Prime Minister of CuraƧao Attends Swearing-In of Dominican President Luis Abinader

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Prime Minister of CuraƧao Attends Swearing-In of Dominican President Luis Abinader

Prime Minister Gilmar Simon Pisas of CuraƧao arrived in Santo Domingo on the afternoon of August 14 to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of President Luis Abinader, marking his second term as the head of the Dominican Republic.

Prime Minister Pisas landed at Las AmƩricas International Airport, accompanied by a delegation from the Netherlands. Upon his arrival, he was welcomed by the Director of Ceremonial and Protocol of the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other officials.

Later that evening, at 6:30 pm, Prime Minister Pisas was received at the National Palace by President Abinader for a bilateral meeting lasting approximately 40 minutes. The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest to CuraƧao and the Dominican Republic, including current international and regional political matters. The Vice Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy, JosĆ© Julio GĆ³mez, represented the Dominican Minister of Foreign Affairs during the meeting.

Gilmar Simon Pisas, a Dutch politician from CuraƧao and a member of the Movement for the Future of CuraƧao (MFK), previously served as Prime Minister in 2017 and has held the position again since June 14, 2021.

President Luis Abinader was inaugurated on Friday, August 16, for his second consecutive four-year term after winning 57% of the vote in the May 19, 2024, elections. During his 2024-2028 term, Abinader has pledged to contribute to the transformation of the Caribbean nation, which has a population of around 11 million, focusing on fighting corruption and reducing poverty.

Abinader initially won the presidency in the general elections on July 5, 2020, becoming the 67th president of the Dominican Republic, succeeding Danilo Medina SƔnchez.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by prominent figures, including King Felipe VI of Spain; President JosĆ© RaĆŗl Mulino of Panama; President Santiago PeƱa of Paraguay; President Luis Lacalle Pou of Uruguay; President Bernardo ArĆ©valo of Guatemala; President Chan Santokhi of Suriname; and President Xiomara Castro of Honduras. Also in attendance were Vice President FĆ©lix Ulloa of El Salvador and the special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong.

The Prime Minister of Curacao, held bilateral meetings in The Hague with the Dominican Ambassador to the Netherlands, H.E. Dr. Juan Bautista Duran earlier this year where the latter effectively motivated his attendance to the inauguration of President Abinader.

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Santo Domingo Joint Declaration on Venezuela

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Santo Domingo Joint Declaration on Venezuela

Friday, August 16, 2024 – A coalition of countries, convened in Santo Domingo during the inauguration of the new presidential term of Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, issued a strong appeal for wisdom and prudence in Venezuela. They urged all social and political actors to exercise the utmost restraint in this critical moment for Venezuela and the region.

ā€œWe call for the respect of democratic principles, as well as the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans, particularly the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. It is deeply concerning that this is not currently the situation in Venezuela. Reports of arbitrary detentions without due process are alarming, and we demand the immediate release of those detained.ā€

The declaration strongly condemned the repression of demonstrators and the violence that has claimed the lives of many Venezuelans in the post-election context. The signatories made an urgent plea for Venezuelan authorities to end the violence and release all detainees, including opposition representatives.

ā€œWe further urge that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights be allowed to return to Venezuela as a matter of urgency, and we call on Venezuela to guarantee the conditions necessary for it to fully carry out its mandate.ā€

The declaration also demanded that Venezuela, as a State Party to the Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum of 1954, comply with its provisions and issue safe-conducts for the six asylum-seekers who remain in the official residence of the Argentine Republic, allowing them to safely leave Venezuelan territory.

The signatory countries called for the immediate publication of all original tally sheets and the impartial, independent verification of those results, preferably by an international entity, to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people expressed at the polls is respected. ā€œAny delay in this process calls into question the results officially published on August 2, 2024.ā€

ā€œOur nations have a history of advocating dialogue and understanding to resolve serious conflicts. Today, more than ever, Venezuela must honor that legacy to restore peaceful coexistence, public security, and political stability, which, according to reports from the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, are currently being jeopardized by Venezuela’s own security authorities.ā€

The declaration concludes with a commitment to always support a genuinely Venezuelan solution in which democracy, justice, peace, and security prevail.

Signed in Santo Domingo:

Republic of Argentina, Canada, Republic of Chile, Czech Republic, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Ecuador, Kingdom of Spain, United States of America, Republic of Guatemala, Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Italian Republic, Kingdom of Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Republic of Panama, Republic of Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Portuguese Republic, Oriental Republic of Uruguay and the European Union.

Fall of Hasina: Gen Z uprising

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Fall of Hasina: Gen Z uprising

By Sazzad Haider

As like the Arab Spring, ā€œthe monsoon movementā€ is stirring the skies of South Asia. The youth of the South Asian countries have taken to the streets with unprecedented courage, pouring blood from their chests, chanting ā€œWe Want Justiceā€.

Bangladeshi students took to the streets to remove discrimination. In this movement, they dismissed the old political philosophyā€”they wanted to end all inequalities. They rejected nepotism, muscle power, corruption, lawlessness and dictatorship in politics.

After Bangladesh, the air of India and Pakistan is now full of similar slogans. These are the uprising of Generation Z “the group of people who were born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, who are regarded as being very familiar with the internet.ā€

Following month-long movement in Bangladesh- Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year democratic dictatorship has been swept away by this Generation Z uprising. Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League are now in the past in Bangladesh. Like every other infamous dictator, Sheikh Hasina did not hesitate to commit genocide before her fall. According to the United Nations, 650 people lost their lives, including 32 children.

From mid-July to August 5, the people of Bangladesh spent a night of death, murder, fire and terror. On the afternoon of August 5, hours after Sheikh Hasina had fled to India, a large sculpture Sheikh Mujib that had been placed on the streets of Dhaka fell to the ground. Hasina saved her life by putting her ministers, party workers, police and other law enforcement officers in danger.

As like Romanian Ceaușescu or North Korean Kim, several hundred status of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Bangladesh were installed and Hasina had taken a variety of legal measures to ensure the people’s respect for her father.

