I apologize for the multiple posts today but things are escalating quickly and possibly in a very dangerous direction. Below is an excerpt from an article by ZeroHedge:
Update (1750ET): There’s now an EU-wide consensus on supplying Ukraine with arms amid reports that large columns of ground and armored forces are moving closer to Kiev, and as fighting rages across other parts of Ukraine. “European Union member states on Sunday agreed to unblock 450 millions euros ($500 million) for members states to buy arms for Ukraine, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said,” the AFP reports.
“The measure is part of a wide-ranging package of support and sanctions agreed by the 27 EU states. Borrell said they also formally approved a move to ban any transactions with the Russian Central Bank.” It comes as unconfirmed reports suggest Putin may be frustrated at the slower than expected progress of the Russian forces.
Borrell also reportedly said that package will include fighter jets:
“We’re going to provide even fighting jets,” Borrell said at a Sunday press conference. “We’re not talking about just ammunition. We are providing more important arms to go to a war.”
I don’t know the time and logistics required to get fighter jets or even the other items to Ukraine and if it would make a difference by the time they got to soldiers in Ukraine. This could ultimately amount to a lot of posturing. Anybody who knows more about military logistics can feel free to chime in on the comments.
Analyst Clint Ehrlich (who I recommend following on Twitter) commented on the sending of fighter jets to Ukraine:
The EU providing fighter jets to Ukraine is another *massive* escalation. Russia will undoubtedly allege (correctly?) that the fighters are actually flown by European pilots. If you wanted to suck Europe into the war, this is what you would do.
Back to the ZeroHedge report, citing the Wall Street Journal, Turkey has announced it will execute the articles of the Montreux Agreement:
Also on Sunday for the first time Turkey signaled it is ready to block Russian naval access to the Black Sea…
“Turkey’s foreign minister said Sunday that the situation in Ukraine had become a war, a legal distinction that paves the way for Ankara to potentially ban Russian warships from entering the Black Sea through a strategic chokepoint,” The Wall Street Journal reports. The terms of the 1936 Montreux Convention is now expected to be triggered. Speaking to CNN Turk Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said:
“We came to the conclusion that the situation in Ukraine has transformed into a war,” and this means “We will implement all articles of Montreux transparently.”
Last Thursday – which was the first day of the all-out Russian invasion, Ukraine’s government urged Turkey to close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits for all Russian warship passage.
This move paves the way for Turkey to close the Black Sea to any more Russian ships entering. However, it cannot kick ships out that are already there. Russia might normally consider such a move an act of war, but Turkey is a NATO member.
Interfax has reported that Belgium will be supplying 3,000 automatic weapons and 200 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, TASS news has reported that negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations will start on Monday morning on the border of Belarus (they are 10 hours ahead of us). Apparently the delay is due to logistics issues with the Ukrainian delegation. According to Interfax, the Russian delegation is looking to establish a road map for further talks:
The talks with the Ukrainian delegation are an opportunity to develop a road map to achieve agreements, but it should be short-term, Leonid Slutsky, State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee head and a member of the Russian delegation, said.
“Frankly speaker, we’re quite hard-edged about our stance. But, at the same time, the negotiating process is truly an opportunity for both making some concessions and developing a road map, but it must be very short-term,” Slutsky told journalists on Sunday.