Page 45 - RusRPTApr24

2.17 Politics - misc
● International Politics
An investigation by The Wall Street Journal found that U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met privately in the Oval Office in early February and agreed “to explore the idea” of trading Russian hit man Vadim Krasikov (now serving a life sentence in Germany for murder) for two Americans jailed in Russia — former Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich — and Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.
According to the WSJ report, adding Navalny to the exchange was intended to “sell” the deal to the German public. However, before the White House could make a formal proposal to Moscow, “word of the discussions reached the Kremlin via a private intermediary, according to people familiar with the matter.” And then Navalny suddenly died.
The investigation also explores the “walk-on roles” played by prominent personalities like Hillary Clinton (invited into the lobbying by Christo Grozev) and Tucker Carlson (who hoped to bring Gershkovich back from Moscow after interviewing Putin in February). Additionally, journalists describe the U.S. domestic politics that determine which Americans unjustly jailed in Russia manage to find public resonance.
Belgian PM says MEPs, MPs paid by Russian propaganda network. The Russian propaganda network recently uncovered by Czech intelligence paid European and Belgian lawmakers to spread pro-Kremlin disinformation, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said in Brussels on March 28.
- Multilateral bodies
Charles Michel: ‘Europe must prepare for war.’ If Europe wants to exist in peace it must shift to a “war economy” mode and significantly bolster defense capabilities in the face of the threat posed by Russia, European Council President Charles Michel said on March 18
Sweden officially joins NATO. Sweden's accession to the alliance was officially completed when Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson handed the so-called "instruments of accession" to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington.
NATO begins large-scale military drills in northern Europe. The Nordic Response 24 NATO exercises begin in northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway on March 4, for the first time with the participation of Finland as a NATO member, the Finnish public broadcaster YLE reported.
French defense minister says no plans to deploy combat troops in
45 RUSSIA Country Report April 2024 www.intellinews.com