Kremlin Pulls Out of Geneva Convention UN has Cited Against Russia in Ukraine
by Paul Goble
“The Duma has passed and Vladimir Putin has signed a law withdrawing Moscow’s 1949 signature on the Geneva Convention concerning the defense of the civilian population during international armed conflicts, a Convention the UN has accused Russia of violating on Ukrainian territory by changing the ethnic mix in Crimea.”
Links mentioned in Paul’s article:
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Russia Drops Key Part of Geneva Convention - War without Rules?
(Communal News)
“The reason for the Geneva Convention expansion in 1949 was due to Hitler carrying out atrocious acts on and off the battlefield. Now Russian provocateurs can now act in disguise as much as they like. This could have serious ramifications for the Donbas region and other former Soviet block nations.”
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What Macron Got Right About NATO, Europe, and the Transatlantic Relationship
(Lawfare)
“Despite Macron’s blunt delivery [NATO being ‘brain-dead], parts of his assessment of NATO, Europe and the transatlantic relationship were accurate, while being wide of the mark on others. Parsing what he got right and what he got wrong is necessary for a productive debate about NATO’s future.”
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“Macron’s sentiments are but the latest in a long tradition of French efforts to unite Europe by excluding the United States. Historically, the rest of Europe has been wary of “la puissance franзaise. …”
NATO-kommentaar oli vajalik üleskutse ärkamiseks
(ERR)
"Rahu Euroopas, INF-i järgne olukord, suhted Venemaaga, Türgi küsimus, kes on vaenlane? Seega ma ütlen: nii kaua, kui neid küsimusi ei lahendata, ärme räägime mingist kulude või koorma jagamisest või ühest või teisest," sõnas ta. "Seega võib-olla vajame me äratuskella. Ma olen rahul, et see tehti, ja ma olen rahul, et praegu igaüks mõtleb, et me peaks pigem mõtlema strateegiliste eesmärkide peale."
NATO member Turkey stalls NATO's Russia defense plans for eastern Europe over Syria
(Deutsche Welle)
“Ankara has been accused of holding eastern Europe hostage as it refuses to back NATO's collective defensive. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland had called on NATO to set up a defense against Russia.”
Trump administration to cut its financial contribution to NATO
(CNN | others)
“The move is largely symbolic because it is separate from the defense spending Trump focuses on.”
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NATO’s Next Threat: Its Own Leaders
(Politico Magazine)
“There are two NATOs. There’s the slick military machine that plans, trains and coordinates to adapt to new security threats to Europe and North America. And there’s the political alliance that depends on the unity and resolve of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.”
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“The so-called Quad, an informal inner circle of four powers — the United States, Britain, Germany and France — that has shaped Western decisions for decades, has ceased to function in the Trump era, insiders say. …”
NATO needs a new Strategic Concept
(European Leadership Network)
“A new Strategic Concept (SC) would be an effective way forward. Serious thought should be given to using the London meeting to initiate work on it. Now is not a time for timidity or blindness by Allied leaders. Fears that SC work would divide the most successful politico-military Alliance in history ought to be no excuse. Such fears ignore NATO’s built-in capacities …”
NATO is expected to ask a group of “wise persons” to help reform the alliance
(Reuters)
“To address the concerns about NATO’s future, the summit is likely to adopt a Franco-German proposal to create a group of respected figures under alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, diplomats said.”
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“We are trying to channel the electric shock produced (by Macron’s comments) to structure a political debate,” said a senior French diplomat involved in discussions. “The aim is to secure a “re-balanced transatlantic alliance.”
Critics say setting up group to consider alliance’s future will let politicians pass the buck
(The Guardian)
“The proposal has not received universal acclaim, even in Germany, where leading figures claim the plan is a classic abdication of responsibility by those who wish to defer tough decisions on Europe’s future that ultimately only politicians, not experts, can make.”
Is the Mighty NATO Alliance Dying? Three Ways It Can Be Saved
(National Interest)
- “An accountability clause.”
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- “Close the door to new memberships.”
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- “Detente with Russia.”
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Friday 29. Nov.
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Juhtkiri: kas Ratas suudab EKREt harida?
(Postimees)
“On lubamatu, et minister end niimoodi üksikjuhtumitesse segas.”
Britain, Estonia and the Wider North
(The Royal United Services Institute)
“The much-publicised sight of British forces arriving in Estonia also serves as a timely reminder of the enduring and historic friendship between the two countries. Last year, Estonia celebrated 100 years of independence. Tallinn well remembers that it was British naval and air forces that, in 1918-1919, provided critical support to Estonia during its War of Independence. That was part of a wider British operation against the Bolsheviks, which included fighting the Red Army from bases in Murmansk and Archangel on Russia’s northwest Arctic coast. The connection that we make between the Baltics and the High North (or European Arctic), what we regard as the ‘Wider North’, is therefore not new, but its renewed relevance in terms of British interests in Northern Europe has only become apparent recently.”
UK would be 'outgunned' in Russia conflict
(BBC)
“…the Army, as well as Nato allies, has a "critical shortage" of artillery and ammunition. … Around 800 British troops are currently stationed in Estonia.”