Like an autocrat, she had created Sheikh-family, giving a monarchy status, making law to protect her own family. The Sheikh family was involved in every development project which she promoted. In her latest press conference as Prime Minister, she made a comment that her office peon owns 40 million rupees by malpractice. From this example one can infer some of the corruption of the last 15 years. It can be said that the Sheikh family became the owner of the entire country. People’s anger against this family is so great that after Hasina’s fall, numerous sculptures of her father built with people’s money all over the country were razed to the ground, her father’s residence was set on fire – Sheikh Hasina’s official residence, her personal residence, relatives, ministers and party leaders’ residences were also burnt.

All the qualities of a modern dictator were existed in this democratic autocrat. Sheikh Hasina fell due to the following five reasons among numerous reasons.

1. Hasina came to power in 2008 and adopted an approach that ensured her power would last forever. For this she set a vision 41 – that is, her party Awami Leugue will be in power till 2041, in other words she will be in power for as long as life lasts. After coming to power, she set into motion the plan to remove the obstacles by suppressing dissentients. She never hid her love for India. To get India’s favor, she fulfilled all India’s demands, signed India favored unequal treaties. Within months of coming to power, a mutiny by Bangladesh Rifle ( Border Guards) killed around eighty military officials. Sheikh Hasina wasted unnecessary time in taking a decision to suppress this rebellion-which makes this rebellion as a mysterious event.

Allegedly, this rebellion took place at behest of India to weaken the Bangladesh Army, which had anti-India attitude. The lack of transparency in government investigations further fueled this allegation. After this mutiny, a purge was carried out in the army and Hasina’s staunch loyalists were appointed to high posts. Then Sheikh Hasina embarked on a mission to eradicate the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main political opponent. The leaders and workers of this party are burdened with assault cases and torture. Hasina turned the police into a party force.

Then she brought the high court under her directive. As a Chief Justice refused to write a verdict on Hasina’s wish, that Justice was tortured by military intelligence forces and sent out of the country. She politicized the entire administration as she politicized administration, the military and the high courts. She brought the Election Commission under her will. In the future, only Awami League people get all the government jobs, therefore, she set a quota of 30% of government job for the grandson/granddaughter of the so-called freedom fighters.

2. Hasina’s obedient, the Election Commission, conducted North Korea-style three national elections without voters, without participation of opposition parties. The younger generation has never given vote in their lifetime. Sheikh Hasina formed the so-called opposition party in parliament with a faction of her own party. She was slowly moving towards one-party rule.

3. Sheikh Hasina enacted various laws to curtail freedom of expression – one of which was the Digital Security Act. One of the goals of this law was to control various media based on the Internet, especially social media. During her tenure, all the newspapers and television channels were owned by her flatterers. So, through all these propaganda tools, the drum of development activities was constantly played as like North Korea style. She sent independent journalism into exile successfully. There are allegations that many journalists were jailed, some had gone missing, and a writer has been killed in jail.

4. She used to spread the myth of Islamic militancy to keep the opposition under pressure and gaining western supports. She used various laws to suppress militancy. Her police were given a license to kill so called militants in a sight. Another forceā€”the Rapid Action Battalionā€”or RAB ( which is under US sanctions) was tasked with staging cross-fire dramas and killing people in the name of counter-militancy. Thousands of people were victims of these extrajudicial killings every year. Sheikh Hasina built a torture house called ā€œMirror Houseā€ operated by army intelligence. Suspects were brought to this building to be tortured before being killed, and the suspects were held for years without any information being provided to the families.

From politicians to common people used to suffer from mirror anxiety. After the fall of Hasina, many people were rescued from this Mirror House who had been missing for eight years. Their families assumed these members were not alive. Apart from this, there were the gangs of ruling Awami League and its wing organizations Jubo League and Chhatra League. They set many precedents of beating people to death and shooting indiscriminately.

5. In the last fifteen years, Sheikh Hasina had manifested corruption all over the country. From cabinet to throughout the administration, a group of ā€œyes manā€ were nominatedā€”whose main job was to support Sheikh Hasina’s corruption. Moreover, members of the Sheikh family acted as godfathers to supervise the ministers. Other autocrats in the world, Sheikh Hasina took many big projects for the country’s needs/non-needs. The Hasina family used to get a large share of all these big projects. The Hasina family used to get a large share of all these big projects. Ousted Bangladeshā€™s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddiq embezzled $5 billion from overpriced $12.65 billion Rooppur nuclear power plant through Malaysian banks, according to report by Global Defense Corporation.

Several cases of genocide has been filed against Sheikh Hasina. Various international organizations, including the United Nations, have also started investigating Sheikh Hasina’s crimes. Sheikh Hasina has no chance to sleep in peace even though she is under political asylum in India.

About the author:

Sazzad Haider is Writer & journalist, lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is Editor-in-Chief of Diplomatic Journal.

Uzbek Ambassador Akhatov in visit to Munich

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Uzbek Ambassador Akhatov in visit to Munich

July 2024, Munich, Bavarian State Chancellery: Bavarian Minister of European and International Affairs, Eric BeiƟwenger held a bilateral conversation with Dilshod Akhatov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Germany. 

After an exciting historical discourse focusing on Uzbek cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent that once were important trading centers on the famous Silk Road, the two dignitaries talked about possible future cooperation between Bavaria and Uzbekistan.

The “Development Strategy for a New Uzbekistan 2022-2026” is a crucial basis for the latter collaboration framework. Among other things, this aims to promote the development of a free civil society and private sector. Bavaria is committed to monitoring this closely and looks forward to further reform successes.

For further information 

Embassy of Uzbekistan in Germany: https://www.uzbekistan.de/frontend/web/

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and strengthening the EU-Kyrgyzstan partnership

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The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and strengthening the EU-Kyrgyzstan partnership

By The International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies / IFIMES

The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war and the evolving security situation in the Red Sea, due to attacks by the Yemeni Houthi movement on ships in this critical global trade corridor, have forced European countries to find an alternative commercial transport route that connects them with China without going through Russia, the Red Sea, or the Suez Canal.

