EU-DIGEST: 7/1/23

7/31/23

Ukraine War - Ukraine negotiating with USA to get a security arrangement against Russian aggression

Ukraine and the United States are to begin talks on security guarantees while the country's accession to NATO is pending. Meanwhile, Russian missiles have hit the city of Kryvyi Rih.

7/26/23

Russia: organizing African sumit and playing Russian roulette with Ukraine grain shipments to Africa

After blocking Ukraine's grain exports, Moscow will try to portray itself as Africa's friend at the summit. But some African leaders consider the suspension "a stab in the back."

See more at ; https://www.dw.com

7/25/23

China sacks its Foreign Minister

Former Foreign Minister Wang Yi will replace Qin Gang, who has not been seen in public since June. Chinese officials did not say why Qin was let go and have not commented on his whereabouts..

7/20/23

EU-France: Macron reshuffles his Cabinet after months of turmoil in his second term

After weeks of speculation that he might change prime minister, the 45-year-old head of state said on Monday that he was sticking with under-fire Elisabeth Borne.

Since his re-election last May, Macron has faced months of fierce street protests over a deeply unpopular pensions reform and was forced into crisis management again late last month when riots erupted nationwide.

Advisors and ministers had long argued over whether the centrist should carry out a major overhaul of the cabinet to signal a fresh start, but in the end the reshuffle was limited in scope.

7/17/23

Ukraine Russian Invasion: Russia blocks grain shipment deal after it blames Ukraine for attack on bridge into the Island of Crimea which they occupied from Ukraine.

Russia has accused Ukraine of attacking a vital bridge that links Russia and Crimea, with the help of the US and UK. Traffic was earlier halted on the route due to an "emergency situation." Follow DW for the latest.

7/14/23

The US is not a Democracy anymore and Unions and street protests are now the only democratic forces left to stop Corporate Capital to completely take over Democracy in the US and other democratic nations

America faces a crisis of corporate capture of democratic government, where the economic power of corporations has been translated into political power with disastrous effects for people’s lives.

In his new book, Captured: The Corporate Infiltration of American Democracy, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) warns that “corporations of vast wealth and remorseless staying power have moved into our politics to seize for themselves advantages that can be seized only by control over government.” The book illustrates what he calls, the “immense pressure deployed by the corporate sector in our government.” We must rebalance our democracy by changing the rules to limit the power of money over government and empower people to engage politically as a countervailing force.

Currently, the domination of big money over our public institutions prevents government from being responsive to Americans. This certainly is not a new phenomenon—but it is growing. Even in 2009, before the Citizens United v. FEC ruling removed constraints on corporate political spending, 80 percent of Americans agreed with the following statement:

I am worried that large political contributions will prevent Congress from tackling the important issues facing American today, like the economic crisis, rising energy costs, reforming health care, and global warming.

In the first presidential contest after the Citizens United decision, 84 percent of Americans agreed that corporate political spending drowns out the voices of average Americans, and 83 percent believed that corporations and corporate CEOs have too much political power and influence. This aligns with more recent research showing that 84 percent of people think government is benefitting special interests, and 83 percent think government is benefitting big corporations and the wealthy.

As already noted, the undue influence of corporate interests on the functions of government is not new, and Sen. Whitehouse’s book explains how Americans have faced and overcome this threat before.

America’s founders recognized the danger of corporate capture: In 1816, Thomas Jefferson warned the new republic to “crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws of their country.” Almost a century later, President Theodore Roosevelt, in his annual address to Congress in 1907, said:The fortunes amassed through corporate organization are now so large, and vest such power in those that wield them, as to make it a matter of necessity to give to the sovereign—that is, to the Government, which represents the people as a whole—some effective power of supervision over their corporate use.

Read more at; https://www.americanprogress.org/article/corporate-capture-threatens-democratic-government/

7/12/23

EU - the EU needs more defence autonomy, even while the US remains an important ally - they can not be in control of EU defence policy or foreign affairs for that matter.

The Aukus deal shows the need for more military collaboration between EU states but the US remains an indispensable partner.-

On the same evening French president Emmanuel Macron found out that the US had secretly struck a defence deal with Australia that cut France out of a submarine contract, he announced a military triumph of his own. Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, leader of the terrorist group Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, had been killed “by French forces”. The coincidence was an awkward one for Macron. To him, the Aukus deal was clear vindication of the argument that France, and Europe, must build a defence alliance that is not dependent on a fickle US. Yet the assassination of a leading militant was a French military success that Macron well knew owed much to its superpower ally across the Atlantic.

Read more at: https://www.ft.com/content/f14c3e59-30bb-4686-8ba3-18ff860647e7

7/10/23

Russia Pew Survey: Recent Pew Survey shows Global trust in Russia and its leadership at its lowest level ever.

According to a report released Monday by the Pew Research Center, the global perception of Russia and its leader, Vladimir Putin, is at an all-time low.

The study, conducted across 24 nations, found that, on average, 82% of respondents say they have little or no confidence in the Russian leader to "do the right thing regarding world affairs."

7/8/23

Britain - US relations; The long awaited British-US trade deal has still not materialized

It was meant to be the jewel in the Brexit crown, but the United Kingdom has, so far, failed to sign a free trade agreement with the United States.

7/7/23

Ukraine war: US sending controversial cluster bombs to Ukraine

The United States confirmed that it will send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help its military push back Russian forces entrenched along the front lines.

President Joe Biden "approved it... after unanimous recommendation," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, adding that this "difficult" decision was made after consultation with "allies and partners,"

7/5/23

EU: French President Macron plagued by social unrest, considering temporary ban on Social Media

French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the possibility of banning access to certain social media features, in a meeting with local mayors in the cities that have seen violent protests.

Macron told about 300 local leaders that "we need to reflect on social media use among the youngest [and] on the prohibitions we must put in place," in a video seen by some French and international media.

"When things get out of hand, perhaps you have to put yourself in a position to regulate or cut them," Macron added.

7/4/23

NATO: Jens Stoltenberg Secretary General to stay NATO Chief for an additional year

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will stay in his post for another year, the 31-nation military alliance decided on Tuesday.

Stoltenberg said in a tweet he is “honoured by NATO Allies’ decision to extend my term as Secretary General until 1 October 2024.”

“The transatlantic bond between Europe and North America has ensured our freedom and security for nearly 75 years, and in a more dangerous world, our Alliance is more important than ever,” he said.

7/2/23

Ukraine war: Framce supplies Ukraine with armoured vehicles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for the shipment of light combat tanks to Kyiv, though some Ukrainian military officials have challenged their practicality.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov was filmed riding in a highly mobile AMX-10 RC infantry fighting vehicle.

However, a Ukrainian battalion commander strongly criticized the tanks, describing them to the French AFP news agency as "impractical" due to their "thin armor."

The commander told AFP at one instance, a crew of four were killed when a shell exploded near the vehicle, piercing the armor due to its thin quality.

Advertise On EU-Digest