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Independent researcher/writer based in Hong Kong since 1997. Reformed academic. My long-form, analytical articles are collected here https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com/ email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
The Israeli government has approved a ceasefire agreement that is expected to take effect on Sunday when three Israeli women held in Gaza and 95 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released as part of the deal's first phase.
Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was assured by Donald Trump that Israel would receive a halted arms supply once he takes office, reported Channel 12 News.
"This is important because if we do not reach the second phase of the deal, we will have additional tools to return to fighting. Trump is giving Israel full backing to return to war in case of a violation of the agreement."
Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, two far-right ministers, opposed the agreement and demanded a government commitment to resume fighting in Gaza once the first phase of the deal, in which Hamas would release 33 Israeli hostages, is completed. (Source: Xinhua News)
@LauraRuHK
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Russia and Iran was signed in the Kremlin yesterday. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Masoud Peseshkian signed a document that was finalized after three years of intense diplomatic work. It paves the way for future cooperation as the two countries are determined to remove obstacles related to tariffs, banking, investment guarantees, business activities and visa issuance. ▪️The rapprochement between Iran and Russia was facilitated by their joint military activities in Syria, and the decisive role of Russia in concluding the so-called nuclear deal on the Iranian atomic program. The level of trust has increased, personal ties have strengthened, and the last illusions about the possibility of agreeing on a relative normalization of relations with the West have disappeared. The barrage of sanctions imposed on Russia and Iran has shown that no compromise can be reached with the West, which means that Iran, Russia, all other sanctioned countries, China, and India are interested in building a parallel, alternative trade and financial mechanism. Iran-Russia trade growth over the first ten months of last year was 15.5 percent, which is a good indicator of increased economic cooperation as both nations withstand external pressure. The monetary agreement between Iran and Russia has been implemented, and the national currencies of the two countries are used for payment. Russia’s Mir Card Network system and Iran’s SHETAB banking network are now connected. A free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union will likely be signed in the near future
The two countries will further expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector and improve energy security. This includes joint ventures for the exploration and development of oil and gas fields in Russia and Iran, and peaceful use of atomic energy, including the construction of nuclear power facilities, investment in renewable energy technologies, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric projects. One of the cornerstones of the strategic partnership agreement is a pledge on mutual defense, whereby if one country is attacked, the other will not assist the aggressor in any form.
Both countries have committed to expanding collaboration on defense by holding joint military exercises and jointly developing military technologies. Tehran and Moscow will strengthen intelligence cooperation in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. @LauraRuHK
Here is the text of the agreement https://en.irna.ir/news/85722405/Text-of-joint-comprehensive-strategic-agreement-between-Iran
The law of unintended consequences strikes again - The US wanted Germany to decouple from Russia. It led to factory closures and economic depression. Then it demanded the EU increase tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. 👉 China could soon be making cars in Germany for sale in Europe. 😅 @LauraRuHK
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NATO vs the principle of free navigation NATO intends to extend its control over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after the end of the NATO summit of the Baltic region that was held in Helsinki. Tusk revealed that consultations have already begun to find legal ways to control ships outside territorial waters. Experts note that such an initiative contradicts the existing international law of the sea, and countries whose ships will be subjected to illegal inspections can defend their interests by force. In international waters, boarding ships without their captain's consent is a violent act akin to a territorial invasion. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea guarantees the right of free transit on the high seas (part of the World Ocean outside the territorial waters and economic zones of states)
NATO Baltic Guard Mission
At the summit of NATO countries of the Baltic region it was announced that NATO was launching an operation to patrol the Baltic Sea in order to protect the underwater infrastructure of European coastal countries. Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte said that naval ships and naval aviation will be involved in the mission, which has already been called the Baltic Guard. Russia's response If NATO countries decide to control ships in the Baltic Sea, then Russia will use the navy to escort cargo ships.
