The aircraft was built by the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association. Luxury meeting room on the plane. Bedroom with exquisite furniture. The conference table is decorated with gold. Bar and fully equipped kitchen. It is known that Putin spends more time working on flights than all his predecessors. The “Flying Kremlin” can reach speeds of 900 km/h. This state-of-the-art aircraft also possesses the optimal communication system to command troops in combat. Another meeting room on the plane is worth more than $550 million. In-flight bathroom with gold-plated toilet seat. Interior in neoclassical style. Luxury table and chairs on Ilyushin Il-96-300 aircraft exclusively for the president. The aircraft is equipped with a fully equipped gym. The Russian leader took a plane to La Grange Villa located on Lake Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland to meet his counterpart Joe Biden at the Russia-US summit. Earlier, the US President shared Putin as a “worthy opponent” at a press conference after the NATO summit.

The special feature of the product, Mr. Shishkin said, is not only that it is made in Russia, but 99% of the material is domestically produced. Despite not placing a heavy emphasis on fashion in his life, Russian President Putin still appreciates the role of dressing well with people. (Photo: RIA) Before that, in early June 2020, President Putin held a meeting on the light industry situation. At that time, Mr. Shishkin proposed tailoring a sports suit for Putin according to the Putin Team product line and the head of state agreed. “The size of President Putin’s suit is set to be L size – by personal measurements, of course. The base color of the collection is black, but with gray, white and red accents, ”Mr. Shishkin said. “It’s almost 100% made in Russia. Most of the material is natural fabric, derived from cotton or wool, with a subtle addition of synthetics for greater functionality and durability, ”said Mr. Shishkin. Russian President Vladimir Putin is known as “The Man in Black” because the color of his outfit is black. However, in recent years, the palette of the Russian head wardrobe has been richer, but still gentle neutral colors. Previously in an interview Putin confessed that he cared little about his clothes but always chose to dress himself to look the most elegant. When asked how his fashion style has changed over time, Putin said: “My style is very simple – it’s entrepreneurial style.” It is known that Putin’s favorite brands are Kiton and Brioni. A suit of these two brands has a starting price of about 7,000 USD each. Putin’s clothes are often made from start to finish by a single tailor, taking dozens of hours to complete. His clothes are usually black, dark blue and gray. Putin’s favorite color suit for many years has not changed. “I rarely work anywhere other than my office. I think everyone at work wears the same clothes as mine. In my private life, I dress comfortably, but of course I want to look elegant, ”Putin said in an interview. According to Putin, in the past, he did not consider clothing too important. “But now I think that choosing clothes is an art, and also an important factor for people when it contributes to creating the environment in which we live,” Putin stressed.

