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- 🐾 Poland "enters" Belarus
🐾 Poland "enters" Belarus
Geopolitics Hound
September 04, 2023
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Today’s geopolitics hotspots:
The Nobel Prize Drama
🏆 Initial invitation.
The Nobel Foundation, the organization behind the prestigious Nobel Prizes, didn’t invite Russia and Belarus in 2022 due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But this year, they extended an invitation to them.
Big mistake.
🔥 International fury.
Swedish politicians and activists were quick to lash back, threatening to boycott the ceremony.
Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson also expressed his disapproval.
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined in, urging the foundation not to invite President Lukashenko’s “illegitimate regime.”
⏪ The flip-flop.
On Saturday, the foundation announced it had withdrawn its invitation to Russia and Belarus, saying it recognized “the strong reactions in Sweden, which completely overshadowed” its message.
Its “message” was to:
“promote opportunities to convey the important messages of the Nobel Prize to everyone…”
However, they still invited all ambassadors to the ceremony in Oslo, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded.
Why? They didn’t explain.
🇸🇪 Why care about Sweden?
It’s the home of the Nobel Foundation, where they hand out medals and checks to the world’s smartest people. And it is based on the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist who gave us dynamite.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden also hands out the awards every year on December 10th, so yeah… Sweden has a lot of influence.
🌟 Reactions.
Ulf Kristersson:
I welcome the new decision of the board of the Nobel Foundation regarding the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm. The many and strong reactions show that the whole of Sweden unambiguously stand on Ukraine’s side against Russia’s appalling war of aggression.
— SwedishPM (@SwedishPM)
11:26 AM • Sep 2, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya:
I welcome the 🇸🇪 Nobel Foundation's decision to cancel its invitation to associates of Lukashenka's illegitimate regime. It's a sign of solidarity & support for our people. Democratic Belarus should be invited instead. I trust the 🇳🇴 Nobel Committee will follow this example. http
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya)
12:09 PM • Sep 2, 2023
Oleg Nikolenko:
“The victory of humanism.
The Nobel Foundation has revoked its decision to invite the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm. We thank everyone who demanded justice to be restored.
We are convinced that a similar decision should be made regarding the Russian and Belarusian ambassadors in Oslo.”
The Swedish Royal House:
“We see the change in the decision as positive.”
📝 Side note.
Iran was also uninvited in 2022 due to a “serious and escalating situation” in the country.
They were initially invited back this year, along with Russia and Belarus.
However, the invitation was again retracted due to concerns about its government’s crackdown on anti-government protests.
Zelenskyy shakes up defense ministry
President Zelenskyy fires defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov, and picks Rustem Umerov as his replacement. Zelenskyy says he needs “new approaches” and “other formats” for the ministry.
👋🏻 Oleksiy Reznikov.
Reznikov, who took the reins in late 2021, was caught in the crosshairs of the Russian invasion. He oversaw the Ukrainian military’s response, but also faced a barrage of criticism for not sounding the alarm about the impending attack.
"We were prepared. But we tried to stop the panic in our streets."
👐🏻 Rustem Umerov.
He is a 41-year-old Muslim who belongs to the Crimean Tatar community, a minority group that was persecuted and exiled by Stalin in the 1940s.
With a background in business and diplomacy, he’s been a key player in negotiations with Russia on prisoner exchanges and civilian evacuations.
His appointment could serve as a beacon of hope for the Crimean Tatars, who have endured repression under Russian rule.
🗓️ What’s next.
Zelenskyy is counting on the incoming minister to bridge the communication gap between the ministry, military, and society.
He also wants Umerov to work closely with Ukraine’s allies and partners to secure more support for Ukraine’s defense.
🌟 Today’s gem
Cute.
Quick updates
Click the country's name for more.👇🏻🇺🇦 Ukraine:
Drones being shot down on Sunday.
Russian Drones rain down on Ukraine’s port before grain talks with Turkey.
As Putin and Erdogan prepare to talk about the Black Sea wheat trade that Russia halted in July, Ukraine suffers a surprise a 3½-hour drone barrage on its port on Sunday. Two people were wounded.
22 out of the 25 Iranian-made Shahed drones sent by Russia were shot down.
🇳🇪 Niger:
Protestors gathered on Saturday.
Niger says “au revoir” to French troops,
but France says “non.”
Thousands of angry demonstrators in Niamey want the 1,500 French soldiers out of their country, now. The junta had already torn up the military deals with France on August 3rd, but France is playing deaf.
The protesters were waving signs saying:
French army go home.
🇷🇺 Russia:
Putin and Erdogan try to patch things up in Sochi today.
Turkey’s Erdogan urged Putin to revive the export deal that lets Ukraine ship grain and other commodities from Black Sea ports. Russia pulled out in July, unhappy with the West’s trade sanctions.
🇧🇾 Belarus:
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.
Poland denies Belarus invasion.
Belarus called in the Polish envoy and demanded answers for Poland’s alleged chopper invasion, but Poland says it’s a lie.
Apparently the helicopter:
“… flew to a depth of up to 1,200 meters into the territory of Belarus, and then turned back.”
Who’s telling the truth?