Raphael Stevens

More stories

  • 188 Shares159 Views

    in World Politics

    Joe Biden agrees to boost US gas supplies to Europe to reduce dependence on Russia

    The United States has agreed to step up gas exports to the European Union in a bid to reduce reliance eon Russian suppliesUnder a deal announce on Friday Joe Biden promised the US would deliver at least 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) more liquid natural gas to Europe than under previous plans.The accord was struck by Mr Biden and EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on Friday, which the US president is attending.The arrangement also sees the US commit to increase gas supplies in 2023.“We aim to reduce this dependency on Russian fossil fuels and get rid of it. This can only be achieved through… additional gas supplies, including LNG deliveries”, Ms von der Leyen said at a joint press conference with Mr Biden on Friday in the Belgian capital.“We as Europeans want to diversify away from Russia towards suppliers that we trust, that are our friends, that are reliable.“Therefore, the US commitment to provide the European Union with additional at least 15 billion cubic metres of LNG this year is a big step in this direction because this will replace the LNG supply we currently receive from Russia.”The US president told the same group of journalists: “We’re coming together to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russia’s energy. We should not subsidise Putin’s brutal attack on Ukraine.”Gas prices have surged to record levels in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and some countries like Germany and Italy are heavily reliant on Russian supply.Germany’s government has already pulled the plug on a planned gas pipeline called Nordstream 2 which critics said would increase reliance on supply controlled by Vladimir Putin’s regime. But Russia currently supplies 40 per cent of the EU’s gas needs and 25 per cent of its oil, albeit with significant differences between countries. Boris Johnson conceded on Thursday at a Nato summit that it was easier for some countries to quit Russian hydrocarbons than others.EU leaders are on Friday discussing whether to impose phased-in restrictions on the purchase of Russian fossil fuels such as oil and coal – but gas is not expected to be on the table.Alexander de Croo, the Belgian prime minister, told reporters on the doorstep of the summit: “Measures on energy right now would have a huge impact on our economies.“The basic rule is that sanctions must have a much greater impact on the Russian side than on the European side. We don’t wage war on ourselves.”Meanwhile Mark Rutte, the Dutch leader said: “Everybody wants it but it’s nothing that you can do in the short term.”US liquid natural gas plants are thought to be producing at full capacity and the exports will likely come from supply previously destined for other parts of the world.Analysts at Goldman Sachs said “near-term measures” to support European LNG imports would “rely on the reallocation of existing supply”.They added that “such a relocation to Europe is already happening” because EU gas prices have in recent months generally been the highest in the world.More follows… More

  • 113 Shares109 Views

    in World Politics

    EU leaders warn countries not to skirt Russia sanctions

    European Union leaders have warned against trying to “circumvent” EUsanctions against Russia and say they will close any “loopholes” that are found.At a top-level summit in Brussels the 27 presidents and prime ministers said any attempts to get around restrictions imposed by the block “must be stopped”.The blunt warning came in the early hours of the morning on Friday after a discussion of the situation in Ukraine dragged late into the night.Leaders are meeting again on Friday where they will consider more sanctions, with a possible phased-in ban on Russian oil and coal an option on the table.But the 27 countries are not expected to approve the biggest sanction: a ban on Russian gas, which some EU countries like Germany and Italy are heavily dependent on.Alexander de Croo, the Belgian prime minister, told reporters on the doorstep of the summit: “Measures on energy right now would have a huge impact on our economies.“The basic rule is that sanctions must have a much greater impact on the Russian side than on the European side. We don’t wage war on ourselves.”Meanwhile Mark Rutte, the Dutch leader said: “Everybody wants it but it’s nothing that you can do in the short term.”The cautious approach is expected despite signals from the US that it will ramp up natural gas shipments to Europe – a promise relayed by Joe Biden while he visits the EU capital.It comes after Russia demanded to be paid for its gas in Roubles instead of Euros – which the European Commission considers an attempt to work around sanctions. “This would be a unilateral decision and a clear breach of contract,” Von der Leyen said of Russia’s demand.“It would be an attempt to circumvent the sanctions. We will not allow our sanctions to be circumvented. The time when energy could be used to blackmail us is over.”The Council summit comes after a Nato meeting to decide a common defence approach to help Ukraine and shore-up militaries in Eastern Europe.Boris Johnson attended the Nato summit for the UK but Britain is not invited to the European Council meeting, and it no longer has an automatic seat due to Brexit. Mr Biden was hosted by EU leaders as a special guest given the situation in Ukraine. More

