Press review: Why Nuland was allowed into Russia and LPR chief reveals offer to Zelensky – Press review

Izvestia: Why Nuland was allowed into Russia and what to expect from the talks

US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland has been removed from Russian sanctions lists due to her official position in the Biden administration, a senior source told the newspaper, noting that the diplomat was previously on a blacklist when she worked for an NGO. On October 11, the diplomat arrived in Moscow where she will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Russian Deputy Presidential Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov and others.

Given his past experience as Deputy Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs under the Obama administration, much attention during his talks in Moscow will focus on the settlement in Ukraine. According to the director of the Russian Center for Current Policy Alexey Chesnakov, it should be borne in mind that the United States has powerful pressure mechanisms on Kiev while Moscow has a clear agenda regarding Ukraine, adding that no dialogue constructive is possible between Moscow and Kiev. .

According to former Russian ambassador to the United States and first vice-chairman of the Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Sergei Kislyak, Nuland’s visit is an important event because Moscow and Washington have accumulated a large number of questions that need to be discussed “and where we have disagreements and it’s not just Ukraine.” “The very fact of a dialogue is a step in the right direction on our part. This is essentially the first working contact at this level after the Joe Biden administration came to power, so such contacts typically cover a wide range of issues, “one diplomat said. of the American University in Moscow, Edward Lozansky, agreed, adding that the fact that Nuland was granted a visa indicates that serious dialogue is needed. He explained that the agenda for the Putin-Biden summit in Geneva was far-reaching and now was the time to discuss these issues at the diplomatic level. He clarified that in addition to Ukraine, these issues may include strategic stability, Iran, diplomatic issues and others. .

Izvestia: LPR director unveils his offer to meet Zelensky

Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) leader Leonid Pasechnik in an interview with Izvestia revealed that he had offered to meet Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky anywhere along the line of engagement to discuss the resolution conflict. The politician also spoke of the current state of affairs in the Donbass with regard to a ceasefire, the potential engagement of the United States in the Normandy Four, the losses suffered since the start of the military conflict. , the customs union with the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the prospects for unification with its neighbor.

He stressed that Kiev never observed the ceasefire and that the bombardments continued with varying intensity. According to him, ceasefire violations have tripled or quintupled since February-March, which is recorded by the OSCE mission, UN observers and the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC ), but no sanctions have been imposed on Ukraine which only encourages its aggressive actions. He reiterated that his offer to meet the Ukrainian president to discuss the resolution of the conflict remains on the table. The politician pointed out that Kiev did not live up to its obligations according to the Normandy Format recommendations and he does not believe that the inclusion of the United States in the Quartet will change the situation, since the Americans are not impartial and were present during the majority of conflict-related processes anyway.

The politician discussed joint projects with the DPR on customs and business stimulation, stressing that no unification of the two republics is underway. He reiterated that the consequences of the ongoing armed conflict are currently more pressing, as civilians are being killed and injured despite the so-called truce. According to him, experience has shown that only one side of the conflict is ready for a stable ceasefire and it is not Kiev.

Kommersant: visit to Moscow by Pashinian, Armenian and Azerbaijani religious leaders

On Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will visit Moscow to discuss “the implementation of statements by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh”, according to the press service of the Kremlin. The situation in the region since these statements were made just 11 months ago has only become more complicated with the Iranian factor added to the mix. A meeting of religious leaders to be held simultaneously in Moscow will also be devoted to possible avenues for de-escalation.

Clashes continue both on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and along the line of engagement in Karabakh. “The threat of destabilization of the South Caucasus with the participation of regional powers – Iran and Turkey – worries Armenia”, told the newspaper an anonymous source within the state structures of the country, explaining that the protection of its southern borders is a priority for Armenia and Yerevan. asks for Moscow’s support in this endeavor. According to the director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute, Alexander Iskandaryan, Putin’s meeting with the Armenian prime minister will cover all the usual issues, including the return of Armenian prisoners of war, the security of Karabakh and Armenia ” especially in the context of the threat of destabilization in the region. because of Iran’s disagreements with Azerbaijan and Turkey ”, and the unblocking of communications.