According to the Kremlin’s announcement, Putin signed the decree relating to “diplomatic missions and consulates, representative offices of foreign agencies or organizations” that act against the state, Russian people or organizations, collectively referred to as “hostile foreign countries”. Accordingly, “unfriendly countries” will be restricted – or in certain cases banned – from hiring or employing Russian nationals. Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: TASS The Russian government is tasked with determining the number of Russian staff that can be hired by foreign agencies and representative offices in Russia. The Ordinance states that the number of employees in foreign agencies and representative offices in excess of the prescribed number of Moscow government, even though there is a contract before the decree is signed, will have to be terminated. . This decree does not affect diplomats, consulates or citizens of the country where the representative office is located in Russia. The Russian government also has the task of making a list of “hostile foreign countries” and overseeing the implementation of restrictions or bans, as well as ensuring the rights of Russian citizens who are represented by agencies or offices. Foreign labor contract termination due to this ordinance. The Ordinance will take effect from the date it was officially announced, that is, April 23, and will be enforced until these responses are canceled. The Kremlin noted that the decree was consistent with current provisions of Russian law, including a federal law on “responses to unfriendly acts of the US and other countries”. Russia’s decree was issued in the midst of Moscow facing waves of expulsion of Russian diplomats. Germany, Poland and Sweden expelled three Russian diplomats in response to Moscow’s expulsion of three European diplomats for involvement in protests demanding the release of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The US expelled 10 Russian diplomats for alleged election interference and cyber attacks. Ukraine expelled “a senior diplomat” from Russia after Russia detained and expelled a Ukrainian consulate-general on allegations of espionage. Most recently, the Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian diplomats over allegations that the Russian secret was involved in two explosions of ammunition depots in the Central European country. Because of “solidarity with the Czech Republic”, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia expelled many Russian diplomats. These moves led to a series of “reciprocal” retaliation measures between Russia and these countries, making relations between Moscow and the West even more tense.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Accordingly, the Kremlin on April 23 said that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the application of measures to influence the bad actions of foreign countries. The statement from the Kremlin stated: “Mr. Vladimir Putin signed the decree on the application of response measures to foreign acts of bad will”. Specifically, Russia will limit the number of employees that can be recruited at diplomatic missions of countries that act inadvertent to Russia, the number of which exceeds the Russian government determined will be suspended . For this decree, diplomatic missions, consulates and offices of foreign government organizations acting unfriendly to Russia, Russian citizens or legal entities, will be faced with restricts, or even outright ban on, the use of Russian citizens. The Russian government is expected to identify a list of unfavorable foreign states and then adopt the countermeasures set up under the decree. Reportedly, the move above comes in the context of Russia and Western countries recently repeatedly expelled diplomats in the mutual diplomatic retaliation measures.

President Putin on April 23 signed a decree on measures to respond to “unfriendly actions” against Russia. Photo: Tass It is the task of the Russian government to determine the number of Russian individuals that can be recruited by foreign missions. Accordingly, labor contracts with individuals in excess of the number set by the Russian government, signed before the start of the decree, will be terminated, Tass reported. In addition, President Putin ordered the Government to make a list of countries taking action against Russia that are subject to a restriction order, requiring these countries to ensure control over the observance of the labor rights of Russian citizens in the school. their contract is terminated by ordinance. The Ordinance was introduced to protect the interests and security of Russia under federal law No. 281-FZ on “Special Economic and Enforcement Measures” dated December 30, 2006 and No127-FZ on ” Dealing with unfriendly actions of the US and some countries ”June 4, 2018 The Ordinance takes effect from the date it was officially announced.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu affirmed that the country’s military has successfully completed “quick tests”, responded well to “unfavorable” situations and has demonstrated “reliable” defense capabilities. “Of this country. Russian Su-34 fighters at the Morozovsk air base of Russia, near the Ukrainian border on March 27. Satellite photo: Maxar However, Mr. Shoigu still asked to keep the heavy weapons, some 160km from the Ukrainian border, in preparation for another major exercise later this year. On Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy immediately said it welcomes any steps to reduce Russia’s military presence at its border and alleviate tensions in the Donbass. President Zelensky added that Ukraine is very grateful to the international partners who have supported and sided with this country over the past time. Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the country was aware of Russia’s withdrawal announcement, but still had to wait for the actual withdrawal, and affirmed that it would always follow the developments closely. situation. The NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization assesses Russia’s steps as important and timely. And like the United States, NATO will continue to be concerned about the Russian-Ukraine border situation. Another development that is expected to ease the situation is that Russian President Putin declares his readiness for talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky in Moscow. In response to Mr. Zelensky’s earlier invitation to meet and the venue is Donbass, the Russian President said: “The question is what will be discussed at this meeting? If we talk about discussing Donbass issues, Ukraine leaders should first meet the separatist leader, and then meet a third country like Russia. If we talk about bilateral relations, we would like to invite and receive the President of Ukraine whenever it is convenient for him in Moscow. Although the Russia-Ukraine summit may not take place soon, but those are also the statements that help cool the current situation, after a series of previous hard statements by the two sides, such as Ukraine is ready for 1 The war comes together with Russia, and Russia will not “indifferent” if the situation worsens … /.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting in Moscow. Photo: AFP / VNA Speaking at a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow on April 22, Putin said that the Kiev government has taken steps to destroy bilateral relations with Moscow over the past time. Prominent among them was the intention of Ukraine to restrict the Russian language, destroying Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. “There are many steps to breaking the relationship, which we regret. But if President Zelensky wants to restore relations, we will respond, “Putin said about the prospect of a meeting between the two leaders in Donbass. But according to the Russian President, if it is to discuss the situation in Donbass, the Kyiv government first needs to open meetings with the leaders of the Donetsk Republic and self-proclaimed Lugansk, and then consider direct contact with the party. Tuesday. If it wants to talk about Russia-Ukraine relations, the Russian side is ready to welcome Zelensky in Moscow at any convenient time for the President of Ukraine. Earlier, speaking on April 20, Mr. Zelensky proposed his readiness to meet President Putin in Donbass, amid the outbreak of fighting between Ukrainian soldiers and independence forces in the East.

