Peter Koenig

Author: Peter Koenig

Peter Koenig: China’s Initiative Brings Iran and Saudi Arabia Back on the Diplomatic Track

What does it mean for Yemen? Interview with geopolitical analyst Peter Koenig. GEOFOR: Mr. Koenig, the Sunni Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Shia Republic of Iran have agreed – in a China brokered deal – to re-establish diplomatic relations within the coming two months. You know the region very well, you worked in Yemen. Will this new Riyadh – Tehran diplomacy bring an end to the horrendously atrocious war in Yemen? How do you see the roots of this conflict in which the worst killing and maiming of a most impoverished people in the last hundred years has taken place? Could resolution of this war be one of the key objectives of China’s in bringing these two countries back together? Koenig: Please allow me first a bit of background. Diplomatic relations between the two countries broke down in January 2016, when Iran’s Foreign Minister claimed that Saudi warplanes had "deliberately" targeted Iran’s Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen’s Capital City. As a precursor to that event, on 2 January 2016, the Saudi Government executed 47 people throughout Saudi cities, one of them was a prominent Shia scholar. Iranian protesters about the execution ransacked and set ablaze the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. This prompted the Saudi Sunni Foreign Minister to cut diplomatic ties with the Shia enemy Iran. In hindsight and knowing what we know today, this rather harsh action by the Saudis, smells like provoked and directed by the powers that be – the US and the UK; those who also are the principal arms suppliers to Riyadh for the war against Yemen. The Riyadh -Tehran conflict is, in fact, a triangular conflict, involving Yemen in the first degree. Earlier, in September 2014, the Houthis, a humanitarian rebel group, invaded and took control of Sana’a to oust then Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, whose government was controlled by Riyadh. The Shiite Houthis have links to Iran. The Houthis also had a history of rising up against the Saudi Sunni government which for years has played an influential role in Yemen’s internal affairs. Yemen is situated in an extremely strategic geographic location, overseeing the Sea of Arabia, where 70% of the world’s energy is shipped through. It is likely that the Saudi influence on Yemen is “peddled” by the Pentagon, which has several military bases in Saudi Arabia. They are Washington’s counterpart – a solid military protection – to the US deal with the Saudi King in 1971, that Saudi Arabia, leader of OPEC, would henceforth trade all hydrocarbons in US-dollars. This resulted in the world being flooded by petro-dollars. It became an important cornerstone in the US-dollar-hegemony over the world. Yemen's so-called civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital, Sana’a. The Houthis had – and still have – the support of a large majority of the Yemeni people. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia, presumably leading a large coalition of nine countries from West Asia and North Africa, launched a “military intervention” – a war against Yemen – which officially is still called, as of this day, the Yemeni Civil War. The official version is that the Saudis reacted to deposed Yemeni President Hadi’s call for military support to bring him back as the head of Yemen and to get rid of the Houthi movement. Looking back, and knowing what we know today, the real instigators of this atrocious war against one of the world’s poorest countries, are the US and the UK. They finance the Saudis and supply them with weapons to literally slaughter Yemenis. Predominantly suffering are women and children. They also starve Yemenis to death, by closing vital ports for shipments of food and other life-necessities, the port of Aden and the Red Sea port of Hudeidah, the second largest port in the country. The US is again fighting a proxy war. Sounds familiar? The war in Yemen became one of the many precursors to the war in the Ukraine. How many more are to follow before the killer-empire falls? This eight-year-old conflict in Yemen is a confrontation between the internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and of course, the US and the UK – against the Houthi rebels, supported by the people of Yemen and by Iran. The country's humanitarian crisis is said to be among the worst in the world, due to widespread hunger, disease, and attacks on civilians. According to the UN, over 150,000 people have been killed in Yemen, as well as an estimated more than 227,000 dead as a result of an ongoing famine and lack of healthcare facilities due to the war. Yemen’s population as of March 2023 is estimated 31.6 million. There are no reliable statistics about the death toll of this war. But it is estimated that at least a third of the victims are women and children. When it comes to starvation, mostly children are concerned. According to an Oxfam spokesperson, “The armed conflict in Yemen has exacerbated discrimination and inequalities. Women are, in general, struggling from unequal access to services and resources, as decision-making is often made by men in their communities.” To finally answer your question on what it may mean for Yemen – at this point it is difficult to predict, but I hope and much of the world community trusts that this will bring an end to this horrifying war – and eventually Peace to Yemen. GEOFOR: What will we see looking forward now? Will this new diplomatic agreement between Riyadh and Tehran, mediated by China over several days in Beijing, bring the long overdue Peace to Yemen – and the necessary aid funding to rebuild Yemen’s infrastructure and social rehabilitation? Koenig: Both countries, Iran and the Saudis, committed to “non-interference” in each other’s internal affairs, according to a joint statement by Saudi, Iranian, and Chinese officials. Representatives of both countries also said that they would resume a security cooperation agreement signed in 2001, and would work to enhance “regional and international peace and security.” The regional conflict between Riyadh and Tehran is further exacerbated by the two countries supporting opposing sides also in Syria, while Iran backs the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia, along with the US and Israel, consider Hezbollah a terrorist group. China’s initiative to bring these two Middle-East countries again together and in peace, is multi-faceted. It is a major, truely tectonic, achievement. Iran and Saudi Arabia are among the world’s largest oil and gas producers. Their common interests go way beyond joint OPEC membership. Both are keen in detaching themselves from the western ever-more chaotic, sanction-prone, fraudulent economic system, intending to shift eastwards – into eastern coalitions led by China and Russia. Both countries would like to join the BRICS alliance, which is in turn hoping to be admitted to the China-Russia led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has during the last year or so provided strong support to the BRICS-plus, an indication that the BRICS association with eastern groupings and eventually full integration is welcome. The BRI may also become instrumental in rebuilding Yemen – which would be a positive development for Yemen, plus a quasi-invitation to move towards eastern alliances. Beijing’s role in brokering the agreement is a major diplomatic win for China, but also for Iran, Saudi Arabia and – hopefully also for Yemen. It is a true win-win solution. While Iraq and Syria conflicts are still lingering on, there are prospects that the dynamics created by China through the renewed diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran, may eventually bring lasting Peace to the Middle East. Peter Koenig is a geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he has worked for over 30 years on water and environment around the world. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for online journals and is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed; and co-author of Cynthia McKinney’s book “When China Sneezes: From the Coronavirus Lockdown to the Global Politico-Economic Crisis” (Clarity Press – November 1, 2020) Peter Koenig is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Peter Koenig is also is a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute of Renmin University, Beijing. Serge Duhanov is a journalist, specializing in international relations and national security issues. Не worked as the NOVOSTI Press Agency's own correspondent in Canada (Ottawa, 1990-1992) and the US Bureau Chief (Washington, 1996-2001) of the newspapers Business MN, Delovoy Mir and Interfax-AiF.

Russia-Ukraine: Is a Doomsday Scenario Looming?

Everybody predicts we are going to face an ice-cold winter in the Global North, especially in Europe and particularly in Ukraine. In the meantime, Russia is amassing along the northern Ukrainian border some half a million-plus troops and about 1,500 tanks and massive-massive artillery, ready to take down Kiev and the rest of the country in a quick and dirty endgame. Ukraine is already devastated by knocked out electricity, causing blackouts in about 60% of the country, no heating, due to lack of gas and petrol supplies from Russia and / or (auto-)destroyed internal delivery systems, with expected low sub-freezing temperatures of -15 degrees C and more, literally converting millions of people into refugees – towards western Europe. The situation is already desperate. No Heat. No food. No energy. No light. Darkness and cold. Outright misery. It’s said, President Putin is just waiting for the ground to freeze solid, so Russian tanks and troops will not get stuck in the mud. Once that happens – he will command the Endgame - an all-out attack that could last from one to a few days to total devastation and surrender of what’s left of Ukraine, to finally put an end to this war of western made atrocities. This is Putin’s last option. So, thinks former senior advisor to the US Secretary of Defense, Col. Doug Macgregor – see this interview with Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFngc_8RiVc. Former United States Marine Corps intelligence officer and United Nations weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, foresees a similar situation. The Russians have not changed objectives since the beginning of the conflict – denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine, plus protecting the predominantly Russian Donbas Region and other Russian-rooted populations. No matter what the western mainstream media lies, President Putin has always instructed his generals to avoid targeting civilians, to minimize civilian casualties, and to the extent possible, protect civilian infrastructure. Knowing how the west would react and what western corrupted media would say, President Zelenskyy initiated a program of auto-destruction of everything, including killing his Ukrainian compatriots, accusing Russia. Western media complied. Anything goes, if it helps blaming and destroying Putin and Russia. The stated Russian goal of denazification and demilitarization is reasonable and would be achievable without constant NATO interference and arming of Ukraine, without non-stop blasting of Russia-Russia-Russia; and without blowing Zelenskyy’s ego out of any human proportion. Mr. Putin’s proposals for negotiations have been ignored or adamantly refused by Zelenskyy, the western bellboy, as the west is hellbent to destroy Russia and Putin in whatever ways possible. See this, Scott Ritter: “Ukraine cannot win this war. It’s a fantasy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCR-Phtgx0k . Since this is a western war of propaganda (John Pilger), propagating the obnoxiously stupid notion that Ukraine will win, there is no pressure from even reasonable westerners (sic) to bring the conflict to the negotiation-table. Hence, by the war-minded western journalists – main and off-mainstream – without much difference, Putin is showing with Russian troops and war material buildup along Ukraine’s northern frontier, his readiness for a final brutal strike to end Ukraine and to end this confrontation. Other journalists and war-luminaries move their thoughts and predictions in the same direction. The going narrative is, the west / NATO leaves Putin no choice, other than this devastating endgame situation. Under normal circumstances this might be a logical conclusion. But we are not living in a world of normal circumstances. We are living in a dystopian world, with dystopian people, who in their dystopian-think far prefer war to peace. Not only for the multi-billion-dollar war profits, but also – and maybe foremost – for the macho-type muscle flexing vis-à-vis Russia and all those no-good bandido-nations, who are still supporting Putin and Russia. Are these pundits truly thinking of the full picture? One may wonder about the potential consequences of a WWIII-scenario of such an attack, nuclear or non-nuclear; but, maybe more importantly, what is Ukraine for Russia? During the past at least 300-plus years, Ukraine has been an integral part of Russia, of the Russian Empire, of the Soviet Union. Even after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, independent Ukraine was still a close ally to the new Russia – until the “f*ck Europe” (Victoria Nuland) February 2014 US-EU-NATO inspired Maidan Coup. That was an unnatural game changer. Please allow me to ask – President Putin, arguably one of the few – if not the only clear-thinking world leader left, would he eradicate a historic and cultural part of Greater Russia? Which in the end would only benefit the western profit-drunken war-machine? – And of course, the WEF’s promoted and orchestrated by invisible financial giants Great Reset with its parallel ultra-deceptive UN Agenda 2030? – Would he? Don’t think so. Mr. Putin is a man of ethics and of traditional values, including family values. Almost every Ukrainian citizen has somewhere family or other close-relation links with people in Russia. Mr. Putin, a man who has not forgotten Ukraine’s role in the successes of the Soviet Union, of Russia, in manufacturing, technology development; Ukraine, a source of a multitude of minerals and other raw materials, and not least – the breadbasket, not only for Russia but for the world – Mr. Putin, a man of that caliber would not annihilate an essential part of the Body of Russia – and this for reasons way beyond the present western fangs around Ukraine. President Putin doesn’t want a WWIII, though many say, we are already in a “new” form of a WWIII. Perhaps. But not nuclear; and not (yet) all-destructive. Think about it. There are other ways. Why not just capture Zelenskyy and his corrupt inner-circle elite Nazi-gang, replace them with a leadership of the Kremlin’s choice, with a western-funded revival and reconstruction program and get going without delay – sort of a Maidan-Coup in reverse. Within short, Russian efficiency would rebuild Ukrainian infrastructure, reinstate the flow of energy, electricity, heat, food, a relative comfort for a devastated society. – Imagine, how happy Ukrainians would be if Russia would take over?!? “Western-funded”, means, rebuilding Ukraine physically and morally with revenues from sales of Russian gas and other hydrocarbons to desperate Europe – which Europe