Foreign media digest 16 October 2014

The main topic – ASCEM summit in Milan.

According to NSDC analysts’ assessment, the main attention was focused on Putin’s meeting with Merkel, when he had shown up late. Almost every text has written about the situation on the Ukrainian-Russian borders and that the Russian troops haven’t been withdrawn. The information about Poroshenko-Merkel meeting is very laconic with no detailed information.

Amid the turmoil events at the summit, the information about the beginning of lustration in Ukraine was practically lost. According to the analytics, the main topics where Ukraine was mentioned, were:

– preparations for the winter period, an economic crisis, a poor support from the West

www.washingtonpost.com

– an interview with Kwasniewski is worth reading. He says Ukraine should remain non-aligned member, but must become a member of EU.

diepresse.com

The theme of sanctions has been described in the media. The overall assessment: sanctions shouldn’t be step-down.

KYIV’S DULL PERSPECTIVES FACING THE WINTER PERIOD.

Meanwhile, some villagers are stockpiling firewood. In a twist of fate, many homes in rural regions still have antiquated furnaces that can burn either wood, coal or natural gas.

The Financial Times:

“Russia has much more leverage over Ukraine now than in 2006 and 2009 when it shut off gas,” said Dmytro Marunich, a Ukrainian energy analyst, referring to previous energy disputes between Moscow and Kiev. “Through the separatist-held eastern mining regions, it now holds de facto controls over much of our coal and, in turn, electricity generation,” he explains. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, president of the international crisis group, suggested Mr Poroshenko’s government could be at stake.

Ukraine’s economy choking under Russian pressure, but Western help is scarce

The Washington Post:

Ukraine with its war-torn economy is threatened by further Russian disruptions, The Washington Post writes. “Ukraine is in desperate need of a new international financial aid package, economists say, but none appears imminent,” Steven Mufson underlines. Timothy Ash, London-based head of emerging markets research at Standard Bank, said that there were “lots of warm words for Ukraine but not many greenbacks” from the United States or the European Union, which is mired in its own economic stagnation. Ash said in an e-mail that on an official visit to Washington recently, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko “gave the speech of his life and got $53 million, which is small change. That funds the cost of the war in the East for 9 days.”

Alexander Kwasniewski: Putin has a lot of time, EU must prepare for a long crisis.

Die Presse:

“Europe should be prepared for the long-term crisis, because he has lots of time and instruments: he has gas, oil, gold, troops, propaganda and some supporters in Ukraine. Europe has fewer instruments of influence, the source of Die Presse said.

diepresse.com

In an interview due to be published in the Serbian newspaper Politika, Putin is expected to attribute the simmering conflict in Ukraine and friction between Russia and its neighbours to the resurgence of Nazi ideology.

The Guardian:

www.theguardian.com

COUNCIL OF EUROPE DECISION

PRO-RUSSIAN FRACTION GROUP COLLAPSES

The Council of Europe Congress blamed Russian intervention in Ukraine.

Deutsche Welle:

www.dw.de

Putin’s friends group in the European Parliament has collapsed.

BBC, European voice:

The Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group in the European Parliament, headed by UKIP leader Nigel Farage, has been disbanded following the defection of a Latvian MEP. The group’s dissolution was officially announced on Thursday at a meeting of the conference of presidents (the group leaders). Martin Schulz announced about the recession of a Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule.

www.europeanvoice.com

www.bbc.com

SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA

The prices are increasing, the ruble is falling, there is an empty shelves threat, the Russian economy is balanced on the brink of recession. At that, Vladimir Putin’s reputation has been increasing.

Le Figaro:

www.lefigaro.fr

UK blocks €5bn Russian North Sea deal

The Financial Times:

The UK has blocked a €5bn deal by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman to acquire gas fields in the North Sea. Mr Fridman’s attempt to buy RWE Dea, the oil and gas arm of German utility RWE, could be subject to big delays or might even collapse, according to people close to the deal. BASF, the German chemicals company, is a potential alternative acquirer of the RWE assets, The Financial Times analysts say.

www.ft.com

Sanctions noose begins to tighten on sanguine Russia

The Financial Times:

“Assuming sanctions are not lifted – and indeed do not worsen – a serious credit crunch looms by 2016, the journalist thinks. “That still allows time, theoretically, to resolve the crisis. The danger for investors and Russian business is that Moscow these days seems very ready to put what it sees as its fundamental geopolitical interests above the economy.”

www.ft.com

It is still too early to soften the imposed sanctions on Russia.

Der Spiegel:

www.spiegel.de

2014-10-17 12:58 GMT+03:00 Ксенія Сіранчук :

SUMMARY 10/16 (більш детально – атачмент)

Головна тема доби – Міланський саміт АСЕМ.

За оцінками аналітиків РНБОУ, головна увага була сконцентрована на запізненні Путіна на зустріч із Меркель. В кожному тексті йшла мова про те, що російська війська не відійшли від кордону з Україною. Інформація про переговори Порошенка із Меркель дуже лаконічна, деталі не розкриті.

На тлі бурхливих подій саміту загубилась фактично інформація про початок в Україні люстрації.

За оцінками аналітиків УКМЦ, головні теми в контексті яких згадувалась Україна:

– підготовка до зими, економічна криза, слабка підтримка Заходом України

www.washingtonpost.com

– цікавим є інтерв’ю О.Квасневського, в якому він каже, що Україна мусить лишатись позаблоковою, але стати членом ЄС

diepresse.com