In my blog post of 23 February 2015, I reported that,
 |
| Merkel and the Pope |
"Pope Francis and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the conflict
in Ukraine and the fight against poverty during a private audience on
Saturday. (Daniela Petroff : AP :
Since this was a 'private audience',
we shall never know what was said between them. Was Merkel simply
'filling him in' on what the current German strategy towards events in
Ukraine is, or was she summoned by the Pope." (blog post 23 February 2015)
And in my blog post of 15 June 2022 I reported that,
"Yet we now also learn about the Pope supporting Putin's initial arguments about NATO as the catalyst that caused him to start his second war with Ukraine.
"He [the Pope] has conspicuously avoided condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin as the aggressor. He has criticized the West’s sanctions and defense spending. And in an interview published this month by an Italian newspaper, Francis appeared to echo a Kremlin talking point, describing the “barking of NATO at Russia’s door” as one of the triggers for Putin’s wrath." (Washington Post : 20 May 2022) (my emphasis)
And as we learn of the Pope, "describing the “barking of NATO at Russia’s door” as one of the triggers for Putin’s wrath.", MSN News (The Guardian) " (blog post 15 June 2022)
"Pope Francis has been criticised in Ukraine and by some of its allies for suggesting it should have “the courage of the white flag” and seek negotiations to end its war with Russia’s invasion force.
“I think that the strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people and has the courage of the white flag and negotiates,” the pope said in interview with Swiss media last month that was published in part over the weekend." (The Irish Times : 10 March 2024) (my emphasis)
The Guardian : 11 March 2024 : YouTube
Since Putin invaded, and illegally annexed, Ukraine's Crimea in 2014, Jesuit Pope Francis has always been an apologist for Putin.
Pope Francis to "privately discuss" Ukraine with him AFTER Putin's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea also speaks volumes for the current vaccilation of Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to supply Ukraine with much needed Taurus missiles.And it now transpires that,
"[Angela Merkel's former Defence Minister, and current] EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing a new legal challenge after the European Parliament secretly voted in favour of opening proceedings against the EU executive over funds approved for Hungary last December.
The Strasbourg's legal affairs committee voted on Monday to take the Commission to court after it unblocked €10.2 billion frozen EU funds for Viktor Orban in December.
The move came ahead of the December EU summit which aimed at approving a news aid package for Ukraine which was being vetoed by the Hungarian Prime Minister." (Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (right):Express : 12 March 2024) (my emphasis)
With
the Pope asking Zelensky to "raise the white flag" and fully capitulate
to Putin, and Ursula von der Leyen pouring billions of Euros into the
pocket of Victor Orban, Putin's staunch supporter and mouthpiece in the
EU, Zelensky should now ask himself, "With 'friends' like the Pope, Angela Merkel, Olaf Scholz, and Ursula von der Leyen, who needs enemies?".
And against this political backdrop Charlie Bradley (right) reports that,
"Vladimir Putin's forces took the town of Avdiivka in February after months of fighting near the town, but a new Ukraine war map shows Russian advances have virtually ground to a halt.
...
This comes as the New York Times also reports that Russian troops have been held back near the villages of Berdychi, Orlivka and Tonenke in the Donetsk region.
Ukraine has been boosted in these areas by its most skilled battalions and American armoured vehicles and tanks." (Express : 11 March 2024)(my emphasis)
Added to which, Guy Faulconbridge (left) and Lidia Kelly (right) report that,
"Ukraine pounded targets in Russia on Tuesday with dozens of drones and rockets in a sweeping attack that inflicted serious damage on a major oil refinery and sought to pierce the land borders of the world's biggest nuclear power with armed proxies.
...
In one of the biggest Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia to date, Russia said it had downed 25 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions including Moscow, Leningrad, Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk, Tula and Oryol. Many more drone attacks were reported.
Russian officials reported attacks on a slew of energy facilities, including a fire at Lukoil's (LKOH.MM) NORSI refinery and a drone destroyed on the outskirts of the town of Kirishi, home to Russia's second largest oil refinery." (Reuters : 12 March 2024) (my emphasis)
Richard Ashmore : Express : 10 March 2024
As his re-coronation as the Czar of Russia rapidly approaches, and as his navy has suffered devastating defeats in the Black Sea (cf. Charlie Bradley), Putin has a new headache to contend with
As reported by Ania Nussbaum and Milda Seputyte,
"France received a show of support from Baltic countries and Ukraine after President Emmanuel Macron irked other allies when he left the door open to sending troops to Ukraine.
Lithuania’s Gabrielius Landsbergis, Estonia’s Margus Tsahkna, Latvia’s Krisjanis Karins and Ukraine’s Dmytro Kuleba praised Macron’s “outside of the box” approach during a joint press conference, after Paris convened a meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Vilnius on Friday.
“What Macron is reminding everyone and bringing again to the forefront is the sense of urgency,” Karins said. “This is what is needed.” (Bloomberg : 8 March 2024) (my emphasis)
Putin's and Medvedev's constant threats about "nuclear" war is now coming to bite them in the behind as the idea of troops from EU countries bilaterally joining Ukraine's forces outside of NATO takes hold amongst other EU members.
Added to which, Russian wives demonstrating daily for the return of their conscipted husbands from Ukraine may yet prove to be Putin's Achilles heel.
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