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☆ Senior White House official tapped to serve in important European ambassadorial role amid Ukraine concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Curtis Ried, a longtime career foreign service officer who has served under two presidents at the White House, who currently serves as chief of staff and counselor of the White House National Security Council is being nominated for the post, CNN has learned. As Congress grapples with next steps on Ukraine aid, Biden administration officials have warned of the consequences if Ukraine doesn’t receive billions in additional funding, citing losses on the battlefield and ceding ground to Russia. The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization and is made up of 57 members, including Russia. The move to nominate Ried comes as the US seeks to reaffirm leadership on the world stage amid political wrangling in Washington that’s stalled aid to Ukraine. It’s unclear, however, when Ried would assume the post as the nomination still needs to work its way through the Senate.

Persons: Joe Biden, Curtis Ried, Ried, Biden, Michael Carpenter, ” Carpenter, Washington that’s, Bill Burns, “, He’s Organizations: CNN, White House, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Ukraine, White, White House National Security Council, United Nations, Biden, OSCE, National Security Council, CIA, Senate Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Gaza, Ried, Russia, Israel, Russian, Washington

☆ Opinion: In Ukraine’s swelling cemeteries, a lost generation of young men
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Lviv CNN —Few places ooze the pain Ukrainians have been subjected to over the decades more than Lychakiv Cemetery in the western city of Lviv. These days, Lychakiv has become the burial ground for hundreds of service men and women killed in the most recent wave of Russian aggression. I’ve been coming to Lychakiv since the early weeks of the war to get a better sense of the human cost. “There are such cemeteries as Lychakiv all over Ukraine,” Lviv resident and community activist Lesia Krepyakevych told me. (Under Ukrainian law, men between the ages of 18 to 26 can’t be drafted, though they can volunteer).

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, Ivan Franko, Volodymyr Ivasiuk, Lychakiv, I’ve, Pavlo Palamarchuk, Volodymyr Zelensky, Lesia Krepyakevych, it’s, who’ve, can’t, Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Johnson, Biden, Putin, Emmanuel Macon didn’t, David, Goliath Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Lviv CNN, Getty, West, ”, Senate, Republican, Ukraine – Locations: Europe, Lviv, Ukraine, Anadolu, ” Lviv, Red, Iranian, Russia, Kyiv, Washington, America

☆ Russia's Parliament to Vote on Suspending Moscow's OSCE Participation
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Russia's parliament will vote on Feb. 21 on suspending the country's participation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE), Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Tuesday. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the organisation has been largely paralysed by Moscow's ongoing use of the effective veto each country has. "It's time for us to say goodbye to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly," Volodin said at a meeting of the Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, according to a statement on the Duma's website. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesBoth chambers of the Russian parliament, the Duma and the Federation Council, will vote simultaneously on suspending participation and on stopping Moscow's payments to the OSCE, Volodin said. Ukraine and its Baltic allies, which are Russia's neighbours, refused to attend the OSCE annual foreign ministers meeting late last year over the presence of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov there.

Persons: Vyacheslav Volodin, Volodin, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Lidia Kelly, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Sonali Paul Organizations: Reuters, Organization for Security, OSCE, Soviet, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Duma, Federation Council, United, Russia's Locations: Parliamentary, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Washington, United Russia, Baltic

☆ Russia Suspends Annual Payments to Arctic Council, RIA Agency Reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Russia has suspended annual payments to the Arctic Council until "real work" resumes with the participation of all member countries, Russia's RIA state news agency reported, citing the country's foreign ministry. "At the moment, Russia's payment of annual contributions to the budget of the Arctic Council has been suspended until the resumption of real work in this format with the participation of all member countries," the ministry told RIA. Cooperation between the Western Arctic states of the intergovernmental body and Moscow came to a freeze after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. The Arctic Council was created in 1996 to discuss issues affecting the polar region, ranging from pollution to local economic development to search-and-rescue missions. For now, Russia does not consider leaving the Council, the foreign ministry told RIA.

Persons: Maria Zakharova, Lidia Kelly, Jacqueline Wong, Stephen Coates Organizations: Reuters, Arctic Council, RIA, Cooperation, Arctic, Council, TASS, Duma, Organization for Security Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, United States, Melbourne

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers called on Thursday for an independent investigation into allegations of vote-rigging in Serbia and demanded that EU funds be cut off if the authorities in Belgrade fail to cooperate with the inquiry or are found to be implicated in election irregularities. The governing Serbian Progressive party of populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić won the Dec. 17 parliamentary and municipal elections, securing 129 seats in the 250-seat assembly. The opposition Serbia Against Violence coalition finished a distant second with 65 seats. The resolution has angered Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. Vučić’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his failure to enforce EU sanctions on Moscow have dismayed many.

