Author – Kuchukhidze Anton
The trends shown in the review of the international press are positive enough for Ukraine.
First, military and technical assistance to Ukraine is soaring and this week very fundamental information appeared on the background of all the months of war - France has started the transfer of heavy weapons to Ukraine. France suspended this decision for a long time, but nevertheless set out on the path of changing its position in order to save its leadership image in Europe. Undoubtedly, this is in favor of our country. The more weapons, the better.
The second trend that can be noted is that the media write a lot about different support for Ukraine, notably Bloomberg shared data that there are preliminary agreements between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund on significant tranches that will help to stabilize the economy of our country in the following year. There is also information that, according to the IMF, Ukraine's economy has the potential to stabilize next year - GDP growth may reach 1%.
An interesting article came out with Mr. Johnson and his reminiscences how the European Union countries faced the beginning of the full-scale incursion of the rashists into Ukraine. The former prime minister made it clear that France entirely rejected the idea that the rashists would launch a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, and he added that the German side was inclined to believe that the rashists would have a swift victory. It is very important to hear from such an influential politician the words about how different leaders in the world reacted to the war that was unleashed by the russian federation. At the same time, Mr. Johnson noted the role of the individual in history, specifically the role of President Zelenskiy. He noted that if another person had been in his place, history could have turned out completely differently. He calls President Zelenskiy a brave man, and this is precisely an indicator of the trust that was formed between the two states before the inception of the war, and especially during the period when the war commenced.
As well materials listed below show that the West admires the Ukrainian army, the ability of tactical and strategic thinking. It should be added that the press did not ignore the resolution of the European Parliament regarding the recognition of the rashist federation as a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’. The relevant consequences were also indicated in the Western media. The main task of the political decision of the European Parliament is to encourage the EU states to create legal mechanisms to define russia as a terrorist state, for further economic, political and diplomatic isolation.
In general, the entire agenda is positive enough for our state, for the image of Ukraine, for the image of the political leadership of the state. Thus, such positive materials will only strengthen the trust between the collective West and Ukraine, between the political leadership of Ukraine and the leaders of the states of the collective West. It is very good for the interests of our country that a positive media image about Ukraine is being formed in the West.
Consistently criticized for its lack of military support since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, France is seeking to improve its image in terms of weapons supplies. On Sunday, November 20, Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the delivery of two multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to troops in Kyiv and confirmed that two batteries of Crotale NG air defense systems would be sent to Ukraine. "We are also looking into a request from Ukraine for radars, which are crucial for detecting [Russian] strikes upstream," he added in an interview published by Le Journal du Dimanche.
In addition to these extra supplies, the armed forces minister told Le Journal du Dimanche that France is investing some €550 million in the European Peace Facility (EPF), a budgetary instrument created in March 2021 to support military operations decided by the European Union. Since February 24, the EU-27 have injected €3.1 billion into this fund, allowing European countries to be reimbursed for some of their weapons supplies to Ukraine. "We're one of the biggest contributors. [...] So we're also paying for what others are giving," said Mr. Lecornu. As the EFF is a European budget, each country pays into it a percentage of their gross domestic product, and so Germany is paying in the most.
Ukraine’s military stepped up efforts to reclaim parts of the country’s south, attempting to strike Sevastopol on Tuesday and saying it was launching an operation to push Russian forces from a strategic peninsula on the Black Sea coast.
Ukrainian forces have also begun an assault on the Kinburn Spit, a strip of land jutting into the sea south of Mykolaiv that has been occupied for months by Russian forces cutting off access to the port city.
The larger Kinburn Peninsula is a strategic prize for Ukraine. The sliver of land lies at a key maritime choke point leading to the port cities of Mykolaiv and Kherson, at the mouth of two large rivers, the Southern Buh and the Dnipro.
Recapturing the Kinburn Spit would provide key military advantages for Ukraine, allowing its forces a freer hand to operate along the Black Sea coast as it seeks to push the Kremlin’s troops from the area, military analysts said.
The Ministry of Defence has announced it will send helicopters to Ukraine for the first time since the war began.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said it will be the first time piloted aircraft were sent to the war-torn nation since Russia's invasion.
According to the BBC, three former Sea King helicopters will be provided. The first of which has already arrived in Ukraine.
Mr Wallace, who made the announcement from Oslo where he is meeting allies to discuss ongoing military support for Kyiv, added that the UK will also send an additional 10,000 artillery rounds.
France was in denial about the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine while Germany favoured a quick victory for President Putin, Boris Johnson has claimed.
The former prime minister accused the major EU powers of having initially adopted a “disastrous” approach to Russia’s aggression.
But having altered its early approach “the EU has done brilliantly” in opposing Russia, Johnson said. “What happened was everybody — Germans, French, Italians, everybody, Joe Biden — saw that there was simply no option. Because you couldn’t negotiate with this guy. That’s the key point,” he said. “I pay tribute to the way the EU has acted. They have been united. The sanctions were tough”.
He said that membership of the EU “would be a good thing for Ukraine”, and that “if Ukraine chooses to be a member of the EU, they should go for it”.
Johnson credited the “absolutely outstanding” President Zelensky with helping to stiffen Europe’s resolve. “He’s a very brave guy,” Johnson said. “I think the history of this conflict would have been totally, totally different if he hadn’t been there.”
The Parliament is urging the EU and its member states to “put in place the proper legal framework and consider adding Russia to such a list.”
The EU resolution, however, calls for further isolation of Russia internationally by stripping it of its membership in international organizations and bodies, reducing diplomatic ties with Russia to the absolute minimum and adopting a ninth sanctions package.
This year, I am grateful, above all, to the brave people of Ukraine for all their sacrifices and successes in the battle for freedom. They are fighting not just for the right to determine their own future. They are fighting for the universal principles embodied in our own Declaration of Independence.
Ukrainians are animated by the spirit of nationalism — the most powerful force in the world for the past two centuries — but it is not a xenophobic, illiberal nationalism of the sort that Putin espouses. Ukrainians are fighting for an old-fashioned, liberal nationalism that harks back to George Washington, Simón Bolívar and Giuseppe Garibaldi.
On Feb. 24, 2022 — a date that deserves to live in infamy — Putin expanded his invasion of Ukraine in the expectation that Kyiv would fall within days.
How wrong he was. The Russian president had not counted on the transformation of the Ukrainian military wrought with the help of Western advisers and weapons. Even more importantly, he had not counted on the willingness of Ukrainians to fight for their freedom rather than submit to the Russian yoke.
Ukraine reached a preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund that may open a path to a financial lifeline as the war-battered nation seeks as much as $20 billion to shore up its reserves and budget needs.
The deal between Kyiv and the Washington-based lender is a so-called staff-level agreement aimed at establishing a full lending program to unlock billions in financing next year if the government meets conditions, according to the lender’s statement on Wednesday.
The IMF expects Ukraine’s economy to stabilize next year, forecasting growth at 1% under a “baseline scenario,” it said, adding that inflation will likely remain elevated at around 25%.
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