Europe’s attention is now focused more than ever on the Middle Corridor, a combined land, sea, and rail trade route that can link China with the EU. In 2023, China was the EU’s third-largest export partner accounting for 8.8% of EU exports, while imports from China made up 20.5% of the EU’s total imports. Germany is leading European efforts to strengthen the infrastructure of this corridor to bypass the northern trade route, which connects China to Europe and passes through Russia. The three largest exporters to China from the EU are Germany (ā‚¬97 billion), France (ā‚¬25 billion), and the Netherlands (ā‚¬22 billion)[2].

The Middle Corridor “TITR”

The Middle Corridor, known as the “Trans-Caspian International Transport Route” (TITR), is one of the three global trade corridors between China and Europe. Spanning 4,256 kilometres, it includes both land roads and railways, as well as 508 kilometres of sea routes. The corridor begins in the Chinese city of Kashgar and continues through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the port of TĆ¼rkmenbaşy on the Caspian Sea coast in Turkmenistan. From there, goods are transported in containers through Azerbaijan and Georgia to the railway station in Kars in northern Turkey, and then onward to Turkish sea ports before reaching Europe.

There are two main trade routes connecting Asia with Europe:

  • The firstĀ is the sea route through the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Mediterranean Sea, which serves as the main artery for international trade. Recent tensions in the Red Sea resulted in a 50% reduction in traffic since the beginning of 2024, forcing maritime traffic to take a longer route around the African continent via the Cape of Good Hope.
  • The secondĀ route is the Northern Corridor, which connects China with Europe via a railway that passes through Russia.

According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Middle Corridor is notably faster compared to the Northern Corridor, which passes through Russia. In comparison, the Northern Corridor spans around 10,000 kilometres and requires at least 15 days for transport. The Southern maritime route, approximately 20,000 kilometres long, takes between 45 and 60 days[3].

The World Bank (WB) presented key findings from its latest study on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, during a regional presentation in Tbilisi on 27 February 2024[4]. Cargo transport volume on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route increased by 88% in the first nine months of 2023, reaching two million tons. This underscores the growing reliance of global trade on this corridor[5].

New geopolitical alliances in Central Asia 2024

Historically, Central Asia ā€” encompassing Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan ā€” has served as a geostrategic hub connecting Asia and Europe through infrastructure, trade, and energy networks. It remains the largest landlocked region in the world without access to global seas.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian countries encountered significant challenges. Geopolitically, they have enhanced their infrastructure by forging stronger ties with China. 

Simultaneously, these nations have aligned their long-term economic policies towards the West to attract investments and support development efforts.

U.S. policy towards the region

Historically, there was little significant Western interest in Central Asia, but the situation has now changed as the region has become a focal point of geopolitical competition among major powers: Russia, China, the United States, and the EU.

In September 2023, American President Joe Biden met for the first time with the presidents of the five Central Asian states (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. President Biden described this meeting as a “historic moment.”[6]

The sudden U.S. withdrawal from neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021, coupled with Russian-Chinese rivalry in the region, has paved the way for new alliances in Central Asia. In essence, it is no longer a “forgotten region” but rather an emerging region preparing for a “decisive game.”

Despite challenges, leaders of Central Asian states are persistently working to institutionalize their regional alliance, particularly through regular annual meetings aimed at creating better conditions for trade and investment.

President Biden has proposed launching the C5+1 Dialogue on critical minerals to develop and harness the abundant mineral wealth of Central Asia. Kazakhstan looks to the United States for support in establishing a UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan is actively encouraging international investors to invest in its hydropower sector.

Japan: A new player in Central Asia

Interestingly, Japan has recently embarked on efforts to engage in the geopolitical game of courting Central Asian countries. While Tokyo and Central Asian nations have shared historical ties since ancient times, Japan’s recent interest in the region appears to be growing.

Prime MinisterĀ Fumio KishidaĀ plans to visit Central Asia in August 2024 and participate in the inaugural summit with the leaders of the five-country group (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). Meanwhile, Kyrgyz PresidentĀ Sadyr JaparovĀ visited Tokyo on 2 November 2023, aiming to reduce the dependency of Central Asian countries on Russia and China. During a joint press conference, the Japanese prime minister emphasized the significance of strengthening cooperation with Central Asia, particularly in sustainable development, infrastructure support, and human resource development. Looking ahead, Japan could potentially assist in developing the Caspian Sea transport route, and Tokyo may also actively participate in projects involving renewable energy and decarbonization in Central Asian countries[7].

EU policy towards Central Asia

President of the European Council,Ā Charles Michel, visited Kyrgyzstan on 3 June 2023, to participate in the Second Summit between the European Union and Central Asia, a region currently experiencing intense competition among major powers. The event took place just two weeks after PresidentĀ Xi Jinping’s summit with the leaders of the five Central Asian states on 18 May 2023. China is consolidating its economic dominance in this traditionally Russian-influenced region, which is pivotal for China’sĀ Belt and Road InitiativeĀ (BRI), valued at one trillion dollars.

The Russo-Ukrainian war has given new impetus to relations between Central Asia and the European Union. With Moscow preoccupied with the conflict and ensuing sanctions, leaders of Central Asian states are taking steps to diversify their partnerships and reduce dependency on Russia and China, while simultaneously enhancing relations with Turkey, India, Japan, UAE, and others.

The European Union is the largest donor to the region, providing 1.1 billion euros in aid between 2014 and 2020. Furthermore, the EU stands as the leading investment partner in Central Asia, representing 42% of total investments, significantly ahead of the United States (14.2%), Russia (6%), and China (3.7%).

