territorial integrity can only be restored through peaceful means and not through use of force, Sozar Subari, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, said at a Parliament plenary sitting today. Subari said: “This is a policy that our country is not going to deviate from. Our fellow citizens living in the occupied territories – Abkhazians, Ossetians and citizens of any nationality – can be confident that we are not waiting for a ‘right moment’ to restore our territorial integrity with weapons. It is completely unacceptable when politicians of a friendly country directly call us to join the war.” The Georgian MP was referring to recent statements of Ukrainian officials Aleksei Danilov and Volodymyr Viatrovych, who had said Georgia would “greatly help” Ukraine in its defence from the ongoing Russian invasion by opening fronts against Russia to forcefully regain control over the occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Georgia to attend NATO ministerial with other advanced partners
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Georgian Foreign Minister invited to NATO ministerial
Agenda.ge, Mar 29 2022David Zalkaliani, the Georgian Foreign Minister, has been invited to the meeting of foreign ministers of NATO member and allied states, with the event launching next week in Brussels. Between Apr 6-7, the ministerial will gather ministers of Australia, Finland, Georgia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Sweden and Ukraine. Beside the national officials, it will also involve the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The first day of the two-day ministerial will involve the gathered ministers in a working lunch, with the North Atlantic Council holding two sessions on the subsequent day. The in-person meeting will be chaired by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
US, British troops, Dutch F-35s heading to Bulgaria
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Bulgarian Defense Minister: We can’t Supply Ukraine with Something We don’t have. F-35s will Arrive from the Netherlands
Novinite, Mar 29 2022Regarding the NATO battalion group, which will operate on the territory of Bulgaria under Bulgarian command, Defense Minister Dragomir Zakov informed that there is a contribution from the US, Britain, Albania and Italy, and in 1-2 months it will be staffed, and then the command will be taken over by the Italian military. He stressed that it is a deterrent and is intended for defense. Zakov said: “Next week, Dutch F-35 fighters will arrive in our country to help the Bulgarian Air Force protect the country’s airspace. Practical rotation is forthcoming next week. First come two, if I’m not mistaken, but you know that by decision of the Council of Ministers, there can be up to eight with the appropriate, of course, support and service staff.”
Defence Minister: Bulgaria’s multinational battle group will be ready in two months
Sofia Globe, Mar 29 2022Formation of Bulgaria’s multinational battle group is continuing and it is expected to be at full complement within two months, Defence Minister Dragomir Zakov told reporters on Mar 29. Preparations are currently underway with the US military, and contingents from the United Kingdom, Albania and Italy are ready to join, Zakov said. Zakov said that he had held talks with his Italian counterpart, who had reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to a significant contribution to the battle group. He said that Dutch F-35 fighters would arrive in Bulgaria next week. Initially, two would arrive, and in line with the Bulgarian Cabinet’s decision, the number may increase to eight. There are currently Spanish Air Force fighter jets in Bulgaria, which will be in the country for at least two more weeks, Zakov said. He said that the only option for Bulgaria’s military to be combat-ready in the short and medium term was to work with its NATO allies and EU partners.
Did Biden confirm US is training Ukrainian troops in Poland?
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
US training Ukrainian troops in Poland?
Polskie Radio, Mar 29 2022Joe Biden appears to have revealed that the US is training Ukrainian soldiers in Poland amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a Polish website. Last Friday, the American president visited US troops stationed in the Polish city of Rzeszów, the dorzeczy.pl website reported in an article on Tuesday. Biden congratulated them on being “the finest fighting force in the history of the world,” dorzeczy.pl noted. Biden also said at the time, as quoted by the White House: “Ukrainian people have a lot of backbone. They have a lot of guts. And I’m sure you’re observing it, and I don’t mean just their military, which is — we’ve been training since back when they — Russia moved into the — in the southeast — southeast Ukraine — but also the average citizen. Look at how they’re stepping up. You’re going to see women, young people standing — standing in the middle of — in front of a damn tank, just saying, ‘I’m not leaving. I’m holding my ground.’ They’re incredible. We’re in the midst of — and I don’t want to sound too philosophic here — but you’re in the midst of a fight between democracies and oligarchs.” On Monday, Biden was asked about those remarks, which journalists said implied US troops could be sent to Ukraine, dorzeczy.pl reported. Biden denied this, but his words suggested that Ukrainian soldiers were currently stationed in Poland, according to dorzeczy.pl. Biden told reporters, as quoted by dorzeczy.pl: “I was talking to the troops — we’re talking about helping train the troops in, that are — the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland. That’s the context. I was referring to, with — being with and talking with the Ukrainian troops who are in Poland.”
