The Defense Ministry's "talking head"—the deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, also the commander of one of the "Akhmat" formations—has been promoting the idea of a global, joint confrontation between Russian Muslims and Christians against "Satanism" since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war. He regularly finds himself in various scrapes: with the Zetniks, with nationalists, and with Orthodox priests. And the more he tries to "cross a snake and a hedgehog" with his obvious desire to be "one of the guys," the more harshly he is criticized from all sides.
The freeze on EU financial support to Georgia may be extended until 2026, the European Commission announced. Member of the European Parliament, Tomasz Zdechovský, emphasized that a complete halt to funding is not planned, but that significant allocations to the country next year are unlikely without clear changes in the country's political situation.
The loss of more than €120 million in financial assistance, according to the MEP, is due to serious concerns about Georgia's retreat from democratic principles and problems with the rule of law. Doubts are also being expressed about the country's ability to join the EU by 2030.
"The current political trajectory, the lack of key reforms, and unresolved territorial conflicts make such a scenario unrealistic. Candidate status does not guarantee accession, and this process typically takes many years," Zdechovský noted.