In early 2023, the EU threatened to impose additional sanctions on countries accused of aiding Russia in circumventing Western sanctions, including Central Asian states. This EU move aims to mitigate the impact of sanctions against Russia, which could indirectly affect Central Asian countries and potentially push them closer into Moscow’s embrace. Despite the region’s declared commitment to pursuing a multilateral foreign policy, these nations maintain close ties with Russia due to military, economic alliances, and cultural connections. Meanwhile, China has taken a more active role in the region by approving significant loans to finance the “New Silk Routes” massive infrastructure projects.

Political systems in Central Asia remain the focus of Western non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which characterize them as authoritarian. However, the official policy of the EU is not influenced by such considerations. The truth is that these countries have strong central administrations with significant presidential powers, similar to many Western states such as the US, France, and others.

President Japarov enhanced EU-Kyrgyzstan partnership

Five years after concluding negotiations and initialling the draftĀ Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation AgreementĀ (EPCA), Kyrgyzstan and the European Union signed the agreement in Brussels during the working visit of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on 25 June 2024. The ceremony took place in the presence of President Japarov and President of the European Council Charles Michel[8].

EPCA replaces the earlier Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) from 1999, which had previously formed the basis of EU-Kyrgyzstan relations.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, stated: ā€œWe are happy to count the Kyrgyz Republic amongst our close partners.ā€ He characterized the EPCA as a demonstration of the EU’s ā€œsteadfast commitment to strengthening and deepening our bilateral relations based on shared values and common interests in all areas of mutual benefit, reflecting new geopolitical and economic realities.ā€ The European External Action Service (EEAS) later released a statement quoting Borrell, emphasizing that the EU is ā€œpleased to count the Kyrgyz Republic amongst our close partners.ā€

The EEAS highlighted key areas of cooperation including trade, investment, sustainable development, connectivity, research, innovation, education, environmental protection, climate change, as well as governance, human rights, and civil society.

The EU anticipates that this agreement will facilitate ā€œstrengthening cooperation in foreign and security policy, including conflict prevention and crisis management, risk reduction, cybersecurity, regional stability, disarmament, non-proliferation, arms control, and export control.ā€[9]

Analysts highlight the significance of advancing EU-Kyrgyzstan relations, largely attributed to President Sadyr Japarov’s efforts and commitment to improve ties with the European Union. The signed EPCA agreement serves as the formal foundation for enhancing relations across all sectors.

Ljubljana/Bruxelles/Bishkek, 9 August 2024     

Footnotes:
[1]Ā IFIMESĀ – International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN in New York since 2018, and it is the publisher of the international scientific journal “European Perspectives.”

[2] China – EU – International trade in goods statistics. Available at:Ā https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=China-EU_-_international_trade_in_goods_statisticsĀ Ā Ā 

[3] TĆ¼rkiyeā€™s Multilateral Transportation Policy. Available at: Ā www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye_s-multilateral-transportation-policy.en.mfaĀ .

[4] World Bank Presents Key Findings of Latest Study on Middle Corridor in Tbilisi. Available at:Ā https://astanatimes.com/2024/03/world-bank-presents-key-findings-of-latest-study-on-middle-corridor-in-tbilisi/

[5] Cargo Transportation Along Middle Corridor Soars 88%, Reaches 2 Million Tons in 2023Ā 

[6] First Central Asia ā€“ USA summit in New York ā€“ Agenda and Initiatives. Available at: Ā www.newscentralasia.net/2023/09/20/first-central-asia-usa-summit-in-new-york-agenda-and-initiatives/Ā Ā Ā 
https://astanatimes.com/2023/12/cargo-transportation-along-middle-corridor-soars-88-reaches-2-million-tons-in-2023/

[7] Japan looks to wean Kyrgyzstan off reliance on China, Russia. Available at:Ā https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Japan-looks-to-wean-Kyrgyzstan-off-reliance-on-China-Russia

[8] Factsheet on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Kyrgyz Republic, Available at:Ā www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/factsheet-enhanced-partnership-and-cooperation-agreement-between-eu-and-kyrgyz-republic_en

[9] Kyrgyzstan, EU Sign Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Available at: Ā https://thediplomat.com/2024/06/kyrgyzstan-eu-sign-enhanced-partnership-and-cooperation-agreement/Ā 

A law that can ā€˜legalize pedophiliaā€™ is on the table

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A law that can ā€˜legalize pedophiliaā€™ is on the table

Critics say that the amendment would allow legal child marriage and harm womenā€™s status

The Jerusalem Post (05.08.2024) – A proposed amendment to Iraqā€™s Personal Status Law is causing controversy, especially among womenā€™s rights supporters. The amended law would allow men to decide upon marriage whether to follow Sunni or Shiite family law and would give clerics unprecedented legal authority. Critics say it would deprive Shiite women of basic rights and even open the door to child marriage.

The draft amendment would change inheritance law in Iraq by mandating that inheritance operate by sect. Under the current law, which is based on Sunni inheritance customs, a woman whose husband dies inherits his estate. The amended law would allow women in Sunni marriages to inherit from their husbands but would ban women in Shiite marriages from doing so, in accordance with Shiite custom.

Custody law is also differentiated by sect under the amendment. Sunni custody customs, which currently apply to all Iraqis, mandate that a divorced woman maintain custody of her children until they reach puberty, at which point the children can decide which parent to live with. Under Shiite law, the childrenā€™s father automatically receives custody unless he chooses otherwise.

A woman seeking divorce from a Shiite man under the amended law would be forced to pay a sum of money to her husband to end the marriage. In current Iraqi family law, based on Sunni custom, a woman can request a separation and be granted a divorce by a judge if she provides adequate justification.

One of the most controversial effects of the amended law would be the legalization of ā€œpleasure marriage,ā€ a concept unique to the Shiite sect. A pleasure marriage, known in Arabic as nikah mutā€™ah, is a temporary marriage that can last as little as an hour. Unlike a permanent marriage, a pleasure marriage does not require registration in court or the presence of witnesses.

Critics say that the legalization of pleasure marriage would be devastating to the status of Shiite women and could be used to legitimate child marriage and prostitution.

