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      Putin ‘holding the world to ransom’ over food, says Liz Truss

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      Vladimir Putin is holding “the world to ransom” over food, Britain’s foreign minister Liz Truss has claimed.Speaking on a trip to Bosnia, she also accused the Russian leader of “weaponising hunger” across the world.Responding to a question about whether she supported lifting sanctions in exchange for grain exports from Ukraine, the foreign minister responded: “It is completely appalling that Putin is trying to hold the world to ransom, and he is essentially weaponising hunger and lack of food amongst the poorest people around the world,.”She added: “We simply cannot allow this to happen. Putin needs to remove the blockade on Ukrainian grain.”Her claims came amid growing concern about a looming global food crisis. The UN has warned millions could starve starve and lead to civil unrest in hunger-prone countries.Russia has been accused of blockading Ukrainian ports, stopping exports from one of the world’s biggest grain producers and sending food prices skyrocketing around the world.More than 20 million tonnes of grain are stuck in silos around Ukraine. Several of the world’s most insecure countries, such as Lebanon and war-torn Yemen, are highly dependent on Ukraine for food supplies.Western allies of Ukraine have been discussing ways to break the Russian blockade without military intervention.Ukraine said Thursday that it has no chance of hitting its targets unless Russia’s blockade of its Black Sea ports is lifted, a government official said.Before Russia sent troops into Ukraine on 24 Feb, the country had the capacity to export up to six million tonnes of wheat, barley and maize a month but exports collapsed to just 300,000 tonnes in March and 1.1 million in April.While the government wants to lift that to 2 million, it is hitting logistical bottlenecks that could take years and billions of dollars to overcome.At the moment, Ukraine has at least 20 million tonnes of surplus grain in silos and the APK-Inform agricultural consultancy estimates another 40 million could be available for export once the next harvest comes in this summer.“There is hunger in Africa and in other countries. We have seen the dynamics of a population missing that food from year to year,” said Roman Rusakov, a senior official at Ukraine’s Agriculture Ministry. “I just cannot imagine what might happen without Ukraine shipping next season’s exportable surplus.”However, the Kremlin on Thursday rejected claims that Russia had blocked grain exports from Ukraine, and accused the West of creating such a situation by imposing sanctions.“We categorically do not accept these accusations. On the contrary, we blame Western countries of taking actions that have led to this,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters on Thursday.Moscow called for the West to remove the sanctions which it says are blocking grain exports from Ukraine.European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is among those who have accused Moscow of using food exports as a weapon, while Kyiv has said Russia has stolen hundreds of thousands of tonnes of grain in areas their forces have occupied.Truss said that “we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term”. More

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      International media asks if Partygate will ‘be enough’ to make the British public angry?

