Photo : Ryska Utrikesministeriet/TASS/All Over Press
By Samruddhi Pathak and Advik S Mohan
RUSSIA
“The Arctic is not NATO’s territory” says Sergey Lavrov in an interview
On 19 September, Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, spoke about Russia’s interaction with other Arctic countries. The Arctic Council has eight members and the presidency rotates every two years. The Arctic Council ensures multilateral cooperation in the region. However, he critiques NATO’s approach towards the region as NATO involvement in the region would bring military presence. He emphasised, “The Arctic is not NATO’s territory.” Lavrov mentioned the potential involvement of India and China and the possibility of trilateral cooperation in the Arctic. With climate change, the Arctic ice is melting leading to more accessibility and more players interested in the region. He also highlights the importance of rule-based order in the region through the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It outlines the law on the country's claim and decides on an extension of its territorial sea beyond 200 nautical miles from its coastline. He also mentioned that the US had unilaterally announced the new outer limits of its continental shelf in areas beyond 200 miles from the coast without applying to the commission. Talking about the US, he also quotes George Orwell, “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” Russia’s greater involvement and awareness in the Arctic is natural given its geographical area covered in the Arctic and the historical significance of the region that Russia released during the World Wars. (“Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview for the Soviet Breakthrough semi-documentary series project, Moscow, September 19, 2024,” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, 19 September 2024)
Russia charges four soldiers for torture of US citizen
On 20 September, an article in Firstpost informed the Government of the Russian Federation had charged four soldiers from the Russian Armed Forces, for torturing and killing a US citizen who fought with pro-Russia forces in Ukraine. Russell Bentley or “Texas”, the US citizen who lived in Russian-occupied Donetsk was abducted and killed by Russian troops, according to his wife. The Russian Investigative Committee charged Vladislav Agaltsev, Vladimir Bazhin, Andrei Iordanov, and Vitaly Vansyatsky, soldiers in the Russian Armed Forces with causing the death of Bentley through physical violence, torture and negligence. The soldiers also face charges of concealing the crime by moving Bentley’s remains to another place. The case is a rare instance of Russia charging soldiers with crimes. ( “Rare Instance: Russia charges 4 of its own soldiers for ‘torturing, killing’ pro-Moscow US fighter ‘Texas,” Firstpost, 20 September 2024)
THE EU
Floods in Europe: Countries deal with aftermath
On 20 September, Georgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, announced a fund of EUR 20 million for victims of heavy flooding in the region of Emilia Romagna. Meloni has called for a cabinet meeting to discuss the initial release of funds and restoration of basic facilities like drinking water and electricity. The meeting is scheduled for 21 September. More than 1,000 people had to be evacuated in northern Italy due to Storm Boris. Meanwhile, central European countries are dealing with the aftermath of Storm Boris. The Czech Republic authorities have started the process of cleaning up streets and houses. Many houses in the Czech city of Krnov were declared inhabitable. Meanwhile, in the Klodzko region of Poland, the army and locals are clearing debris from the streets left by Storm Boris. Telecommunication facilities were also disrupted in a few areas in Poland. Reuters also reported on the fiscal pressure that the floods have put on the European economies. Andrzej Domanski, the Finance Minister of Poland, said that the relief fund allocated by the EU of EUR 5.6 billion will cover some of the damages but not all of them caused due to floods. The report suggests that climate change is causing further stress on European economies which are already strained due to the ramifications of COVID-19 and the Russia- Ukraine war. On 19 September, the Czech Republic announced that it would allocate 0.4 per cent of its GDP to the damages caused by floods. This depicts the scale of budget allocation among European countries. As per the analysis provided by Moody's, European countries might face further fiscal deficits as many of them are already shrinking. However, the firm said that countries were more prepared for the floods than in 2023. Floods have also taken a heavy toll on insurance companies. According to the UK Environmental consultant JBA Risk Management, river flooding costs €7.8 billion each year to the UK economy. (“Italian government announces plans to allocate €20 million to flooded northern regions,” Euronews, 20 September 2024; Jan Lopatka, Karl Badohal and Gergely Szakacs, “Deadly floods add to fiscal strains in central Europe,” Reuters, 20 September 2024)
THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Regional and national elections held amid floods
On 20 September, several people in the Czech Republic participated in voting for regional and national elections. The elections are for the Senate, the upper house of the Czech Republic and regional elections. Floods claimed five lives in the Czech Republic. In a few constituencies, voting took place in shipping containers and tents. Currently, a five party coalition is in the government. The coalition is led by Petr Fiala. Fiala has a clear majority of 81 seats in the Senate, however the second round of elections was organised for 27 seats. The Czech Republic’s lower house of Parliament dominates the legislative process, but the Senate plays an important role in passing constitutional amendments and approving Constitutional Court judges. (“Czechs vote in Senate and regional elections in the aftermath of massive flooding,” Euronews, 21 September 2024)
FRANCE
Dissent among French Overseas over Prime Minister
On 20 September, Al Jazeera reported a rise in unrest in French territories in the Caribbean and Pacific region. The protests resulted in police killing two men in New Caledonia, which raised the total toll to 13 in the region; and a curfew was imposed in Martinique. Micheal Barnier, the new Prime minister of France, has already struggled in forming a government after the snap election in June as no party won the absolute majority. The protests in New Caledonia broke in May 2024 when the Republic of France proposed a plan to reform the voting rights under which Kanak people, an indigenous community, feared that it would dilute their votes undermining their rights. Even though Macron rolled back the reforms, protests continued. The territory is a major producer of Nickel which benefits France immensely. The territory has almost 2,70,000 people and the estimated loss due to violence is USD 2.4 billion. Similar protests are being seen in French Caribbean territory over the cost of living crisis in the country. Activists argue that the government has been lethargic towards chalking out a concrete solution. (“Violence rocks France overseas territories in challenge for new PM Barnier,” Al Jazeera, 20 September 2024)
GERMANY
Government records highest influx of migrants
On 20 September, the Government of the German Federation released a report on the influx of migrants in the country. More than three million refugees were dwelling in Germany on different resident permits as of June 2024. The figure is roughly 60,000 more than June 2023. One-third of these refugees are Ukrainian citizens. Migration became a point of polarisation during the recent state elections in Germany. Refugees make up to four per cent of the population in Germany. This also accounts for people who are overstaying their visas. Left-wing lawmakers suggest that the situation is being exaggerated by the far-right to make it seem like a national emergency. (“Number of refugees reaches new high in 2024,” Deutsche Welle, 20 September 2024)
Thousands gather in Fridays for Future protests
On 20 September, more than 75,000 people gathered to protest against climate change across Germany. The protests were a part of Fridays for Future initiative. It was started by climate activist Greta Thunberg as a weekly student protest in Sweden in 2018. 2023 was recorded as the hottest year recorded so far and 2024 is expected to break that record. In northeastern Germany, two climate activists were arrested and jailed for sabotaging an oil pipeline. Protests come during heavy floods in central Europe and wildfires in Portugal.