Iraqi nongovernmental organizations, human rights activists, lawyers, Sunni clerics, and many political parties have heavily criticized the amendment. But the ruling Shiite coalition, known as the Coordination Framework, insists on passing the amendment, as do Iraqā€™s Shiite clerics.

An Iraqi parliamentary source, who declined to be named, told The Media Linethat the Shiite authority in Najaf, Iraq is pushing the Shiite parties to pass the amendment.

ā€œThey are now negotiating with usā€”either we pass the law or no other law proposed by the rest of the blocs will be passed, and since they are the majority, they may pass this law, but they need more votes,ā€ the source said.

Much of the discussion of the amendment relates to dynamics between Iraqā€™s Shiite majority and Sunni minority and is taking place in a parliament obstructed by those same dynamics. The parliament, the Council of Representatives of Iraq, has been without a speaker since November 2023, when the Federal Supreme Court removed Sunni Speaker of Parliament Mohamed al-Halbousi from his post. (According to Iraqi custom, the speaker is always Sunni, the prime minister is Shiite, and the president is Kurdish.) Divisions between the two major Sunni parties have kept the parliament without a speaker for the past eight months.

Amendment to the law

The parliamentary source said that the authority that the law gives to clerics is unconstitutional, as is the lack of reference to religious groups other than Sunni or Shiite Muslims. Around 2% of Iraqā€™s population, or about 890,000 people, are not Muslim.

While Shiite parties are intent on passing the Personal Status Law amendment, Sunni parties are working to pass a general amnesty law, the source said. That law would grant amnesty for the many Iraqis convicted of terrorism without just cause, most of whom are Sunni.

The source said that negotiations will likely lead to both the amended Personal Status Law and the general amnesty law being passed or to neither of them passing.

In a statement published on its website, the Coordination Framework called on the Council of Representatives to proceed with the first reading of the amendment. It described the proposed amendment as ā€œin harmony with the constitution, which stipulates that Iraqis are free to make their choices in a manner that does not conflict with the constants of Sharia and the foundations of democracy.ā€

ā€œThe Shiite woman is the biggest loser from this law if it is passed,ā€ Heba Al-Naib, an Iraqi journalist and member of several womenā€™s associations, told The Media Line. She said that the new law would lead to legalized child marriage in Iraq, in contradiction to the original 1959 Personal Status Law, which requires that both members of a couple be above 18 years old to marry.

ā€œThe law legalizes pedophilia,ā€ Al-Naib said. ā€œThere are cases of marriage outside the law for young children, some of them 8 or 9 years old. This used to happen outside the courts and only with a contract from a cleric. Now this will become official. Instead of the state fighting it, it will become legal.ā€

She also said that the legalization of pleasure marriage would lead to ā€œofficial prostitution.ā€

The Shiite Womenā€™s Support Association has seen thousands of cases of women involved in pleasure marriages, Al-Naib said. ā€œAfter the man spent a day or two with them and they became pregnant, the husband refused to acknowledge the children, considering that they might be children from another temporary marriage and not from him,ā€ she explained.

Nawar Assem, founder of the Dream Womenā€™s Organization, told The Media Line that unofficial estimates suggest that more than half a million marriagesĀ in IraqĀ involve children under the age of 15. Official figures show that around 250,000 Iraqi girls under 18 are married, she said.

ā€œShiite women in particular will be wronged, and Iraqi women in general, if child marriage is allowed,ā€ Assem said. ā€œMost of these marriages end either in crime, divorce, an unhappy life, or death, as a result of the girl becoming pregnant before she can bear children and raise them.ā€

She said that she and other activists will fight against the amendment even if they are threatened with murder.

Talal al-Azzawi, an Iraqi lawyer, noted that the amendment allows a man, but not a woman, to choose which sect the couple will follow.

ā€œWhat is the fault of the Sunni woman that the provisions of the Shiite sect are imposed on her because it is the sect of the husband? The proposal is contrary to the provisions of the Iraqi constitution,ā€ he told The Media Line.

ā€œThe other problem is that the law will be subject to the mood of the clerics. Does he want to divorce the wife or not?ā€ he added.

He also said that the legalization of pleasure marriages would cause problems in Iraqi courts.

ā€œThere are women who want to cheat on their husbands, or husbands who want to cheat on their wives, so they get married temporarily for a few hours or a few days, and then the cheating begins,ā€ he said. ā€œThe cleric who signed the marriage contract does not know whether it is cheating or not, and problems and murders occur Imagine if this matter will be legal and take place in court.ā€

Iraqi human rights activist Mohammed Ezz said that the amendment would be a step ā€œthousands of years backwardā€ for Iraq. ā€œMaybe later we will see a law that restores slavery,ā€ he told The Media Line.

Shiite cleric Sayed Jafar al-Mousawi defended the amendment. ā€œIslam is what governs us,ā€ he told The Media Line. ā€œItā€™s our law.ā€

Al-Mousawi said that the Personal Status Law was originally legislated by ā€œsecular people who do not understand religion.ā€

He criticized Westerners as hypocritical for opposing child marriages when children in the West begin having sex ā€œat an early age, maybe 12 or even 11.ā€

ā€œWhen a woman reaches puberty and gets her period, she becomes a full woman, and she has the right to marry. And when a child reaches puberty, he has the right to marry too, so why do we refuse?ā€ he said.

ā€œThe matter remains in the hands of the fathers.ā€

He also defended the Shiite legal regulations that allow pleasure marriages and forbid a woman from inheriting her husbandā€™s estate.

ā€œThe amendment will pass,ā€ al-Mousawi said. ā€œOtherwise, we have other ways to pass it.ā€

Iraqi Sunni cleric Muawiya al-Badri harshly criticized the amendment, saying it has ā€œnothing to do with Islam.ā€ Now that child marriage is no longer acceptable in society, it should no longer be acceptable religiously either, he told The Media Line.