Persons: Aleksandar Vučić, watchdogs, “, ”, Ana Brnabić, ” Brnabić, Vladimir Putin, ___ Dusan Stojanovic Organizations: —, Union, Serbian Progressive, Serbian, Violence, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Parliamentary, of Europe, Serbia’s National Assembly Locations: BRUSSELS, Serbia, Belgrade, Europe, Strasbourg, France, Moscow

☆ Opinion: A turning point in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Last year, Ukraine passed legislation shifting its Christmas celebrations in line with many Western dates – a step to further distance itself from traditions commonly observed in Russia. As 2023 drew to a close, Russia launched the biggest air attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion. The intensity and frequency of the attacks — on the back of reports that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is stalling and that western backers of Ukraine are holding back billions in funding — marks a major turning point in the war. While it’s impossible to put an exact number on Ukrainian war losses, anyone who visits the military portion of the Lychakiv Cemetary in Lviv can see that its expanded to almost maximum capacity. Ukraine scored a big win last week when the EU approved sanctions against Russia’s largest diamond producer, Alrosa, and its CEO.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Odesa, Odesa CNN —, –, Oleksandr Gimanov, Olha, Radkevych, Anatolii Stepanov, Volodymyr Zelensky, who’ve, Armed Forces Valeriy, who’s, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Le Cosmopolite, ”, won’t, Putin, Kira Rudik, “ Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Odesa CNN, OSCE, Getty, Armed Forces, expats, “, European Union, Ukraine, Russia’s, EU, Holos Party Locations: Europe, Ukrainian, Odesa, Ukraine, Russia, AFP, Israel, United States, Russian, North Korea, Iran, Lviv, Kyiv, Belgium

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Zelenskyy calls for fortifications, U.S. helps with winter assault preparations
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian servicemen of a drone hunting team stand next to an anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon that they use to target Russian launched drones, in the outskirts of Kyiv, on November 30, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for quicker fortifications in key battlegrounds that face assaults from Russian forces, particularly in eastern Ukraine. Russia's navy reported early Friday morning that it destroyed a Ukrainian navy vessel without crew that was heading towards Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Separately, Russia's presence at a European security meeting taking place Thursday caused a stir. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended the annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with Baltic nations and Ukraine refusing to attend as a result.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, John Kirby, Sergei Lavrov Organizations: . National Security, Russian, Organization for Security, Cooperation Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Russia, Crimea, Washington, Europe, Baltic

☆ OSCE Limps Through Another Year as Russia Relents on Veto
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SKOPJE (Reuters) - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should continue to function for another year as frequent holdout Russia joined others on Friday in approving Malta as OSCE chair for 2024 and extending four senior officials in their positions. The OSCE is the successor to a body set up during the Cold War for the east and west to engage with each other. In recent years, however, and especially since it invaded Ukraine, Russia has used what is effectively a veto each country has to block many key decisions, often crippling the organization. Russia spent months preventing NATO member Estonia from becoming the next OSCE chair as originally planned. While relenting on vetoes that could have brought the OSCE even closer to collapse, Russia showed no sign of warming to its critics among the OSCE's 56 other member states, particularly the United States.

Persons: Russia, Helga Schmid, Ukraine's, Sergei Lavrov, Antony Blinken, relenting, Lavrov, Blinken, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Fedja Grulovic, Felix Light, Francois Murphy Organizations: Reuters, Organization, Security, Cooperation, OSCE, NATO, Russian, Union Locations: SKOPJE, Europe, Malta, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Friday's, Macedonia, Skopje, Baltic, U.S, United States, Moscow

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Baby among civilians injured in missile strikes on Ukraine; Russia causes a stir at security summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov both blamed the West for creating global insecurity and instability. The U.S. and its allies are seeking simultaneously to keep the OSCE alive and hold Russia to account for its invasion of Ukraine. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he understood unease about Lavrov attending the meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia. But he said it was a chance for Lavrov to hear broad condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine. Estonia had been due to take over the annually rotating OSCE chairmanship but Russia blocked it for months.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Dimitar Kovacevski, — Organizations: Organization for Security, Cooperation, Baltic, OSCE, Soviet, NATO, Tass, Russian, North Macedonia's, Kremlin Locations: Moscow's, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Estonian, Brussels, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Skopje, North Macedonia, Malta