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      International media outlets have waded into the Partygate scandal that has hit the British headlines after the publication of an independent report into the illegal Downing Street parties.Prime minister Boris Johnson has been called on to resign after senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report laid bare the extent of the socialising during coronavirus lockdown, which was outlawed by the government itself.The vast majority of British media has focused on the hypocrisy, while a few right-leaning British newspapers have tried to downplay the scandal.This is how media around the world has reported on this story: Australia: ‘British public sick and tired of weasel words from leaders’The Sydney Morning Herald focuses on the absurdity of the 16 gatherings hosted by the officials that have been responsible for running the country and making the law.One of two articles published by the newspaper starts with: “Drunken gatherings, fisticuffs, vomiting, and red wine stains left on the walls. This was life inside Downing Street when the rest of Britain was under strict stay-at-home orders.“Things were so warped that even the senior figure responsible for ethics and propriety provided a karaoke machine for a party.”But, it points out, Mr Johnson may “survive” the scandal with “spin, distraction or indeed good political fortune” despite a YouGov poll suggesting that 59 per cent of people want him to resign.It goes on: “[The parties were] a deliberate attempt to flout and manipulate rules which had separated families from loved ones, forced them to see their grandparents die on FaceTime, miss the birth of grandchildren or attend zoom funerals of friends.“And that, ultimately, is what this scandal is all about. Whether the rules were extreme or misguided or an overreaction, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that they were applied to some and not others. And that is the way it will be viewed by a grumpy public which is sick and tired of the weasel words from its leaders.”Canada: ‘Ukraine and inflation has shifted the public’s attention’The Globe and Mail reports Mr Johnson’s apology for the conduct of his staff at what the newspaper described as the “occasionally raucous” parties held at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office. Like the Sydney Morning Herald, it says the findings of the Sue Gray report are “unlikely to trigger any immediate threat to Mr Johnson’s leadership”, and that he has “largely weathered the storm”.The war in Ukraine and inflation reaching its highest in 30 years “have shifted public attention,” it adds.France: ‘Would lockdown violations be enough to revive anger among British people?’Le Monde acknowledges that, during lockdown, people had made “heavy sacrifices” – as required by law. The newspaper goes on to state that the 40-page Sue Gray report details the “overwhelming” violations during the parties, including drinking, “vomiting, altercations, music, departure through back doors in the early morning and sometimes disrespect for security or maintenance agents.”The newspaper questions whether the report’s findings would be enough – “in absence of an election” – to “revive anger among the majority, or even demonstrate that the head of government lied to Parliament, which could precipitate his departure.”Spain: ‘PM and officials had violated the rules imposed on all citizens during the pandemic’News website El Espanol reported that Sue Gray discovered that there was an “altercation” between two people at one of the parties, drunkenness, and vomiting. It points out that those attending the parties were aware that they were doing something illegal because they were advised to “leave the building from the back”.The report says: “Since the scandal was uncovered, Johnson has faced criticism from opposition politicians and some in his own party to resign after it was revealed that both he and the officials had violated the rules imposed on all citizens because of the pandemic.”It ends with the line from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer: “There was a norm for them and a norm for everyone else.”US: ‘Sue Gray report does not look like fatal blow that many expected’A “scandal-scarred” PM has presided over a “disorderly workplace” where there had been “rampant violations” of coronavirus restrictions, the New York Times reports.Sue Gray’s findings were “studded” with accounts of “late-night, booze-fueled revelry” at Downing Street, it also said before going on to describe a scene of “scattered wine bottles, a thumping karaoke machine, a broken swing set, and senior officials who encouraged the socializing even as they privately fretted it could create a public relations problem.”But, like other media outlets, it pointed out that the published report “did not look like the fatal blow that many once warned it could be” even though Mr Johnson’s “political future has been hanging by a thread”. More

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      UK sanctions Putin’s ‘shady’ friends and family including alleged mistress

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      Britain has announced more Russian sanctions, with President Vladimir Putin’s ex-wife, family members and inner circle hit in the latest tranche of measures designed to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “We are exposing and targeting the shady network propping up Putin’s luxury lifestyle and tightening the vice on his inner circle.“We will keep going with sanctions on all those aiding and abetting Putin’s aggression until Ukraine prevails.”Mr Putin’s official assets are modest, according to the Foreign Office, with his lifestyle “funded by a cabal of family, friends and elites”.Ukraine news — latest updatesThose newly placed on the sanctions list, which has grown to more than 1,000 individuals and 100 entities, include former first lady of the Russian Federation and ex-wife of Mr Putin, Lyudmila Ocheretnaya.Mikhail Shelomov, a Russian business owner and the leader’s first cousin, once removed, has been targeted.Also on the list is Alina Kabaeva, a retired Olympic gymnast who has risen to become Chair of the Board of the National Media Group, reportedly the largest private Russian media company. She is alleged to have a close personal relationship with Putin, and previously sat as a Deputy in the Duma for Putin’s United Russia party. The Foreign Office said: “Official records list modest assets for President Putin including: a small flat in St Petersburg, two Soviet-era cars from the 1950s, a trailer, and a small garage. In reality, Putin relies on his network of family, childhood friends, and selected elite who have benefited from his rule and in turn support his lifestyle. Their reward is influence over the affairs of the Russian state that goes far beyond their formal positions.”The new sanctions list also includes Putin’s first cousin Igor Putin, who is director of Pechenga International Sea Port, and Mikhail Putin, who is on the management boards of SOGAZ Insurance and Gazprom. The list announced by the Foreign Office on Friday includes:Alina Kabaeva, a retired Olympic gymnast. Kabaeva has risen to become Chair of the Board of the National Media Group, reportedly the largest private Russian media company. She is alleged to have a close personal relationship with Putin, and previously sat as a Deputy in the Duma for Putin’s United Russia. Anna Zatseplina, grandmother of Alina Kabaeva and associate of Gennady Timchenko – a longstanding Putin associate, sanctioned by the UK on 22 February 2022, from whom she has reportedly received a luxury flat in Moscow. Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, former First Lady of the Russian Federation and ex-wife of Putin. Since her divorce from Putin in 2014, Ocheretnaya has benefited from preferential business relationships with state-owned entities.Igor Putin, first cousin of President Vladimir Putin, and a Russian businessman. Igor Putin is Director of Pechenga International Sea Port. Mikhail Putin, a Russian businessman and relative of President Vladimir Putin. Mikhail Putin is Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of SOGAZ Insurance and Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprom. Roman Putin, first cousin once removed of President Vladimir Putin. Roman Putin is publicly open about his relation to Putin and emphasises how this family connection enabled his company, Putin Consulting, to help foreign investors in Russia.Mikhail Shelomov, a Russian business owner and Putin’s first cousin, once removed. Shelomov’s company Akcept LLC has allegedly shared employees with Binom JSC, the firm registered as owning ‘Putin’s Palace’. Shelomov, through his firm Akcept LLC, is also a shareholder in Bank Rossiya, a bank with close Kremlin links, and run by key Putin lieutenants, sanctioned by the UK on 22 February 2022. Alexander Plekhov, a close friend of Putin. He has benefited from his relationship with Putin and his company Vital Development Corporation has benefited from significant state patronage.Mikhail Klishin, an Executive in Bank Rossiya, and a member of the Board of Directors at SOGAZ. Vladimir Kolbin, the son of Putin’s childhood friend and alleged business associate, Peter Kolbin. Vladimir has benefited from and supported the Government of Russia acting as General Director of Gelendzhik Seaport LLC. Yuri Shamalov, son of Nikolai Shamalov (sanctioned by the UK in 2014), and brother of Putin’s former son-in-law, Kirill (sanctioned by the UK on 24 February 2022). Yuri is a member of the new elite of children of Putin’s closest associates, and has risen rapidly to become President of Gazfond, and Member of the Board of Directors of Gazprombank. Viktor Khmarin is a Russian lawyer and businessman, who is a friend and relative-by-marriage of Putin. Khmarin has owned a number of businesses including LLC NefteProduktServis, which operated in the Russian energy sector. More

