What support do Ukraine and Russia receive in four days of armed conflict?

On the fourth day of the war over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the news arrived that both countries would initiate contact to dialogue, on the border between the latter and Belarus, an ally of Moscow.

This, after intense clashes near the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, and other parts of the country after the strengthening of the attack by the Kremlin, such as Kharkov, a key point of defense and the second city in the country in population, according to The country.

In the face of Russian arms power, several countries have announced the sending of various types of aid to Ukraine, in addition to talks and decisions to sanction the Russian government.

In Europe, Germany will send 1,000 rocket launchers, 400 grenade launchers and 500 air and ground missiles; the Netherlands, 200 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 100 precision rifles and 30,000 ammunition; Belgium, 2,000 machine guns and 3,800 tons of fuel; Czech Republic, 4,000 ammunition, machine guns and rifles; Romania also promised to give him war material.

While among what has already been delivered is a shipment of ammunition from Poland and “large amounts of automatic rifles, ammunition, helmets and bulletproof vests” from Lithuania, according to international media in the Old Continent.

The European Union will use money from the European support fund to finance the purchase of weapons.

“Weapons and equipment from our partners on their way to Ukraine. The anti-war coalition works!” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once said.

The United States has already approved an allocation of 350 million dollars to deliver war material to Ukraine, including the Javelin anti-tank system that, according to the company that produces them (Raytheon), can disable these vehicles. In addition, he later announced another humanitarian aid package, this time for $54 million, according to AFP.

Several countries have also taken action in protest of Moscow’s decision, the strongest being that the United States and the EU, along with other Western partners, agreed on Saturday to remove “certain” Russian banks from the Swift international system, a forceful economic measure. , since this transaction system is the basis of the global financial structure and is used by 11,000 banks in 200 countries or territories to make transfers.

Likewise, the Western allies agreed to “impose restrictive measures” against the Central Bank of Russia with the aim of “preventing the use of its international reserves to undermine the impact” of the sanctions.

And as a bonus, they promised to act together to “limit the sale of so-called golden passports, which allow wealthy Russians connected to the Russian Government to become citizens and gain access to the financial systems” of the countries that signed the statement.

The restriction of exports to Russia of Western high-tech products is under review for now.

Since last week, Japan has suspended visas and frozen funds linked to the self-proclaimed separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, in addition to subjecting them to a trade embargo and blocking new issuances of Russian sovereign debt in Japanese markets. Then, after the invasion, he put controls on exports of semiconductors and other products that can be used for military purposes and the freezing of funds from Russian financial entities.

All these things have caused Russian President Vladimir Putin to dare to put all his forces on alert, including the nuclear deterrence forces.

From the private sphere, help has also been presented. Tech tycoon Elon Musk has ordered his company SpaceX to release free satellite internet to Ukraine through its Starlink program.

In addition, some countries have stopped buying Russian products as a reaction, for example, in Canada vodka has been withdrawn from liquor stores.

This Sunday the EU interior ministers also met to discuss the reception of Ukrainian refugees and were going to assess the possibility of using the temporary protection directive, an exceptional option designed precisely for war situations.

The Minister of the Interior of France (the country that holds the rotating presidency of the EU this semester), Gérald Darmanin, pointed out that the twenty-seven member countries of the EU must debate “what status” can be granted to all people fleeing the conflict and how they can be offered aid from a humanitarian point of view, as well as “long-term” protection, collects EFE.

According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, more than 368,000 people have fled to neighboring countries, while more than 160,000 are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine.

Already several countries have also closed their airspace to any Russian aircraft. The last to join was Spain, today. He had previously promised 20 tons of medicines and medical supplies.

But not only politically there were damages, also in other fields there were blows to the image of Russia. In sports, Formula 1 canceled the Russian Grand Prix and European soccer teams will not wear Russian brands and there has even been a request that the country not participate in the World Cup in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Russia’s allies in this operation are Belarus, from where it launched part of its attack, and has received the support of other troops, such as those sent from Chechnya. (I)