"We protect our ships and vessels that carry our cargo. And in the event of an attack, a conflict begins: first local, then regional,"Nikolai Mezhevich, president of the Association of Baltic Studies, told Russian newspaper Izvestia. @LauraRuHK https://iz.ru/1822710/bogdan-stepovoi-ulia-leonova-kirill-fenin/morskie-proiski-strany-nato-dobivautsa-dosmotra-sudov-v-neitralnyh-vodah-baltiki
Mediators from Qatar, the United States, and Egypt have reached a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
The implementation of the ceasefire agreement is set to begin on January 19.
Key terms of the agreement
▪️Israeli forces are required to fully withdraw from all areas of the Gaza Strip and return to the pre-war borders.
▪️The Rafah crossing must be reopened, with Israeli forces withdrawing entirely from the area.
▪️"Israel" is mandated to ease the travel of injured individuals for treatment abroad.
▪️"Israel" must permit the daily entry of 600 aid trucks, as per a humanitarian protocol backed by Qatar.
▪️"Israel" must facilitate the entry of 200,000 tents and 60,000 caravans for immediate shelter.
▪️A large-scale prisoner exchange will occur, including the release of 1,000 prisoners from Gaza and hundreds of detainees serving lengthy sentences.
▪️"Israel" is to release all women and children under the age of 19 from its prisons.
▪️Israeli forces must gradually withdraw from the Netzarim corridor and the Philadelphi Route.
▪️Displaced residents must be allowed to return to their homes, with guaranteed freedom of movement throughout the Gaza Strip.
▪️Hostile aircraft must vacate Gaza's airspace for 8 to 10 hours daily.
▪️All hospitals in Gaza must be rehabilitated. Field hospitals, medical equipment, and surgical teams must be permitted entry.
Commenting on the number of detainees, The Times of Israel considered that "Israel" will pay a steep price to secure the release of female soldiers being held captive, each of whom would be released in exchange for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 convicted security prisoners who are serving life sentences. https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/al-mayadeen-obtains-terms-of-gaza-ceasefire-deal
Is Jake Sullivan a psychic, besides being a psycho? Put his words in the context of what Nikolai Patrushev just said: "The attempt on Trump's life showed that we need to be prepared for the most unthinkable scenarios." /channel/vicktop55/30176
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Interview with Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, permanent member of the Security Council.
The American elite is split and does not have the same idea of how to build policy both in the world and within the country.
Trump's main slogan is that he allegedly has a plan to return the US to a pragmatic policy that would be beneficial to both the state and its citizens. How this will relate to the interests of other countries and peoples is not yet clear.
One way or another, today we are witnessing serious changes in the world. I am referring not only to the geopolitical situation, but also to the state of affairs in the economy, the technological sphere, social and cultural processes. The last time such tectonic shifts occurred was after the collapse of the USSR. At that time, the West could not properly adapt to the new realities and continued to live as during the Cold War, constantly looking for enemies.(...)
Time will tell whether Trump will be able to realize his intentions to the fullest. As his first term demonstrated, the notorious deep state in the US is very strong. It may prevent it from unfolding. And the experience of the election campaign and the attempt on his life showed that you need to be prepared for the most unthinkable scenarios.
It is clear that Trump's positions are not shared by all US elites. His views are significantly at odds with the plans hatched by representatives of the Democratic Party, individual owners of industrial giants and transnational corporations. Therefore, it is extremely important that the safety of Trump and his entourage is ensured before taking office as head of state, as well as in the presidency.
For the Biden administration, Ukraine was an absolute priority. It is clear that the relationship between Trump and Biden is antagonistic. Therefore, Ukraine will not be among Trump's priorities. He is more concerned about China.
In addition, he outlined his interests in relation to Greenland, the Panama Canal, Mexico and Canada. Redrawing the map of the world to suit one's interests and interfering in the affairs of countries on different continents is an American tradition.(...)
As for relations between the United States and China, I believe that Washington's disagreements with Beijing will escalate, and the Americans will inflate them, including artificially. For us, China has been and remains the most important partner with whom we are linked by relations of special privileged strategic cooperation. These relations are not subject to conjuncture, they persist regardless of who occupies the Oval Office.
