In this episode, Leszek Jażdżewski and Paul Gradvohl talk about the presidential election in France and the possible outcomes in the current geopolitical situation – with a special focus on the war in Ukraine.
Polish administration announced plans to end the import of Russian coal within two months and of Russian oil by the end of this year. The government approved legislation to introduce a ban which may contravene EU trade rules.
Global markets cannot ignore the impact of losing agricultural supply from Ukraine and Russia, and European agricultural authorities are well aware of the risk.
Though Fidesz supported sanctions against Russia, the government is not allowing the transfer of lethal weapons through Hungarian territory to Ukraine. The narrative that Fidesz supports peace while the opposition supports war was completely false, nevertheless it worked.
In this episode, Leszek Jażdżewski welcomes Alicja Bachulska, a MapInfluenCE China analyst in Poland and a member of China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE). They talk about the impact of the Russian aggression in Ukraine in a more global context – with the focus on China.
For a long time, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been accused of representing Russian interests in the EU. In his 2014 speech about the transformation of Hungary into an illiberal democracy, he depicted the Russian social and state model as a good example for the country.
Cooperating with Russia is no more a legal threat due to sanctions nor a mere corporate responsibility issue. It has become a much more fundamental issue of morality.
This week, Ukrainian President Zelensky signed an official application for membership of the European Union on behalf of his citizens. Commission President Von der Leyen stated that Ukraine’s place is in the EU and the European Parliament adopted a call for EU candidate status.
The new conflict with the Russian regime, which is reviving its Soviet ambitions, has unified Europe and reminded the countries in the V4 region to realign its interest as well as economic solutions away from the East (Russia and China), and back to the Western Europe and the U.S. spheres of influence.
Ukraine is now a battlefield between good and evil. The new over the old. But everything will be fine. The Ukrainian people and our army can work miracles. In the meantime, the world cannot stay silent. A new day is coming. Let us stand together when it comes.
