The US president once again promised the states of the eastern flank NATO support in the event of an attack. “Article Five is a sacred commitment made by the United States. We will defend literally every inch of NATO.” Article five of NATO’s founding treaty stipulates that allies undertake to provide assistance in the event of an armed attack against one or more of them.
The countries of the “Bucharest 9” format participated in the meeting with Biden in Warsaw. These include Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The group was founded on the initiative of Poland and Romania after the Russian annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014.
orban was absent
With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the fears of Central and Eastern European countries have only increased. You are among Ukraine’s most determined supporters. One exception is Hungary, which continues to maintain close contacts with Moscow under Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban did not travel to Warsaw for the meeting – Hungary was represented there by President Katalin Novak.
Biden emphasized that, as the military alliance’s eastern flank, eastern countries are the frontline of the common defense. “You know better than anyone what is at stake in this conflict – not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies in Europe and the world.”
Stoltenberg: “Breaking the Cycle of Aggression”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned: “We must not allow Russia to continue undermining European security.” It is necessary to “break the cycle of Russian aggression” and ensure “that history does not repeat itself”. For many years, Russia has displayed a pattern of aggressive behavior. With regard to the war in Ukraine, the NATO secretary general said it was not clear when it would end. He did not discuss how NATO could break the cycle from his point of view.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Russia’s aggression against Ukraine changed the history of that part of Europe. Romanian head of state Klaus Johannis said that a year ago Russia tried to destroy European and transatlantic security. President Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia said: “This year has made us stronger and more united.”
Moldova participated
Moldova also attended the meeting as a political signal. The Republic of Moldova is not part of NATO, it is politically divided between pro-European and pro-Russian forces. Russian troops are still stationed in the divided region of Transnistria, bordering Ukraine. Moldovan President Maia Sandu represents pro-European forces in the impoverished country. She sees Moldova threatened by the Russian war against Ukraine. She recently warned of a coup that Russia was preparing.
Criticism of Russia’s withdrawal from the START treaty
On the sidelines of the meeting, Biden criticized Russia’s decision to suspend participation in both countries’ core nuclear weapons control program. Biden says Putin made “a big mistake”. The day before, Putin had declared in his grand speech that Russia’s participation in the new START treaty with the US (“Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty”) would be suspended.
The contract, which took effect in 2011, was extended for another five years in 2021 after Biden took office. It limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads the US and Russia can deploy and the deployment of land-based and undersea missiles and bombers to deliver them. Together, Russia and the US possess about 90% of the world’s nuclear warheads. However, Russia also announced that it would continue to comply with the maximum limit on nuclear warheads. The suspension of the nuclear weapons treaty does not make a nuclear war more likely, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russia and China want to deepen partnership
Putin, for his part, praised bilateral relations with China in the meeting with Wang. Wang said his country is ready to deepen strategic cooperation with Russia. The Kremlin chief said that relations between the two countries are developing well and that the partnership with China is very important. Noting the escalation of international tensions, the Russian leader added that “in this regard, cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on the global stage is particularly important for stabilizing the international situation.”
Portal/Sputnik Putin kept other politicians at a distance at meetings – he was close with Wang.
“We are reaching new horizons,” Putin said, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Moscow in the spring. The Russian president rarely receives foreign officials who are not heads of state. Wang’s reception thus highlighted the importance the Kremlin attaches to relations with Beijing.
Wang: Relationships cannot be influenced by third countries
Wang said “Sino-Russian relations are not anti-third country and certainly cannot be determined by a third country.” Moscow and Beijing would support “multipolarity and the democratization of international relations”. The crisis would affect the partnership, but it could also represent an opportunity, Wang said.
Lavrov: “Relentless and dynamic” relationships
China is considered a close ally of Russia. At the same time, Beijing has so far largely complied with international sanctions against Russia so as not to become the target of punitive measures. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whom Wang also met, said on Wednesday that Russian-Chinese relations were developing “steadily and dynamically”.
During the meeting with Lavrov, Wang also praised the relationship between the countries, which according to him “does not have borders”. And: “Despite the vagaries of the international situation, China and Russia always maintain their strategic determination,” Wang said. He expects more exchanges and “new deals”. However, Wang left it open exactly what those deals would be.
Putin at the stadium
In addition to Van’s visit on Wednesday, Putin also attended a general patriotic meeting in Moscow. There, he reiterated his view that the Russian army in Ukraine was fighting over “historically” owned Russian territory. Russia is fighting for its “historic territories” in Ukraine, Putin said at the concert at the Luzhniki Olympic Stadium.
Putin for the continuation of the war
Putin delivered a speech at a packed soccer stadium in Moscow. Just before the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he vows that the war will continue.
“Today the (military) hierarchy told me that struggles for our people are underway within our historic areas”, said the head of state in his speech, which lasted just a few minutes. He praised Russian soldiers deployed in Ukraine for their “heroic” and “courageous” struggle: “We are proud of you.”
Krisai (ORF) at Putin’s concert
ORF correspondent Paul Krisai talks about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s appearance at a stadium and his meeting with Chinese foreign politician Wang Yi.
China wants to introduce peace initiative
Initially, there was no official communication about the peace initiative that China had announced for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia a year ago. Russian news agency TASS reported that Wang wanted to exchange views with Lavrov in Moscow. On Friday’s birthday, Xi wants to present the position paper, which so far has only been known in draft.
Among other things, it is about “respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity”, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. As a basic requirement for negotiations with Moscow, Ukraine demands the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory.
“Broad Partnership”
Shortly before the Russian invasion, Putin and Xi agreed to a comprehensive partnership. The rapprochement of the two great powers is seen with skepticism in the West. The United States warned China against Russian military support in Ukraine.
When asked by the media whether Russia had asked China for military assistance in its war against Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said only: “They (the Chinese representatives, please note) have already answered this question, they resolutely than not and there’s nothing to add.”