bitterly needs – unless she risks within a couple of years a large-scale deindustrialization, slide into abject poverty, if not back into the Stone Ages. Europe has already realized this, as their gas storage tanks are full to the brim throughout the EU, clandestinely filled with Russian gas over the past few months, while the official narrative was “sanctioning Russia – no Russian energy ever” – see this https://www.globalresearch.ca/big-lie-worldwide-energy-shortage-plus-multiple-crises-all-manufactured-meant-destruction-western-civilization/5797768 . Given Mr. Putin’s solid background in intelligence and his savvy as a strategist, “taking out” President Zelenskyy and his criminal inner-clan and putting them before a Russian war-crimes tribunal, might not be that difficult. This could probably be done without destroying a single building. In fact, you might not be surprised, a vast, a very vast majority of Ukrainians would be grateful to Mr. Putin and might even ask the Kreml for integration into Russia. That might not happen. At least not immediately. But Ukraine could indeed become again an ally and close partner of Russia – the status she had before the 2014 US-NATO planned and Ukrainian neo-Nazi “Right Sector”, executed Maidan Coup. Would the West just look on and do nothing? Probably not. But would they risk a nuclear war over Ukraine? – We don’t know. Of course, there are high risks of false flags, pointing to Russia having done terrible things to the Ukrainian people and to the west, propagated as we know it by western lie-propaganda media – that would require terrible retributions. All that is possible, and Russia might be prepared for it. That may be the reason for the fully armed and war-ready military build-up along the northern Ukrainian frontiers. In the end, western powers, or those who think they represent these powers, have largely achieved their goal, namely the war as a deviation maneuver of public attention from a larger agenda: The fast-advancing Great Reset, alias, UN Agenda 2030 – and the 4th Industrial Revolution, the digitization of everything. The tyrannic assault on humanity for total control. According to their plan, there are about eight years left to achieve their criminal objectives. As we fall for the multi-deviations of War, New Covid Variants, new plandemic threats, Inflation, Climate Change, Energy Crisis, Food Shortages, – and-so-on – THEY are advancing with giant steps towards their Reset objectives, including Yuval Noah Harari’s dream, of a world without “useless eaters” and robotized, chip-implanted transhumanized survivors. Harari, a depopulation advocate, is Klaus Schwab’s buddy and close associate. We, The People, are on Our Onw We must never forget, that we are on our own. In all these atrocities, plandemics, deadly vaxx-coercions, famine, false energy crises, manufactured inflation and fabricated “climate change”, alias geoengineering, controlling the weather, weaponizing the weather worldwide (see this https://www.globalresearch.ca/weather-warfare/5795319/5795319), and perhaps worst of all, imposing fully digitized central bank currencies (DCBC) to enslave us and rob us of our last shred of liberty – plus, the daily drill of lies, after lies, after lies from our governments, health authorities, weather institutes – yes, let’s never forget, We, the People, are on our own. We cannot rely on or trust any authorities, as we know them. All those illusions, of democracy and “in our government we trust” are lies, always were. We have to prepare to be on our own, to start on our own a new society, a new way of life. Do not think, that the “old way” – the old society – could be reformed and rebooted. Reform doesn’t exist. Never think Reform. Think NEW. New in the sense of local, family, like-minded people, community-based, gradually building up a peaceful equitable society, outside of the current corrupt dystopian mainstream. Forget the mainstream. Let it rot by itself. If we manage to physically and intellectually and spiritually detach from the old corrupted ways, and build up New Ways by the People for the People – local production for local consumption, with local means of exchange, becoming gradually self-sufficient, joining with other communities, building networks of new-thinking and new-acting people – we are halfway there. Our conviction and unfaltering perseverance plus unpredictable dynamics will take over, take us further towards a new conscience. With positive-thinking mindsets we will be moving into a New Sunrise. Peter Koenig is a geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he has worked for over 30 years on water and environment around the world. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for online journals and is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed; and co-author of Cynthia McKinney’s book “When China Sneezes: From the Coronavirus Lockdown to the Global Politico-Economic Crisis” (Clarity Press – November 1, 2020) Peter Koenig is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Peter Koenig is also is a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute of Renmin University, Beijing.