ā€œTheir problem with the law is that it took into account the Sunni opinion in 1959, and since 2003 until now they have tried to amend it several times, but they always fail,ā€ al-Badri said of Iraqi Shiites. ā€œThe one who drafted the law saw what was most beneficial for women and society, and put it in law, but now they reject it just because it is a law according to the legitimate Sunni opinion.ā€

Published by HRWF: https://hrwf.eu/iraq-a-law-that-can-legalize-pedophilia-is-on-the-table/

Financial scammers detained following actions coordinated by Eurojust

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Financial scammers detained following actions coordinated by Eurojust

Romanian and Moldovan authorities worked together to uncover an organised crime group (OCG) that has subjected more than 150 victims to financial scams since 2022. By selling a non-existent investment scheme, the group was able to gain access to their victimsā€™ bank accounts. The damages resulting from their scam are estimated at approximately EUR 3 million. Following a joint investigation, supported by Eurojust and Europol, Romanian and Moldovan authorities were able to detain 12 people on 7 August.

The OCG started their scam by posting false advertisements on the internet that promoted an investment plan that would lead to secure, quick and substantial earnings in virtual currencies. To ensure the credibility of the advertisements, pictures of well-known people, logos of banks and specialised economic publications were added.

People clicking on the advertisement were led to a fake investment platform where the victims would fill in their personal information. To obtain even more personal data, the scammers, posing as financial actors, called their victims to gain access to their bank accounts. With access to the bank accounts, the group transferred sums of money and took over the possession of the victimā€™s virtual currencies. Through this scam, the OCG was able to gain approximately EUR 3 million.

Investigations into the scam started after victims in Romania reached out to the authorities. This resulted in the uncovering of an organised crime group in Moldova that was responsible for the scam. Investigations continued at Eurojust, where the Romanian and Moldovan authorities set up a joint investigation team (JIT) to work together quickly and efficiently to stop the OCG.

The coordinated actions led to an action day on 7 August during which 19 house searches were conducted in Moldova and evidence such as computers, data storage units, weapons and ammunition, and documents were seized. Moldovan authorities ordered the preventive detention of 12 suspects.

Europol supported the action day by setting up a virtual command post to coordinate the operational activities, providing live cryptoanalysis and cross-checks against Europolā€™s databases as the data was being collected in the field.

The following authorities were involved in the actions:

  • Romania: Directorate for Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism – Central Structure
  • Moldova: Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases

Gen Z revolution: Hasina out, Yunus in

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Gen Z revolution: Hasina out, Yunus in

By Sheikh Mohammed Belal

In Bangladesh, everything looks new after the Gen Z revolution. A new era is forming in Bangladesh after protests drove out the premier and forced her to flee the country. After 20 years in power, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled Bangladesh amid widespread protests, with her governmentā€™s violent crackdown on dissent killing several hundred people and fuelling public anger.

This movement showcases the power and influence of the younger generation in advocating for change and shaping the future of Bangladesh. What began as student demonstrations against job quotas quickly coalesced into a full-fledged peopleā€™s revolution leading to the dissolution of parliament and the release of opposition leaders.

Generation Z (those born from the mid-to-late 1990s to the early 2010s) made it possible to resign a government as powerful as it was. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years and was seen as one of the most authoritarian governments in the world.

Bangladesh Gen Z revolution, August 2024. Credit Prothom Alo

The resignation of Sheikh Hasina and the subsequent formation of an interim government, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus at the helm, marked a turning point in Bangladeshā€™s political landscape.

The studentsā€™ protests were initially against the quota system that reserved 30% of civil service posts for relatives of veterans of the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. The system was seen as discriminatory and favouring supporters of the ruling Awami League activists. 

The ā€œGen Z Revolutionā€ in Bangladesh is not the first instance of youth-led movements in history, but it is one of the most significant in terms of its impact and the role of Generation Z. What sets the Bangladeshi movement apart is the demographic makeup of the protesters, with Generation Z playing a central role. This generation has grown up with technology and social media, which theyā€™ve used effectively to organize protests and spread their message globally. Itā€™s a powerful example of how the connectivity and digital savviness of Gen Z can lead to significant political change.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, often referred to as a ā€œsocial guru,ā€ is renowned for his pioneering work in microfinance and social business. His lifelong mission for poverty alleviation and his commitment to using business as a force for good, which resonates with many, especially among the younger generation seeking change.

He is the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts to create economic and social development from below. His philosophy centres around the belief that providing small loans to the poor can empower them to break the cycle of poverty. This approach, known as micro finance, has been influential globally, inspiring similar initiatives in various countries.

Professor Muhammad Yunus. GettyImages-535100130-1693945502

Moreover, Professor Yunus advocates for the concept of ā€œsocial businessā€ ā€“ businesses created to address social problems rather than to make profits for investors. This idea has gained traction as a sustainable way to address issues like poverty, healthcare, and education.

Before fleeing out from Bangladesh, fugitive Hasina did all she could to take away the very bank-Grameen Bank-that Professor Yunus helped establish. Once asked Muhammad Yunus, at the time, under relentless persecution by Hasinaā€” why he didnā€™t just leave?

ā€œWhy continue in a country where the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was threatening him with prison terms while making public statements about dunking him in the Padma River to teach him a lesson? ā€œ he responded to the Voice of America (VOA).

ā€œWhat I have done in Bangladesh is my lifeā€™s work,ā€ he said the Voice of America. ā€œItā€™s made a difference to the people of Bangladesh. I cannot just walk away from the things I have done. Itā€™s not that itā€™s all done and finished. If I walked away, what happens to them? Theyā€™re abandoned! And what happens to all the work?ā€ This week, that loyalty, that devotion to his native land, finally paid off.

But as the line from the Broadway musical ā€œHamiltonā€ puts it, ā€œWinning was easy ā€¦ Governingā€™s harder.ā€  After a prolonged period of autocracy, the elements and remnants of fascism are deep into the governance structure of Bangladesh.

With a population of about 170 million, Professor Yunus will have to deal with more that social business or microfinance. He needs to make significant reforms across the governance structures to  restore trust in the new government he will lead.

