Page 40 - RusRPTJul24

upcoming elections would make no difference to Russia. "By and large there's no difference," he said. However he called Trump's recent criminal charges for business fraud politically motivated, arguing his conviction "burned" the idea that Washington was a leading democracy. "It is obvious all over the world that the prosecution of Trump... is simply the utilization of the judicial system during an internal political struggle," Putin said. "Their supposed leadership in the sphere of democracy is being burned to the ground," the Russian leader added.
The Russian Defence Ministry on June 11 announced the launching of the second stage of military drills simulating the launch of tactical nuclear weapons. Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said his country would also take part. According to a statement from the Russian ministry, the joint exercises by Russian and Belarusian units are designed to practice the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons. The announcement did not specify the location of the exercise or the types of weapons involved.
During the Ukraine Summit in Switzerland India has sent its ambassador to Russia to represent India during Biden's Ukraine Summit in Switzerland. The ambassador's name is Pavan Kapoor (born 24 December 1966) who is an Indian diplomat and current Indian Ambassador to the Russian Federation in Moscow.
In an April 2023 meeting with Ursula Von Der Leyen, Xi Jinping told her that the US "was trying to trick China into invading Taiwan, but that he would not take the bait", scoop by the FT.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will head Nato in October, and Ursula von der Leyen will remain head of the EC for a second term. The Nato Council officially approved the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, as the next Alliance Secretary General. Also, the current head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will remain in her position for a second term. The new head of the EU Council will be the former head of the Portuguese government, Antonio Costa, replacing Charles Michel.
Estonian PM Kallas will take over as next EU foreign policy head, sources tell RFE/RL. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will reportedly succeed Josep Borrell, who has held the position since 2019.
The creation of a new security architecture in Eurasia, as proposed by Russia, will force external players to curtail their military presence on the continent, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on the sidelines of the 12th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum. "Being drawn into a new bloc confrontation in the spirit of zero-sum games is not the intention of the Russian Federation," she noted. "The architecture formed on the basis of common efforts will not be directed against anyone, its parameters will not only ensure long-lasting peace, but also avoid major
40 RUSSIA Country Report July 2024 www.intellinews.com