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      in UK Politics

      Macron calls for ‘new European political community’ that could include Britain

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      Emmanuel Macron has said the UK could be offered a closer relationship with Brussels as part of a new type of “political European community” that would include countries that haven’t joined the EU or have left.The French president, speaking to the European parliament in Strasbourg, said it would allow countries like the UK or Ukraine to decide on the level of integration they wanted with Europe.However, he poured cold water on the notion that Ukraine would be able to join the EU imminently, but in the meantime said the country, which is currently battling Russian forces, needed to be given an indication it is already a part of Europe. “Ukraine by its fight and its courage is already a heartfelt member of our Europe, of our family, of our union,” Mr Macron said.“Even if we grant it candidate status tomorrow, we all know perfectly well that the process to allow it to join would take several years indeed, probably several decades.”Rather than altering the EU’s strict standards for membership, Mr Macron suggested creating a new parallel European project that could appeal to countries who wanted to join the bloc.Britain and other countries which leave the EU could also be a part of Mr Macron’s new plan. In Berlin later on Monday, Mr Macron said the UK would be offered a “full place” in the community. He said this “European political community” would be open to democratic European nations adhering to its core values in areas such as political cooperation, security, cooperation in energy, transport, investment of infrastructure or circulation of people.“Joining it would not necessarily prejudge future EU membership,” he said. “Nor would it be closed to those who left it.”Relations between the pro-EU French president and Boris Johnson are frosty after repeated clashes over Brexit and fishing rights, and it remains to be seen how the proposals will be received in No 10.Mr Macron stressed that speaking about Europe’s future priorities was in stark contrast with the behaviour of Russia, who on the same day showed off their military might in a parade in Moscow to commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.“We have given two very different images of May 9,” Mr Macron said. “On the one side, there was a desire for a demonstration of force and intimidation and a resolutely war-like speech, and there was here … an association of citizens and parliamentarians — national and European — for a project on our future.”President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said he wants Ukraine to join the EU and just last month called on European leaders to prove they stood with the country as they battled Russian aggression.He said: “The European Union is going to be much stronger with us, that’s for sure. Without you, Ukraine is going to be lonesome,” he said.“Do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you are indeed Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness. Glory be to Ukraine.” Additional reporting by agencies More

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      in UK Politics

      Ukraine war may last five years, warns Truss with call for West to ‘double down’ on support for Kyiv