Mr. Zelensky (left) and Mr. Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was welcome in Moscow “at any time” but stressed that he should discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine directly with the separatists. “If we are talking about bilateral relations, by all means, we are ready to welcome the President of Ukraine at any time convenient for him,” the Russian leader said during a meeting with the Belarusian leader. Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, according to Tass . Putin’s invitation to Zelensky came in response to this week’s request by the President of Ukraine to meet the two leaders in eastern Ukraine, where the fighting intensified between the Kyiv army and the faction. Pro-Moscow separatism has raised concerns about an all-out war. Ukraine, the European Union and the US have recently set off alarm bells about Russian troops gathering troops on the borders of the former Soviet Union country. Moscow said the military was conducting drills in response to NATO exercises and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday ordered the army to return to its permanent base by May 1. “If President Zelensky wants to begin to heal relations, we certainly welcome,” Putin told reporters as he began talks with President Lukashenko. But the Russian leader said that if Mr. Zelensky hoped to solve the problems stemming from the fighting in eastern Ukraine, he should first meet with the leaders of the separatist zones in Donetsk and Lugansk. “And it was only then that these matters were discussed with representatives of third countries, in this case Russia,” Putin said. Kiev has been fighting the separatists in areas east of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people, and has seen about 30 Ukrainian soldiers perished since the beginning of 2021, compared with the number 50 of the whole 2020. Sponsorship news

Russian President Putin and US President Biden. Photo: BBC

“When I spoke to President Putin, I expressed confidence that direct and personal communication between the two of us is essential to a more effective relationship. He agrees on that point.” – he said.

He added: “So I proposed that we meet face to face this summer in Europe for a summit to address a wide range of issues that both our countries are facing. face.”

According to him, “our teams are discussing this possibility right now.”

“And if that summit takes place and I believe it will happen, the US and Russia can launch a dialogue of strategic stability to pursue cooperation in arms control,” Biden stressed. and security ”.

“We can tackle important global challenges that require Russia and the US to work together, including curbing nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, ending the global pandemic. and deal with the existing climate change crisis “- declared by US President.

In the same speech, Mr. Biden said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the sanctions in a phone call he called a “straightforward, respectful conversation” on April 13.

“I have made it clear to President Putin that we can take more action, but I choose not to. I chose to respond accordingly. The US does not want to start a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship, ”Mr. Biden said at the White House on April 15.

The sanctions “send a signal that the United States will impose measures strategically and have an economic impact on Russia if it continues or escalates destabilizing international actions,” the White House said. know in a statement. “Our goal is not to escalate, to impose sanctions on what we feel is an unacceptable action by the Russian government,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. before the press on April 15.

The White House said on April 15 that recent sanctions actions were also prompted by Moscow “targeting dissidents or journalists” and undermining “security in countries and regions.” important to US national security ”, referring to the recent Russian alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and military consolidation along the Ukrainian border.

Mr. Biden has strained his relationship with Putin personally by agreeing with the view that Putin is a “killer”. The US President did not apologize and also refused to hold talks with the Russian President when Putin proposed a dialogue.

For a while, Mr. Biden continued to send signals that the US would punish Russia for its interference in the US’s internal affairs, including cyber attacks and election interference. At the same time, the US leader suggests direct dialogue with the Russian President.

