Russia denied that they are currently sending in troops -
Moscow: Russia is not planning to send troops to eastern Ukraine “for now” but will do so in case of a “threat”, a foreign ministry official said Tuesday after Moscow’s parliament ratified cooperation deals with Ukraine’s separatist republics.
Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said the treaties include the provision of “military aid” but added that “speculation” on troop deployments should be avoided.
“For now, no one is planning to send anything anywhere. If there is a threat, then we will provide assistance in accordance with the ratified treaties.”
src: click
Earlier today german Chancellor Scholz went live to announce that the Northstream 2 pipeline project will remain frozen until further notice.
This had been the ECFRs prior position on the matter (Europe unified, security could be the common goal that strengthens the union.).
Scholz being in line with the US stance, as stressed in that article, still did disregard the difference between what constitutes a red line. Not reported for over a month, if you followed US friendly news sources.
Scholz:
We are ready to take together with our allies all necessary steps. And we have a very clear agreement with the United States government on gas transit and energy sovereignty in Europe. We already also agreed that we will support Ukraine, that we will fight for the gas transit via Ukraine intensely and that we will be very strong if this gas transit would be endangered. Also, it is absolutely clear that in a situation like this all options are on the table. Please understand that I will not get into any specifics, but our answer will be united and decisive.
src: click
Correction: Now that difference stopped mattering, with the official german line being, that Germany has to rethink energy security in the european context, and reevaluate based on that.
Russia has assured all conflict partners, that gas deliveries will continue.
src: click
The ECFRs notion that Hungary remained fairly close to the official EU line on sanctions seems to hold true.
Nina Khrushchevas position that Putin could have played into chinas hands by becoming economically dependent on their gas purchases as well as their economic know how on energy extraction projects in Siberia relies on the notion that Putin (himself 🙂 ) made a miscalculation in seeing russia as an equal partner in their venture from decoupling from the west, seems oddly reliant on russia not having been able to interpret signs of public distancing during the ceremonies at the olympic games - and the idea, that an economic decoupling would be the goal here, first and foremost.
Especially, as the european commission is reportedly pressuring for very strong sanctions at the moment, which is almost the anti-thesis to this argument (or fitting the argument, if you see it as a viable pressure point that would change the situation entirely - which is less likely).
Sanktionen der EU-Kommission gehen weiter als erwartet
Die EU-Kommission hat nach Informationen der Deutschen Presse-Agentur unerwartet weitreichende Sanktionen gegen Russland vorgeschlagen. Ein am Dienstag den Mitgliedstaaten präsentierter Entwurf sieht Angaben von Diplomaten zufolge vor, den Handel mit russischen Staatsanleihen zu verbieten, um eine Refinanzierung des russischen Staats zu erschweren. Zudem sollen hunderte Personen und Unternehmen auf die EU-Sanktionsliste kommen.
[…]
Das volle Arsenal der Sanktionsmöglichkeiten wird noch nicht genutzt. Sanktionen gegen den russischen Energiesektor und Ausfuhrverbote für Hightech-Technologie sind für den Fall vorbereitet worden, dass Russland einen Angriff auf die ganze Ukraine startet. Auch Putin wird voraussichtlich noch nicht auf die EU-Sanktionsliste kommen.
Beschlossen werden müssen alle Sanktionen letztlich vom EU-Ministerrat [The first meeting will take place today at 16:00 MEZ.].
src: click
Scholzs announcement to freeze progress on Nordstream 2 certification, coupled with the statement that Germany needs to reevaluate their position doesnt seem like Germany is following the proposal of the EU commission in its fullest extent just yet.
edit: Wrong on that one - EU sanctions are in place now, to exactly that extent:
Die EU stehe geschlossen und sei vorbereitet zügig zu handeln, so EU-Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen nach Bekanntgabe eines EU-Sanktionspakets gegen Russland. Die russische Vorgehensweise sei inakzeptable, Russland verstoße gegen Völkerrecht. Moskau habe diese Krise mutwillig ausgelöst und sei für die Eskalation verantwortlich. Die EU-Staaten hätten nun ihr grünes Licht gegeben für Sanktionen gegeben, Vorbild seien die Sanktionen gegen Russland von 2014 nach der Annexion der Krim. Es gehe darum jene zu treffen, die das russische Militär unterstützen und somit die Vorgehensweise in der Ostukraine. Und auch de Zugang Russlands zu internationalen Finanzmärkten zu beschneiden. Von der Leyen begrüßt zudem die Entscheidung Deutschlands, die Pipeline Nord Stream 2 auf Eis zu legen. Es gelte in Europe in Sachen Energieversorgung unabhängiger zu werden, nicht zuletzt mithilfe der Erneuerbaren Energien. Man sei bereit, weitere Maßnahmen zu setzten, sollte die Lage weiter eskalieren, so Von der Leyen.
src: click
edit2: According to an Interview with Reinhard Bütikofer, the decision was not as unanimous as previously indicated, but with Germany firmly on the side of imposing the preannounced sanctions to their fullest extent.
The entire piece of reporting is worth to be watched:
