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NATO has no plans to send troops to Ukraine, says Stoltenberg

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine should not be “ruled out” in the future, as Russia’s full-scale invasion grinds into a third year…reports Asian Lite News

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the military alliance has no plans to send combat troops into Ukraine amid reports that some Western countries may be considering putting boots on the ground in the war-ravaged country.

Stoltenberg said that “NATO allies are providing unprecedented support to Ukraine. We have done that since 2014 and stepped up after the full-scale invasion. But there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine”.

Ahead of a trip to Paris on Monday, where top officials from over 20 countries discussed options to increase help for Ukraine, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said that some countries are weighing whether to strike bilateral deals to send troops to Ukraine to help it fend off the Russian invasion.

Fico said that his government is not planning to propose to send Slovak soldiers, but did not provide details about what countries might be considering such deals, or what the troops would do in Ukraine. Slovak Parliament speaker Peter Pellegrini said Slovakia won’t deploy troops to Ukraine.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala declined to comment before leaving for Paris, saying the leaders were meeting to discuss possible options, but he underlined that “the Czech Republic certainly doesn’t want to send its soldiers to Ukraine”.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine should not be “ruled out” in the future, as Russia’s full-scale invasion grinds into a third year.

While ruling out NATO military action, Stoltenberg told AP “that this is a war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, blatantly violating international law. According to international law, Ukraine of course has the right to self-defence, and we have the right to support them in upholding that right”.

NATO as an alliance provides Ukraine only non-lethal aid and support like medical supplies, uniforms and winter equipment, but some members send weapons and ammunition bilaterally or in groups. Any decision to send troops would require unanimous support from all member countries.

ALSO READ-Russia Vows Vigilance Over Sweden’s NATO Entry, Promises Response

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Russia Vows Vigilance Over Sweden’s NATO Entry, Promises Response

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. (Credit: Twitter/ @mfa_russia)

She added that Sweden’s traditional non-alignment policy used to be an important factor in maintaining stability in Northern Europe, adding that the country’s NATO membership will further undermine its sovereignty…reports Asian Lite News

Russia will closely monitor Sweden’s actions following the country’s accession to the NATO and develop its response accordingly, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

“We will closely monitor what Sweden will do within the aggressive military bloc, how it will implement its membership in practice … and develop our response policy based on this,” she added on Wednesday.

Zakharova said that Moscow will choose which measures it will take, including military-technical ones, to curb threats to Russia’s national security, Xinhua news agency reported.

She added that Sweden’s traditional non-alignment policy used to be an important factor in maintaining stability in Northern Europe, adding that the country’s NATO membership will further undermine its sovereignty.

Hungarian lawmakers on Monday approved a bill on Sweden’s bid to join NATO, clearing the way for Sweden’s accession to the military alliance.

ALSO READ-Russia Warns Against Western Troop Presence in Ukraine

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Greek frigate sails to join EU’s Red Sea naval operation

The turmoil in the Red Sea has forced shipping companies to divert merchant vessels…reports Asian Lite News

A frigate of the Hellenic Navy was sailing as part of a European Union (EU) maritime security operation to protect free navigation in the Red Sea, the Greek government said.

The vessel “Hydra” departed from the naval station of Salamina Island near Athens on Monday evening, heading toward the Red Sea, as the government decided to participate in the EU naval mission, codenamed “ASPIDES” (meaning “shields” in Greek), Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said on Tuesday.

Last week, the Council of the EU announced the “ASPIDES” operation, with the aim of safeguarding its commercial and security interests in the Red Sea and the Gulf, will be headquartered in Larissa city in central Greece, Xinhua news agency reported.

Greek-owned commercial vessels have been among those targeted by Yemen’s armed Houthi group since the flare-ups in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis, who control part of Yemen, have been attacking ships bound for Israel or linked to Israel, a move the group claims to show solidarity with Palestinians and press for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The turmoil in the Red Sea has forced shipping companies to divert merchant vessels.

EU Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said recently that delivery time for shipments between Asia and the EU has increased by 10-15 days, and costs for such shipments up by around 400 per cent.

ALSO READ-US, EU Sanctions Extend to China Firms Supporting Ukraine War

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Russia Stops Gas Shipments

Photo taken on June 3, 2019 shows the Kremlin Palace (L) and the Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, capital of Russia. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi/IANS)

The restriction will not apply to the countries in the Eurasian Economic Union…reports Asian Lite News

Russia will introduce a six-month ban on gasoline exports, beginning March 1, a spokesperson for Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters, the spokesperson said the move aims to offset the growth in demand in spring and summer and another possible measure is to increase the diesel sales rate on the stock exchange to 16 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported.

The restriction will not apply to the countries in the Eurasian Economic Union, the report said.

Previously, Russia introduced a ban on gasoline exports from September 21 to November 17 in 2023 to stabilise the price situation in the domestic motor fuel market.

