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Comment: EU sanctions package against Russia has backfired

The new cold war

Another package of sanctions was pushed through in Brussels to the applause of Finance Minister Svantesson. Unfortunately, this does not change the fact that Sweden and Europe are the big losers.

Published 4 August 2024
– By Jenny Piper
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at this year's Davos meeting. Sweden's Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson during the budget walk to the right.
4 minute read
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.

Elisabeth Svantesson, Sweden’s finance minister, is doing her best to convince the public that continued sanctions against Russia are a good thing. Last week, she and several other EU finance ministers wrote an article in The Guardian saying that economic sanctions against Russia are working and that Putin is lying about Russia’s economy being in good shape. Today she speaks out on the same issue in DN, saying that she has long been bothered by the fact that a false picture of the Russian economy is being spread, one that Putin wants us to believe.

According to the IMF, the Russian economy is growing, with GDP growth of 3.2% this year, which is higher than in Germany, the US and the UK.

However, Svantesson claims that this is propaganda, that Russia’s economy is now struggling and that this shows that the sanctions are working, while at the same time she makes the platitude that “we have to hold on and persevere both in terms of sanctions and support”. According to Svantesson, there is reason to nuance the picture, which is why the National Institute of Economic Research has now been commissioned to analyze economic developments in Russia.

The fact that several experts and analysts have declared in various contexts over the past year that the EU’s sanctions against Russia have failed and are only harming their own countries does not seem to have affected Svantesson and the other EU finance ministers, who are thus firmly asserting the opposite, while at the same time pushing through yet another sanctions package that has been given the green light in Brussels.

Svantesson is really trying to convince the population that continued sanctions are a good thing.

Interestingly, former US Naval Intelligence Officer and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter said in an interview that it was the US that was behind the EU’s decision to start sanctioning Russia, which was linked to the Minsk peace agreement on Ukraine – an agreement that France, Germany and Ukraine never intended to implement.

– The EU’s sanctions package against Russia has backfired and become one of the biggest economic disasters in modern European history. These sanctions, designed to punish Russia, have failed to do so. In fact, like a boomerang, they have hit back at Europe, which continues to move forward while imposing more and more sanctions, all while Russia is getting stronger economically.

The EU is the economic arm of a group of organizations and institutions that includes NATO, all of which are basically working on behalf of the United States.

So the sanctions implemented by the EU were done because the US wanted Russia to be isolated and confronted by Ukraine, which was de facto acting as a proxy for NATO.

America is using the sanctions to achieve a larger strategic goal, not only to weaken Russia but also to weaken Europe, so that the US comes out of this conflict stronger.

It has been the US goal for decades to break Europe from its dependence on cheap Russian energy. So the sanctions and the backlash are achieving that result. Perhaps Europe doesn’t realize this, or they haven’t woken up to the reality that the US is not their friend.

Gunnar Beck, an outgoing MEP for the Alternative for Germany party as well as a lawyer and academic specializing in EU law, shares Ritter’s view and states that the EU shot itself in the foot by deciding to impose sanctions on Russia.

– There is no doubt that the economic impact of the sanctions is felt to a much greater extent here in the EU itself compared to Russia. I mean, the Russian economy, according to official data, is doing very well and they just seem to have adapted to the sanctions.

EU sanctions on Russian commodities, including oil and gas, have mainly hurt European economies that used to rely on predictable, high-quality and cheap gas and oil imports from Russia. These economies still cannot do without importing oil and gas from Russia, but they now do so through third countries at much higher prices, while Russia continues to sell its oil and gas.

So the EU has basically hurt itself with these sanctions, or to be more precise, the bloc has massively hurt European industry and European consumers. But it doesn’t seem to have had much impact on the Russian economy. The sanctions have not had the effect the EU hoped for, which was predictable. The EU probably underestimated the extent to which the Russian government had prepared for possible sanctions, including far-reaching restrictions on energy imports to the EU as well as financial transactions.

But according to Svantesson, our government and various EU ministers in Brussels, this is false information that can be explained away as “propaganda”.

So when will the people of Europe realize that the US is not our friend, but someone who is using us for their own benefit? And when will the harsh reality set in, showing how our leaders have helped bring about the collapse of Europe for financial reward and the promise of future supremacy?

When will the people of Europe realize that the US is not our friend, but someone who is using us for their own benefit?

That the fools who rule Sweden will realize and repent is not on the map, because we have already sold out the country to the United States through them and put us on the scaffold. The sleeping Swedes also continue to trust the corrupt politicians with great confidence in the controlled mass media, so there will certainly be no awakening here.

Unfortunately, all we can do is watch the misery.

 

Jenny Piper

All Jenny Piper's articles can be found on her blog.

