Because Erdogan loves Russia
14:46 | While many NATO member states want less and less to do with Russia, NATO member Turkey is trying to strengthen ties with the country that is at war with Ukraine. And this is not without reason. Turkey desperately needs money and gas from Russia.
Turkey is discussing a discount on Russian gas with Moscow
11:51 am | Turkey is in talks with a Russian delegation in Ankara on Friday to get a more than 25% discount on the price of its gas imports from Russia. This was reported by senior Turkish government officials to the Bloomberg news agency.
Turkey wants the cut to apply to payments in 2023 and some earlier payments made in 2022 retroactively, officials said, who wished to remain anonymous. If Turkey can’t get a discount, it will instead ask for a deferral of payment from Russia until 2024, officials said without elaborating. The Turkish government and state gas importer Botas were not immediately available for comment, according to Bloomberg.
Europe spends more on defence
11:46 am | Defense spending in Europe rose to a record high of €214 billion in 2021. According to the European Defense Agency (EDA) in Brussels, this is the first time that this amount has exceeded €200 billion. According to the EDA, these expenses are likely to increase further in the near future due to the war in Ukraine.
All EU Member States are members of the EDA, with the exception of Denmark. Spending rose 6% from 2020, the largest annual increase since 2015, in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Crimea a year earlier. It is the seventh consecutive year that defense spending has increased.
It concerns the purchase of defense equipment, research and development costs and ordinary defense budgets. According to the EDA, a record €52 billion was spent on the purchase of defense equipment and research and development.
“Russians can use nuclear weapons if they have no other means”
10:45 am | According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the risk of nuclear war is growing. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes otherwise. He says the risk has actually decreased due to international pressure on Putin.
Foreign commentator Bernard Hammelburg finds the two rhyming statements special. It’s a wonderful way to communicate. (…). Even the Americans have reacted furiously that Putin is talking about it again.’ The cause of Putin’s statement isn’t exactly clear, but Hammelburg has an idea. “Under Russian rules, a nuclear weapon can be used when your country is attacked to such an extent that it has no other means left.”
The Red Cross visits Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war
09:34 | The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been able to visit Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war in recent weeks. Employees could monitor how they are doing and how they are treated.
“These visits are important for preserving humanity amidst the brutality of international armed conflict,” said Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the ICRC. She hopes that the Red Cross will have access to all prisoners of war and will be able to visit them more often in the future.
After the meeting, the employees shared how they are doing with the families of the detainees. Messages are exchanged, but also requests for cigarettes and new socks, for example. Aid workers had also brought warm clothes, blankets and books for the prisoners. The organization reports no bad conditions in either country.
Russians practice in Belarus
08:45 | The Russian army is participating in military exercises in neighboring Belarus, Moscow announced on Thursday. Combat training includes training in the use of firearms and other weapons.
Belarus is not directly involved in the war in Ukraine, but this is feared. The country denies that its army will fight with the Russians. Belarusian and Russian troops are stationed at the borders due to what Minsk calls threats from Kiev and the West.
Russia is a very important ally for Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994. Earlier this year he ordered the Russian military to attack Ukraine from Belarus, prompting international sanctions against Belarus.
Households and businesses are saving a lot on gas
06:18 | Between July and October, Dutch households and businesses used almost a fifth less natural gas than a year earlier. The reason for the drive to save is the explosive rise in energy costs after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
While households have often turned down or turned off their thermostats, some factories have even shut down completely to avoid high energy costs. Due to the huge decrease in energy consumption, the Netherlands largely complies with voluntary agreements made by European Union member states to prevent severe gas shortages, reports Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
“Minor Risk of Nuclear War”
03:45 | The risk of Russia using nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine has decreased thanks to international pressure on President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview published on Thursday.
One thing has changed for now: Russia has stopped threatening nuclear weapons. In response to the fact that the international community has drawn a red line,” Scholz said in an interview with German media group Funke. When asked whether the threat of a nuclear escalation has been averted, Scholz replied: “For we’ve stopped it now.”
According to the German head of government, his recent visit to China helped. “During my visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi and I jointly declared that nuclear weapons should not be used. Shortly after, the G20 countries reaffirmed this position.’