The ban was lifted after the domestic fuel market reached saturation and a supply surplus was established.

ALSO READ: G7 pledges more Russia sanctions  

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Tamas Sulyok Elected as Hungary’s New President

Sulyok’s predecessor Katalin Novak stepped down on February 10 following a child abuse pardon scandal…reports Asian Lite News

Hungarian lawmakers have elected Tamas Sulyok, head of the Constitutional Court, as the country’s new President.

Out of the 199 lawmakers, 146 participated in the voting on Monday, with 134 votes in favour, five against and seven invalid, Xinhua news agency reported.

Most opposition lawmakers did not participate in the vote.

“As a jurist, and in my role as the President of the Republic, my foremost commitment is to serve the public good and to embody the nation’s unity, all the while upholding the fundamental values of the law,” Sulyok said last Thursday upon his nomination.

Sulyok’s predecessor Katalin Novak stepped down on February 10 following a child abuse pardon scandal.

Sulyok has been elected for a mandate of five years and can be re-elected for one more term according to the fundamental law. His inaugural ceremony will take place on March 5.

Following his election, Sulyok said that he wanted to be a “president of trust.”

“For me, all power can only be interpreted within the framework of the law. The law carries values, its central function is the fair complementation of competing values,” he added.

Born on March 24, 1956 in Kiskunfelegyhaza in southern Hungary, Sulyok boasts a distinguished career in both law and academia. After graduating from Jozsef Attila University in Szeged in 1980, he furthered his legal expertise with a European law qualification in 2004 and a PhD in 2013.

Sulyok’s professional journey encompassed roles as a judicial clerk, legal adviser, lawyer, and honorary consul of Austria in Szeged. He has served as a guest lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Szeged since 2005.

He has assumed the role of deputy president of the Constitutional Court since 2015 while he was elected president of the Constitutional Court in 2016.

On Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban justified Sulyok’s nomination as presidential candidate, highlighting his extensive qualifications such as “experience, proficiency in constitutional and legal matters, knowledge of international law, maneuvering in the international arena, understanding of the nature of political institutions, and a career that also confers professional authority.”

ALSO READ-Hungarian Parliament Approves Sweden’s NATO Accession

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Hungarian Parliament Approves Sweden’s NATO Accession

Calling it “a historic day”, Kristersson wrote on social media platform X that Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security…reports Asian Lite News

 Hungary’s lawmakers have approved a bill on Sweden’s bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Out of the 199 members of parliament (MP), 194 participated in the voting on Monday, with 188 votes in favour and six against.

The Hungarian Parliament voted on the bill on the first day of the spring session on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

“The Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation and Sweden’s NATO accession strengthen Hungary’s security,” Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said before the agenda of the Parliament.

Elod Novak of the Opposition party Our Homeland was one of the six MPs who voted against it. “Let’s veto Sweden’s NATO accession,” he said before the vote, urging the MPs to “veto the path that leads to World War III”.

With Monday’s ratification, Hungary became the last of the 31 NATO member countries that approved Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance, following the green light from the Turkish Parliament on January 23.

Sweden will officially become the 32nd member of the alliance at its next summit in Washington DC in July.

The bill still needs to be signed by the newly elected President of Hungary Tamas Sulyok to become law.

The Hungarian Parliament’s ratification was welcomed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Calling it “a historic day”, Kristersson wrote on social media platform X that Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO after the Ukrainian crisis escalated in February 2022. Their accession required the unanimous approval of all members of NATO.

Hungary’s Parliament approved Finland’s NATO bid in March last year but delayed Sweden’s accession due to debates within the parliamentary group of the ruling Fidesz party regarding Sweden’s criticisms about the rule of law in Hungary.

However, this dispute was settled at a meeting between Orban and Kristersson in Budapest last Friday. The two sides announced an agreement for Hungary to purchase four new Gripen fighter jets from Sweden.

ALSO READ-Hungary Faces Economic and Political Challenges, Orban Addresses EU Relations

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Macron Hosts Conference to Bolster Support for Ukraine

Russia is ramping up pressure along the front while hiking defence spending and securing military assistance from its partners like North Korea and Iran…reports Asian Lite News

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to host a conference for Kiev’s partners on Monday to strengthen the allied commitment to Ukraine after the full-scale war entered its third year, media reported.

Ukraine faces mounting challenges in early 2024. Delays in US aid caused ammunition shortages that contributed to the Ukrainian withdrawal from the key frontline city of Avdiivka, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Meanwhile, Russia is ramping up pressure along the front while hiking defence spending and securing military assistance from its partners like North Korea and Iran.

The meeting, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. local time, will be a chance to “reaffirm their (allies’) unity as well as their determination to defeat the war of aggression waged by Russia in Ukraine,” the French presidency said.

“We want to send Putin a very clear message, that he won’t win in Ukraine,” Macron’s advisor said, according to Reuters.

“Our goal is to crush this idea he wants us to believe that he would be somehow winning.”