Organization of Turkic States notified of impending Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey war games
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Rules to hold Azerbaijani, Turkish, Georgian Special Forces’ exercises identified
Trend News Agency, Mar 29 2002Rules to hold the ‘Caucasian Eagle’ joint exercises between Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian Special Forces have been identified, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijan’s Parliament. According to the bill “On approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia on the Caucasian Eagle exercises of the special forces,” the parties should notify the Secretariat of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States in written form about the completion of domestic legal procedures for the MoU’s enforcement.
US Eurasian energy war and the Azerbaijan-Israel-Turkey nexus
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Turkey-Israel pipeline on table as Europe’s alternative to Russian gas
Daily Sabah, Mar 29 2022A natural gas pipeline between Turkey and Israel is being discussed behind the scenes as one of Europe’s alternatives to Russian energy supplies, government and industry officials in both countries said. First conceived years ago, the idea is to build a subsea pipeline from Turkey to Israel’s largest offshore natural gas field, Leviathan. Gas would flow to Turkey and on to Southern European neighbors looking to diversify away from Russia. Turkey and Israel proclaimed a new era in relations earlier this month after a years-long rift as Israeli President Isaac Herzog made a landmark visit to Ankara. Erdoğan said last week that gas cooperation was “one of the most important steps we can take together for bilateral ties,” and told reporters he was ready to send top ministers to Israel to revive the pipeline idea that has hung in the air for years. A senior Turkish official told Reuters talks have continued since Herzog’s visit and “concrete decisions” could follow in coming months on a proposed route and participating entities. The Leviathan field already supplies Israel, Jordan and Egypt. Chevron and Israeli firms NewMed Energy and Ratio Oil, its owners, plan to crank up production from 12 to 21 bcm/yr. Much of the extra gas output will be liquified and exported on ships to Europe or the Far East, according to NewMed. Its chief executive said last month Turkey could become a destination too, but needed to commit to building the pipeline. Israel and Turkey are looking to put a decade of diplomatic impasses, usually over Israeli-Palestinian issues, behind them. Energy partnership could be key, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine made Europe more determined to find alternatives to its energy supplies. Another Turkish official said: “There has been a recent rapprochement with Israel and we want its gas to transit Turkey en route to Europe. Israel is looking positively on this, some talks have been held and there is a will to do it.”
Plans for a subsea pipeline that would carry Israeli gas from the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe via Greek Cyprus, Greece and Italy, excluding Turkey, have stalled after the US expressed misgivings in January. Turkey has long opposed the project and has stressed that any scheme that aims to sideline the rights of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean will be unsuccessful. The EastMed pipeline had enjoyed the support of the former Trump administration in the US. However, in an apparent U-turn, the Biden administration in January expressed doubts about the project, citing concerns over its economic viability and environmental costs. Turkey consumes about 50 bcm/yr of natural gas and imports nearly all of that, most through pipelines from Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan. It is well placed as a transport hub in the region where energy politics can be heated. Citing Iraqi and Turkish officials, Reuters has reported that a plan to bring gas from Iraq’s Kurdistan region to Turkey and Europe, with Israel’s help, is part of what triggered Iran’s missile attack on Irbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government, this month. A senior official in the Israeli gas sector said: “Turkey is of great interest, for its domestic consumption as well as a channel to countries in southern Europe. The problem is that there are already two proposed routes for the extra supplies from Leviathan, via existing LNG plants in Egypt or a planned floating LNG facility. If Turkey responds quickly then it may be a third alternative.” The pipeline would run 500-550 km and cost up to $1.5b to build, according to Israeli officials, making it more manageable than the €6b EastMed proposed to connect Israel with Greek Cyprus, Greece and Italy.