  • 88 Shares179 Views

    in World Politics

    EU downplays Boris Johnson Ukraine summit snub

    EU officials have downplayed an apparent snub to Boris Johnson at top-level summit in Brussels this week.Mr Johnson will arrive in the Belgian capital on Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine with other presidents and prime ministers at a Nato gathering.But he has been excluded from another meeting in the same city on the same day that most leaders will also attend.EU presidents and prime ministers decided to invite US president Joe Biden to join them at a European Council meeting on the same day as the Nato summit – and leaders are expected to cross the city and continue to discussions at another venue. But despite reports that Mr Johnson wanted to attend the meeting, he was not invited and will miss the second part of the major international gathering.The lack of an invitation raised speculation that the prime minister’s comments over the weekend comparing the war in Ukraine to Brexit played a role in the snub.The prime minister’s words sparked fury in Brussels and other EU capitals, with former Council president Donald Tusk branding them “offensive” to Ukrainians, British people, and even “common sense”.Officials in Brussels are however downplaying any link between what Mr Johnson said and the lack of an invitation.A senior EU official noted that European Council president Charles Michel had had “a long phone call with prime minister Johnson on Monday” and that this took place after Mr Johnson’s remarks.The official said Mr Johnson would have another opportunity to meet EU chiefs at a meeting of G7 leaders.”The feeling was that we invite the President of the United States to the European Council, but we are not repeating the formats that we have had around the day,” the official added. Britain was automatically allowed to attend the European Council as a member of the EU, but no longer has a seat on the body, which meets four times a lead in the Belgian capital. The summit was the cite of major Brexit drama during divorce negotiations, and is a forum for discussing issues of continental importance at the level of national leaders. More

  • 150 Shares129 Views

    in World Politics

    New Zealand halves public transport fares in response to fuel price surge

    New Zealand has temporarily halved fares on public transport as part of a package of measures to reduce the cost of living.The move comes in response to soaring fuel costs sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has seen a global surge in prices.Announcing the measure, Labour prime minister Jacinda Ardern described the situation as “a wicked perfect storm”.“We cannot control the war in Ukraine nor the continued volatility of fuel prices but we can take steps to reduce the impact on New Zealand families,” she said.”We hope this ensures that where the option of shifting how we travel is available, this makes it more affordable to take that public transport option up.”The three-month subsidy needed to cut fares will cost between $25m and $40m NZ (£12.9 to £20.7m), according to local media.The country’s government is also set to cut fuel excise duty by 25 cents (13p) a litre for three months to ease pressure on people who cannot switch to public transport.The change to transport fares means a one-zone rail fare with a smartcard in Aukland will be cut from £1.14 ($2.20 NZ) to 57p. ($1.10 NZ).New Zealand’s approach differs from that of the UK, where rail fares were this month hiked by the fastest rate in nine years, 3.8 per cent.Instead of reducing fares because of rising inflation, the UK government increases fares in line with inflation every year, meaning a rising cost of living leads to steeper fare rises.Experts have told MPs in the UK that the cost of a litre of petrol could hit £2.50, with diesel topping out at £3.00. More