The main priority for us is the protection and well-being of our citizens and compatriots around the world. If we talk about the international aspect, then discrimination against the Russian population in a number of countries, and, of course, in the Baltic States and Moldova, must be stopped. The authorities of these states continue to lead themselves into the deepest crisis with ill-conceived actions and at the same time stubbornly spin a Russophobic narrative. The energy crisis is especially indicative, the blame for which lies one hundred percent with the Moldovan authorities, who obediently carry out the orders of Brussels to reduce gas dependence on Russia.
I do not rule out that Chisinau's aggressive anti-Russian policy will lead to the fact that Moldova will either become part of another state or cease to exist altogether. In this situation, we can look at the example of Ukraine, where neo-Nazism and Russophobia led the country to collapse, and long before the special military operation.
The territories once ruled from Kiev became part of Russia as a result of the expression of the will of citizens in accordance with international law, the laws of the Russian Federation and the legislation of these regions.
Russia's policy towards Ukraine remains unchanged. It is important for us that the goals of the SMO are achieved. They are known and have not changed. They have been repeatedly named by Vladimir Putin.
Lavrov blamed the US for attacks on the TurkStream pipeline.
"The United States does not need any competitor in any field, starting with energy, they <...> gave the go-ahead to carry out terrorist attacks that destroy the basis of the energy well-being of the European Union."
"They [the United States] are encouraging their Ukrainian clients to disable the TurkStream after blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines," the Russian foreign minister said. (Source: Izvestia) @LauraRuHK
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has distanced himself from US President-elect Donald Trump's call for increasing defense spending by NATO countries to 5% of their GDP.
"Five percent would mean more than 200 billion euros a year. Germany’s budget is less than 500 billion euros," Scholz said during a trip to the city of Bielefeld. "This is only possible on the condition of a significant tax increase or major cuts in spending on many things that are important to us," the DPA news agency quotes him as saying.
The chancellor vowed that Germany would continue to spend no less than the NATO target of 2% of GDP on defense.
"I guarantee that we will continue to spend 2% of our GDP on defense," he said. "Anyone who says this is not the way to go should also say where to get the money from," Scholz stated.
Germany's GDP in 2023, according to some estimates, was around 4.2 trillion euros.
Earlier, Trump told a news conference that he intended to push for an increase in military spending by NATO member-states to 5% of their GDP. (Source: TASS) @LauraRuHK
Croatia's President Milanovic wins another term after defeating ruling party candidate.
Croatia's opposition-backed President Zoran Milanovic overwhelmingly won reelection for another five-year term on Sunday, defeating a candidate from the ruling conservative party in a runoff vote, official results showed.
Milanovic won more than 74% of the vote compared to his challenger Dragan Primorac, who received nearly 26%.
The result is a major boost for Milanovic, who is a critic of Western military support for Ukraine and a fierce opponent of Croatia's conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and his government. @LauraRuHK
Indonesia’s recent accession to the BRICS bloc is expected to significantly bolster its economy and expand its global influence, according to Chinese economist Song Qinghui. Indonesia, as the largest economy in Southeast Asia and the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, already holds significant weight in the region. However, Song pointed out that its international influence has not yet matched its status. “By joining the BRICS organization, Indonesia aims to enhance its influence and voice in the international market,” Song said.
Despite being a regional leader, Indonesia's industrial sector lags behind that of other BRICS members like China and Russia. While Indonesia is a major nickel producer, the country's position in the global industrial chain remains at the lower end.
Song believes that Indonesia’s membership in BRICS will deepen its relationships with the bloc's member nations, particularly in areas such as industrial development. In response to potential concerns about Indonesia’s BRICS membership affecting its trade relations with the US, Mari Elka Pangestu, deputy chairwoman of Indonesia’s National Economic Agency, reassured the public that Indonesia’s foreign policy is “free and active.” She emphasized that Indonesia can partner with any nation without feeling the need to pick sides or join military blocs. She also addressed the issue of de-dollarization, saying that the shift away from the dollar is part of an inevitable evolution in international finance. “It is every country’s right to choose the currency they transact in,” she said. “Indonesia already has local currency settlement frameworks with countries like China, allowing it to use the rupiah or yuan in bilateral trade.”