According to the French newspaper Le Monde, the meeting is also a chance for France’s head of state to present himself as a champion of the pro-Ukrainian coalition amid waning support from the US, The Kyiv Independent reported.

“Two years of war. Battered and bruised, but still standing. Ukraine is fighting for itself, for its ideals, for our Europe. Our commitment at its side will not waver,” Macron said on the social media platform X on February 24 on the second anniversary of the full-scale war.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to deliver an opening address via video conference.

Some 20 European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish President Andrzej Duda, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, are expected to attend, The Kyiv Independent reported.

The US will be represented by US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Jim O’Brien, and Canada by Defence Minister Bill Blair.

The French advisor told journalists that the meeting would not be a chance to announce new aid deliveries but an opportunity to brainstorm more effective support and improve coordination between Kiev and its allies.

Paris concluded a long-term security agreement with Ukraine earlier this month, committing 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in military aid this year, as well as a new assistance package, including artillery and air defences.

ALSO READ-‘Delay in military aid hurting Ukraine’

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Far East Russians Make Presidential Picks in Early Polls

The Federation Council of Russia has scheduled the presidential elections for March 17…reports Asian Lite News

Early voting in remote areas for the Russian presidential election has begun in the regions of the Far East, local media reported on Sunday.

Quoted by Russia’s TASS news agency, Igor Shamraev, deputy chairman of the regional electoral commission of Kamchatka, said that about 30,000 people in Kamchatka could cast their ballots early. They include reindeer herders, meteorological station workers, lighthouse keepers and service members at isolated outposts.

The Federation Council of Russia has scheduled the presidential elections for March 17, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Central Election Commission of Russia has decided to extend the voting period to three days, from March 15 to 17, making it the first three-day presidential election in Russia.

In Yakutia, early voting in hard-to-reach and remote areas is expected to cover 129,000 voters. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia has informed its employees of the planned routes to ensure the safety of the commission members.

In the Khabarovsk territory, early voting has been organised for residents of hard-to-reach areas, shift workers, workers in the timber and mining industries and meteorological station workers, among others.

More than 4,000 voters in remote and hard-to-reach areas will participate in early voting in Chukotka.

Nikolai Goncharov, chairman of the electoral commission of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, said that members of the precinct electoral commissions would reach them by helicopter and all-terrain vehicles.

ALSO READ: Russia Hit By 500 New Sanctions From US Over Navalny, Ukraine

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EU’s Von Der Leyen Visits Ukraine on 2nd War Anniversary

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kyiv to show solidarity with Ukraine on the second anniversary of Russia’s full scale invasion.

In a post on X: she posted: “In Kyiv to mark the anniversary of the 2nd year of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“More than ever, we stand firmly by Ukraine. Financially, economically, militarily, morally. Until the country is finally free.”

ALSO READ: Russia Hit By 500 New Sanctions From US Over Navalny, Ukraine

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Zelensky downplays loss of Avdiivka

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.(photo: https://www.instagram.com/zelenskiy_official/)

Zelensky, in excerpts from an interview with Fox News to be aired on Thursday, acknowledged that last year had been “complicated” for Ukraine, particularly as 2023 came to a close…reports Asian Lite News

President Volodymyr Zelensky downplayed Ukraine’s loss of the eastern town of Avdiivka to Russian forces and called for faster support from allies as the war against Russia neared the two-year mark, in comments broadcast on Wednesday.

Russian troops took control of Avdiivka last week in Moscow’s biggest battlefield gain since its forces captured Bakhmut last May. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin says Russia will press on with its drive through eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky, in excerpts from an interview with Fox News to be aired on Thursday, acknowledged that last year had been “complicated” for Ukraine, particularly as 2023 came to a close.

But, speaking in English, he pointed to earlier gains, particularly in the northeastern Kharkiv region, where the Fox interview took place.

“During these two years we got (back) part of the Kharkiv region. Now we are in this region … and we unblocked the Black Sea. There are grain routes and we destroyed a lot of their ships of the Russian fleet,” Zelensky said.

“That is what we did over two years. And what they could do? Only this one place. But what for?“

Avdiivka lies 15 km (nine miles) northwest of the Russian-held main town of Donetsk region, also named Donetsk.

Russian analysts say its capture will keep Donetsk safe from Ukrainian shelling as Moscow considers how to pursue its drive to capture all of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In his comments, Zelensky expressed new discontent with the slowdown in Western aid for Ukraine’s war effort, without singling out the United States.

US President Joe Biden’s request to extend a big aid package has been held up by wrangling in the US Congress.

“We have to be more quick. That means to lose all the bureaucracy. Otherwise we will not have any chance,” he said.

The president acknowledged that finding an alternative to US support would not be easy.

“Of course, we will find. We will not stay in the same place. We have to survive. We have to find some parallel steps,” he said in the interview, conducted in part on a hospital ward.

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