‘A Madman’s Dream’: Former Latvian President Vike-Freiberga, co-founder of AIWS City, On Putin’s Dangerous Designs On Ukraine

by Editor | Mar 13, 2022 | AIWS City and Rebuilding Ukraine, News

President of Latvia from 1999 to 2007, Vaira Vike-Freiberga was crucial in getting the Baltic country into NATO. In an interview with Vazha Tavberidze of RFE/RL’s Georgian Service on the sidelines of the Baltic Defense College’s Conference on Russia in Tartu, Estonia, Vike-Freiberga speaks about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “outrageous” demands and how she is fed up with being told to appease Russia and to “not annoy the bear.”

President Vaira Vike-Freiberga was honored as a Boston Global Forum World Leader for Peace and Security, as well as being a co-founder of the AIWS City and a Distinguished Contributor to the book Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment.

Boston Global Forum launched “Laurel for Peace and Security in Ukraine”, and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga is one of leaders to support this initiative.

She said, “I think that Mr. Putin has lost more than he counted on with this adventure; his prestige is forever damaged. He has been labeled as a war criminal, as somebody committing crimes against humanity”.

Here is the interview with Vazha Tavberidze of RFE/RL:

RFE/RL: Some world leaders are saying the entire European security architecture is being undermined. What brought us to this day?

Vaira Vike-Freiberga: The demands that President Putin has put on Ukraine, both before the war and now, are totally outrageous. They sound insane, frankly. He wants to destroy everything that has been achieved since 1997. Well, sorry, I’m one of those [people] who spent eight years of my life as president working extremely hard for that. It was our conviction and our choice. So Mr. Putin has nothing to say about it. His pretensions to rule the world, to be the tsar of the whole European continent are a total madman’s dream.

RFE/RL: Could what is happening now in Ukraine have been avoided?

Vike-Freiberga: Well, again, remember how [Putin] claims it could have been avoided. I mean, listen to him, words from his own mouth: The Ukrainians should accept that they are not a nation; that they do not have a language; that they don’t have a history; that they do not have a right to national independence; that the governments that they have chosen and elected are illegitimate; that they are Nazis; that they commit genocide against Russian speakers, and all sorts of insanities. They cannot accept that. These are outrageous and unfounded demands that he is making on them. So, if that’s what it takes to prevent it, then no, it was impossible to prevent. I think he wanted to start a war to demonstrate a show of force and to scare the whole world in order to impose his demands.

Please read more here: https://www.rferl.org/a/latvia-vikefreiberga-putin-dangerous-designs/31744966.html?fbclid=IwAR0fwvFZIi7sSmk8yT6N_rnn-42-V8tLytpJGqlZfeyZ9OUYyQuewKVW3HE

President Ursula von der Leyen: “Putin’s attack on Ukraine is an attack on all the principles we hold dear”

by Editor | Mar 13, 2022 | AIWS City and Rebuilding Ukraine, News

Opening remarks by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with President Michel and President Macron following the informal meeting of Heads of State or Government of 10-11 March 2022, President von der Leyen.

“ Thank you for hosting us here in such a historical setting, for right now, the future of Ukraine and the next chapter of the European Union and of our democracies is being written. There is no denying that our fates are intertwined. Ukraine is part of the European family. Putin’s attack on Ukraine is an attack on all the principles we hold dear. It is an attack on democracies, on national sovereignty, on the freedom of peoples to choose their fate and to shape their future. Our response today to Russia’s heinous attack on Ukraine will as much determine Ukraine’s future as it will the future of the Union and beyond the European continent. So let us stay true to the principles that have guided our joint response so far, namely responsibility, unity, solidarity and determination.