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, senior economic advisor to President Prabowo Subianto, shared Pangestu’s sentiment, stating that Indonesia is “too big” to rely on any one country, including the US or China. “We have to be independent, but there is nothing wrong with being a bit rebellious by showing that we have a say on things.” China is Indonesia’s top bilateral trading partner. @LauraRuHK https://jakartaglobe.id/business/chinese-economist-indonesias-global-influence-to-grow-with-brics-membership
Prisoner swap - Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, who was arrested at Milan airport, is back in Iran. His liberation is the result of negotiations between Iranian and Italian intelligence services. Tehran released Cecilia Sala, the Italian journalist arrested last month for violating the laws of the Islamic Republic, and Rome released the Iranian engineer who was detained at the request of the United States. Giorgia Meloni got Donald Trump's OK to turn down a US extradition request for the Iranian engineer so he could be freed in a prisoner swap.
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▪️Denmark sent private messages to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence there without claiming the island, Axios reported on Saturday, citing two sources.
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has described U.S. control of Greenland as an "absolute necessity". He did not dismiss the potential use of military or economic means, including tariffs against Denmark.
▪️The global race for critical minerals and rare earth metals has reached new heights. The investments by Gates, Bezos, and other American entities signal a new era in the global competition as the fourth industrial revolution drives the demand for these resources.
Take KoBold Metals, a mining and artificial intelligence start-up backed by Gates, Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Ray Dalio, venture capital group Andreessen Horowitz et al. and valued at $2.96bn. It has raised $537mn in its latest funding round.
KoBold, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to hunt for raw materials, in 2021 secured a 51% stake in the Disko-Nuussuaq project on Greenland’s west coast, which is operated by London-listed Bluejay Mining.
“The objective is to target massive nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals,” Bluejay Mining Chief Executive Bo Steensgaard told Reuters.
The cherry on the cake? KoBold claimed that the incumbent supply of cobalt and other metals is "ethically challenged" because China is mining them in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Taking control of Greenland to exclude China from the US supply chain and from the tendering process in Greenland is apparently done out of consideration for "human rights, rule of law and environmental protection." You can't make this shit up. Read more /channel/LauraRuHK/9569
The list of US sanctions that target Russia's energy sector include sanctions on Chinese, Indian and Kazakh companies. For instance Chinese companies involved in the construction and transportation of modules for the Arctic LNG 2 project and eight subsidiaries of Novatek China Holdings Co Ltd. https://www.state.gov/office-of-the-spokesperson/releases/2025/01/sanctions-to-degrade-russias-energy-sector
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Biden admits an increase in gas prices in the US due to anti-Russia sanctions.
"It is probable that gas prices could increase as much as 3-4 cents a gallon,” the US president said. The US imposed its most aggressive sanctions on Russia’s oil industry yet as the Biden administration claims it's looking for last-minute ways to boost Ukraine’s leverage in possible peace negotiations after Donald Trump takes office. This is wishful thinking. If anything, these sanctions will boomerang like all the other sanctions imposed on Russia. The US is already dealing with high inflation and any increase in energy prices will worsen the problem and have a devastating effect on Americans’ livelihoods. The US miscalculated when it imposed harsh sanctions on Russia - not only has the Russian economy weathered the impact and grown to become the first-largest economy in Europe and the fourth in the world, but the West is facing the negative effects of the economic restrictions it imposed.
The West has opened a "Pandora's box of unintended consequences" by enforcing restrictions on Russia.
The most obvious of those consequences has been the resurrection of inflation, which had been long buried for more than four decades. Sanctions were the trigger for its revival as they resulted in higher prices for Western consumers. Food and energy prices have soared, partly because Russia is one of the world's largest exporters of oil and grain. @LauraRuHK
For the first time, China is sending one of its top-ranking Communist Party officials to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Although Trump had invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the ceremony, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday that Vice President Han Zheng would represent Xi as a special envoy.