Peter Koenig: Let’s hope for a miracle - that the Republicans win both Houses of the US Congress

GEOFOR: How do you see the outcome of the elections: is this a victory for the Republicans or a failure for the Democrats? Koenig: So far, to the surprise of most people, there are no clear results yet, of the US Midterm Elections. The Republicans have won the House of representatives, but the Senate is not decided yet. In three States, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. The results are too close to call a winner. There will be run-off elections on 6 December 2022. It is still possible that the Republicans may win a razor-thin majority in the Senate. That would mean, taking over also the Senate and putting Joe Biden in a “lame duck” position. For the past two years the Senate was evenly divided 25:25, with a “majority” for the Dems, because the Vice-President (Democrat) may cast the deciding vote. What can clearly be said, there was no “Wave of Red” – Red standing for Republicans, as was expected and was unfailingly indicated by all the predictive polls. In that sense – just looking at the surface – the elections were a victory for the Dems. But there is more to it. This “victory” is more than surprising. Many serious analysts and particularly Republican politicians, as well as independent media and journalists are talking about voter fraud. Former President Trump was the first to express his doubts about fair elections. Frankly, judging by the election preceding polls, they may have a point. Problems with voting equipment have been reported from Arizona and Michigan. Voter intimidation was also reported from several States, including Georgia and Michigan. More may surface as time goes by. It is highly unusual that predictive polls are so far from the actual voting. Voter fraud was also an issue in the 2020 Presidential Elections. It is said, that President Trump and his lawyers have proof that Trump won by at least 2 million votes. Some put the figures much higher. Interestingly, none of the state courts where Trump’s lawyers attempted to present his case – nor the Supreme Court, accepted even to look at his documentation. This is more than strange. Also, the very unusual refusal by a State or even Supreme Court not even looking at a former President’s case, has never been heard of before. GEOFOR: What role was played by the administration and personally by President Joe Biden in the defeat of the Democrats? Koenig: That will be an interesting question to answer, when the final results will be in, three weeks from now. What can already be said – Biden is a “non-President”. Unfortunately, he is not apt for this position. He is often confused, doesn’t know what he is talking about – and even at this point, with two years into his Presidency, he is even hinting at running again. Mind you, this had all been planned. The Globalists, those who believe, or dream, they will eventually run the world under a One World Order (OWO), those even behind and above the Washington Government, needed a hapless Joe Biden, who will do the bidding of those who call the shots. Therefore, it would be a miracle, if the run-off elections would favor the Republicans, hence giving both Senate and House of Representatives to the Republicans. And that even with a majority of Democrats, of the American public – and European, for that matter – because the vast majority of the people do not agree with an OWO, they do not approve of the tyrannical dictatorship behind Globalism. This applies to the entire world. Allow me to talk from my experience as a World Bank economist, having worked in many countries around the globe, mostly the Global South, Globalization has done a lot of harm to them, to the majority of people, has indebted them, made them vulnerable for ever-more and ever unfairer deals of exploitation. Globalisation has impoverished people – everywhere – and is hellbent to continue doing so. Therefore, the Democrats in he US and the socialists or left-leaning parties have all been sold to globalism. As Klaus Schwab, eternal CEO of the WEF proudly says, “with our Young Global Leaders (YGL) Program we were able to infiltrate every Government of the world”. Unfortunately, he is right. Take Justin Trudeau, one of Schwab’s darlings, a YGL graduate, was elected under a social-democrat ticket. Look at him today. He is the worst neoliberal tyrant Canada has ever known. The same all over Europe. Literally every “leader” of EU member countries, is a YGL graduate. And they, the WEF scholars, will do whatever it takes to avoid a nationalist – usually right-wing, or center-right, in any case not a Globalist, to take over. Most of the Social-Democrats in Europe, or the Democrats in the US, have no clue that there party has been hijacked by the Globalists. In essence, there is no longer a “left” or “right”- there are only Globalists and non-Globalists. GEOFOR: The new congressional configuration is unlikely to allow the President to be impeached, which some influential Republicans are talking about. But can the situation of the "lame duck" lead to the voluntary resignation of the incumbent President in order not to create problems for the party in future elections? Koenig: Never. President Biden will never be impeached. Even if a majority in Congress would vote for it. Biden is a needed puppet for those who call the shots, who have designed the Great Reset, and the UN Agenda 2030 – and all the dictatorial calamities that go with it. Without naming names, it is fair to say that Big, HUGE Capital is behind this absolute and total control of the population, of capital – as well as the entire production apparatus, meaning food, climate, or as the going narrative says, “man-made climate change, by excessive CO2 emissions. Never