Russia is losing its allies one by one. The few countries that have so far taken a neutral position or that were considered to support Russia are increasingly supporting Ukraine. After two and a half years of war, those who sought benefits from friendship with Russia
1/12
are beginning to understand that these relations are toxic and will lead nowhere. Putin believed that if politicians were bought, they would be loyal to the end. But these politicians initially and until the last moment pursued the goal of personal gain, and understanding
2/12
that supporting Russia would lead to their isolation, they are not always openly, but increasingly leaning towards Ukraine. Thus, Serbia, remaining "neutral", sells weapons to the West, after which they are sent to Ukraine. Serbia knows perfectly well that the weapons are
3/12
going to Ukraine, but it is not going to stop. It has increased the production and repair of equipment threefold. It became known that during the war, Serbia sent weapons worth 800 million euros. And this despite the fact that Russia considers Serbia a "brother" country,
4/12
calling the Serbs "bratushki". Also, Russia's reliance on the right-wing forces that it supported and sponsored often does not come true. Thus, Russia's bet on Robert Fico in Slovakia did not prevent this country from ultimately joining the Czech initiative to send shells
5/12
to Ukraine. The ammunition collected within the framework of this initiative will be prepared and repaired at factories in Slovakia. Also, despite Fico's statements that Slovakia would stop sending weapons to Ukraine, they were also not confirmed in the end and the country
6/12
continued its support. Juraj Blanar, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, said that contracts for the supply of weapons are a private matter for the companies involved. Another country that is turning away from Russia is Armenia. It has declared
7/12
its desire to leave the CSTO, expressed support for Ukraine and strengthened ties with France and America. Politicians express a desire to hold a referendum on joining the European Union. Russia did not come to the aid of Armenia within the framework of the CSTO in the war
8/12
with Azerbaijan and this makes the country doubt the necessity of this union. Russia has nothing to offer its allies. The only exception is North Korea, which agrees to send its engineers to Ukraine in exchange for technology, being a much more backward country in this
9/12
regard. But this is a very fragile union and as soon as the benefit seems dubious or threatens the regime of Kim Jong-un, Putin will lose this ally too. Iran is also increasingly busy with the conflict with Israel, supporting Hezbollah and Hamas and is less and less
10/12
concerned about Russia's problems. China also refuses to trade with Russia and more Chinese banks refuse to do transactions with it, fearing secondary sanctions. Putin is driving Russia into isolation. Russia can offer neither technology, nor production, nor anything that
11/12
the West can offer. No one wants to be friends with a loser. This is forcing more and more leaders of other countries, previously neutral or loyal, to reconsider their position.
12/12
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Bloomberg reported, citing sources, that Greece and Malta have become the main obstacles to an EU proposal to replace the price cap on Russian oil with a ban on services necessary for transporting fuel. According to the agency’s interlocutors, the two southern European
🧵
countries raised concerns about this step at a meeting of EU ambassadors on Monday, where the latest sanctions package against Russia was presented. They warned that such a shift could affect Europe’s shipping industry and energy prices. Both countries also requested
clarifications regarding proposals to impose sanctions on foreign ports handling Russian oil and to strengthen oversight of ship sellers in order to reduce the number of vessels entering Moscow’s fleet. A representative of the Greek government declined to comment.
The most unpleasant forecasts regarding the Russian economy are beginning to materialize. What analysts cautiously spoke about a year ago is now being discussed openly even by the most pro-government Russian economists: the safety margin is rapidly shrinking. While Putin talks
🧵
about “stability” and “growth,” the reality looks far more prosaic: a country that unleashed a war of aggression against Ukraine is methodically burning through its own financial system. According to estimates by Germany’s BND intelligence service, Russia’s real military spending
reaches around 10% of GDP and nearly half of the federal budget. In fact, actual expenditures are 66% higher than officially declared, due to hidden budget lines, Defense Ministry construction projects, military IT infrastructure, and social payments to servicemen. In simple
According to BND estimates, last year Russia’s military spending may have amounted to almost half of the state budget and around 10% of the country’s GDP. According to the German intelligence service, Russia is spending significantly more on the war and its armed forces
🧵
than it has declared in recent years. Since the start of the war against Ukraine in February 2022, Russia’s defense budget has increased sharply every year. In addition, Russia’s interpretation of “defense spending” differs significantly from the NATO definition, German
intelligence officials note. A comprehensive analysis of budget data conducted by BND shows that Russia’s defense budget in recent years was 66% higher than officially reported. Unaccounted expenditures include, for example, construction projects of the Ministry of Defense,
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained why he sharply criticized Europe at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He made these remarks during a meeting with journalists in Kyiv, according to a correspondent from European Pravda. Zelensky said he had grounds for critical
🧵
statements toward Europe after a lack of funding led to a shortage of air defense missiles, allowing Russia to strike Kyiv’s energy infrastructure. Zelensky did not deny that his speech may have sounded overly harsh from European capitals and explained this by saying that
Ukraine and the rest of Europe live in different information spaces. He also acknowledged that the differences are not only informational but also emotional in how events are perceived. The president explained that his Davos speech was preceded by heavy strikes on energy
Putin is losing the game he himself started. His bet was placed on a return to the world of the 19th and early 20th centuries - a world of empires and spheres of influence, where Europe, America, Africa, and Asia are divided among several “superpowers.” In Putin’s vision of
1/19
the world, there were supposed to be three such powers: the United States, Russia, and China. However, the real transformation of the global order is unfolding in a completely different way. The key failure is Ukraine. At the end of the fourth year of war, Russia has still
2/19
been unable to subjugate it. The army is visibly degrading, human and technological resources are being exhausted, the economy is held together by military spending and gray schemes, and the state increasingly resembles an overextended empire losing its ability to govern
3/19
Within NATO, the possibility of conducting a special joint mission in Greenland is being considered in order to accommodate the interests of US President Donald Trump. This week, the US president once again stated that he wants Greenland. Military intervention is not being 1/8
ruled out. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously said that this would mean the end of the Alliance if the United States were to begin military action against her country. On Thursday morning, the 32 ambassadors of the Alliance gathered for their weekly meeting. 2/8
It took place in a "calm atmosphere." Denmark raised the Greenland issue in a "positive and forward-looking manner," NOS insiders reported. The US ambassador to NATO, Whitaker, also reportedly spoke in a conciliatory tone. As became clear during the meeting, almost all 3/8