For the past two days, Mr. Biden has repeatedly heated up American media about what he sees as a measure of pressure on Moscow, forcing it to pay the price for what it has done with America, while leaving the door open. the door to directly negotiate with Mr. Putin.

Analysts said that Mr. Biden’s actions in imposing new sanctions against the possibility of a live conference with Putin, will give Mr. Biden’s negotiating advantage.

Expert Lev Sokolschik, scientist of the Center for Integrated Research on European and International Affairs at Russia’s HSE State Research University, said that the US is continuing its policy of restraining Russia on all fronts. Important aspects include economic, military, political and using pressure in areas of interest to win the US over Russia.

The US has followed the roadmap: Announcing the summit proposal, negotiating and then imposing sanctions on dialogue with Russia with its strengths, the Russian expert said.

However, given the ever-confrontational nature of the Russia-US relationship, the actions of the US would immediately receive a response from Russia. The Russian side is also considering a number of retaliation sanctions and could be announced in the near future.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously called the sanctions “adequate measures to protect US interests from harmful Russian actions including cyber intrusion and election interference”.

The recently announced measures include sanctions on six Russian companies that support domestic cyber operations, along with sanctions on 32 individuals and organizations allegedly trying. to interfere in last year’s presidential election.

The White House said 10 Russian diplomats were deported, including representatives of Russian intelligence agencies.

“What is currently being considered – possibly sanctions – will not help the meeting,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

US President Joe Biden calls for dialogue and accelerates diplomatic process with Russia. (Photo: AP)

Mr. Biden recalled a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin held earlier this week and noted that the phone call was “open and respectful”.

“We represent two great powers with great responsibility for global stability. President Putin and I have an important responsibility to keep this relationship in order, ”explained the US leader.

The US President calls the Russians and Americans “proud and patriotic peoples” who are “concerned with a future of peace and safety”.

While speaking about Russia, Mr. Biden misinterpreted the words “escalation” and “vaccination”, as well as mispronouncing the surname of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The US does not want to start a vaccine cycle … escalate and conflict with Russia,” he said.

Then, when referring to his Russian counterpart, he said something like “President Klutin”. However, when he realized the mistake, Mr. Biden immediately corrected it.

Despite the fact that many previous presidents have made vague statements, Mr. Biden is still considered to have had the most number of “blushes” ever, that he even considered himself a “false machine”.

The most recent time, on March 18, President Joe Biden in a public address called Vice President Kamala Harris the head of the United States.

Specifically, in a public address when referring to the success of the vaccination campaign, Mr. Biden said: “When President Harris and I …”. It is worth noting that Mr. Biden did not realize he had made a mistake and continued his speech as if nothing had happened.

Biden has also had such misses in the past. During a speech about the Covid-19 crisis in Wilmington, Delaware on December 29, 2020, Mr. Biden accidentally “promoted” the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

“I hope that the President will call on every American to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available,” Biden said. “I want the community to have faith in vaccines. President-elect Harris has also used the vaccine for the same reason.

RIA quoted Peskov as saying: “On the territory of Ukraine, reducing the escalation of tensions in Donbass can only be achieved if the Ukrainian Armed Forces stop military provocations”.

It is known that on April 13, US President Joe Biden had a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the conversation, Mr. Biden especially expressed concern about the Russian military’s increased military presence in Crimea and on the border with Ukraine.

The Kremlin cites conditions for de-escalation of tensions in Donbass. Photo: RIA

President Biden stressed the US’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Besides, President Biden has proposed to his Putin counterpart to hold a summit in a third country in the near future.

Concerning developments, in the last weeks of March, parties to the conflict in Ukraine accused each other of violating the ceasefire and transferring military equipment to the communication line.

“The Kremlin is concerned that a civil war will continue in Ukraine. If civil war and large-scale hostilities continue near our borders, it would pose a threat to Russia’s security, ”Peskov said.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, when referring to the issue of “pulling troops” to the Ukrainian border, he stressed that Russia is operating on its own territory and that these military measures are necessary, and do not disturb foreign partners.

