As promised MiG-29 fighters from Poland and Slovakia have arrived in Ukraine, protests over the Ukraine-Russia grain deal are on the rise. “Ukraine is very fragile,” says BNR foreign commentator Bernard Hammelburg.
The delivery of MiG-29 fighters has been negotiated for a long time. Still, it’s big news, says Hammelburg. ‘Early in the war we had big discussions about whether or not we could supply helmets. That discussion has completely shifted to whether or not we have fighter planes.’
The Ukrainian president has long been asking for fighter planes, preferably of the F16 type. “But this MiG-29 is an excellent aircraft and its own air force is used to these aircraft.” Fighter aircraft are technically very complicated devices that require a lot of maintenance. “But the moment they’re ready to fly, the crew can get to work.”
“The MiG-29 is an excellent aircraft and the Ukrainian Air Force is used to it”
Wheat Anger
Meanwhile, negotiations on a new grain deal between Russia and Ukraine continue, albeit amid protests from both sides. ‘In Warsaw, agriculture ministers are now consulting, which is good. But as a result of the current grain deal, which will last until June 30, the tariffs have been adjusted, so that grain from Ukraine has become affordable. This has now led to huge protests in Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia.” According to these countries, their farmers are disadvantaged by cheap grain from Ukraine.
Relations with India
Gazprom Bank, the holding company of the Russian oil producer Gazprom, has meanwhile signed new agreements with India. This points to an ever-improving relationship between Russia and India, Hammelburg says. For example, it has been agreed that payments will be made in their own currency. “By doing so, both countries are avoiding international payments and that makes exporting oil and arms in particular much easier.”
India buys a lot of arms from Russia and for Russia India is currently one of the most important buyers of Russian oil, together with China. “We’re talking mega deals here.”
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G7
G7 countries gather in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. They talk about, among other things, “how fragile Ukraine is,” says Hammelburg. This also emerged from the documents leaked last week. And that means new donations are needed. We are not talking only about weapons, but above all about budget aid. This has already been done by many countries and also by the IMF. But now the G7 wants to put a sort of financial exclamation mark behind all this.’
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