mind that these are all lies, thick lies, surprisingly that by now a majority of the world populace has not caught up to it, or if they did, they look-on and let it happen. COP after COP after COP (COP = Conference of the Parties), the same dialogues, the same promises, the same indecisions, the same non-adherence to their promises. It takes another puppet, UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres – who sometimes doesn’t know what meeting he is addressing – to spell out the same sloganizing narratives about stopping the world from getting warmer than 1.5 degrees C. Isn’t it extremely arrogant of humans, believing they can influence the temperatures of Mother Earth? We are now at COP27 at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, ongoing, that will talk and celebrate and live in luxury and glamour for two weeks, with execs arriving in private jets – similar to those who talk the same lingo arriving in Davos every January for Klaus Schwab’s despicable “world commanding” event, the World Economic Forum. To answer the “lame duck” question – that’s precisely what they want. A leader who doesn’t lead, who doesn’t think much, who is happy with people who think for him, while he bathes in the presidential glory. Since the Globalists are determined to never give up and to prevail over the world order, they are not worried about creating problems for the party in future elections. GEOFOR: In an interview with the National Interest magazine Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, made it clear that if the Republicans win, they will reconsider the issue of supporting Kiev. In our opinion, the intention is good. However, will the majority of Congress be able to really influence the process of pumping the Ukraine with weapons? After all, the growing workload of the American military-industrial complex is an increase in the number of jobs… Koenig: Of course, Republicans would reconsider supporting Kiev. In Europe the same – he majority of people want a sovereign country, with their sovereign governments, culture, education systems, their sovereign autonomous values, their countries – a country that does not have to bend to the orders of some self-imposed supremacy. This war was made by Washington and NATO and bought and corrupted European leaders – again – made by the WEF’s academy for YGLs. It was provocation after provocation since 1991, since the collapse by the Soviet Union (to be frank, also bought and corrupted by the west), including the US funded some 20-30 deadly bio-labs in Ukraine. Putin warned them many times, and when they didn’t stop at the red Line, President Putin had to intervene. Avoiding a war would have been easy – sheer adherence to Minsk I and II, especially Minsk II of spring 2015. US Republicans and the majority of the western people – and you may say, the majority of the Global South are non-Globalists. They do not want a war anywhere. Not in Ukraine, not in Syria, not in Yemen, not in Somalia – no war. Period. So yes, for the Washington NATO war machine and their European vassals, the war in Ukraine is a win-win situation. Highly profitable weapon-manufacturing, job creation – and even more important, bashing President Putin and weakening Russia. Russia is by far the largest and richest country in the world. Controlling Russia, would help the unipolar OWO controlling the world. The west needs wars, especially the US, not only because the US GDP depends on close to 60% on the conflict cum war machine and associated industries and services, but also because being war-master inflicts fear and obedience. Isn’t it telling under President Trump, the US didn’t start any new war. By contrast, Obama inherited two, and added four more on his own during his two 4-year terms. Let’s hope for a miracle - that the Republicans win both Houses of the US Congress on 6 December 2022. If they don’t, and voter fraud becomes apparent – the US might risk a civil war. Peter Koenig is a geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he has worked for over 30 years on water and environment around the world. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for online journals and is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed; and co-author of Cynthia McKinney’s book “When China Sneezes: From the Coronavirus Lockdown to the Global Politico-Economic Crisis” (Clarity Press – November 1, 2020) Peter Koenig is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Peter Koenig is also is a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute of Renmin University, Beijing. Serge Duhanov is a journalist, specializing in international relations and national security issues. Не worked as the NOVOSTI Press Agency's own correspondent in Canada (Ottawa, 1990-1992) and the US Bureau Chief (Washington, 1996-2001) of the newspapers Business MN, Delovoy Mir and Interfax-AiF

Peter Koenig: Europe knows that they are committing economic suicide