Earlier, President Putin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, invited US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan to discuss this issue.

Mr. Ushakov stressed to Ambassador Sullivan that Moscow will react seriously if the US takes “unfriendly actions” such as imposing sanctions.

President Joe Biden has proposed holding a summit with Putin

On April 13, US President Joe Biden held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, underlining Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and expressing concerns about the concentration of the military. of Russia near the Ukraine border. Mr. Joe Biden also proposed a summit between the two leaders in a third country.

In March, Joe Biden still warned Moscow to pay the price for meddling in the US presidential election, but so far, no sanctions have been announced.

The International Space Station (ISS). Photo: Wiki

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a plan to start building manned orbital satellites to replace the International Space Station (ISS), which appears to be nearing its end of life.

In recent years, the ISS has started to degrade, astronauts are now regularly detecting cracks, according to RT. Last week, it was revealed that Russian astronauts are still working to seal the leak that was first discovered in 2019. The ongoing problems with the International Space Station have prompted Russia began creating an alternative device.

Called ROSS, the Russian orbital satellite will consist of three to seven modules and can carry up to four people. Although only approved by President Putin on April 12, on the 60th anniversary of the landmark first flight into space by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the project has been underway for some time.

Last November, the first deputy design general of space contractor RSC Energia expressed confidence that Russia needs to start building a new station, saying that the ISS has collapsed.

“Until 2025, Russia has an obligation to participate in the ISS program” – Mr. Vladimir Solovyov told the Russian Academy of Sciences. “There were some parts that were severely damaged and no longer working. Many parts are irreplaceable. After 2025, we predict a series of failures on the ISS ”.

Russia has a long history of building its own satellites, with Sputnik 1 being the first satellite launched into low earth orbit in 1957. In 1986, the Soviet Union launched a manufactured space station. in the country called Mir – was the largest artificial satellite in orbit at the time.

Last May, the Russian Space Agency Roscomos revealed, ROSS could be ready for deployment after 2024.

Despite Russia’s willingness to do it alone, Roscosmos has reaffirmed its commitment to international cooperation in recent months. Earlier this month, Russia signed a plan to continue cooperation with the US in space and the two countries would use each other’s rockets to enter space.

Roscosmos also signed a moon exploration agreement with China in March, and agreed to share a moon station with Beijing.

While space is often a place for international competition, both Washington and Moscow often help each other when needed. For example, earlier this year, American astronauts donated food to their Russian partners when supplies from the earth were delayed.

The International Space Station is the only laboratory in the world that allows researchers to perform long-term experiments in microgravity. The ISS has been in the presence of humans continuously since November 2000. The ISS is 109 meters long, 75 meters wide – the equivalent of a football field – and weighs 420 tons. The ISS flies at an altitude of about 400km above earth. The ISS moves at a speed of about 8km / sec, or around the earth about 90 minutes / round. The travel from the launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan to ISS by Russian Soyuz can take anywhere from 6 to 48 hours, depending on the launch procedure and the station’s position in orbit.

The US intends to punish a series of Russian diplomats.

Accordingly, 12 Russian individuals, including intelligence officials and government officials, and 20 other entities in the US sanctions category.

In addition, Washington is also preparing to expel 10 Russian diplomats.

Just last week, Bloomberg reported that the US administration had completed an intelligence assessment of Russia’s potential role in a cyberattack against SolarWinds and meddling in the 2020 presidential election.

The White House is considering actions against US diplomats, including punishing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advisers and agencies involved in allegations of election interference.

In mid-March, US intelligence released a new report, alleging that Putin had authorized the Russian government’s “influence activities” to undermine the then Democratic candidate. Biden in the 2020 election and exacerbated political divisions in the US.

The Kremlin considers the report “completely unfounded and unfounded” and expressed its belief that this is just an excuse to introduce new sanctions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russia does not interfere in the US vote, is not involved in the campaign against any candidate. He also noted that Washington’s sanctions policy could exacerbate bilateral relations.