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American special forces shot dead North Korean fishermen during secret mission

The new cold war

Published 8 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The SEAL team was forced to hastily leave North Korea without having completed their mission.
3 minute read

A top-secret military operation to wiretap Kim Jong-un went wrong when American elite soldiers shot and killed a group of unarmed fishermen.

To cover their tracks, the soldiers punctured the victims’ lungs with knives so the bodies would sink to the ocean floor.

Navy SEALs from the US elite forces secretly entered North Korea in early 2019 to plant surveillance equipment targeting the country’s leader. But the mission ended in disaster when the soldiers were surprised by – and opened fire on civilian fishermen who were diving for shellfish, reveals the New York Times.

The top-secret mission was carried out by SEAL Team 6’s Red Squadron – the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011. President Donald Trump personally approved the operation during his first term in office.

The mission was so sensitive that it required direct presidential approval. If the American soldiers had been captured on North Korean soil, it could have torpedoed ongoing nuclear weapons negotiations or led to a hostage crisis.

— I don’t know anything about it. I’d have to, I could look, but I know nothing about it. I’m hearing it now for the first time, Trump responded when confronted with the information on Friday.

Months of preparation

The New York Times bases its investigation on interviews with two dozen people, including government officials, members of the Trump administration, and current and former military personnel with insight into the operation.

The elite soldiers trained for months under extreme conditions in ice-cold water. The plan was to deploy from a nuclear-powered American submarine and then reach the North Korean coast in two silent smaller submarines.

A team of approximately eight soldiers would swim for hours through four-degree Celsius seawater wearing diving equipment and heated suits. Once at the coast, they would plant the surveillance equipment and then disappear unnoticed – without any support from overhead drones.

Everything went wrong on the beach

In February 2019, the mission got the green light. Trump was scheduled to meet Kim Jong-un in Vietnam later that month, and the intelligence information could be crucial for the negotiations.

But when the soldiers reached the North Korean shore, everything went wrong. A fishing boat unexpectedly appeared in the darkness. Without the ability to communicate with mission command, and fearing discovery, a group leader in the SEAL team opened fire. The others followed suit and all unarmed civilians aboard the boat were killed.

To cover their tracks, the soldiers dragged the bodies down into the water. With knives, they punctured the victims’ lungs so the bodies would sink to the bottom. The surveillance equipment was never planted and the mission was immediately aborted.

American spy satellites shortly thereafter registered increased military activity from North Korea in the area. However, it remains unclear whether North Korean authorities ever actually understood what had happened to the shellfish divers.

Trump met Kim in Hanoi, February 2019. Photo: White House

Congress was not informed

The summit between Trump and Kim was conducted as planned in Vietnam, but did not lead to any agreement. In May of the same year, North Korea resumed its missile tests.

The secret mission has never been publicly acknowledged before. According to experts the newspaper spoke with, the fact that Congress was not informed – either before or after the operation – may constitute a violation of federal law.

— The point is to ensure that Congress isn’t kept in the dark when major stuff is going on, argues Matthew Waxman, law professor at Columbia University and former security advisor under President George W. Bush.

— This is exactly the kind of thing that would normally be briefed to the committees and something the committees would expect to be told about.

Those involved were promoted

When Joe Biden succeeded Trump as president, the North Korea mission was reviewed again. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered an investigation led by a lieutenant general from the Army’s Inspector General’s office.

In 2021, leading members of Congress were informed about the investigation’s results, but this report remains classified.

Many of those involved in the failed mission have since been promoted, according to the newspaper’s sources.

US withdraws military support to Europe’s eastern border

The new cold war

Published 5 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
A group of Estonian soldiers during a US-led military exercise.
2 minute read

The US is phasing out its military security support programs for European countries on the border with Russia. The decision is part of President Donald Trump’s stated strategy to make Europe take greater responsibility for its own defense.

Pentagon representatives informed European diplomats last week that the Americans will no longer finance programs that train and equip soldiers in several Eastern European countries.

The current program, known as “section 333”, has a global budget of over one billion dollars and the cuts are expected to eliminate military support worth hundreds of millions of dollars to countries on Russia’s border.

Between 2018 and 2022, 1.6 billion dollars from the program went to Europe. The main recipients have been the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Already approved funds remain until September 2026, but the Trump administration has not requested new appropriations.

“Europe must take more responsibility”

A White House official tells the Financial Times that the decision aligns with Trump’s ambitions to “reassess and redistribute” foreign aid.

— This action has been co-ordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president’s long-standing emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defense.

Under pressure from the Trump administration, Europe’s NATO countries also agreed in June to aim to increase their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.

Several European governments were surprised by the announcement and are now trying to get more information from Washington, according to diplomats with insight into the discussions.

— If they are being brutal then it will have big implications, says one diplomat, adding that the military alliance will definitely be affected since parts of the funding are channeled through the alliance.