US, Azerbaijan have to write new chapter in energy story – former US ambassador
Trend News Agency, Mar 23 2022The US and Azerbaijan have to be writing a new chapter in the energy story as part of efforts on addressing climate change, former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told Trend. According to him, the US and Azerbaijan are working closely to ensure the supply of needed oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to European and other countries, thus improving European and global energy security. The former ambassador said: “Cooperation on the energy front certainly has been one of the core aspects of our relationship. The wisdom and value of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor are readily visible in the face of the current global energy realities. I know a number of countries have been approaching Azerbaijan looking for increased energy supplies, for example of natural gas. I know not every request can be met, but I very much hope that consideration will be given to finding ways to increase the secure, predictable flow of hydrocarbons from the Caspian region across the Caucasus to world markets. Over the past thirty years, the US and Azerbaijan have worked together. Azerbaijani troops played important roles in various operations, including in helping maintain order the Kabul Airport with NATO partners during those difficult days in Aug 2021. The world saw the ability of Azerbaijani forces to cooperate effectively with the US, Turkey, the UK and others in the very difficult final days in Kabul. The US appreciates the critical role of Azerbaijan’s geostrategic location between Russia to the north and Iran to the south for trans-Eurasian transportation, communications, and trade. While our two countries have developed strong partnerships over the last thirty years, it is important to be thinking about how the picture in the Caucasus, in the Middle East, in Central Asia, in Europe is changing.”
Uzbekistan: Turkey extends NATO influence throughout Central Asia
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Turkey, Uzbekistan to hold 2nd high-level cooperation council
Daily Sabah, Mar 29 2022Turkey and Uzbekistan will hold the second high-level strategic cooperation council during Erdoğan’s two-day visit to the capital Tashkent on Tuesday. Apart from bilateral ties, the two leaders are also expected to address regional and international issues. Erdoğan said in an article published in the New Uzbekistan newspaper on Tuesday: “The relations between Turkey and Uzbekistan, which we have described as a strategic partnership based on brotherhood, are developing in an atmosphere of mutual trust in all areas. In the framework of our talks, we will discuss the political, economic, military and social aspects of our bilateral cooperation in many areas. At a time when Turkey is expanding its ties with this ancient continent in the Asian Century under the slogan ‘More Asia,’ we have a long history of deepening relations with our brotherly Uzbekistan in all areas.” Diplomatic ties between the two countries were established on Mar 4 1992, months after Uzbekistan declared its independence on Aug 31 1991. Tashkent and Ankara marked three decades of diplomatic relations on Mar 4. Turkey was also the first country to recognize Uzbekistan’s independence on Dec 16 1991. Uzbekistan-Turkey relations were raised to the level of strategic partnership in 2017. The same year, officials from the two nations also held a long-stalled Joint Economic Commission meeting and established the Turkey-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in 2018. Ankara hosted the first meeting of this council in 2020. Uzbekistan also officially joined the Organization of Turkic States in 2019 and is expected to host the annual summit on Nov 11 this year. On another note, Erdoğan also commented on Uzbekistan’s growing role in the region, saying: “We appreciate Uzbekistan’s leading role in mitigating the effects of human tragedies in Afghanistan. We support the transformation of Termez into a logistics hub for all international organizations.” Germany had warplanes and troops in Termez for the war in Afghan. The Kremlin had no problem with German troops on former Soviet territory.
