#Russia 🇷🇺 Ukraine 🇺🇦

[xtruss]

World: The West Isn't Buying Into China's Year of Diplomacy

Chinese President Xi Jinping at a press conference in Shaanxi, on May 19, 2023. A new poll indicates that the West does not believe that China is contributing to Global Security. Florence Lo/Pool/AFP Via Getty Images

Western nations increasingly see China as an interventionist power that is not improving global security, according to recent polling, as Beijing struggles to square its desired peacemaker image with the political realities of its expanding global influence.

The Pew Research Center conducted a 30,000-person survey across 24 nations between February and May and found that people living in European, North American and Indo-Pacific democracies are particularly wary of China's influence. The sentiment was less strong, though still present, among African and South American respondents.

A median of 71 percent of the 30,000 people polled felt that China does not contribute either much or at all to international peace and stability, versus 23 percent who felt China does. Americans (80 percent), Dutch (86 percent), British (80 percent), Germans (80 percent), and French (75 percent) were among those who felt most strongly that Beijing is a negative influence on global affairs.

Democratic Indo-Pacific nations emphatically agreed, with 87 percent of South Koreans, 85 percent of Australians, and 85 percent of Japanese feeling the same.

The list of nations—the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland and South Africa, and Australia—is dominated by Western liberal democracies, with inherent ideological tensions likely somewhat explaining the negative views of Chinese foreign influence.

But only in Indonesia, Kenya and Nigeria did a majority of respondents say Beijing contributes either a fair amount or a great deal to international peace and stability.

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via email for comment.

China—already considered by many an economic and technological superpower—is still shaping its military and diplomatic clout abroad. Major decades-long investment in the former is openly intended to eventually challenge American hegemony, but on the diplomatic battlefield, Beijing is following a less publicly combative path.

Among the salient diplomatic issues that have helped shape global opinions of China this year are one striking success and one ongoing failure.

The former was the landmark Iran-Saudi Arabia normalization deal signed in April, in which China unexpectedly brokered a détente few thought likely given the deep and historic animosity between the Middle East's power players.

But China's unconvincing neutrality regarding Russia's war on Ukraine has somewhat eroded global trust in Beijing, particularly among the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific nations rallying to Kyiv's cause. China's de facto backing for Russia has undermined its continued calls for peace and the anemic peace plan it proposed in March.

North vs. South

Larger issues involving China—among them the fate of Taiwan, the situation in the South China Sea, lingering frustrations about the pandemic, the brewing showdown with the U.S., human rights, and concerns about political interference—have "completely dwarfed" Beijing's diplomatic efforts, Andrew Small, a senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund, told Newsweek.

"Publics have evidently not seen either the Saudi-Iranian deal as particularly significant or the Chinese efforts on Ukraine as particularly credible," Small said.

Small noted Beijing will not necessarily be too concerned with continued Western skepticism.

"In one sense, the argument for what China has been trying to do on Ukraine and in some of these other efforts was positioning in the 'Global South,'" he said. "The view on their side had been that no one in Europe is going to take this seriously, but they are able to position themselves through this in the Global South as an actor that approaches these issues in a neutral way."

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and China's President Xi Jinping deliver a joint statement in Moscow, on March 21, 2023. China's de facto support of Russia's war on Ukraine has angered Western nations. Mikhail Tereshchenko/Sputnik/AFP Via Getty Images

But the poll's findings also suggest that Beijing's self-framing might not be playing out as it hoped. A median of 57 percent of those surveyed said they felt China interferes in other countries affairs either a fair amount or a great deal.

The sentiment was most notable in Europe, where a majority of national respondents excluding Hungarians agreed, as well as in North America. A majority of all those in Indo-Pacific nations apart from Indonesia saw Beijing as interventionist.

Even in the four of the six African and South American nations surveyed a majority said China intervened at least somewhat in other countries' affairs. Fifty percent of South Africans and 46 percent of Argentinians also agreed.

"It's such a mantra in Chinese foreign policy, so foundational in the way that they frame things that this is not what they do, and it is the antithesis of the Western approach," Small said.

Against this backdrop, Small added, it is "striking" to see so many nations feeling that China is indeed intervening abroad. The data suggests, he said, that the perception of Chinese anti-interventionism is being "shredded."