One day earlier, the RIA news agency quoted information from the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying that Russia would act decisively if the US took new “unfriendly steps” such as imposing sanctions.

The same day, the White House announced that the new US administration would work towards a stable relationship with Russia, but to seek predictability rather than trust between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Biden recently offered to have a face-to-face conference with the Russian president in a European country. The Russian president just “wished him well” and invited Mr. Biden to a face-to-face conversation after hearing that the US President agreed with the view that Putin was a “murderer”.

Northern flow 2: Germany receives a request for a building permit, President Biden falls into a ‘dilemma’. (Source: The Brussels Times)

The website Tagesspiegel.de recently published an article titled “A guaranteed gas supply even without the Northern Stream 2 project”.

Accordingly, the Northern Flow 2 gas pipeline project not only supplies gas to Germany and the European Union (EU) but also has strategic implications for the transition of energy, the environment and political geography.

Once again, this has become a central issue in the context of Russia increasing its military forces on the Ukrainian border and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin making his first visit to Germany.

The question is, is this piping system really necessary? What would the consequences be if the pipeline didn’t go into service?

The opinions are mixed

Experts have many different opinions. Some people, like Jens Hobohm from Prognos Institute for Economic Research (Germany), believe that Northern Flow 2 from an energy point of view is necessary and meaningful.

In contrast, expert Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) argues that the answer is “definitely not”.

According to Kemfert, it is not necessary to have any additional infrastructure for the transportation of natural gas from Russia. In addition, the plan to increase natural gas consumption will conflict with the discussed and agreed climate protection goals.

This expert said that there would be no serious problems if the Northern Flow 2 could not be completed and put into operation. If gas from Russia cannot reach Germany through this pipeline system, Germany and Europe will find other energy solutions.

In this regard, new US President Joe Biden has stated that, like his predecessor, Donald Trump, he wants to prevent the completion of the project through the threat of punishing companies involved in the project. .

Still many EU partners believe that, with the assistance of the Northern Flow 2, Germany is acting against the common interests of Europe.

Chairman of the European People’s Party (EPP) group at the European Parliament Manfred Weber said that the Northern Flow 2 project “will definitely not be feasible” if Russian President Vladimir Putin lets the conflict in the region. East Ukraine escalated.

Will the gas supply be at risk then? To answer this question, the forecasts of the amount of gas that Germany and Europe will need in the coming years are central.

From the outset, critics accused the conglomerates that built the pipeline project “inflated” the data on German and European gas demand, making the project indispensable. and completely overwhelmed the opposition.

However, Jens Hobohm believes that this criticism holds true only in previous years, but in recent years, gas consumption in Germany and Europe has increased more than expected due to the need for natural gas. as a bridge for energy transitions.

When countries like Germany give up nuclear power, Poland reduces its dependence on coal, while solar and wind energy are still unable to meet demand, gas is the optimal solution.

According to a study by the Prognos Research Institute, in 2014, the EU consumed 400 billion cubic meters of gas; in 2015, the figure was 419 billion cubic meters and in 2019 it was 470 billion cubic meters.

Consumption figures for 2020 have not been specifically calculated, but according to expert Hobohm, this number is expected to decrease due to the impact of the epidemic of acute respiratory infections Covid-19.

In Germany alone, gas consumption will also increase from 77 billion cubic meters in 2015 to 89 billion cubic meters in 2019, while in 2020 this figure will decrease by about 2.5 percent.

Is that a compelling argument for the construction of the Northern Flow 2 project or would the existing pipes be enough to meet demand?

Is the project really necessary?

If we compare the gas consumption figures for 2019 to 2006, when the first Northern Flow system was planned to be constructed, it can be seen that the consumption volume has never been as high as it was before. Meanwhile, the project construction consortium insists that pipelines are needed as gas consumption will increase continuously. In fact, in 2006, Germany consumed 92 billion cubic meters of gas, while in the EU it was 511 billion cubic meters.

Hobohm adds that Europe’s gas imports from outside Europe depend on how much the continent can produce and to what extent can it meet its own demand?