Balti riigid kutsuvad hoiduma Euroopa Liidu eelarve kärpimisest
(ERR)
“Euroopa Liidu eelarve aastateks 2021-2027 peab aitama liikmesriikidel jõuda kliimaneutraalsuse eesmärgini, kuid eelarve vähenemine seab selle ohtu.”
Charles Michel replaces Donald Tusk as EU Council President
(Euronews)
Putin-Zelenskiy Tete-A-Tete 'Likely' At Paris Summit
(RFERL)
“Russian President Vladimir Putin is "likely" for the first time to have a face-to-face dialogue with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy next month in Paris, where a summit is planned with the leaders of France and Germany aimed at resolving the armed Donbas conflict.”
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Thursday 28. Nov.
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Russia’s Espionage in Estonia: A Quantitative Analysis of Convictions
(RKK ICDSD)
“This paper, based only on publicly available sources, aims to give an overview of the results of the fight against Russia’s espionage by Estonian law enforcement authorities. It shows that effective countermeasures are possible, if there legislative basis, law enforcement agencies with knowhow and the will to implement them.”
Juhtkiri: piilupart juhib Rail Balticu kraavi
(Postimees)
“Eestil on enim põhjust pingutada Rail Balticu rööbastele tagasi saamise nimel. Esiteks oleme võrreldes lõunanaabritega ülejäänud Euroopast veelgi kaugemal. Teiseks, ilma Euroopasse viiva kiirraudteeta võime ka Tallinna-Helsingi tunneli perspektiivist suu puhtaks pühkida.”
Russia returned Ukraine’s seized ships, but stripped of equipment
(Ukrinform)
“Russia has returned Ukrainian Navy ships illegally seized near Kerch Strait in an inoperable state, with weapons and military equipment dismantled or damaged … most of the weapons were either absent (small arms and ammunition, communications, tangible goods), or malfunctioning (naval navigation, rocket artillery) and inoperable.”
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“In addition, the vessels lacked navigation equipment, personal weapons, and ammunition, all communications and surveillance equipment (except for some units of outdated equipment), weapons and equipment of NBC protection, electromechanical equipment and other property. Even toilet pumps, toilet tank drainage systems, individual fecal system elements, boilers, most of the plafonds, sockets, and lamps were dismantled.”
More Russians have Now Fled Putin’s Russia than Did from Lenin's after Bolshevik Revolution
by Paul Goble
“More people have now fled Putin’s Russia than fled the Bolshevik revolution, and just like their predecessors, the new exodus consists of the more educated portion of the population, a trend that once again will have the most negative consequences as a Russia of the future seeks to recover from the Putin period.”
Apple changes Crimea map to meet Russian demands
(BBC)
“Apple has complied with Russian demands to show the annexed Crimean peninsula as part of Russian territory on its apps. Russian forces annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014, drawing international condemnation. The region, which has a Russian-speaking majority, is now shown as Russian territory on Apple Maps and its Weather app, when viewed from Russia.”
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“But the apps do not show it as part of any country when viewed elsewhere.”
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Wednesday 27. Nov.
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Estonia ousts third far-right minister
(Reuters)
“Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas said on Monday he had sacked Rural Affairs Minister Mart Jarvik, a member of the ruling coalition’s far-right EKRE party, saying he could no longer trust him.”
Unanimous decision to sack far-right Estonian minister
(Emerging Europe)
“The party had previously threatened to pull out of the coalition if Jarvik was sacked, however, Mr Ratas has insisted that it was a unanimous agreement.”
Estonia and Ukraine to jointly develop e-governance
(Estonian World)
“A series of events, called the Digital Society Sandbox, initiated by the Estonian president, Kersti Kaljulaid and her Ukrainian colleague, Volodymyr Zelensky, on 26 November kicked off in Tallinn. … Estonia has a global market and reputation but lacks the force to meet a large demand; Ukraine has the necessary workforce and great ideas.”
Pope Francis receives Estonian President in audience in the Vatican
(Vatican News)
Swedish Bank Admits Billions Went Through Estonia Branch
(OCCRP)
How Vladimir Putin Won Trump's Impeachment Hearings
(Time)
“If there is any winner in the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry so far, it is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Experts say the Trump administration’s advancement of Russia’s disinformation campaign that it was Ukraine — not Russia — that interfered in 2016 elections has both succeeded in creating friction between Ukraine and the U.S., a key backer in Ukraine’s long-running conflict with Russia, and has taken the heat off Russia ...”
Estonian-Russian Border Dispute Resurfaces after Moscow Diplomat Denounces 1920 Tartu Treaty
by Paul Goble, Window on Eurasia
“Henn Põlluaas, the EKRE speaker of the Riigikogu, said on Facebook that the 1920 accord does remain in force and that Estonia wants Russia to live up to its provisions, which would require Moscow to return land to the east of Narva and the south of Lake Peipus …”
China threatens Ukraine's Western aspirations by buying its industry
(Christian Science Monitor)
“Ukraine has been held up in impeachment hearings as a critical U.S. ally. But its industry is ailing. And with the West showing little interest in helping, China has stepped in – and could reshape Ukraine’s allegiances.”
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