The meeting of religious leaders, which will include Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and Sheikh ul-Islam and Grand Mufti of the Caucasus Allahshukur Pashazade could raise humanitarian issues. “It is difficult to say that the meeting itself will seriously affect the situation in the region. Yet it could have an impact on the general mood of the consultations on the normalization of the situation,” Azerbaijani political scientist Ilgar told the newspaper. Velizade, adding that it is also likely that the likely agenda of a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders with the help of the OSCE Minsk Group will be discussed.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: China’s energy deficit slows the global economy

The closure of Chinese companies due to an energy deficit could slow the quarterly growth of the Chinese economy which would have global consequences, according to Western experts. On Monday, authorities in Liaoning Province, one of China’s main industrial centers, reported an electricity shortage in the region. The energy crisis will increase demand for Russian raw materials while the slowing economy will create new risks for Russia.

Many experts do not doubt that the energy crisis will have a negative impact on China’s economic growth. Societe Generale economists corrected their forecast for China’s third-quarter GDP from 5.5% to 5%, while Oxford Economics expects it to fall to 3.6% in the fourth quarter. China’s problems will have repercussions on the world economy. According to Bloomberg, many industrial sectors around the world – from Japanese automakers to Australian farmers – are already feeling the brunt of the Chinese crisis.

For Russia, China’s predicament appears to be a positive development. “Russia will reap undoubted benefits from the Chinese energy crisis. Since the beginning of October, the Russian Federation has been increasing its deliveries of electricity to China from the Amur region. And the further development of the energy crisis could lead to high demand from China for other energies Which, in general, can push up oil prices, thus facilitating further development of the Russian economy in general ”, noted Roman Fainshmidt, lecturer at RANEPA. Artem Tuzov of Univer Capital has confirmed that this is a rare situation when the Russian economy is benefiting from a crisis. Olga Belenkaya of Finam believes this is an opportunity for Russia to increase its exports of coal and natural gas at higher prices, but if the crisis is not resolved quickly, the shutdown of Chinese companies could worsen the problems. problems with damaged global delivery chains during the pandemic. “China is the main importer of raw materials. And if China’s economic growth rates slow down, that will mean for Russia a drop in demand for its export products,” she reiterated. Mikhail Zeltser, stock market expert at BCS Global, warned that short-term optimism can turn into a significant long-term drop in market volumes.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: More and more migrant women attracted to Russia

Analysts have noted the “feminization” of migratory flows to the Russian Federation. Women tend to be more involved in migrant labor. While previously women mainly followed their husbands and migrant labor was traditionally considered “male”, there are now a significant number of single women for whom it is a chance to avoid social pressure in their country of origin and to settle in Russia. Experts in general see the growing number of women among migrants as a sign that the majority of newcomers plan to stay in Russia.

According to rough calculations, about 20% of migrant workers from CIS countries who obtain work permits in Russia are women. They easily find jobs in the service sector, which is more stable than that of construction or industry, while also having better relations with their employers and the police.

Lawyer Ilya Shablinsky confirmed that the number of women among migrants mainly from Central Asia is increasing every year. “If more women come, it means that a greater percentage of arrivals from the Central Asian republics could settle here. Perhaps the state benefits from the growth of this segment of the population. These people work hard, do not drink a lot of alcohol and are passive and vulnerable from a socio-political point of view, ”he noted, noting that the socio-economic situation is worsening, which may worsen ethnic tensions.

Mikhail Burda of RANEPA believes that increasing the share of women in migrant flows is a natural process that is unaffected by crisis or pandemic as more and more sectors of the Russian economy become dependent of migrant labor. He stressed that the migration of women will facilitate a more effective integration of migrants into society and that their demographic activity could lead to long-term ethnic replacement and increase the burden on the health and education system in the near future.

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