Ukraine: NATO Quad, Turkey to act as “security guarantors”
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Ukraine wants to see 8 countries, including Turkiye, as security guarantors
Anadolu Agency, Mar 29 2022Ukraine wants to see eight countries, including Turkiye, as guarantors in a possible deal with Russia, said a Ukrainian negotiator after peace talks in Istanbul on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters, David Arakhamia said they are seeking an international agreement where the countries would serve as guarantors of Ukraine’s security. Mykhailo Podolyak, another top Ukrainian negotiator and adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a tweet said Ukraine proposed a security guarantees treaty “with an enhanced analogue of Article 5 of NATO.” The proposal would involve the US, UK, Turkey, France, Germany as guarantor states to “legally actively” protect Ukraine “from any aggression,” added Podolyak.
NATO powerhouse Turkey poses as beneficent peacemaker
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
The regime that has conducted and is still conducting wars in Iraq, Libya, Syria and the Caucasus. Erdoğan is transparently angling for the Nobel Peace Prize (with also-ran Emanuel Macron).
Turkey says meaningful progress in Russia-Ukraine talks achieved in Istanbul
Hurriyet Daily News, Mar 29 2022Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said that the most meaningful progress in Russia-Ukraine negotiations was achieved in Istanbul since the teams of the two countries have launched peace talks. Çavuşoğlu told reporters after the Russian-Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul on Mar 29: “Today, we are pleased to see that the rapprochement between the parties has increased at every stage. Consensus and common understanding were reached on some issues. Today’s talks are an indicator of trust to us. We are aware of the trust placed in us and our responsibility.” Çavuşoğlu noted that the Turkish side also held separate meetings with the Ukrainian and Russian delegations and discussed the issues of humanitarian aid and humanitarian corridors. Erdoğan urged the Ukrainian and Russian negotiation teams for a peace agreement to “put an end to the tragedy” sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as the delegations held face-to-face talks in Istanbul on Mar 29. Erdoğan said in his speech at the opening of the meeting of the delegations at the Presidential Dolmabahçe office: “Ensuring a ceasefire and peace as soon as possible would benefit all parties. We think we have entered a period when concrete results should be achieved at the talks. Given the current progress, you as members of delegations have undertaken a historic responsibility. The entire world is awaiting beneficial and good news from you. You are laying the foundation for peace in line with the directives of your leaders. We stand ready for all kinds of contributions that will facilitate your work.”
Kremlin confirms Abramovich’s unofficial involvement in Russian-Ukrainian talks
Interfax, Mar 29 2022MOSCOW: Businessman Roman Abramovich is taking part in the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations at the approval of both parties, although he is not an official member of the Russian delegation, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. Referring to the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations currently ongoing in Istanbul, Peskov told journalists on Tuesday: “Abramovich has been engaged in ensuring certain contacts between the Russian and the Ukrainian side. He is not an official delegation member. Our delegation is led by presidential aide Medinsky. Nevertheless, he is also present on our side in Istanbul.” Abramovich’s participation in the talks has been endorsed by both sides, he said. Peskov insisted also that reports alleging that Abramovich had been poisoned during one of the previous rounds of the talks, which were made on the eve of the Istanbul round of the Russian-Ukrainian talks, were untrue and were an element of information warfare. Noting that there have been statements about this from Abramovich’s representatives, Peskov said: “This is an element of an information campaign, an element of information sabotage, and an element of information warfare. The reports are certainly untrue. Actually, you can see all of them, the delegation members, shown on television in Istanbul. This is an element of information warfare, and this is precisely how this should be treated. Currents of information should simply be filtered very thoroughly.”
Georgian leader rejects Ukraine’s call to open new war fronts in Caucasus, Transnistria
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
Georgia Pledges Peaceful De-occupation
Civil Georgia, Mar 29 2022Ruling Georgian Dream party chair Irakli Kobakhidze said today: “The Government remains committed to its policy of peaceful de-occupation and will stand against every provocation aimed at escalating a new military confrontation with our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters. Any war in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali will not only be a war between Georgians and Russian occupying forces, but also a war between Georgians and the Abkhaz, Georgians and Ossetians. A new fratricidal war will be the greatest, an unforgivable crime in the history of our country, which we will not allow again. The opposition (United National Movement party) aims to drag Georgia into the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine and open a second front line in our country. This was demonstrated by their delegation’s recent trip to Kyiv, after which top officials of the Ukrainian Government openly started discussing opening the second front line in Georgia and the feasibility of bringing the war in Ukraine to Georgia. The statement of Alexei Danilov, Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security Council, was the key example of this.” Danilov was cited by Ukrainian media as saying on Mar 26: “It would definitely help us if additional war fronts begin emerging for the Russian Federation, made possible due to its actions in the recent past. If Moldova, Georgia and others engaged in returning their territories, it would definitely help us because Russia would have something else to do.”
