Swiss Federal President Viola Amherd poses with President Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine during the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in central Switzerland for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, on June 15 and 16.
The Czech Republic announced Tuesday that it will use the interest accrued on frozen Russian assets to purchase hundreds of thousands more artillery shells for Ukraine.
The back story: When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the EU froze roughly $300 billion worth of Moscow’s assets – mostly bonds and other securities – held in EU banks. Earlier this year, the EU agreed to use interest and other profits from those assets to help support Ukraine. Russia objects to the policy as “theft.” So far, about $1.5 billion is available.
Czech-ing Russia’s invasion. Even before the frozen asset plan, Prague had raised about $1.5 billion in donations from 15 different countries to buy shells for Ukraine. The new influx of ammo will be welcome news but not a game-changer. Kyiv continues to suffer a shortage of shells and has even begun rationing them to keep the current invasion of Kursk well-supplied.
The shadow of the past. It’s no accident that Prague announced this new initiative on Aug. 20. That’s the date in 1968 when Moscow launched a massive invasion of Czechoslovakia to suffocate the Soviet satellite state’s brief experiment with greater freedom of expression, democratic participation, and economic decentralization.
America’s new National Security Strategy confirms what Europeans have feared for months: Washington now sees a strong, unified European Union as a problem to be solved, not an ally to be supported.
In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.
Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.
More than a week after Hondurans cast their ballots in a presidential election, the country is still stuck in a potentially-dangerous post-election fog.