February 18, 2024 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Ukraine and France have signed a security agreement, which provides for the directions of military and security cooperation of Kyiv and Paris for 10 years, including joint production of weapons, providing long -range weapons and combat aviation, cooperation in cyberspace. Paris also undertakes to provide up to EUR 3 billion in military aid to our country in 2024.

The government of Germany has transferred another tranche of military aid to Ukraine, namely: 18 armored personnel carriers, 155 mm ammunition, an armored engineering vehicle Dachs, 9 minesweepers, 10 Vector reconnaissance drones with spare parts, 30 RQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones, 11 reconnaissance drones Primoco ONE, 7 Songbird reconnaissance drones, 4 border guard vehicles, 500 LED lanterns and IT equipment.

The Kiel Institute of the World Economy (Germany) believes that Europe will have to double the current level and pace of assistance to Kyiv in the field of weapons to potentially replace the support from the United States this year.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte has announced the signing of security guarantees with Ukraine.

Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre has said that a bilateral agreement with Ukraine on security guarantees is expected to be signed in a few weeks.

Norway's Armed Forces are transferring to Ukraine a batch of medical and other equipment.

Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen has announced that her country has prepared a new weapons package to be transferred to Ukraine. She also has stated that she expects the signing of security guarantees between Ukraine and the Nordic countries.

Sweden, after receiving full membership in NATO, is ready to consider the transfer of Gripen fighter jets  to Ukraine.

The Lower Chamber of the Canadian Parliament – the House of Commons – has unanimously approved a resolution calling for strengthening support to Ukraine and making efforts to bring the rf to justice.

The United States has handed over to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine a batch of technical aid  for documenting the rf’s crimes.

US Vice President Kamala Harris believes that the United States should continue supporting Ukraine, otherwise it will be difficult to avoid russia's aggression against European countries.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emotionally called on the US Congress to approve additional financing of Ukraine as soon as possible, emphasizing that military support from other Alliance’s allies is already exceeding that from the USA. “Every week we wait, more and more people are killed on the battlefield in Ukraine”, Stoltenberg emphasized. At the same time, the Secretary General is convinced that militarily, NATO is stronger than the rf, but it is necessary to urgently increase production of weapons in the Alliance.

European Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn believes that the European Union will be able to produce up to two million artillery shells for Ukraine every year from 2025.

The EU launches an innovation office in Kyiv to improve defense production.

President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs believes that the world’s best response to the death of the russian oppositionist Navalny is to strengthen assistance to  Ukraine so that russia loses.

UK  Foreign Secretary David Cameron stressed during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, that russia's aggression against Ukraine threatens the international system of global security.

The International Monetary Fund mission and Ukrainian authorities have launched talks on the third review of the Extended Fund Facility ( Mechanism of Extended Financing).

Last year, Ukraine exported 44.8 million tons of grain, which by 16 % exceeded the year 2022.

The Grain Corridor in the Black Sea made it possible to increase the transshipment of goods in ports of Ukraine by 5% to 62 million tons.

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The United States, together with partners, conducted a cyberspace operation under the code name “Dying Ember” to neutralize cybercriminal network of russia’s intelligence.

Pentagon has estimated that the war in Ukraine already costs russia more than $ 200 billion.

The United States is transferring to Estonia nearly $ 500,000, confiscated in the case on military equipment smuggling for further assistance to Ukraine. It was an attempt to supply to the rf a coordinate-grinder of American production, which is used in the defense industry and in the field of nuclear weapons.

The European Commission uses profits from russia’s frozen assets to produce weapons for Ukraine, – said President of the EC Ursula von der Leyen.

Denizbank, one of Turkiye’s largest banks, has begun an urgent check of russians for documents confirming the right to reside in Turkiye. The accounts of those who cannot confirm the legitimacy of their stay in Turkiye will be blocked. From January 1, 2024, Denizbank stopped providing financial services for all new clients from the rf.

The Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Patriarchate in Old Cairo suspended from the service patriarchal commissioner in Africa, bishop konstantin zaraysky (ostrovsky), who was accused of bribery of local clergy, manifestation of racism, spreading false religious studies, as well as of interfering with the jurisdiction of the Palatine throne. At the same time, the Synod report emphasized the russian orthodox church’s “illegal penetration” into Africa.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, all countries reduced payments in rubles for russian export, said the central bank of the rf. The share of rubles in settlements for exports to Asia has been declining since July 2023 (then 41.7 %): in the fourth quarter of 2023, the volume decreased from 35.9 %to 33.1 %. The share of the ruble most of all collapsed in exports with Africa - from 45.4 % to 26.6 %.

The share of payments in rubles for russian exports to countries that condemn the rf’s aggression against Ukraine decreased from 43.7 % to 26.7 %.

The mayor of the russian city of belgorod demidov promised to give each school director a “division first aid kit”, designed for 20 people (on average a school has 700-800 pupils).

The ministry of transport of the rf has warned the population about the ban on the seeing off and the  meeting people’s staying at the airports, allegedly for safety reasons.

In russia, the state program for the promotion of “voluntary” migration to the rf has been introduced, the requirement for knowledge of the russian language at the “level enough for communication” has been cancelled.

Poland continued the force of the Humanitarian Channel to obtain visas.

Poland plans to modernize the fence on the border with belarus.

The Budget and Financial Commission of the Latvia Seimas is considering a proposal to prohibit the participation in public procurement for companies cooperating with belarus and russia.

The investigation committee of the rb claims that at least 155 employees of belorussian state university “donated to extremists”.

The belarusian delegation went to the first winter international sports games “children of primorye” in russian vladivostok. Athletes will compete with the teams of russian regions, north korea and China.