Recent months have seen a renewed China-U.S. effort to thaw chilly bilateral relations. In June, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. And earlier this week, Blinken told CNN the U.S. wants to "put some stability into the relationship."

But the long-term disputes show no signs of easing. While visiting Tonga this week, Blinken hit out at what he called China's "increasingly problematic behavior" in the Indo-Pacific.

In Europe too, major nations are increasingly concerned about Chinese espionage and influence, even if leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are still courting investment.

Worsening Euro-Atlantic ties with Beijing, Small said, might accelerate a brewing confrontation.

"To a certain extent, this will validate an analysis on the Chinese side that starts to write off the West," he said, and instead focus on a "winnable" public opinion battle in the developing world.

— Newsweek Magazine | By David Brennan | July 27th, 2023

[x-heesy]

Artist Mikhail Khokhlachev, known throughout the world as Michael Cheval 🇷🇺

Michael Cheval (Mikhail Khokhlachev) was born in Kotelnikovo, a small town in southern Russia. Growing up in an artistic family, his love of drawing was encouraged from early childhood by his father, Mikhail Khokhlachev, a self-taught artist and by his grandfather, Yuri Lipov, a professional artist and sculptor. His ability developed quickly and by three years old, he could already draw complex compositions.

#surreal #surrealart #surrealism #surrealismartcommunity #popsurrealism #popsurrealist #popsurreal #surrealist #surrealista #surrealistic #lowbrowart #weirdart #lowbrowartist #surrealisme #surreal_art #surrealismo #surrealpainting #newcontemporary #lowbrowpopsurrealists #contemporaryart #art #artist #painting #artwork #abstractart #modernart #artgallery #arte #fineart #artoftheday #artcollector #instaart #artistsoninstagram #drawing #contemporarypainting #abstract #contemporaryartist #gallery #photography #sculpture #kunst #abstractpainting #design #interiordesign #oilpainting #illustration #acrylicpainting #digitalart #artlovers

𝙵𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜 & 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜 - 𝙳𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚣 𝙺𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚡 𝚋𝚢 𝙽/𝚊, 𝚁𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚊 🎧

[natsuki-bakery]

⁎˚ ఎ Hetalia Moodboard ໒ ˚⁎

•Sfw interactions only | dont tag as ship ! •Don't repost and claim as yours ! Reblogs are okay but not reposts

[pinkpearljam]

There’s a russian woman living in the apartment right above me with her arab husband and their super adorable, well-mannered kids

Meanwhile there’s a ukrainian woman living in the apartment below me with her rlly cute cats

And then there’s me and my family (egyptian) living as a border between them to maintain the peace within the building 🗣️💪🏻💯‼️

[chloeworships]

The name VLAD was revealed to me.

Please be very careful where you are, babes. You’re around a killer. I pray God reveal this person to you.

For some of you I heard the term

“Dreamkiller”

Being around naysayers is how so many dreams never come to fruition.

PS. This could be an interracial relationships for those who this is romantic.

Some of you are afraid to be in a relationship because you fear men. Your experience with them has given you anxiety about dating. Does your person(s) know this? 👀😣 For you being around a man or when he comes to close forces you to push him away. Praying for your healing babes ❤️‍🩹

One last message,

Some of you can sense danger before it arrives, that’s your prophetic gift. The scripture the LORD gave me was Proverbs 27:2… Proverbs 22:3 is the same scripture. Trust what’s being shown to you via this WORD. He is trying to protect you from getting in deep waters to begin with.

[eaarths-blog]

Ironic points of light.

In “September 1, 1939,” W. H. Auden reflects on the political and social turmoil at the onset of World War II. The line “ ironic points of light” appears in the penultimate stanza: “Defenceless under the night Our world in stupor lies; Yet, dotted everywhere, Ironic points of light Flash out wherever the Just Exchange their messages:” In this context, the “ ironic points of light” symbolize…

[eltristanexplicitcontent]

Kursk, Pokrovsk, and the Current State of the War

[cuoreacciaiojeeg]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cxk_tsVN7fa/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

[green2stayecomarketing]

#Sustainability ♻️ #IndependentMedia🗞️🎙️🖥️ #PEACEAGREEMENT🏳️ #SWD 🕸️ #G2S 🌿 Thankyou (Under 25 Min Video) #BountyNews*Update #Putin Reveals Secret Peace Agreement Between #Russia 🇷🇺 And #Ukraine 🇺🇦 #RichardMedhurst #THENEWECONOMY 💲 https://youtu.be/LInuWrU5N2U