☆ Russia says it has got lots of requests for meetings with Lavrov at OSCE meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during a joint press conference with Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto in Moscow, Russia, November 16, 2023. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it had received a lot of requests for one-on-one meetings with Sergei Lavrov, Moscow's top diplomat, on the sidelines of an OSCE meeting in North Macedonia. "I can confirm that there are a lot of requests for bilateral meetings," Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, told reporters. "There will be multilateral meetings in multilateral formats, and bilateral meetings are planned as well," she said. She said that the foreign ministry will provide details on Lavrov's schedule in Skopje later.

Persons: Sergey Lavrov, Yvan Gil Pinto, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Maria Zakharova, Lavrov's, Dmitry Antonov, Guy Faulconbridge, Andrew Osborn Organizations: Russian, Venezuela's, Rights, OSCE, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Moscow's, North Macedonia, Europe, Skopje, Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania

[1/3] Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov disembarks from a plane upon his arrival at an airport ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Skopje, North Macedonia, November 30, 2023. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters on Wednesday in Brussels where he attended a NATO meeting. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he understood unease about Lavrov attending the meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia. But he said it was a chance for Lavrov to hear broad condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine. I think that is simply wrong," said Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov disembarks, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Dimitar Kovacevski, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, Aleksandar Vasovic, Ronald Popeski, Francois Murphy, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Organisation for Security, Cooperation, Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS Acquire, Organization for Security, Baltic, OSCE, Soviet, NATO, Tass, Russian, North Macedonia's, Kremlin, AS, Ukraine, United, U.S, United Nations General Assembly, Thomson Locations: Europe, Skopje, North Macedonia, BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Estonian, Brussels, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Belarus, United States, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

☆ OSCE Meeting Causes Rift Over Whether to Share Stage With Russia's Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The United States and its allies are seeking to simultaneously keep the OSCE alive and hold Russia to account over its invasion of Ukraine. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters at a meeting with his counterparts from other NATO member states. Estonia had been due to take over the annually rotating OSCE chairmanship but Russia spent months blocking it. A last-minute deal for neutral Malta to take over the chairmanship must also be formally approved at Thursday and Friday's OSCE meeting in Skopje, hosted by the current chair North Macedonia. I think that is simply wrong," Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins told reporters at the NATO meeting.

Persons: Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Ingrid Melander, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Tsahkna, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, William Maclean Organizations: Organization, Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Central Asia, Ukrainian Foreign, AS, United, U.S, Macedonian, United Nations General Assembly, NATO Locations: Ingrid Melander BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Baltic, Ukraine, Russia, Balkans, Central, United States, Estonian, Estonia, Malta, Skopje, Macedonia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

☆ Neutral Malta to Chair OSCE After Moscow Blocks NATO Member Estonia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

OSCE countries' foreign ministers meet on Thursday and Friday in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje to discuss the chair role and renewing four senior OSCE officials in their posts at the Vienna-based organisation. Small, neutral European Union member state Malta was acceptable to all sides. The deal "brings with it the guarantee of another year of functionality and a legitimate chair," one senior Western diplomat said. Russia and staunch ally Belarus have still not backed the renewal of four senior OSCE officials in their posts, including veteran German diplomat Helga Schmid as OSCE secretary-general, diplomats said. "We do care about the top four but the chair is existential - the organization cannot operate without it," the Western diplomat said.

Persons: Francois Murphy VIENNA, Bujar Osmani, Helga Schmid, Francois Murphy, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Organization for Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Macedonian, Twitter, European, NATO, Union Locations: Europe, Malta, Russia, Estonia, Macedonian, Skopje, Vienna, United States, Canada, Central Asian, European Union, Britain, Ukraine, Belarus, Western, Moscow, Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is turning his attention to Ukraine, NATO and the Western Balkans after weeks of intense focus on Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Now, amid signs that a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas due to expire on Monday may be extended, Blinken is departing for Brussels for a NATO foreign ministers meeting. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said he plans to attend the OSCE meeting, possibly setting the stage for a U.S.-Russia confrontation over Ukraine. The NATO meeting in Brussels will also address the situation in the Western Balkans where there are calls for NATO to increase its military presence amid concerns that hostility between Serbia and Kosovo could escalate to outright conflict. Blinken will underscore U.S. and NATO support for democracy and regional stability in the region, including a commitment to back all countries’ aspirations to join the European Union, O’Brien said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, ”, Jim O’Brien, O’Brien, Sergey Lavrov Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, NATO, eventual, “, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Russian, OSCE, Kosovo —, Serbia —, European Union, NATO's Locations: Ukraine, Western Balkans, Gaza, Israel, Brussels, Kosovo, Serbia, Russia, Europe, Skopje, North Macedonia, U.S, Balkans, Washington