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      Liz Truss has called on Western allies to “double down” on their support for Ukraine amid fears that Russia’s war could last five years or longer. The foreign secretary, speaking on Wednesday evening at the annual foreign policy speech at Mansion House, said Kyiv needed more tanks, warplanes and other heavy weapons.Fears of escalating the war are misplaced and “inaction would be the greatest provocation”, Ms Truss said, calling the current moment “a time for courage, not caution”.“Heavy weapons, tanks, airplanes – digging deep into our inventories, ramping up production. We need to do all of this,” she said, adding that Russian forces must be pushed out of “the whole of Ukraine”, calling it a “strategic imperative”.“The architecture that was designed to guarantee peace and prosperity has failed Ukraine. The economic and security structures developed after the Second World War and then the Cold War have been bent out of shape so far that they have enabled rather than contained aggression.“If Putin succeeds, there will be untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe.“We would never feel safe again. So we must be prepared for the long haul and double down on our support for Ukraine.”With no sign of an end to the fighting, Ms Truss is said to fear that the war may last five years or even double that, according to The Times. In her keynote speech, the foreign secretary also called for tougher economic sanctions on Russia, saying the West must cut off Russian oil and gas imports “once and for all”.She also called for a new focus on “military strength, economic security and deeper global alliances” among “free nations”. More

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      Sweden and Finland cold join Nato ‘within weeks’ after Russian invasion of Ukraine

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      Sweden and Finland are poised to join Nato “within weeks” following the invasion of Ukraine, despite warnings from Moscow against any expansion of the military alliance.The leaders of both nations met on Wednesday to discuss regional security after decades of organising their own protection. Sweden’s prime minister Magdalena Andersson did not confirm the move, but Swedish outlet SVD reported that she and and opposition party leaders had agreed a goal of joining in June. “When Russia invaded Ukraine, Sweden’s security position changed fundamentally,” her party said in a statement earlier this week.Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin said after the meeting: “I won’t give any kind of timetable when we will make our decisions, but I think it will happen quite fast. Within weeks, not within months.” Marin, whose country shares an 810-mile border with Russia, said it was important to reach consensus in Finland, which fought Soviet invaders during World War Two and has since been militarily non-aligned.Public opinion in Finland has taken a U-turn on NATO, with the most recent poll by private broadcaster MTV showing 68% of respondents in favour of joining, with only 12% against.Sweden was a neutral state during World War Two and has not fought a war for over 200 years.Once members of Nato, the Nordic countries would benefit from Nato’s defence clause, which makes it mandatory for all members to defend an ally under attack.Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Nato’s further expansion would “not bring stability to the European continent”.Meanwhile, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the door for membership in the alliance remains open for both countries.“It is a sovereign decision of any nation that wants to join Nato to apply for membership, which they so far have not done … We are forcing no one into Nato,” Rob Bauer, the head of Nato’s military committee, said.Additional reporting by agencies More

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      UK to send 120 armoured vehicles to Ukraine after PM meets Zelensky

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      The UK has vowed to send 120 armoured vehicles to Ukraine following a meeting between Boris Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Downing Street said Britain would also dispatch a new anti-ship missile systems to support the country against the Russian invasion.The announcement followed talks between the two leaders in the Ukrainian capital, where Mr Johnson made a surprise visit on Saturday.It is understood to be the first time the pair have met in person since the Russian invasion was launched on 24 February. Downing Street said on Saturday the prime minister was in Kyiv to “demonstrate the UK’s steadfast solidarity with Ukraine” and to discuss military and economic support with Mr Zelensky. More

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      Boris Johnson pictured meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv today

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      Boris Johnson has been seen with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky at a surprise meeting in Kyiv.The British prime minister was pictured at a table opposite Mr Zelensky on Saturday, with the Union Jack and Ukrainian flag in the background.It is believed to be the first time the pair have met in person since Russia invaded Ukraine a month and a half ago, starting a war reported to have killed hundreds of civilians and displaced millions more. A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed the two had met in Kyiv on Saturday after an image of the leaders together was met with surprise on social media.“The prime minister has travelled to Ukraine to meet President Zelenskyy in person, in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people,” the No 10 spokesperson said. “They will discuss the UK’s long term support to Ukraine and the PM will set out a new package of financial and military aid.”Andriy Sybiha, a Ukrainian presidential aide, said Mr Johnson had started his visit to Kyiv with a “tete-a-tete” meeting with Mr Zelensky.Ukraine’s embassy in the UK shared an image of the two leaders meeting on Saturday, with the caption “surprise” and a winking face emoji. The Tory party chair had previously said the UK prime minister was “desperate” to visit Ukraine to witness what was happening in the country under siege.But a senior government official told The Independent last month such a trip would be “nonsensical” and his time would be “better spent addressing Home Office dysfunction” over the UK’s response to the refugee crisis sparked by the war.Mr Johnson is believed to have last visited Ukraine and met Mr Zelensky at the start of February as the threat of a Russian invasion loomed. More