GEOFOR: Traditionally, our conversations follow the pattern: from West to East. Let's change our rules this time around and start with the Indo-Pacific region. Or rather, from the notorious visit of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. What degree of independence does the Speaker of the House of Representatives has and what was her motivation? How do you assess the consequences of China's retaliatory measures for Taiwan and the United States, as well as for the region as a whole? Peter Koenig: At first glance, the Pelosi visit to Taiwan looks to me like a provocation. In the meantime, there have been other visits to Taiwan by US politicians. They didn’t get as much advertising as did Pelosi. But the objective is the same: provocation, how far can they go? President Xi has warned Washington on several occasions. Even in a phone call with President Biden, saying something to the effect: “Who plays with fire will get fire”. It didn’t make any difference. Washington ignored it. Can one consider China’s military maneuvers in the Taiwan straight as a retaliation towards Taiwan? Personally, I don’t think so. Such military practices have taken place before to varied intensities. As far as I know these latest ones have not done any harm to the island of Taiwan, or the Taiwanese population. For sure, they may have been a warning, or a demonstration of what might happen if Taiwan gets serious with following the US – western “lure” of the island away from China. With these military exercises, China has also demonstrated to the west, that they would not stand idle by, if the west attempts to “tamper” with China’s sovereignty. Most countries know that, and they respect China. But there is the self-proclaimed world hegemon and its followers who can’t stop provocations. These provocations have of course not just the purpose of Big Showmanship, but they are also good for the Military Industrial Complex – they create revenues. After all, when all is said and counted, the US military and related services and industries, account for mor than 50% of the US GDP. China does not want war. China is not a warrying nation. China seeks Peace; peaceful relations with the rest of the world. But, if the west attempts to hurt China, to interfere with China’s internal affairs, obviously they stand up and defend their rights and their sovereignty. The peace-loving nature of China might be best expressed by President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), patterned according to the Old Silk Road of 2100 years ago – and which aims at connecting countries, first in the Asia-Pacific Region, then around the world, with peaceful development projects, and scientific and cultural interchange. It is all aimed at a better equilibrium of the world and at peaceful inter-country and inter-regional relations. GEOFOR: The situation in the region continues to escalate. Has Washington decided to start another proxy war besides the Ukraine? Or should it still be considered as a kind of reserve for the future, which will be used after the "Ukrainian question" is closed one way or another? Peter Koenig: In my opinion, it is neither. Washington doesn’t think beyond Ukraine. Long-term thinking has never been an US-forte. It’s provocation. Besides, even Washington knows that fighting several wars on several fronts is like a suicide track. They don’t have the capacity to beat all their fronts, not even with NATO. A good example was Afghanistan. It suddenly became an unwieldy war, and then they run away – leaving another country and her people in shambles. That’s the US. Besides, the Ukraine conflict, a proxy-war of the US / NATO against Russia, played out in a corrupt country, but to the detriment of the people, most of whom are innocent and decent citizens, but they have to bear the brunt. This is a demonstration of cowardry on behalf of the west, notably US/NATO. But the war is also part of the Bigger Picture. It is part of the UN Agenda 2030, or The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) promoted Great Reset. It’s part of Globalist Agenda which is directed behind the scenes by huge financial corporate powers, such as BlackRock, Vanguard and StateStreet – and other Wall Street giants. Their idea is for a relatively small elite to rule the world. That doesn’t seem to be the concept of a future for the world and humanity, shared by Russa and China. To the contrary, Russia and China, and ever more countries around the world are weary of the globalist drive, and they are seeking to regain their national sovereignties and if anything, are part of “regional hubs”. Russia and China, perhaps through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), may be an important Asian hub. More and more countries from the Global South and also from the west, are attempting to join the SCO, the Asian association. They have lost trust in the west, especially in the dollar-dominated western economic system, which is a fiat monetary system, based and backed by nothing. In other words, the system is doomed – sooner or later. Currently the SCO counts among its members, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and a number of former Soviet Republics, as well as other countries, like Malaysia, waiting in the wings. SCO covers close to half of the world population and about 35% of the world’s GDP. There are also speculations that the BRICS+ may at some point unite with the SCO. Washington is aware. Therefore, their provocations on China as well as the bloody conflict in Ukraine – which is a monstruous and murderous 24x7 lie-propaganda by the west - may be seen as attempting disrupting the anti-globalist movement. They will not succeed. Dishonesty, deception and constant aggression has never succeeded in the long run. GEOFOR: Moving in a westerly direction, one can observe two relatively small-sized crises: another escalation in Karabakh (they is shooting there again, but not very intensive yet) and in the Balkans (Serbia and Kosovo). In your opinion, is this an attempt to disperse the Kremlin's attention or solve regional problems by taking advantage of the fact that Moscow is focused on the Ukraine? Peter Koenig: Frankly, I don’t think that fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and between Serbia and Kosovo are part of the bigger conflict, or the Bigger Picture. The NKR is a disputed territory since the end of the war in 1994, and, despite peace talks, involving the OSCE Minsk Group, the region’s disputed status remains. One of the major reasons for the ongoing and simmering conflict, may be that Nagorno-Karabakh is rich in