[kevlo75]

Faced with the horror of #war, the artist of #vannes origin finds in art a soothing refuge. It was then that the whole world discovered “Asse blue”. A unique #blue that no one really knows where it comes from. #genevieveasse #rennes #ukraine🇺🇦 #yemen🇾🇪 #russia🇷🇺 #france🇫🇷 #europe (à Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoeM461IuYG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[x-heesy]

𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝙼𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗 𝙰𝚜𝚜 ☑️

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Saint Petersburg 🇷🇺

#Travelingwithoutmoving 🍭

#architecture #architecturephotography #architecturelovers #architectureporn #architecturedesign #architecturelover #architecturephoto #architecturedaily #architecture_hunter #architecturedetail #architecturephotos #architecturedose #architectureanddesign #architecturelife #architecturegram #architecturelove #architecturephotograpy #architectures #architectureinspiration #architecture_view #architektur #architekturfotografie #architekturfotograf #architektur_erleben #architekturliebe #architekturporn #architekturelovers

Rave in the Grave by REDZED 🎧🍭

[girlactionfigure]

HERE is the list of the 134 countries that are NOT supporting South Africa's 🇿🇦 claims of genocide against Israel 🇮🇱:

🇦🇩 Andorra 

🇦🇴 Angola 

🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda 

🇦🇷 Argentina 

🇦🇲 Armenia 

🇦🇺 Australia 

🇦🇹 Austria 

🇧🇸 Bahamas 

🇧🇧 Barbados 

🇧🇾 Belarus 

🇧🇿 Belize 

🇧🇹 Bhutan 

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 

🇧🇼 Botswana 

🇧🇬 Bulgaria 

🇧🇮 Burundi 

🇨🇻 Cabo Verde 

🇰🇭 Cambodia 

🇨🇦 Canada 

🇨🇫 Central African Republic 

🇨🇱 Chile 

🇨🇳 China 

🇰🇲 Comoros 

🇨🇬 Congo 

🇨🇷 Costa Rica 

🇭🇷 Croatia 

🇨🇺 Cuba 

🇨🇾 Cyprus 

🇨🇿 Czech Republic 

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo 

🇩🇰 Denmark 

🇩🇲 Dominica 

🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 

🇹🇱 East Timor (Timor-Leste) 

🇪🇨 Ecuador 

🇸🇻 El Salvador 

🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea 

🇪🇷 Eritrea 

🇪🇪 Estonia 

🇸🇿 Eswatini 

🇪🇹 Ethiopia 

🇫🇯 Fiji 

🇫🇮 Finland 

🇫🇷 France 

🇬🇪 Georgia 

🇩🇪 Germany 

🇬🇭 Ghana 

🇬🇷 Greece 

🇬🇩 Grenada 

🇬🇹 Guatemala 

🇭🇹 Haiti 

🇭🇳 Honduras 

🇭🇺 Hungary 

🇮🇸 Iceland 

🇮🇳 India 

🇮🇪 Ireland 

🇮🇹 Italy 

🇯🇲 Jamaica 

🇯🇵 Japan 

🇰🇪 Kenya 

🇰🇮 Kiribati 

🇰🇵 Korea, North (North Korea) 

🇰🇷 Korea, South (South Korea) 

🇽🇰 Kosovo 

🇱🇦 Laos 

🇱🇻 Latvia 

🇱🇸 Lesotho 

🇱🇷 Liberia 

🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 

🇱🇹 Lithuania 

🇱🇺 Luxembourg 

🇲🇬 Madagascar 

🇲🇼 Malawi

🇲🇹 Malta 

🇲🇭 Marshall Islands 

🇲🇺 Mauritius 

🇲🇽 Mexico 

🇫🇲 Micronesia 

🇲🇩 Moldova 

🇲🇨 Monaco 

🇲🇳 Mongolia 

🇲🇪 Montenegro 

🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) 

🇳🇷 Nauru 

🇳🇵 Nepal 

🇳🇱 Netherlands 

🇳🇿 New Zealand 

🇳🇮 Nicaragua 

🇲🇰 North Macedonia (Macedonia) 

