Vladimir Putin received a call from Israeli Naftali Bennett and, again, spoke to French Emmanuel Macron.
But what focused attention, on Russians like Argumenty i Fakty (below), was Saudi Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), in call after call from Emirati Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ).
In the headline of the Al Arabiya channel, linked to MBS, he offered himself to Putin as a mediator in the war. More importantly, they talked about maintaining “balance and stability” in the oil market.
Later in the day, the Wall Street Journal reported that the price of a barrel, which in the morning had hit $116 for the first time since the 2008 financial crisis, had dropped to $108.
The same WSJ noted that Washington’s effort against Moscow “falters in a Russian-influenced Middle East.” “Regional partners rejected requests to speak out against” Putin. List Saudi Arabia, Emirates, “up to Israel”.
The financial newspaper and the New York Times report that the same is true in Asia. They question Joe Biden’s recent phrases about Putin, respectively, as “isolated from the world” and “international pariah”.
They emphasize China and India, which account for “a third of the world’s population”, plus Indonesia, Thailand. “Perhaps Putin doesn’t feel as isolated as some think,” says the WSJ.
MODI & PUTIN
Leader under greater pressure from Biden, who convened even the summit of the Quad group, which also includes Japan and Australia, Indian Narendra Modi shows no signs of criticizing Russia. At Bloomberg“India plans to avoid condemning Putin, and officials in New Delhi are confident the US will not apply too much pressure.”
Reuters and Indian agencies such as PTI report that the country prepares accounts in rupees, its currency, for trade with Russia, aiming to “soften the impact of sanctions” American financial. Among the products you need to import, agricultural fertilizers.
LATIN AMERICA ALSO
In addition to the Middle East and Asia, comments Brian Wintervice president of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas, “yes, in Latin America, we are seeing very ambiguous or nuanced reactions, despite pressure from Washington.”
AFTER BRAZIL, RUSSIA
The attorney general, who heads the US Department of Justice, announced in a video (pictured above) the “KleptoCapture” task force against Russian companies.
According to the NYT, it will be led by Andrew Adams, of the “transnational business crimes unit”, which was successful, for example, against the “corruption and money laundering scheme involving Brazilian authorities”.
