Pro-Ukraine Stances Pay Off In Central European Politics

More state-sanctioned surveillance using Pegasus software reported in Poland; Estonian elections results strengthen the incumbent Prime Minister Kallas’ position, and Czechia prepares to inaugurate their new president.

Upcoming on Visegrad Insight:

• Pawel Marczewski looks into the decline of the Polish family, internal reasons, with external excuses.
• Pavel Havlicek offers hope in the democratic voices of the currently-beleaguered Russian opposition.
• Sasha Drik analyses what will be required to have a successful tribunal for Russia.
• Martin Ehl comments on the new, less transparent push from some Western allies to get Ukraine to trade concessions for peace.
• Jan Farfal breaks down the Franco-German proposal for Kosovo and Serbia.
• Agnieszka Homańska examines some traps in fighting disinformation.

EU/REGIONAL

• US Antony Blinken and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov met on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Dili, India. During the meeting, which marked the first one since Russia launched its criminal invasion of Ukraine, Blinken said the US will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.  
• At the G20 format, China stood with Russia, preventing the adoption of a united statement denouncing Russia’s war on Ukraine and urging respect for international law and norms.
• Russian Tribunal: EU President von der Leyen announced on Saturday that an International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine will be established.
• UN High Seas Treaty. The landmark agreement aims to protect 30 per cent of the oceans to safeguard the environment and marine life by 2030.
• Commissioner Věra Jourová is in New York on 6 March to attend the UN’s 67th session of the Commission on the status of women, meet Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and attend an event on the Digital dimension of gender-based violence. The FEMM delegation will be in the USA until 10 March.
• China will increase military spending by more than 7 per cent this year, party leaders at the National People’s Congress (NPC) stated. NPC is also expected to confirm President Xi Jinping’s third term and introduce the new Prime Minister.
• EU’s Education, Youth and Sports Council to meet on 7 March. Conclusions on skills and competencies for the Green Transition are expected to be approved.
• Informal meeting of EU defence ministers will be held on 7-8 March.
• EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council to meet on March 9-10. Discussions over the future of visa policy and internal and external migration will be held. Internal security dialogue with Ukraine is also on the agenda.

Battle of Bakhmut

UKRAINE