How the EU fought back against Moscow in the food crisis blame game

Good morning. The EU is looking for authorized recommendation on the way it might label Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist outfit, a transfer that will virtually definitely destroy any hope of a diplomatic deal aimed toward stopping Tehran from growing a nuclear bomb. Additionally this weekend: the brand new Czech president isn’t Andrej Babiš is retired general Petr Pavel, and the Netherlands and Japan joined the US in restricting chip exports to China.

Right this moment: I communicate with Josep Borrell, the EU’s overseas coverage chief, on Brussels successful the battle of narratives in opposition to Moscow over the worldwide chaos attributable to its struggle in Ukraine, and our man within the Balkans brings information of yet one more election in Bulgaria.

Meals combat

Half a 12 months in the past, Josep Borrell couldn’t get by way of a day with out somebody having a go at him for EU sanctions in opposition to Russia driving up global food prices. Not any extra.

“Little by little, now we have gained,” he advised me over the weekend. “The substance now could be clear. The accountable one for creating starvation on this planet is Russia.”

Context: when Russia invaded Ukraine, it cut off one of the world’s biggest agricultural exporters from world markets. Meals costs spiked. Moscow blamed western sanctions which it falsely stated focused Russian exports. Many growing international locations believed them.

“Some months in the past, everybody was blaming me: ‘Ah, your sanctions are accountable for starvation, I can not have fertilisers’,” Borrell stated whereas on a visit to South Africa and Botswana that ended yesterday. “Right here, nobody has talked about this problem.”

That’s a reasonably important reversal. Final June, Borrell was assailed by African delegates on the UN for a notion — amplified by Kremlin propaganda — that western sanctions raised the risk of famine. Again then Borrell referred to as it the “battle of narratives”.

“We now have been cautious to attempt to clarify to everyone . . . When [Russia] has been blocking 20mn tonnes of meals, you can not blame me,” he stated.

One much less nice facet of the go to was arriving three days after Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. If that was a powerful trace South Africa is sitting on the fence over the struggle in Ukraine, its navy deciding to conduct joint drills with Russia on the primary anniversary of Moscow’s invasion leaves little doubt.

Borrell is pragmatic concerning the EU’s powers: “In the event that they wish to commerce with Russia, what can I do? I can not forestall them from doing that.”

However he did have one clear message for his hosts.

“There’s a distinction between eager to spare Russia . . . [and] to refuse to acknowledge the clear violation of worldwide guidelines by the Russians in Ukraine,” he stated. “We don’t ask them, and we don’t ask any African international locations or any nation on this planet, to decide on sides. We’re solely asking them to face on the aspect of the United Nations constitution.”

Chart du jour: Dodgy information

Russian authorities information, by no means recognized for its trustworthiness, is below growing scrutiny as some policymakers push to declassify extra statistics and the Kremlin’s drive for secrecy leaves even seasoned observers struggling to make sense of the country’s economy.

Right here we go once more

Bulgaria’s election in 2021 was seen as an anti-corruption celebration as voters despatched longtime premier Boyko Borisov into retirement after months of protests in opposition to his perceived graft.

That didn’t age properly, writes Marton Dunai.

Two years — virtually precisely to the day — after, individuals throughout the Balkan nation will head to a common election for a fifth time.

Every of the earlier rounds ended with both caretaker administrations or shaky coalitions out and in by way of the revolving door earlier than they may actually make their imprint.

One fixed issue is sustained poverty and protracted corruption. One other is the energy of Borisov’s centre-right Gerb social gathering, which routinely instructions greater than 20 per cent of the vote, often sufficient for first or second place.

The fragmented and infrequently wildly altering political area then tries, and fails, to provide a secure crew both alongside or in opposition to Gerb. Political stars develop and fade on the left and proper. One other fixed has been the gradual development of the far proper, which favours Russia and thrives on regional conflicts, reminiscent of Bulgaria’s patriotic beef with North Macedonia.

Hold that in thoughts as President Rumen Radev dissolves the Nationwide Meeting this Friday and schedules a parliamentary election for April 2.

Some speculate Radev might make a superb head of a presidential republic, wherein a smaller cadre of stronger leaders lead Bulgaria out of the melee. The president has not favoured such a construction, however there’s going to be a referendum on it anyway.

The 2021 celebration, in the meantime, appears to have resulted in boredom: barely a 3rd of Bulgarians cared sufficient to truly vote on the final ask in October.

What to look at in the present day

1. EU agriculture and fisheries ministers meet in Brussels. Arrivals from 0830.

2. Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg in South Korea before travelling to Japan.

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