South Asia
Russia clarified that Western sanctions will not impact its “big plans” of defence cooperation with India, which it described as the only country that has been “honest” in sharing technology. Russia also applauded India’s “independent” policy, owing to which it has maintained neutrality in the ongoing conflict between NATO allies and Russia. [Times of India]
Speaking about the controversial $500 million US-funded infrastructure grant for Nepal, China questioned the US’ claim that it was a “gift,” asserting there was an “ultimatum” that required the agreement to be passed by the Nepalese cabinet by February 28. The statement comes as Nepal witnesses protests led by opposition parties along with members of its own coalition who believe that the agreement could undermine Nepal’s sovereignty. [Kathmandu Post]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday indicated his willingness to normalise ties with Armenia if Armenian authorities commit to the normalisation process. After the completion of the first round of negotiations, Armenian and Turkish negotiators are gearing up for a second round of talks starting on Thursday. Relations between Armenia and Turkey have been strained since 1991, owing to the latter’s support of Azerbaijan during the two Nagorno-Karabakh wars of 1991 and 2020. [RFE/RL]
United States (US) Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said on Thursday that Washington supports Tbilisi “now, more than ever,” referring to Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine. Degnan called on Georgia to be “prepared for the worst” and stressed that the US will be “working very closely with the Georgian government.” Russia invaded the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008. [Agenda.ge]
East and Southeast Asia
China on Wednesday accused the United States (US) of “raising tensions” and “creating panic” in the Ukraine crisis after the US sanctioned Russia and announced that it would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine. [Channel News Asia]
Vietnam is suffering from intense fuel shortages due to insufficient supplies from wholesalers and COVID-19. According to the trade ministry, nearly 300 petrol and oil retailers have stopped product sales. The crisis has prompted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to call for a thorough market investigation. [The Straits Times]
Europe
On Wednesday, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić met his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sánchez in a rare bilateral meeting between officials from Belgrade and Madrid. After the meeting, Vučić welcomed Spain’s support for Serbia’s territorial integrity, stressing that Spain will not recognise the independence of Kosovo. Vučić confirmed that Serbia plans to make public more details regarding the problems in Kosovo and Metohija. [B92]
European Council President Charles Michel called for an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss the Ukraine crisis and Russia’s military build-up near the Ukrainian border. In the invitation letter, Michel urged leaders to discuss measures to protect the rules-based international order and hold Russia accountable for its actions against Europe. [Politico]
According to the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, a steadily increasing number of Ukrainian military veterans have been leaving the United Kingdom to help defend the eastern regions of their country against the threat of Russian invasion. [The Guardian]
Latin America and the Caribbean
Cuba has released a statement in support of its longtime ally Russia, saying that the United States has been “threatening Russia for weeks” and lying about an “imminent massive invasion” of Ukraine. It further criticised the destabilising effects of the US supplying weapons and military technology and for deploying troops to the region, while also taking aim at its “unjust sanctions.” To this end, it called on both the US and NATO to halt their eastward expansion, describing it as a “threat to the national security” of Russia. [Reuters]
The death toll from recent landslides and flash flooding in the southeastern Brazilian city of Petrópolis, which is located in the mountainous regions to the north of Rio de Janeiro, has now risen to 195, with 69 people still missing and a further 811 now rendered homeless following evacuation efforts. [MercoPress]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to purchase 12 L-15 light attack planes from China in an effort to “diversify and modernise” the capabilities of its armed forces, state-owned media Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Wednesday. [WAM]
Lebanese authorities said on Wednesday that security forces foiled three planned suicide attacks in Beirut by Islamic State militants. The Interior Ministry said that the suspects detained were all young Palestinians recruited by ISIS, who wanted them to attack Shia neighbourhoods of Beirut. [Associated Press]
North America
On Wednesday Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the repeal of the federal Emergencies Act, which he invoked over a week ago to clear out the trucker-led ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests and border blockades. Trudeau said his government no longer considers the situation to be an emergency, adding that existing laws are now enough to keep people safe. [CBC]
The United States (US) Department of Justice on Wednesday confirmed the closure of the Trump-era policy “China Initiative,” which was aimed at punishing academics and researchers who fail to disclose their links to the Chinese government. The department deemed that the policy unfairly targeted professors of Asian descent, and announced plans for a more comprehensive policy that includes countries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. [The New York Times]
Oceania
On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison signed authorised the first series of sanctions against Russia, targeting Kremlin individuals, banks and financial institutions. The legislation allows the government to target eight members of Russia’s Security Council and the oil and mineral sector of Donetsk and Luhansk, which were recently declared as independent republics by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The legislation also extends existing restrictions on Russia’s telecommunications, transport, and energy sectors. [Sky News]
On Friday, New Zealand will enter “Omicron phase three” after the country recorded 6,137 community cases on Thursday. COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins said, “There’s no doubt the next few weeks are going to be pretty challenging. Keep calm and carry on, and follow the advice and follow the guidance that you’re being given.” Phase three will include more widespread use of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs). [The New Daily]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Cybersecurity experts from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation are set to visit Nairobi and train their counterparts in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on how to better tackle cybercrime, which is estimated to cost Kenya’s economy $300 million a year. This appears to be a product of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta's visit to Washington in October, following which he ordered his interior minister, secretary of state, and attorney general to deepen bilateral engagement in the field of cybersecurity. [Africa Intelligence]
On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres demanded the immediate release of four United Nations Mission in Central Africa (MINUSCA) soldiers who were stationed in the Central African Republic. The CAR has said that an investigation is still ongoing as there are allegations that the four soldiers had plans to assassinate President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. [Africanews]