As he wrote recently in The Economist, ā€œNo Bangladeshi younger than 30 has ever cast a vote in an unrigged national election. Over the past 15 years the government corrupted many of our institutions, most tragically the judiciary and education system, at all levels.ā€

Now, in an ironic turn of events, he is going to do the jobs so that all such irregularities are reformed to restore trust of the people of Bangladesh to the government.

The world needs Yunus to succeed. Giving Bangladesh a free and democratic government could lift millions out of poverty while setting a precedence for all hard-working people for a new beginning.

Indeed, Bangladeshā€™s Gen Z peopleā€™s revolution will add to the curricula of universities and educational institutions as it was organised with so much of unity and coordination, even at the time when internet was off and curfew was enforced, unprecedented in the recent history.

When Premier Hasina became a fugitive, it was students who took control of the country as virtually all Hasina appointed police run away to their own safety. Students managed traffic control to guarding the houses and religious icons of the minority Hindu community. Internet is swarmed with photos where students were seen performing all kinds of work along with the members of Bangladesh Army to make the country ready for a future that they behold in their chest.

Here’s the edited disclaimer for the end of the article:

The views expressed are entirely personal and do not reflect the position of the organization or institution with which the writer is affiliated.

Hydrogen: Obligation or hype in global energy transition

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Hydrogen: Obligation or hype in global energy transition

By Hrishikesh Chinchkar, M.SC. ā€“ Researcher in Renewable Energy and Stakeholder Engagement at Kelso Institute Europe

We are living in a time of unprecedented technological advancement, making our lives increasingly comfortable. However, have you ever considered how our growing luxurious lifestyles impact the environment? Between 1970 and 2019, approximately 11072 weather, climate, and water-related disasters were reported resulting in 2.06 million deaths and $3.64 trillion in economic losses. These incidents underscore the urgent need to transition from fossil-based energy systems to renewable ones, aiming to keep the global average temperature rise well below 2Ā°C while striving at limiting it to 1.5Ā°C.

The adoption of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has catalysed the global energy transition. Investment in renewables by both developed and emerging economies has significantly increased the share of renewables over the last decade. The European Union (EU) has emerged as a global leader in fostering clean energy, increasing the share of renewable sources from 16.5% in 2013 to approximately a quarter of total energy consumption in 2023.

However, decarbonizing energy-intensive industries (EIIs) is paramount to achieving the Paris Agreement goals. The steel and chemical industries, responsible for 7% and 5% of global CO2 emissions respectively, face significant challenges in decarbonisation due to the need for high process temperatures, capital-intensive and long-lived assets, significant infrastructure upgrades, and lack of conducive policies. Hydrogen has emerged as the frontrunner in decarbonising EIIs, prompting 61 countries to unveil national hydrogen strategies. Globally, 1600-1800 hydrogen projects are in development, signifying the critical role of hydrogen in transforming the energy system. Transitioning from fossil-based hydrogen to clean hydrogen offers an opportunity to save a gigatonne of global CO2 emissions annually.

Why Investment in Hydrogen is an Obligation and Opportunity, Not Hype

The global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation to address severe threats of climate change, ensure energy security, and fostering economic growth. The Russian invasion of Ukraine exposed the EU’s vulnerability due to its high dependence on fossil fuels, prompting reforms to reduce reliance on Russian gas. Similarly, many countries are formulating energy policies to lessen dependence on fossil fuels. Hydrogen has emerged as a key player in advancing the future global energy system.

Although the share of renewables is rapidly increasing in the global energy mix, certain sectors require special attention for decarbonisation. The steel and chemical industries are crucial to the global economy, providing employment to millions and serving as the backbone for many dependent industries. Currently, no mature alternative technologies exist to decarbonise these sectors. Blast furnaces are widely used for crude steel production is primarily rely on fossil fuels. Coke derived from fossil fuels, is used as a reducing agent to convert iron ore into molten iron, resulting in significant emissions. Immense research is underway to use renewable hydrogen as a substitute for coke in blast furnaces. The Swedish company H2 Green Steel has demonstrated that using hydrogen can reduce emissions by up to 95% compared to traditional blast furnace technology. Refurbishing existing blast furnaces to inject hydrogen offers significant potential to reduce process emissions. For instance, producing one tonne of hot rolled coil emits 1850 kg of CO2 via the traditional route while the hydrogen-based route emits only 196 kg of CO2.

Similarly, using renewable hydrogen to produce ammonia has the potential to save approximately 2-2.5 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of ammonia produced. The Haber-Bosch process is widely used for ammonia synthesis and primarily relies on hydrogen derived from natural gas, coal, and oil responsible for significant GHG emissions. Various processes, such as electrolysis powered by renewables, biomass-derived hydrogen, biological hydrogen production, and nuclear-powered electrolysis, offer alternatives to produce green or low-carbon ammonia. Therefore, low-carbon or green hydrogen presents immense potential to decarbonise EIIs.

Additionally, renewable energy sources depend on natural resources like solar insolation, wind speed, and biomass. Hydrogen offers numerous opportunities, such as storing excess electricity produced from renewables, facilitating sector integration, and optimizing the grid. The rising share of renewables makes the existing grid infrastructure vulnerable to surplus generation. Moreover, substantial investment and digitalization are required to optimize renewable energy consumption. Hydrogen plays a crucial role in optimizing renewable energy use and prolonging investment in upgrading the grid infrastructure.

Key Risks and Challenges in Clean Hydrogen Investment

Despite the promising potential, clean hydrogen projects face significant risks and challenges, particularly in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs). Key deterrents for public and private financial institutions include:

  1. Uncertain Market Demand: The lack of credible off-takers and price volatility creates uncertainty deterring investment.
  2. High Cost of Finance: Political risks and market uncertainties elevate the cost of finance, making projects less attractive.
  3. Infrastructure and Technology Risks: Significant investment is required for infrastructure development and technology adoption adding to financial risk.