  • 100 Shares149 Views

    in World Politics

    Rishi Sunak urged to cancel Ukraine’s national debt

    Rishi Sunak has been urged to cancel debts owed by the Ukrainian state, as part of an aid package to help resist the Russian invasion.Campaigners, including progressive MPs, said the “crippling” burden should be urgently lifted to support Ukraine’s government and put it on a sound financial footing.Ukraine’s debt burden has ballooned since the conflict with Russia started in 2014 – and this month announced it would have to start selling war bonds to fund its armed forces.The issue of debt cancellation was raised by Green MP Caroline Lucas in parliament this week and the government says it is now being looked at by G7 finance ministers.“Ukraine’s national debt is crippling. As war drags on and the costs of reconstruction mount ever higher, we cannot leave Ukrainians alone to bear the financial brunt,” Ms Lucas said.”The UK can offer genuine support to Ukrainians by joining with our international allies to cancel Ukraine’s national debt immediately. Aid, not loans, must be provided to Ukraine on a non-commercial basis. We must stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”Labour MP Clive Lewis said cancelling the debt was “one of the simplest things” the UK could do for Ukraine. “Through the International Monetary Fund, the UK and Western countries have the power to cancel large amounts of Ukraine’s $94 billion debt,” he added.”Instead Ukraine, one of Europe’s poorest countries, is expected to defend itself against Russian aggression with its hands tied behind its back. Ukraine’s national debt must be cancelled now.”Mary Kaldor, Professor of Global Governance at the London School of Economics, said Ukraine’s “astonishing” resistance to Vladimir Putin’s attack “needs all the help it can get”.”Financial support is crucial and that should include debt cancellation so that Ukraine is not burdened with debt servicing and with financial conditionality now and in the future,” she said. And Olga Aivazovska, chair of the Ukrainian civil network OPORA, added: “Putin’s goal is to destroy a sovereign Ukraine and its people who are not ready to submit to a dictator, as the Russians did. “Britain’s assistance in defending our country, its financial stability, and recovery, in the long run, will be a worthy strategic investment. The 21st century deserves to be peaceful.”Ukraine’s conflict debts have led to pressure from international bodies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to undertake so-called “structural reforms” such as privatisations and deregulations, as a condition of access to finance. The IMF holds more than a half of that Ukraine debt, totalling a round $13.4 billion (£10.17 billion). Campaigners say that as a member of the IMF’s executive board the UK should push other countries to act.Asked about the issue in parliament on 8 March, Liz Truss said Mr Sunak “has been discussing this with G7 finance ministers”, adding: “We are doing all we can to support Ukraine, in enabling them to have the finances they need, both to resist Russian aggression but also to rebuild their country after this horrendous invasion.An HM Treasury Spokesperson told The Independent: “Alongside our allies, we’ve hit Russia with the most severe package of sanctions it has ever seen and our economic and humanitarian support now totals around £400m.”We are continuing to work with our G7 partners and International Financial Institutions and stand ready to do more.” More

  • 175 Shares169 Views

    in World Politics

    Paulo Fonseca: Former Roma and Shakhtar manager relives harrowing escape from war in Ukraine

    The former Roma manager Paulo Fonseca has relived his harrowing experience of escaping the war in Ukraine with his family.Fonseca, who has also managed Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk and was linked to Tottenham in the summer, lives in Kyiv with his Ukrainian wife and children, and they were woken in the early hours when Russia’s bombing started.The Fonseca family immediately fled their apartment and tried to escape by car, but when they hit the main road west they were met by a wall of traffic. Instead they traveled east after a call from the sporting director of Shakhtar, Dario Srna, who offered shelter in Donetsk.“Dario called me and said to come to the hotel owned by the president of Shakhtar,” Fonseca told Sky Sports. “We moved to the hotel there and stayed in a bunker there overnight, for one and a half days overall, with the Brazilian players from Shakhtar and the technical team.“I started to think the situation was only going to get worse so we contacted the Portuguese embassy and they said, ‘Tomorrow we’ll have a car and you can go’. I decided to leave in the morning, the day after the car picked us up from the hotel and we started a long trip to the border. It was dangerous, we travelled all day and night without stopping.“The journey was 30 hours, more including across the border with Moldova to where we were staying in Romania. I saw many times the troops of Ukraine pass on the road, we stopped and listened to the alarms many times, and there was a lot of traffic.“We spent a lot of time going 5kmph. During the trip, of course, we were in danger even driving in the night, and I heard the planes passing, but I didn’t see shooting or fighting. We travelled with another family, a couple with a six-month-old baby. In the end we arrived on the border and felt safe, which was the most important thing.”Fonseca and his family are now safely in Portugal, and he has called for more support for the people of Ukraine.“These people, this country, doesn’t deserve what is happening. But they are heroes, they are fighting, and it’s really difficult for us to see the situation in Ukraine … I’m seeing all Europe trying to help everyone, I understand the political situation, but I have to say it’s not enough. I don’t know what more we can do, but we have to do more – or they will all die.”The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page. More