[1/2] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks from his airplane upon arrival at Brussels Airport in Brussels, Belgium, on November 27, 2023, as he travels to a NATO foreign ministers' meeting. "We've always said that this is a matter for Ukraine to decide," O'Brien said. At a press conference in Brussels on Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he expected alliance foreign ministers to "reaffirm NATO’s long-term support" for Ukraine. Turkey has informed NATO that its parliament will not complete ratification of the bid ahead of the meetings, sources told Reuters last week. Blinken will also represent the United States at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Skopje, North Macedonia, this week, O'Brien said.

Persons: Antony Blinken disembarks, SAUL LOEB, Antony Blinken, James O'Brien, Blinken, we've, O'Brien, Biden, We've, Jens Stoltenberg, O, Brien, Stoltenberg, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Andrew Gray, Lisa Shumaker, Chizu Nomiyama, Deepa Babington Organizations: Brussels, NATO, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Ukraine, State Department, Biden, State, Eurasian, U.S . Congress, Germany's, Reuters, Washington, Organization for Security, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Russia, Europe, Gaza, Israel, Washington, Ukraine, United States, Taiwan, Germany, Kyiv, Moscow, Belgian, Turkey, Hungary, U.S, Western Balkans, Kosovo, Skopje, North Macedonia

☆ Blinken to visit Israel, West Bank, UAE this week to continue Gaza diplomacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Blinken will travel to Belgium, North Macedonia, Israel, the West Bank, and the UAE from Monday to Saturday, the department said in a statement. Blinken will discuss what Washington wants to see in Gaza if Israel is able to eliminate Hamas, a State Department official said earlier. Blinken will also discuss the need for an independent Palestinian state as well as attend the UN COP28 climate summit in Dubai, according to the State Department. Some hostages have been freed in recent days in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel in a deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt and agreed by Israel, Hamas and the United States. The top U.S. diplomat "will also discuss the principles he outlined in Tokyo on November 8, (and) tangible steps to further the creation of a future Palestinian state," the State Department said.

Persons: Antony Blinken disembarks, SAUL LOEB, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, Kanishka Singh, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Brussels, NATO, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, West Bank, United, U.S . State Department, UAE, State Department, Hamas, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Washington, Gaza, North Macedonia, Dubai, Qatar, Egypt, United States, Japan, Tokyo, Europe, Skopje

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that he plans to travel to North Macedonia later this week to attend a conference, a trip that would mark his first visit to a NATO member country since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine. North Macedonia, which holds the group's rotating chairmanship, last week invited Lavrov to an OSCE meeting that starts Thursday in Skopje, the capital of the small, landlocked Balkan country. NATO members banned Russian flights after Moscow launched its military action in Ukraine in February 2022. To reach North Macedonia, Lavrov's plane would need to fly through the airspace of Bulgaria or Greece, which also belong to the Western military alliance. Speaking at a foreign policy conference in Moscow on Monday, Lavrov said Bulgaria apparently has given permission for an overflight.

Persons: Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov, ”, “, “ They’ve Organizations: MOSCOW, NATO, Organization for Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Moscow Locations: Russian, North Macedonia, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Skopje, Balkan, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, “, Soviet Union, U.S, Israel, Ukrainian, rearm

☆ Moldovan president's allies score well in local polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sandu warned before the election that pro-Russian forces in the country, particularly fugitive business magnate Ilan Shor, had funnelled money into Moldova to "buy" voters. Shor's allies were barred from running two days before the first round and he complained from exile in Israel that the ruling had cost him electoral success. An independent won in Comrat, a town in the south where one of Shor's allies had won a regional vote earlier this year. Ion Ceban, running under a party he founded, was re-elected mayor of the capital Chisinau in the first round, though the president's supporters suggest he may hold pro-Russian sympathies. Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Editing by Ron Popeski and Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Maia Sandu, ZAK BENNETT, Maia Sandu's, Sandu, Ilan Shor, Shor's, Ion Ceban, Igor Grosu, Shor, Arina Korsicova, Alexander Tanas, Ron Popeski, Will Dunham Organizations: USAID, Democracy, Ford Foundation Center, Social Justice, 78th United Nations General, Rights, Sunday, European Union, Sandu's Party of Action, Solidarity, Socialist Party, PAS, Constitutional, The Organization, Security, Cooperation, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Rights CHISINAU, Moldova, Russian, Ukraine, Romania, Israel, Moldova's, Balti, Russia, Comrat, Calaras, Chisinau, Europe

