Yale University professor Timothy Snyder's article "We should say it. Russia is fascist" in the influential The New York Times was a worldwide sensation.
The world is not ready for a "new era of risk", according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) annual report "Environment of Peace" on the level of threats to global peace, published yesterday.
This week saw a kind of phase transition in Latvian politics. Climbing one level lower. The National Alliance (Nacionālā apvienība) called on the Prime Minister to sack a minister unsuitable for the post, which the Prime Minister, in the words of the Speaker of the Saeima, did not object to, but at the same time sacked another minister against whom no one had any complaints.
Olga Skabeyeva, one of Russia's most vocal propagandists (she seems to be deliberately imitating the evil SS characters from Soviet-era films), on her program responded in mock astonishment to pro-Kremlin military commentator Mikhail Khodarenok's remark that they are left alone against the whole world: but what about China? India? Don't they count?
Yesterday, Interior Minister Marija Golubeva announced her resignation in the following words: "Prime Minister Kariņš, bowing to the pressure of the nationalist ultimatum, has decided not to support me. This will be my last day as Interior Minister."
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin have issued an official statement on the immediate accession to NATO. The Finnish Parliament is expected to approve the request on Sunday and a document will be submitted to NATO. Sweden is also expected to follow suit in the coming days.
The world is fond of repeating what Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany, once said: that Putin, the master of the Kremlin, has lost touch with his surroundings and lives in a parallel reality. All the signs are that this is the case, but it seems that he is not the only one living in a parallel reality. So is French President Emmanuel Macron.
The world is currently facing the most serious existential threat in the history of humanity. The nuclear power Russia, which has some 6,000 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, is openly threatening to use nuclear weapons if "anyone thinks of interfering and disrupting its strategic plans".
After the sinking of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva, I wrote that "signs from above" pointed to the inevitability of the defeat of the Russian army. Now these "signs" have taken on a quite practical, financial form.
Yesterday, NATO and a few invited defense ministers from other countries held a meeting on Ukrainian defense issues (arms supplies) at the US military base in Ramstein, Germany. On the eve of this meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov threatened World War III in a very peculiar environment (see picture).
The French presidential election ended with no surprises. The incumbent Emmanuel Macron (for the first time in 20 years, a French President was re-elected for a second term) convincingly defeated Marine Le Pen with 58.6% of the vote.
People only realize the significance of what is happening after the fact. This is the case both in everyday life and in big politics. At the moment, the significance of the war in Ukraine is poorly grasped by people outside the immediate war zone. This is also reflected in the main topics debated by the two candidates before the French presidential elections on Sunday.
Historians say that World War II was a continuation of World War I. The current Russia-Ukraine war is a kind of continuation of World War II. Why? Because the main propaganda narrative of the aggressor state is to fight the Nazis, who were never truly defeated.
In times of great turmoil, and war undoubtedly is, many events are given a magical, significant meaning by people. It is hard to think of a clearer sign from above than the sinking of the Black Sea Fleet's flagship, the cruiser Moskva.
The incumbent President Emmanuel Macron won the most votes in Sunday's French presidential election and will face second-placed National Rally candidate Marine Le Pen in the next round in two weeks' time.
Latvian Russian-speakers have published a letter/exhortation on the initiative of LTV journalist Olga Dragiļeva, condemning Russia's criminal war against Ukraine and asking not to celebrate May 9 this year.
As of today - April 1 - the era of Covid is almost officially over in Latvia. Almost, because some restrictions remain. Vaccination is still required for those working in medical institutions and prisons, as well as for teachers, until the end of this school year. Face masks remain compulsory in medical and social care institutions and in public transport.
How is Zelensky different from Macron/Scholz? The answer is simple - Zelensky is the politician of the future, while Macron/Scholz embody the politics of a bygone era.
Last weekend saw a series of summits. A G-7 leader meeting, a NATO summit, an EU Council (heads of state) meeting and a visit by US President Joe Biden to Poland.
At the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) became active, first restricting the broadcasting of various Russian television channels in Latvia, and soon afterwards restricting access to internet resources.
The large-scale war between Russia and Ukraine is now in its fourth week, and it is obvious that whatever the outcome of the war, it will have a fundamental impact on the future world order.