"We stand ready to work with the new U.S. government to enhance dialogue and communication … and find the right way for the two countries to get along with each other," the ministry stated.
Revolving door. Corporate commissars move effortlessly from the EU Commission to US banks. José Manuel Barroso went to Goldman Sachs and Thierry Breton to Bank of America in less than three months. They probably don't even notice the difference. It's imperceptible. @LauraRuHK
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⚡️Israel, who has just launched new attacks on Gaza, has rejected a proposed ceasefire deal that had been accepted by Hamas. Netanyahu says the security cabinet will not meet as scheduled to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal, blaming Hamas for causing a “last-minute crisis and backing out of some agreements." Hamas rejects the Israeli claim as baseless. Israel's acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the country's security cabinet and government. @LauraRuHK
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The Russian Armed Forces have hit the ground infrastructure of the largest underground gas storage facility in Stryi, Lviv Region, in response to Ukrainian strikes with ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles in the Bryansk Region. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on January 16.
It is specified that the strike was also a response to the attempt to disrupt gas supply via the Turkish Stream in Krasnodar region. @LauraRuHK
While no one knows exactly what tariffs the Trump administration is going to impose on which countries, the one certainty is that such tariffs will be met with retaliatory counter-tariffs. Or more simply: a trade war with far-reaching implications. ▪️Interestingly, a spillover of the war in Ukraine is no longer deemed a risk by economic elites more concerned about tensions between the US and China. @LauraRuHK
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It is also important that the world recognizes the entry into the Russian Federation of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, which are an integral part of our country in accordance with the Constitution.
I want to emphasize once again that the Ukrainian people remain close and fraternal to us, bound by centuries-old ties with Russia, no matter how much the Kiev propagandists obsessed with "Ukrainianism" claim the opposite. We are not indifferent to what is happening in Ukraine.
It is particularly troubling that violent coercion to neo-Nazi ideology and virulent Russophobia are destroying Ukraine's once-prosperous cities, including Kharkiv, Odessa, Nikolaev and Dnepropetrovsk.
It is possible that in the coming year Ukraine will cease to exist altogether.
If we talk about specific prospects for further developments, taking into account the Trump factor, we respect his statements. I believe that negotiations on Ukraine should be conducted between Russia and the United States without the participation of other Western countries.
There is nothing to talk about with London and Brussels. The EU leadership, for example, has long been unable to speak on behalf of many of its members, such as Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Romania and some other European countries that are interested in stability in Europe and take a balanced position towards Russia.
Brookings, one of the most influential US think tanks, recommended a policy of deliberate ambiguity towards China.
The central policy challenge for the United States going forward will be two-fold: 1) how to keep Beijing off balance as it takes stock of the new administration, so that 2) the administration can advance initiatives to compete with China with a diminished risk of reprisal from Beijing. These two goals are in fact mutually reinforcing—the more uncertain Beijing is about the Trump administration’s policies, the longer it will seek to prolong this tactical pause in the competition and placate Washington. The primary challenge in the opening phases of diplomacy with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is to keep Beijing uncertain—neither reassuring it nor driving it to despair. If U.S. actions prompt Beijing to judge that no action it takes will assuage U.S. objections, then Beijing will have no incentive to placate the United States and may stop doing so altogether—leaving the United States with less leverage than if it had left Beijing uncertain. Beijing craves clarity from Washington, but we should feed it ambiguity—at least as a first course.
The new Trump administration will be able to determine the tempo, tenor, and contours of Sino-U.S. competition in the coming year. The United States has the advantage of the initiative in this moment since China remains in a wait-and-see posture. Beijing does not yet know if the new administration is aiming at decoupling or at a deal that addresses U.S. grievances about China’s trade and economic practices.