This crisis has indeed made us face up to our responsibilities in the face of a new reality. First, our duty to continue ensuring reliable, secure and affordable supply of energy to European consumers. In the mid term, this means getting rid of our dependency on Russian gas, by diversification of supply, by massively investing in renewables. Renewables are home-grown, they create jobs, here in Europe. They are a strategic investment in our security and in our independence. This is why the European Commission outlined REPowerEU this week. REPowerEU is a plan to diversify suppliers and switch to renewables. By mid-May, we will come up with a proposal to phase out our dependency on Russian gas, oil and coal by 2027, backed by the necessary national and European resources. But we also addressed energy price spikes. By mid-May, the Commission will present options to optimise the electricity market design, so that it better supports the green transition. But consumers and businesses need relief now. And therefore, this week, the Commission came forward with guidance on price regulation in these exceptional circumstances, and the possibility of a new Temporary Crisis Framework for state aid to support struggling businesses. This is complemented by the option given to Member States to tax windfall profits from energy groups. And finally, by the end of this month, the Commission will present options to limit the contagion effect of the rise of gas prices to electricity prices. Finally, we need to be ready for the next winter. So we will set up a Task Force that will design a refilling plan for the next winter and coordinate the operation. Beyond this first step, the European Union needs to define a longer-term EU gas storage policy. And therefore, the Commission will table a proposal to fill up underground gas storages to at least 90% of their capacity by 1 October each year. So you see, it is a whole big package. And this will be our insurance policy against supply disruption. Similarly, the Leaders also discussed food prices and global food security. And here too, the Commission will come forward with options to address these important issues.

Putin’s war has also fundamentally altered Europe’s security environment. To defend Europe, we will need different forces and different capabilities. Significant additional defence investments in Europe will be needed. I welcome that some Leaders have announced ambitious steps to increase defence spending. More will follow. But we need to avoid fragmentation. Thus, we need a coordinated approach. Because this only will ensure that we maintain a military technological edge in our European industrial base and that interoperability is given between our European Armed Forces. This will be the focus of our work in the next weeks to come. I want to be very clear that we need to closely coordinate also with NATO. NATO is the strongest military alliance in the world. Thus, I welcome that the Leaders have tasked us to prepare an analysis of the defence investment gaps and to make sure that we have a clear plan how to deal with those gaps in Europe by mid-May, when the Commission is presenting the results of this undertaking.”

Please read full her remarks here:

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_22_1708

Boston Global Forum, through the Laurel for Peace and Security in Ukraine Initiative, accompanies and supports President von der Leyen, a World Leader for Peace and Security Award recipient.

CAIDP Statement on Russia’s Unjustified and Unprovoked Attack on Ukraine

by Editor | Mar 13, 2022 | AIWS City and Rebuilding Ukraine, News

CAIDP called attention to the danger of Artificial Intelligence techniques that promote propaganda, enable cyberattacks, and make possible automated warfare:

• Internet-companies are now amplifying pro-Putin content. That is the consequence of algorithms trained to maximize hits and profits.

• Russia’s cyberattacks threaten Ukraine and countries around the world.

• Russia has opposed the UN convention that would prohibit Lethal Autonomous Weapons. These AI-enabled weapon systems pose an immediate threat to the safety and well-being of all nations.

We also urge countries and industries to monitor the use of algorithmic techniques for disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and automated warfare.

We believe that human-centric and trustworthy AI can contribute to greater international cooperation, peace, and human well-being.

BGF’s Laurel for Peace and Security in Ukraine Initiative is about:

• Contribute ideas, solutions from distinguished thinkers, leaders for The New International Rules and Instruments for Peace and Security.
• Following the ideas and recommendations of BGF World Leaders for Peace and Security President Ursula von de Leyen, President Sauli Niinisto, Riksdag Speaker Andreas Norlen, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon.
• Collect and recognize governments, organizations, companies, influencers contribute by voices, actions to support for peace and security in Ukraine.
• Synthesize powers from governments, organizations, companies, influencers for Peace and Security in Ukraine

BGF considers CAIDP’s statement is good voice to contribute to the Laurel for Peace and Security in Ukraine.