Currently, the amount of gas produced internally has decreased, partly due to the Netherlands cutting production share faster than planned.

The key point now, experts say, is that the Northern Flow 2 project is still under construction. And Europe has no problems with gas supplies. Whether this project can go into operation or not and never work is an open question.

The later this pipeline is completed, the less necessary it is to be, as the role of natural gas will decline more and more.

Along with that, security policy risks are also very concerned.

First, it is due to the dependence of Europe and Germany on gas from a Russia.

Second, additional risks come from this project because the pipeline runs from Russia through the Baltic Sea and then directly to Germany, not through intermediate states such as Ukraine, Belarus and Poland.

Critics of the project raise two questionable issues.

FirstlyMr. Putin wants free hands to implement his policies with neighboring countries without being afraid to depend on them (when gas exports no longer have to pass through these countries).

Monday, the operation of the Northern Flow 2 system leads to a decrease in the amount of gas flowing through the existing pipes, thereby reducing Ukraine’s income from allowing gas from Russia to transit through its territory. .

The national budget of Kiev will be more than 2 billion euros. Then, the pressure on the EU to increase its aid to Ukraine will grow.

On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden held a telegram to discuss the tensions in Ukraine, security issues and the importance of nuclear arms control. . The White House has also proposed holding a formal meeting “in a third country”.

In a statement on April 13, US officials confirmed that the two leaders of Russia and the US had talked about “a series of regional and international issues”.

Presidents Biden and Putin telephoned, but Russia-US relations are still difficult to escape tension. (Photo: RT)

Specifically, President Biden has “voiced concerns about unusual Russian military maneuvers” on the Crimean peninsula and along the Ukrainian border. Mr. Biden called on Moscow to take action “to cool down”.

The exchange between the Russian-US President comes at a time when the danger of conflict between the Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed militants inside the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine shows signs of pushing up into a total war. The move to mobilize large numbers of troops and weapons by the Kiev government has led Russia to also strengthen its military presence along the Ukrainian border.

Some Western countries accuse Moscow of planning to invade Ukraine, but Russian officials have repeatedly denied.

In a move intended to show support for Ukraine, Washington dispatched two warships to the Black Sea.

For its part, the Kremlin says the situation in Donbass is “extremely horrible”, and Russian diplomats have previously expressed concerns with their American counterparts.

But US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Washington was worried about receiving “credible reports” about the movement of Russian troops near the border between Russia and Ukraine and called for “Russia. restraint to avoid escalating stress ”.

Over the past few months, the US-Russia relationship has deteriorated. Moscow even summoned the Russian ambassador to the country to conduct urgent discussions about the future of relations with Washington.

Specifically, the Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, returned home after in an interview President Biden called Putin a “murderer”. Mr. Biden’s comments have met with strong criticism from many Russian officials.

For his part, Putin used a maxim to disprove Mr. Biden’s claim. According to Mr. Putin, Mr. Biden is “breaking our belly to the stomach”.

“I remember that when we were kids, we played together on the field and used to say ‘belly-up’. It is not a joke or a kid’s sentence, this one has a profound psychological meaning. We always see our own qualities in others and think they really are like us, “Putin said.

According to Putin, the US is “determined” to build relations with Russia, but “only on matters that are beneficial to the US”.

Concluding a phone call between the two presidents on April 13, the US said that Biden’s goal was to build a “predictable and stable relationship with Russia in line with American interests”. In addition, the US also proposed to hold a summit in the next few months, to create an opportunity for the two leaders to “discuss the issues that Russia and the US are facing together”.

In a statement at the end of April 13, the Kremlin said President Biden “expressed a desire to normalize bilateral relations” and sought a consensus on arms control operations, chapter nuclear process, situation in Afghanistan and global climate change problem.

In the past, Russian President Putin met with Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump, in Helsinki in 2018.

For now, Moscow is still skeptical of the White House wanting to hold a constructive dialogue.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “No one allows the US to talk to Russia in a strong position.” Instead, the two countries should treat each other fairly, Mr. Peskov said.