For reference 👉 Status of the Arctic, Sectoral division of the Arctic in the 20th century, 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, The right to expand the marine shelf. https://tass.com/world/1898593
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Poland has assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. You don’t need to look far for Warsaw’s top priority during its six-month term: "Security, Europe!" is the tagline for the Polish presidency.
Since Russophobia is an integral part of Polish national identity, no brownie points for guessing which country is deemed a threat to European security. A 50 page document outlining the priorities of the Polish presidency states that Russia poses "an existential threat to Europe, the greatest since the end of the Second World War".
To combat this alleged threat, the EU needs "concerted and ambitious action on European defence, complementing the efforts of NATO", reads the document.
"There is a need to boost defence readiness based on increased military spending, a stronger defence industry and addressing defence capability gaps".
The same document calls for greater defence spending in the EU. Poland plans to spend 5% of its annual GDP this year on defence, up from over 4% in 2024 - the largest of all EU member states in percentage terms.
That kind of spending will be music to Donald Trump's ears, who called on NATO members to spend that same amount - 5% of GDP - on defence.
Of course Poland has a vested interest. Its companies are completing a border wall to seal off its border with Belarus.
They are installing night vision and thermal cameras, building a new road to patrol the border and reinforcing the five-metre high steel fence that the previous government built in 2022. It costs more than 2.5bn zlotys (€587mn) to reinforce the border, half of which is allocated by the Tusk government.
Warsaw has also called on EU partners to contribute financially to a separate military project called the East Shield. Tusk has earmarked 10bn zlotys for this project which includes new air surveillance systems, anti-tank barriers and ditches. In the coming months, Warsaw will also build a new road to reach the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad that will "allow Polish troops to react faster to possible security breaches".
Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels would give €170mn to countries neighbouring Russia and Belarus in order to counter “hybrid threats from Russia’s and Belarus’s unacceptable weaponisation of migration”. No wonder the Baltics, Finland and Poland have institutionalized Russophobia. @LauraRuHK
The Kiev regime attempted an attack on the infrastructure of the Russkaya compressor station in the village of Gaikodzor in Russia's Krasnodar Region, which supplies gas to the TurkStream gas pipeline. All UAVs used in the attack were shot down by air defense systems. ▪️The gas pipeline running from Russia to Turkey through the Black Sea with a capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters is designed to supply gas to Turkey and the countries of Southern and Southeastern Europe.
▪️As of today, it remains the only active pipeline for Russian gas supplies to Europe after the North Stream was sabotaged and Kiev decided not to renew a five-year contract allowing Russian gas to flow through Ukraine, losing $1 billion per year in transit fees. @LauraRuHK
At the Asian Financial Forum, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee revealed that the city is working towards developing itself into an international gold trading centre. Hong Kong will build gold storage facilities, and strengthen support services in insurance, testing and certification, as well as logistics. John Lee also stressed that Hong Kong will expand its overseas network and financial cooperation with Belt and Road countries and regions, the Middle East and the 10-member states of ASEAN, as well as other established and emerging markets. @LauraRuHK https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1787249-20250113.htm
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The new year began with Indonesia formally joining the BRICS as its tenth full member. The mining sector is one of the largest industries in the country. Indonesia holds the world's largest nickel reserve. The nation’s mineral resource exports are dominated by coal, natural gas, oil, nickel, bauxite, gold, tin, and copper. /channel/ThinkBRICS/9920
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Well, what do you want? This is democracy!
Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton - said that the EU canceled the elections in Romania and will cancel the elections in Germany if the Alternative for Germany party wins: Let's wait and see what happens. In the meantime, let's stay calm and apply our laws in Europe when there is a risk that they will be circumvented and that, if not applied, they could lead to interference. We did it in Romania and we will obviously have to do it in Germany if necessary.
@Slavyangrad
#AZERBAIJAN #IRAN Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, received the Secretary of the National Security Council of Iran, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, on January 8. As Tehran's enemies grow bolder Iran is trying to secure its northern borders where it has good reasons for concern, given the transformation of Armenia into an outpost of the West.
