Tag: Ukraine

U.S. Campaign to Isolate Russia Shows Limits After 2 Years of War

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The Biden administration and European allies call President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia a tyrant and a war criminal. But he enjoys a standing invitation to the halls of power in Brazil. The president of Brazil says that Ukraine and Russia are both to blame for the war that began with the Russian military’s invasion. And his nation’s purchases of Russian energy and fertilizer have soared, pumping billions of dollars into the Russian economy. The views of the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, encapsulate the global bind in which…

China Tells Ukraine It ‘Does Not Sell Lethal Weapons’ to Russia

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Beijing —  China’s foreign minister has told his Ukrainian counterpart that Beijing does not sell lethal weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine, a statement said Sunday. Wang Yi told Dmytro Kuleba during a meeting on the sidelines of a major security conference in Munich on Saturday that China “does not take any advantage of the situation and does not sell lethal weapons to conflict areas or parties to the conflict,” according to a foreign ministry readout. China says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict but…

EU proposes sanctions on Chinese firms aiding Russian war effort

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The EU is proposing to sanction companies in mainland China for the first time as part of its latest measures aimed at shutting down loopholes that allow Russia to route military technology via third countries to its weapons factories. Three companies in mainland China, as well as four in Hong Kong and one in India, are on a 91-page document of companies and individuals who EU member states want to add to a growing sanctions list before the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As the EU, the UK…

Two Cases Aim to Cut Off China and Iran From U.S. Technology

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The U.S. government announced charges in two separate cases on Wednesday aimed at enforcing laws blocking the transfer of critical technologies, part of a broader campaign to hamper military efforts and weapons production in rival countries. One of the complaints was against a U.S. citizen born in China who has been arrested and accused of stealing trade secrets from a private company. The technology, according to court documents, “would be dangerous to U.S. national security if obtained by international actors.” A Justice Department complaint filed in U.S. District Court in…

Switzerland to China: ‘Give Us a Hand’ With Ukraine Peace Process

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As Switzerland prepares to host peace talks on Russia’s war on Ukraine, it has formally invited China to join the effort that it is spearheading. Speaking with reporters Wednesday as he wrapped up a two-day visit to China’s capital, Switzerland’s foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, said he was interested in getting Beijing’s help because “China has great relations with Russia.” “I hope that China, that is very open to contribute, can ‘give us a hand’ towards peace,” Cassis said. Last month, Switzerland agreed to hold the peace summit at the request…

Ukraine, Middle East Conflicts Hamper Fight Against Graft

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Global efforts to curb public sector corruption are stalling, even reversing in some regions due to armed conflicts and dysfunctional justice systems, a leading corruption watchdog said on Tuesday. Berlin-based Transparency International’s annual report paints a grim picture, revealing that most countries have made negligible or no progress in tackling corruption. “Both authoritarian regimes and democratic leaders undermining justice contribute to increasing impunity for corruption and, in some cases, even encourage it by removing consequences for wrongdoers,” the company said in a statement. Even while it repels the Russian invasion,…

Switzerland to Host Peace Summit on Ukraine

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Switzerland announced Monday it will host a global peace summit on Ukraine at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Planning for the event will start Tuesday. At a press conference in Bern alongside Swiss President Viola Amherd, Zelenskyy urged China, a Russian ally and global power player, to participate and help resolve the conflict with Russia. “We would very much like China to be involved in our [peace] formula, as well as in the summit,” he said. “But not everything depends on our wishes.” Zelenskyy did not provide an…

From Lebanon to the Red Sea, a Broader Conflict With Iran Looms

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President Biden and his top national security aides believed last summer that the chances of conflict with Iran and its proxies were well contained. After secret talks, they had just concluded a deal that led to the release of five imprisoned Americans in return for $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds and some Iranian prisoners. The militants that Tehran finances and arms — Hamas in the Palestinian territories, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen — seemed relatively quiet. Iran even slowed enrichment of uranium at its underground nuclear…

North Korean-Russian Military Cooperation Could Threaten Global Security

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WASHINGTON —  The renewed military cooperation between North Korea and Russia in 2023 could increase threats to global security in coming years, analysts said. As Russia’s Ukraine war approaches the second anniversary of the February 2022 invasion, Moscow has turned to North Korea for help in replenishing its depleted stockpile of arms. In exchange, Russia has suggested it will help develop weapons that Pyongyang wants, including a spy satellite. North Korea claimed on November 28 that a satellite it launched into orbit the week before had taken photos of critical…