  • 163 Shares169 Views

    in World Politics

    Eurostar to let Ukrainian refugees travel to Britain for free on its trains

    Eurostar is to let Ukrainian refugees fleeing to the UK travel on its trains for free, the company has announced.The cross-channel high-speed rail operator joins other carriers around Europe in extending free travel to Ukraine nationals following the invasion of their country.The company said people with a valid visa to enter the UK and a Ukrainian passport should speak to Eurostar staff in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam or Lille to be issued with a free ticket.”To help Ukrainian nationals travelling to the UK, we can offer a free Eurostar ticket from any Eurostar station to London St. Pancras International,” the company said in a statement issued on Wednesday.The German, French, Dutch, Polish, and Czech state rail operators, as well as high-speed service Thalys, are among national railways to have already announced free travel for Ukrainian nationals.Eurostar’s announcement means people with no resources will now also be able to reach the UK by train if they can secure a visa.Most European Union member states are operating an open door policy and have said they will give Ukrainians refuge without the need to apply for asylum.The Russian invasion is expected to displace millions of people, with hundreds of thousands of people already making their way to join family or seek safety in other countries.But the UK government has not followed suit and is operating a much harsher policy, with only a limited relaxation of visa conditions for those with family member in already in Britain. The new conditions are so limited do not even cover adult children, their parents, brothers or sisters.Opposition party Labour says the UK’s visa system should be simplified and has suggested the exemption should cover more relatives, though they have stopped short of calling for an open door along the lines of the EU.But Ukrainians who can obtain a visa will now be able to travel across the English Channel for free. In its statement, Eurostar said: “It is important to arrive with the necessary visa documents, as these will be checked by the UK Border Force during the check-in process. “The UK government is regularly reviewing the criteria for Ukrainian refugees to enter the UK, so we would strongly recommend contacting the British Embassy or checking the UK government website for the latest information.” The company also clarified that it could not accept pets on trains at this time.Eurostar operates high-speed rail services between London and the continent through the Channel Tunnel.The Independent last week launched its Refugees Welcome campaign, calling on the government to set up a resettlement scheme to grant sanctuary in the UK to Ukrainians fleeing the bloody conflict. Polls suggest a strong backing for the move. More

  • 125 Shares139 Views

    in World Politics

    Vladimir Putin stripped of honorary black belt by World Taekwondo

    Vladimir Putin has been stripped of his honorary black belt in taekwondo in response to his invasion of Ukraine. The Russian president was awarded the black belt by the head of the World Taekwondo Federation, ChoueChung-won, and made a grandmaster of taekwondo during a visit to South Korea in November 2013. World Taekwondo also added that the anthems and flags of Russia and its ally Belarus would not be played or displayed at upcoming events.In a statement, World Taekwondo said it “strongly condemns the brutal attacks on innocent lives in Ukraine, which go against the World Taekwondo vision of ‘Peace is More Precious than Triumph’ and the World Taekwondo values of respect and tolerance”.It added: “In this regard, World Taekwondo has decided to withdraw the honorary 9th dan black belt conferred to Mr. Vladimir Putin in November 2013.“In solidarity with the International Olympic Committee, no Russian or Belarusian national flags or anthems will be displayed or played at World Taekwondo events. World Taekwondo and the European Taekwondo Union will not organise or recognise Taekwondo events in Russia and Belarus.“World Taekwondo’s thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and we hope for a peaceful and immediate end to this war.”Previous honorary black belts have included US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, their South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak, and other leaders from Spain, Croatia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Honduras. More