— It’s causing a lot of concern and uncertainty, states another diplomat.

Increased presence in Poland?

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is very upset about the announcement and describes the cuts as a “misguided move that sends exactly the wrong signal as we try to force Putin to the negotiating table and deter Russian aggression”.

The future of the Baltic Security Initiative, created in 2020 to strengthen NATO countries in the Baltic region, is also uncertain. The White House has not requested continued funding for the program in next year’s budget.

— The loss of US security assistance would be very tough for the Baltic states. The whole idea here is making them capable of defending themselves, argues retired Admiral Mark Montgomery at the think tank Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

While the administration reviews US troop deployments worldwide, Trump assured Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday that American troops will remain in Poland going forward.

— I am very pleased with the arrangement. We’ll put more there if they want, Trump said about the approximately 10,000 American soldiers stationed in Poland.

Putin and Trump agree on “major points” after summit

The new cold war

Published 16 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The two presidents during the joint press conference following the summit shortly after midnight Nordic time.
2 minute read

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met overnight into Friday for a summit in Alaska, where the situation in Ukraine was at the center of discussions. No concrete ceasefire agreement was reached, but both leaders described the meeting as constructive and indicated that dialogue will continue.

At a joint press conference following the meeting, Trump described the talks as “extremely productive” and explained that the parties had agreed on “several major points,” although no final agreement was signed.

– So just to put it very quickly, I’m going to start making a few phone calls and tell them what happened. But we had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there, said the American president.

Putin emphasizes bilateral relations

Putin opened the press conference by focusing on the relationship between the US and Russia. The Russian president expressed confidence that Trump will contribute to improved relations between the two superpowers.

– In general, me and President Trump have very good direct contact. We’ve spoken multiple times. We spoke frankly on the phone … Our advisers and heads of foreign ministries kept in touch all the time, and we know fully well that one of the central issues was the situation around Ukraine, Putin explained during the press conference.

Despite the ongoing war, Putin described Ukraine as a “brotherly nation,” which can be seen as an attempt to signal openness to diplomatic solutions.

Meeting concluded after midnight

The summit, which lasted just over two and a half hours, concluded shortly after midnight local time. Around 2 AM Central European Time, Putin headed to his plane for the return journey to Moscow.

Although no concrete results were presented, both leaders hinted that negotiations may continue. Trump’s statement that he will “start making some calls” suggests that diplomatic efforts will continue.

Greene: Ukraine support a betrayal of the American people

The war in Ukraine

Published 6 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Greene is highly critical of the neoconservative "war hawks" within the Republican Party - and their influence.
2 minute read

Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene directs harsh criticism at party colleagues and other politicians who continue to want to send American aid to Ukraine.

In a post on X, she describes the support as a “complete betrayal” of the American people – and argues that voters have already said no to financing foreign conflicts.

“Funding, fueling, and ultimately fighting Russia in Ukraine would be a complete betrayal to the majority of Americans”, she writes, referring to the recent presidential election where Trump defeated Joe Biden and returned to the White House.

According to Greene, one of the voters’ clearest signals was to put a stop to US involvement in foreign wars.

“America voted to end funding and fighting foreign wars”, the Republican adds.

Her statement came the day after a new bill was presented in the Senate, where $54.6 billion is proposed to be earmarked for Ukraine for budget years 2026 and 2027.

“Don’t want to pay to murder people”

Greene accuses politicians on both sides of the aisle of ignoring the message voters conveyed in the election. She argues that young Americans in particular feel betrayed:

“Republicans supporting such policies could lose the younger generation of voters and may never get them back”.

She argues that people under 50 increasingly feel unrepresented by both Republicans and Democrats, not least because of how tax money is used:

“Various taxpayer-funded initiatives have made life unaffordable and the future bleak for the vast majority of average American”, she continued.

In the same post, Greene criticizes the moral foundation for American Ukraine support:

“American taxpayers do not want to pay to murder people in some foreign land over a foreign conflict that has absolutely zero effect on our lives”.

Corrupt leadership?

She also supports the president’s line, where European countries are expected to bear greater responsibility for the war in Ukraine. Trump has since his return to the White House opposed continued economic support to Kyiv and has repeatedly questioned how the money is used and warned that billions from the Biden administration’s previous aid packages may have been embezzled.

Trump’s former advisor Steve Cortes has also expressed harsh criticism. He has called Ukraine “corrupt” and warned that its leadership “cannot be trusted,” referring to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acting against independent anti-corruption bodies.

Greene has in previous statements called Zelensky a “dictator” and accused him of blocking all peace initiatives.

The Russian government has in turn repeatedly warned that the Western world’s military and economic support to Ukraine only prolongs the war and leads to more bloodshed. According to Moscow, every new aid package is an obstacle to peace negotiations.

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