Economic and Risk Mitigation Instruments

To mobilize private capital and help projects achieve Final Investment Decision (FID), several economic and risk mitigation instruments should be developed:

  1. Off-take Guarantees: Ensuring demand by guaranteeing purchase agreements.
  2. Political Risk Insurance: Protecting investments against political instability.
  3. Technology Performance Guarantees: Assuring investors of the reliability and efficiency of new technologies.
  4. Foreign Currency Guarantees: Mitigating risks associated with currency fluctuations.

Governments, international financial institutions, and insurance companies like Swiss Re are well-positioned to develop and implement these instruments.

Supporting International Financing Initiatives

Governments and International Finance Institutions (IFIs) can support the coordination of international financing initiatives for clean hydrogen by:

  1. Creating Joint Financing Partnerships: Collaborating with multiple stakeholders to pool resources and share risks.
  2. Establishing Multi-Stakeholder Platforms: Facilitating transparent interactions and harmonizing processes among various actors.
  3. Standardizing Contracts: Streamlining transactions and creating governance accountability to spur market growth.

Conclusion

The rising threat of climate change, increasing energy demand, geopolitical conflicts, and pressure to meet decarbonisation goals have prompted countries to adopt sustainable energy policies. Hydrogen is seen as a prominent alternative for the global energy transition. The enthusiasm for hydrogen in the global energy market is justified in many ways. However, issues surrounding the exploitation of resources required for hydrogen technologies, such as the displacement of indigenous communities and energy colonialism, need to be addressed to ensure a just transition. Additionally, the massive investment required to facilitate hydrogen transport and storage presents a challenge.

Hydrogen is not just an obligation but an opportunity to meet climate targets and ensure energy security in the face of growing geopolitical conflicts. It is a critical component in the global energy transition, with the potential to revolutionize the energy landscape and contribute significantly to a sustainable future.

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Zelenskyyā€™s three perils

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Zelenskyyā€™s three perils

By Sazzad Haider

This month, the Ukraine crisis has taken a new turn. As usual, every day Ukraine is constantly losing ground and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is begging the West for more weapons. And he is assuring his people that Russia will soon be defeated.

Three events this month could have major implications for the war in Ukraine.

The first event was, in the British general election the defeat of Rishi Sunak, one of the mastermind of the Ukraine war. But the election results of UK election is not a big concern for President Zelenskyy. The Labor Party promised him long ago as saying: “if there is a change of government after the election, there will be no change in Britain’s resolve to stand with Ukraine, confront Russian aggression and pursue [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for his war crimes.”

However the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer may not be as generous as Sunak in helping Ukraine.

While Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not too much worried about the results of the British elections, the upcoming US elections have enough reasons for him to worry about. Republican candidate Donald Trump is likely to win the November election.

Trump said that he could end the Ukraine war ‘within 24 hours’ if he won the November elections. According to U.S. media Trump would shift the U.S. position on Ukraine. Moreover, he will create a two-tier NATO system; only members who met the 2 percent spending threshold would get the “security guarantee of the U.S.

Vladimir Putin responded with great enthusiasm for trumpā€™s desire to stop war. Putin said that he took Trump’s words seriously. While Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted with shock and dismay to the remarks of Trump. “If Trump knows how to finish this war, he should tell us today,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy  said.

In his previous tenure as US President, Donald Trump was the pathfinder of 21-centuryā€™s American Isolationist policy as he adopted his ā€œAmerica Firstā€ agenda to retreat from a leading contributor to its traditional allies. He raised the question of the existence of NATO and pushed the alliance to the verge of break up.

He pulled out from the Paris climate treaty, the Iranian nuclear deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. He also reduced the USā€™ global responsibilities in the UNESCO, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the World Health Organization.Ā  Significantly, he began a large repatriation of U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.Ā Ā 

In October 2019, Trump launched a drive to withdraw the US troops from northern Syria.Ā  Trump also restrained from the opportunity to oust NicolĆ”s Maduro in Venezuela.Ā  In his tenure, former US President Donald Trump also avoided further direct war.Ā 

If Trump is elected he would convince Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign a peace treaty with Russia. Ukraine does not have the ability to continue a one-hour war with Russia without the US support. There is no doubt that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will have to make a huge concession for this. The concession that the late Statesman Henry Kissinger had spoken of at the beginning of the war.

In 2022, Former U.S. secretary of state Henry A. Kissinger said at a conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that Ukraine should cede territory to Russia to help end the invasion as a vast majority of Ukrainians are against the war. He also urged the United States and the West to not seek an embarrassing defeat for Russia in Ukraine, warning it could worsen Europeā€™s long-term stability.

One of the goals of the Ukraine war was to strengthen the security of NATO countries by defeating Russia and expanding NATO. But after two years of war and not being able to defeat Putin, the whole of Europe is now suffering from depression. Apart from military and economic support to Ukraine, the burden of Ukrainian refugees has exhausted Europe. This has created a division between NATO countries. The latest Moscow visit of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin has unearthed the NATO division.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen criticized Orbanā€™s Moscow visit, termed ā€œappeasement will not stopā€ Putin. Now we have to wait and see, what kind of measures NATO will take against the Hungarian Prime Minister in the wake of this unexpected visit.

Without a doubt, a cease-fire without the recovery of all Ukrainian territory would be a failure of NATO and in the future no country would step into NATO’s fold like Ukraine. On the other hand, if Trump wins the US election, it will be seen how effective NATO will be.

At this moment there is no chance of stopping the war in Ukraine. Because Putin will not give back the won land of Ukraine in any order. On the other hand, it is not possible for Zelenskyy to sign a peace agreement without recovering the occupied territories. But if Trump wins, or if the U.S. wants to, peace is possible at a moment’s notice. Because the United States has many examples of running away leaving its best allies in danger. In the last century, this kind of incident happened in Vietnam or Iran and recently in Afghanistan. So no matter what the mouth says, it is clear that President Zelenskyy is in great danger.

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