“More relevant than ever”: NATO conducts AWACS exercise in Netherlands
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
NATO Allies participate in Exercise Frisian Flag
NATO, Mar 29 2022Allied Air Forces have come together in Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands to take part in the Royal Netherlands Air Force-led exercise Frisian Flag, between Mar 28 and Apr 8. Over the two-week period, participants from France, Canada, Italy, Germany the UK and the US, alongside NATO Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, will enhance operational capability during the live-fly air combat training event. Thirty fighters and support aircraft will take to the skies daily as part of complex training missions with scenarios based around high-intensity warfare. Air Commodore Johan van Deventer, Commander Leeuwarden Airbase, said: “We train like we fight, together! For that reason, Frisian Flag is an important international aerial exercise in which NATO Allies jointly practice realistic large-scale scenarios. Recent developments have shown again that NATO air assets must and can deploy rapidly and operate as an integrated team from day one. That takes practice. With Frisian Flag we demonstrate our Allied cohesion, and deter potential enemies. The current situation on the eastern border of NATO territory brought about by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine makes exercises like this more relevant than ever, improving interoperability and building a stronger and even more interoperable Alliance.”
Tbilisi: British armed forces minister, Georgian DM meet on Ukraine, NATO integration
Rick Rozoff, AntiBellum, Mar 29 2022
The Minister of Defense of Georgia met with the Minister of the British Armed Forces James Heappey
Georgian Ministry of Defense, Mar 29 2022The Minister of Defense of Georgia Juansher Burchuladze met with the Minister of the Armed Forces of the UK James Heappey. The Minister emphasized the friendly relations and successful partnership between the UK and Georgia. He thanked the British side for supporting Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. At the meeting, the ministers spoke about the war waged by Russia in Ukraine. The Minister of Defense noted that Georgia continues to develop defense capabilities and carry out the necessary reforms, including strengthening training capabilities. The talks focused on the effective use of practical mechanisms of NATO-Georgia cooperation, which will help increase interoperability with the Alliance. The significant contribution of the UK in the implementation of the NATO-Georgia Essential Package was noted. The meeting focused on ways to combat hybrid challenges and disinformation and potential threats. At the end of the meeting, Juansher Burchuladze invited his British counterpart Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace to Georgia.
UK Armed Forces Minister Visits Tbilisi
Civil Georgia, Mar 29 2022The Minister for the Armed Forces of the UK, James Heappey, met today with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze in Tbilisi. In the meeting with the Georgian Prime Minister, the officials discussed bilateral defense relations, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and its accompanying security challenges in Eastern Europe. The sides also touched upon the role of the Black Sea in ensuring Euroatlantic security. The war in Ukraine also loomed large in Minister Heappey’s conversation with Georgian colleague Juansher Burchuladze as well, with the two officials reiterating their countries’ support for Ukraine. They highlighted the Wardrop Strategic Dialogue as one of the key platforms for deepening defense ties, according to the Georgian Ministry’s press release. The sides talked about using the practical mechanisms of NATO-Georgia cooperation to increase Georgia’s interoperability with the Alliance. After the meeting, Minister Burchuladze stressed that the high-level visit from the UK demonstrated “the importance of our relations and Georgia’s support for the West and NATO. I am here today in Georgia because very nearby, in Ukraine, there has been an extraordinary challenge to the sovereignty of a free country,” the UK official said on his part.
Niqnaq 