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This week’s R&D covers war tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The United States, Great Britain, France, and Germany have made diplomatic overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin to avert war with Ukraine. Russia is demanding that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) not made Ukraine a member and draw back some of its forces in Eastern Europe, conditions that Western countries have said are unacceptable. Even though reports in the middle of the week suggested that Russia was drawing back some of its troops, other accounts have questioned those assertions, noting that Russia maintains a sizeable troop buildup in Crimea, on its proper border with Ukraine, and along the border that Ukraine shares with Belarus. Since Russia controls 10% of the world’s oil supply, any war that causes a disruption to those supplies, especially because the United States is threatening punitive sanctions on Russia if it invades, it could cause gas prices in the U.S. to rise.
Russia could carry out electronic warfare as part of an invasion. Here’s what to know about this invisible kind of military technology. https://t.co/g35caObmUa
— Popular Science (@PopSci) February 18, 2022
Russia expelled the deputy U.S. ambassador, the State Department said, in what U.S. officials called an “escalatory step” that could limit diplomatic solutions for the crisis on Ukraine’s borders. https://t.co/JjUWYL7ZOV
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) February 18, 2022
Ukrainian President Zelensky’s attempt at a patriotism-boosting Unity Day received lackluster attention among Ukrainians as the threat from Russia remains, writes @jacklosh from Kyiv. https://t.co/Wy1bNFMj9B
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) February 18, 2022
The biggest wildcard on the question of the EU’s response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis is German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who remains unwilling to commit to supporting tough sanctions against Moscow, says @DaveKeating in this week’s Europe Decoder.https://t.co/X7Nos8IGDs
— World Politics Review (@WPReview) February 17, 2022
There are approximately 80,000 American service members in Europe, sparking concern for their safety as Russia’s threat increases. https://t.co/HX3nBl7auJ
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) February 18, 2022
The last of nearly 5,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division arrived in Poland, Pentagon officials said, providing reassurance to a pivotal NATO ally and expertise in assisting with the possible evacuation of Americans should Russia invade Ukraine. https://t.co/ja9SbuuXkt
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) February 18, 2022
“Russia is destined to clash with the United States and its allies over the status of former Soviet republics unless all parties can agree on a mutually acceptable arrangement for the regional order.”https://t.co/teLPCXqtVp
— Foreign Affairs (@ForeignAffairs) February 18, 2022
Russia denies Ukraine invasion plans while stocking up on blood supplies https://t.co/z7nZUOPBJ8
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) February 18, 2022
The bonds forged between Ukraine and the West in crisis will not suddenly dissolve if Russia pulls back. That is the opposite of what Vladimir Putin wanted https://t.co/NIEJncSzjk
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) February 18, 2022
Russia’s parliament just gave Putin a new weapon at his disposal. https://t.co/6VDLHColOB
— Slate (@Slate) February 18, 2022
The country’s experience in how to react to cyberattacks provides lessons for avoiding the kind of panic that Russia seeks. https://t.co/utef01ZMMu
— The Christian Science Monitor (@csmonitor) February 17, 2022
Many U.S. officials are fearful of the possibility of Russia choosing to invade, and there are already signs that painting the intelligence mosaic could get more difficult, write FP’s @ak_mack, @JackDetsch, and @columlynch. https://t.co/47Vv34HlmK
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) February 18, 2022