Partial results with two-thirds of the voting districts reporting their results also showed the opposition parties with a clear lead. The earlier results tend to come from rural areas and small towns, with large cities where opposition parties do better reporting their results later. The Ipsos poll showed that three centrist opposition parties that campaigned on a promise to reverse the illiberal drift of the government had together secured 249 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, or Sejm, a clear majority. “No matter how you look at it, we won,” Law and Justice campaign manager Joachim Brudziński said Monday in an interview on RMF FM radio. Even if the opposition parties take power, they will face difficulties in putting forward their agenda.

Persons: Ipsos, Viktor Orbán, Robert Fico, “, Magdalena Chmieluk, ”, Douglas Wake, Jacek Kucharczyk, ” Kucharczyk, Mateusz Morawiecki, Joachim Brudziński, Andrzej Duda, Duda, haven't, Kamysz, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Elżbieta, Cezary Tomczyk, ” Tomczyk, Kucharczyk, Pietro De Cristofaro, Kwiyeon, Raf Casert Organizations: European Union, Law, Justice, Russia's, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Institute of Public Affairs, Associated Press, ”, RMF, Third Way, Civic Coalition, European, Third, EU Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Poland's, Ukraine, Wroclaw, EU, Brussels, Berlin, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia, Europe, Warsaw, Rome, Belarus

☆ Opinion: Trudeau’s fumble on India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —It is hard to imagine any world leader wanting to share the foreign policy swamp in which the beleaguered Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, currently finds himself. Nijjar led a group pushing for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland in northern India called Khalistan. The Biden administration can’t be blamed for prioritizing its ongoing bromance with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the bilateral relationship with Ottawa. A cynic might say that prematurely publicizing the explosive findings against India is a diversion tactic to steer attention away from the China interference file and the domestic issues piling up. Or that it is simply amateur hour at the offices of the prime minister and foreign affairs.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Justin Trudeau, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia Chudczak, Trudeau’s, Trudeau, India ”, Hardeep Singh, Nijjar, Mélanie Joly, —, Joly, “, ” Yaroslav Baran, Biden, can’t, Narendra Modi, Joly —, Meng Wanzhou, Meng, ” Baran, Jagmeet Singh, Assembly —, Goody Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Canadian, Sikh Canadian, British Columbia, Toronto Globe, Mail, Ottawa, Huawei, Iran, UN Security Council, Canada, mojo, India —, New Democratic Party, Atlantic, UN, Assembly Locations: Canadian, Odesa, Europe, China, India, Delhi, British, Khalistan, Ottawa, Indian, Canada, Ukraine, Russian, United States, Quebec, Washington

☆ Opinion: Amid no-shows from other world leaders, Biden grasps his G20 moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The president’s speech was also a reminder that time is not on the side of the civilized world. “We all need to do more,” Biden said of the SDGs due to be met by 2030 but which are seriously off track. We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” Biden said. As the president was speaking, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could be seen listening intently and applauded at the pledge of support. Leveraging the absence of other world leaders to his advantage seems to be working for Biden.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Joe Biden, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, Biden’s, ’ —, Donald Trump, Biden, ” Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelenskiy applauds, John Kerry, Antony Blinken, Kevin Lamarque, Dimitry Polyanskiy, ”, CNN’s Wolf, Zelensky, Trump, he’s, Russia –, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, General Antonio Guterres, Europe – Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, CNN . New, CNN . New York CNN, United Nations General, Assembly, Sustainable, Ukrainian, US, United States, UN, CBS News, UN Security Council, British, White, Central, Uzbekistan –, Kremlin, Biden Locations: Odesa, Europe, CNN . New York, Russia, Ukraine, United States, New York, Moscow, Crimea, France, China, India, Soviet, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, “