🇳🇴 Norway 

🇵🇼 Palau 

🇵🇦 Panama 

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea 

🇵🇾 Paraguay 

🇵🇪 Peru 

🇵🇭 Philippines 

🇵🇱 Poland 

🇵🇹 Portugal 

🇷🇴 Romania 

🇷🇺 Russia 

🇷🇼 Rwanda 

🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis 

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia 

🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 

🇼🇸 Samoa 

🇸🇲 San Marino 

🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe 

🇷🇸 Serbia 

🇸🇨 Seychelles 

🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 

🇸🇬 Singapore 

🇸🇰 Slovakia 

🇸🇮 Slovenia 

🇸🇧 Solomon Islands 

🇪🇸 Spain 

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 

🇸🇪 Sweden

🇨🇭 Switzerland 

🇹🇼 Taiwan 

🇹🇿 Tanzania 

🇹🇭 Thailand 

🇹🇴 Tonga 

🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 

🇹🇳 Tunisia 

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan 

🇹🇻 Tuvalu 

🇺🇦 Ukraine 

🇬🇧 United Kingdom (UK) 

🇺🇸 United States of America (USA) 

🇺🇾 Uruguay 

🇻🇺 Vanuatu 

🇻🇦 Vatican City 

🇻🇳 Vietnam 

🇿🇲 Zambia 

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

[grrlscientist]

"No one has done more to promote NATO in Ukraine🇺🇦 than Russia🇷🇺"

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹📸 A Russian military transport plane, was in the process of flying 65 Ukrainian POWs to a location in the Bolgorod oblast to facilitate a prisoner exchange when it was shot out of the sky by Ukrainian missile, killing everyone on board.]

🇺🇦⚔️🇷🇺 🚀🛩️💥 🚨

UKRAINIAN MISSILE SHOOTS DOWN RUSSIAN MILITARY TRANSPORT PLANE FILLED WITH ITS OWN POWs

74 are dead, including 65 Ukrainian POWs, after a Russian military transport plane being used to facilitate a prisoner exchange scheduled for Wednesday was downed somewhere over the Bolgorod region of the Russian Federation, near the border with Ukraine. The prisoner exchange has since been called off by Russian authorities.

In an article published by Ukrainian Pravda, a Ukrainian news periodical, a source is cited as saying that the aircraft was downed by Ukrainian forces near the border with Russia's Bolgorod region, however they have since retracted the source, and are now claiming they cannot confirm the news. The Russian authorities have since confirmed that the plane was in fact downed by a Ukrainian missile, likely using either an American Patriot air defense missile or a German-made Iris-T.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Russian authorities say that the crash took place at approximately 11:15am (local time), when a Russian Il-76 military transport plane filled with Ukrainian POWs was downed near the Bolgorod region.

“At about 11:00 Moscow time, an Il-76 plane crashed during a scheduled flight in the Belgorod region. On board there were 65 captured Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen, <including> six crew members and three accompanying persons,” the statement says.

In its statement, the Russian Defense Ministry slammed the missile strike, declaring the "Kiev regime committed a terrorist act" in downing the military transport.

According to Russian sources, the aircraft had been en route from the Chkalovsky military airbase in Moscow, and was shot down by air defenses stationed somewhere in the Kharkov oblast in the northeast of Ukraine, killing everyone on board.

The Russian and Ukrainian authorities had agreed to conduct a prisoner exchange later on Wednesday, with the exchange set to take place near the Russian village of Kolotilovka, also in the Bolgorod oblast, close to the border with Ukraine.

A second military transport aircraft carrying some 80 Ukrainian POWs was turned around before reaching the danger area, and was successfully diverted to another airbase after news of the downing reached Russian authorities.

The Ukrainian officials have so far refused to comment on the crash, remaining mum as news of the event spreads, although Andrey Yusov, a spokesperson for the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) confirmed a prisoner exchange had been scheduled for Wednesday, adding that the exchange has since been cancelled.

#source1

#source2

#source3

#videosource1

#photosource2

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[eaarths-blog]

The rand report on how US rules the world.

This is a link to a pdf from the Rand organisation on the proposed plans to subsume Russia. It is detailed and explosive, it perfectly exposes the recommendations to the Pentagon on the way forward for the US to bring about the downfall of the Russian state, with the express purpose of breaking Russia up into smaller units easily controlled by Washington corporate elites to secure vast oil &…