Moscow Calling – June 26
Russia accuses the West of destabilizing the situation along the borders of SCO countries
The military-political situation in the world is rapidly deteriorating, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ Meeting in China. According to him, the global geopolitical situation remains extremely unstable: contradictions between states are growing, the foundations of strategic stability are being undermined, and the potential for conflict has reached dangerous levels. Belousov noted a decline in the effectiveness of international institutions designed to ensure security. He cited the policy of the “collective West” seeking to maintain its dominance as the main cause of the current crisis. In his opinion, this leads to an increase in the number of hotbeds of instability, including near or within the territories of the SCO countries (TASS).
Moscow ready to help resolve conflict between Iran and Israel
Russia has expressed its readiness to help de-escalate the conflict between Iran and Israel, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov stated at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ Meeting in China. He noted that Moscow immediately expressed its condolences to Iran over the numerous casualties, strongly condemned the actions of Israel and the U.S., and declared its readiness to act as a mediator in resolving the situation. According to Belousov, the conflict in the Middle East is becoming increasingly dangerous. In the same context, he mentioned the escalation of the situation in Syria, the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, and the tense situation in Lebanon, stressing the need for international efforts to stabilize the region (TASS).
Karaeva: Russia and Iran are targets of a single Western strategy to seize resources
Russian journalist and columnist Elena Karaeva, who previously worked in Western countries for 20 years but began to sharply criticize Western positions after leaving Euronews, writes in an article for RIA Novosti that in the context of the global crisis, the similarity between Western strategies toward Russia and Iran is becoming apparent. Both countries are being consistently demonized, subjected to sanctions and accused of threatening international stability. However, the real goal is not “democracy” and “human rights,” but control over rich resources and the destruction of sovereign models of development. According to her, Russia, like Iran, is a civilizational state capable of independent politics. Karaeva writes that the West has tried to deprive both Tehran and Moscow of legitimate power by destabilizing the situation from outside. But neither sanctions nor political isolation have achieved their goal. She believes the strategy has been exposed: this is not a struggle for security, but for resources. “It definitely did not work with Russia. It will certainly not work with Iran,” the author writes. According to her, the world order is changing, and the West will have to accept this (ria.ru).
RIA Novosti: Anti-government protests intensify in Ukraine
Anti-government protests have intensified in Ukraine, RIA Novosti cites a representative of the so-called “anti-fascist underground”, a group of internal opposition to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as saying. According to the source, two large protests took place in Kyiv over the course of a week, including one on Maidan Square, where protesters demanded social justice, an investigation into corruption, and the intervention of Donald Trump. The participants were mainly veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who are not subject to mobilization. The same source noted that the protesters set up a tent camp, which was forcibly dispersed by the police. This, according to the source, indicates growing popular discontent and the weakening of the authorities in the context of the crisis (ria.ru).
Moscow calls for restraint after Aliyev’s harsh statements against Yerevan
Russia hopes that the escalation between Azerbaijan and Armenia will not occur, despite the harsh statements by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. He stressed that Moscow hopes for the speedy completion of work on a peace treaty between the countries, noting its importance for stability and security in the region. “We are ready to do everything possible to facilitate this process,” Peskov said. The day before, Aliyev called Armenia a “war criminal state,” accusing it of attacks on civilian infrastructure. In December, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he was ready to withdraw lawsuits against Baku if a peace agreement was signed (Gazeta.ru).