☆ Opinion: Putin’s virtual bravado, Xi’s big win, and 6 new members. Why this was a summit like no other
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The move breathes new life into a group set to rival the G7 and brings the world closer to multi-polarity. BRICS leaders could be forgiven for not knowing whether to exhibit exuberance or concern on Wednesday. (Summit host, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said it should be seen as an accomplishment for the entire BRICS bloc.) Hours later, just as BRICS leaders were sitting down to dinner, news alerts started to steal the show on the crashed private jet said to be carrying Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. Host South Africa just manages to pull it offThat South Africa managed to pull off hosting the summit is an accomplishment in itself.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, “, —, Xi Jinping, you’ve, Nicolás Maduro, Russia’s, Cyril Ramaphosa, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, couldn’t, Swagger, I’ve, Modi, Vladimir Putin’s, Sergey Lavrov, Lula da Silva, Lula, Vladimir Putin, Michele Spatari, It’s, ” Nontsikelelo, Facebook Xi, Xi, Putin Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Johannesburg CNN, United Arab, —, for Security, UN, Wagner, Getty, Democratic, Twitter, Facebook, National Congress, ANC Locations: Odesa, Europe, Johannesburg, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Africa, ”, Beijing, Donbas, Ukraine, AFP, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon

State Emergency Service of Ukraine/ReutersThe twin strikes bore hallmarks of a "double tap." Another clip showed emergency officials working through the smoke-filled, hazy ruins after what seemed to be one of the missile attacks. A wounded local resident is seen in her destroyed flat after the strikes in Pokrovsk. Russian forces have been accused of carrying out double-tap strikes in both Ukraine and Syria. Pokrovsk is located in Donetsk, an eastern Ukrainian region where fighting has been ongoing since 2014, when Russia began backing pro-Moscow separatists in the Donbas region.

Persons: Serhii Dobriak, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Pavlo Kyrylenko, Dobriak, ” Dobriak, Mstyslav Chernov, Andrii Omelchenko, Viacheslav Ratynskyi, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Kremlin, Emergency Service of, Emergency Service, Authorities, Ukrainian, Reuters, Tuesday, State Emergency Service, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Moscow Locations: Russian, Ukrainian, Pokrovsk, Donetsk, Mariupol, Emergency Service of Ukraine, Ukraine, Syria, Europe, Russia, Kharkiv, Donbas

And earlier this week, Russia targeted a Ukrainian port on the Danube River near NATO ally Romania. Now, Russia’s defense ministry has warned that ships sailing to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports will be viewed as military targets. Two thirds of the wheat that left Ukraine via the Black Sea ports went to developing countries, said Power. Russian drones attacked Ukraine's port infrastructure on the Danube river, targeting Ukrainian grain stocks and destroying storage hangars, the Ukrainian Army said. “We believe its targeting might also include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

Persons: Barbara Woodward, Moscow’s, United Nations Linda, Thomas Greenfield, “, ”, Samantha Power, Antony Blinken, António Guterres, Bulgaria –, Power, Kees Huizinga, Huizinga, ” Katherine Brucker Organizations: CNN, United Nations, NATO, European, US Agency for International Development, UN, Romania, European Commission, Aspen Security, AP, U.S . Agency for International, Biden, Ukrainian Army, Ukraine Operational Command, European Union, Organization for Security, Cooperation Locations: Ukraine, United, Russia, Odesa, Ukrainian, Turkey, Kerch, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, West, United States, Europe

☆ Opinion: Putin’s new target is a cultural and economic jewel
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Emergency service personnel clear a destroyed building near the Odesa Port after a Russian attack on Thursday, July 20. Late last week, Russian cruise missiles blasted the port and an overlooking bluff where the imposing Chinese consulate is located. The city in southern Ukraine is a key cultural center, and has long links with Russia. The attacks also coincide with Russia pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal that was keeping Ukrainian grain flowing to the world. Consider that East Africa, where the World Food Program says millions of people are experiencing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, is hugely dependent on Ukrainian grain.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Odesa, Odesa CNN — It’s, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, It’s, I’m, Moscow, Odesa’s, Catherine II, “ I’ve, ” Oleksandra Kovalchuk, we’ve, ”, Oleksandr Gimanov, Laura Ballman, “, —, I’d, I’ve, Andrii Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Odesa CNN, National Fine Arts Museum, Getty, ”, Opera, Rockets, NATO, Patriot, Twitter, Food, UNESCO, Patriots Locations: Odesa, Europe, Canadian, Turkish, Iraqi, Ukraine’s Donetsk, Papua New Guinea, Ukraine, Miami, York, Ukrainian, Mariupol, Russian, That’s, Beijing, Lika, Soviet, AFP, of, New York City, Paris, “, Kyiv, Russia, Western Europe, Romania, East Africa

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