The meeting also addressed political, economic, transportation, energy, and other areas of cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Islamic Republic of Iran.
President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the strong bonds between the Azerbaijani and Iranian peoples, emphasizing the importance of cultivating friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries. Aliyev reaffirmed Azerbaijan's support for resolving regional issues by regional states, noting that Azerbaijan initiated the 3+3 format, which emphasizes regional cooperation. The President reiterated that the involvement of external forces from outside the region is unacceptable.
The meeting also focused on the importance of developing the North-South transport corridor, as well as the trilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran in this regard. It was noted that Azerbaijan handles a significant volume of cargo within this corridor. Additionally, discussions were held on the “Araz corridor” project, particularly the construction of bridges and road-transport infrastructure along the Araz River, towards the Aghband checkpoint. Both sides recognized the project’s importance for developing regional transport connectivity. The discussion also covered the construction of hydroelectric power plants along the Araz River between Azerbaijan and Iran. The issue of connecting electricity lines between Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran was touched upon, with an emphasis on the significant potential for cooperation in this sector. @LauraRuHK
Biden’s Sanctions: Shooting Europe in the Foot, Elevating Russia to Economic Superpower
Joe Biden’s last act of geopolitical sabotage? A sanctions blitz targeting Russia’s oil industry, hitting Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegas, and over 180 vessels tied to Russian energy exports. The goal? Starve Russia of revenue. The result? Elevating Russia to an economic superpower while Europe crumbles under the weight of its own hubris.
Since 2014, the West has imposed over 40,000 sanctions on Russia, the most sanctioned country on Earth. And what has it achieved? Far from collapsing, Russia’s economy has catapulted. Moscow is now the fourth-largest economy in the world, surpassing Japan and Germany, a feat unimaginable a decade ago. Meanwhile, Europe, the sanctions’ biggest cheerleader, faces energy crises, deindustrialization, and economic stagnation. Russia says thank you for the sanctions, we couldn’t have built this Eurasian economic fortress without you.
Biden’s latest stunt, slapping new restrictions just before leaving office, is designed to hurt not just Russia but also Europe and the incoming Trump administration. Higher energy prices will cripple Europe further, forcing it to rely on overpriced U.S. LNG while its industries bleed jobs. Meanwhile, Trump will face a tangled web of sanctions, ensuring any attempt to end the Ukraine conflict or ease tensions with Moscow will face insurmountable obstacles. This is less about helping Ukraine and more about preserving the globalist agenda.
Let’s call it what it is: the sanctions have boomeranged. They’ve crippled Europe, inflated global energy prices, and pushed Russia into a sovereign, self-sustaining economy. Moscow now commands not just military supremacy but an economic dynamism rooted in Eurasia, free from Western control. These sanctions forced Russia to pivot eastward, solidifying its ties with China, India, and the Global South. The West’s unipolar fantasies have created a multipolar reality, Russia as a rising Eurasian powerhouse, while NATO allies sink into irrelevance.
Europe isn’t a victim, it’s a willing accomplice in its own destruction. NATO’s vassals, from Berlin to Brussels, have hollowed themselves out for a U.S.-led proxy war that’s drained their economies and shattered their sovereignty. And Biden? He couldn’t care less. For the globalists, Europe is expendable—a pawn sacrificed to contain Russia while the U.S. reaps the spoils of LNG sales and geopolitical chaos.
Meanwhile, Russia thrives. Its energy sector adapts, its economy grows, and its military dominance remains unmatched. What was meant to isolate Russia has only strengthened it, forcing it to build a Eurasian-focused economy immune to Western pressure. Europe? It’s left with empty promises, cold winters, and shuttered factories.
This isn’t just about sanctions—it’s about the collapse of the unipolar order. The globalists are playing their final hand, and it’s failing spectacularly. The lesson? You can’t strangle a nation that’s already building its own future. Russia thanks you, Joe Biden. The sanctions worked, but not in the way you intended.
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