STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT. Russia has banned 963 U.S. citizens from entering the country, including President Joe Biden, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman, U.S. government officials, lawmakers, and other prominent figures.
President Donald Trump’s secretary of state Mike Pompeo was also on the list, but Trump is not. “The Russian counter-sanctions are necessary and aim to constrain the U.S. which is trying to impose a neo-colonial ‘world order’ on the rest of the planet to change its position and recognise new geopolitical realities,” the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The U.S. Senate approved a new aid package for Ukraine worth nearly $40 billion on Thursday. The U.S. Senate then sent a bill on the matter to the White House for President Joe Biden to pass it into law. “This is a large package, and it will meet the large needs of the Ukrainian people as they fight for their survival,” said Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The defense chiefs of NATO countries held a meeting to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday in Brussels, Belgium. They will also discuss the growth plan of NATO member countries which will take place in Madrid, Spain. NATO Military Committee Chief Admiral Rob Bauer said the main topic at the meeting was the ability to adapt.
He said NATO, as a successful alliance in its history, is considered capable of adapting to change and staying united. The meeting discussed NATO’s position in the invasion to develop a new strategy amid the facts.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday said Moscow would create new military bases in western Russia in response to the expansion of NATO. “By the end of the year, 12 military units and divisions will be established in the Western Military District,” Shoigu said.
Starbucks Corp. said on Monday that it will exit the Russian market after nearly 15 years as the coffee chain joins McDonald’s Corp in marking the end of the presence of some of the top Western brands in the country.
President Jokowi said a conflict between Russia and Ukraine could spark a global crisis, considering the world is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the war between Russia and Ukraine cannot be considered normal. He said two things are currently increasing globally: energy (fuel, gas, electricity), and food. Jokowi cited wheat prices in Europe and United States that have increased by more than 30 percent (Red/many sources).