natural resources of precious and semi-precious metals, such as gold and copper and other minerals; minerals that the west wants for military purposes and for its luxurious life style. Was this conflict originally provoked in one way or another by the US / NATO in order to destabilize the region? – All is possible. Washington is doing this all the time. But now resolving the issue is a local affair. Unless a permanent solution is found between Armenia and Azerbaijan – like granting this small “enclave” some kind of independence and sovereign control over its resources, this conflict may linger on for a long time. For peace in the region, the two warrying forces might want to look at history and grant NKR independence. In the long run, peace in the area may be worth much more than the never-ending conflict over resources. But, in my opinion, this is not a conflict linked to the Ukraine – Russia conflict. As far as Kosovo and Serbia goes – the situation is similar. Kosovo was created under then President Bill Clinton, through his NATO intervention in 1999. Actually, to say it bluntly, he stole a piece of Serbia and created Kosovo, not least for strategic US-military purposes. Kosovo is right in the middle of what used to be Yugoslavia. After all, Kosovo is recognized by only 117 countries, out of a total of 193 UN members. Kosovo is a de facto NATO base with almost 4000 NATO troops – mostly from the US. On the other hand, Serbia has no aspirations to become a NATO country. Her links with Russia are very close. But, NATO in Kosovo represents a potential danger for Serbia in the Region. Moscow, of course is aware, but for now chooses not to intervene. Again, I believe, Serbia – Kosovo is a lingering conflict – already ongoing for many years, basically since Kosovo’s inception in 2008. Could the conflict be resolved with a Russian military presence in Serbia – just for balance? Again, I don’t believe this conflict has anything to do with Russian intervention in Ukraine/ GEOFOR: And now about Europe, where problems are only gaining momentum: drought, lack of energy, rising prices for food and utilities, ahead of the closure of enterprises and explosive growth of unemployment. And then there are the problems with the Nord Stream-1. Can't this bring to their senses the leadership, if not of the European Union, then the individual governments of the Old World? Peter Koenig: Europe knows very well what they are doing, that they are committing economic suicide – and possibly more, with their sanctions and around-the-clock accusations of President Putin and their “Russia-Russia-Russia” lambasting. They, the EU governments, actually the “leaders” (sic), have orders from those who wield the financial powers over the world – via the WEF. And these people, who lead the unelected European Commission (they make sweeping dictatorial decisions, despite the EU Parliament), have been selected precisely because of their corruptible and spineless personalities. And so have most, if not all of the leaders of the EU member countries. Almost all of these “leaders” went through Klaus Schwab’s (WEF) Academy for “Young Global Leaders” (YGL). They know exactly what they have to do, and who their paymasters are. So, make no mistake – what happens to Europe, possibly preparing this fall for being hit by a rough winter, shortages of energy, food, electricity blackouts, the imposition of digital total and absolute control via the QR-code – is all part of a monstrous plan. These “leaders”, who feel they are on top, directing this self-destructing agenda, know exactly what they are doing. And they are making sure, their refrigerators are full through out the winter, and they will have enough heating oil for the coming extreme cold – perhaps as extreme as was the heat wave in Europe, and the Global North in general, this summer. One wonders…. As we know, there are no coincidences. Weather engineering is a highly developed science. Only if people wake up, taking their lives into their own hands, but not each one for himself, but through togetherness, through actions in solidarity, and with a spirit of sharing, they may ascend out of this globalist mess, or rather tyranny. It’s a challenge, but its feasible. Once the psychological barrier of submissiveness has been broken, new frontiers and new opportunities will open up – and without anger and without retaliatory aggression, an ascent out of this human humiliation, submission, and outright enslavement is, indeed, possible. I am confident. Peter Koenig is a geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he worked for over 30 years around the world. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for online journals and is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed; and co-author of Cynthia McKinney’s book “When China Sneezes: From the Coronavirus Lockdown to the Global Politico-Economic Crisis” (Clarity Press – November 1, 2020). Peter is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). He is also is a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute of Renmin University, Beijing. Serge Duhanov is a journalist, specializing in international relations and national security issues. Не worked as the NOVOSTI Press Agency's own correspondent in Canada (Ottawa, 1990-1992) and the US Bureau Chief (Washington, 1996-2001) of the newspapers Business MN, Delovoy Mir and Interfax-AiF.

The West versus Russia: The strategy is being played out in Ukraine

GEOFOR: Greetings, since our last conversation, the conflict between Russia and the West has only continued to gain momentum. How far do you think this proxy war in the Ukraine can go? Is there a chance that the situation will improve? Peter Koenig: Thank you, for having me again for an interview. This is a million-dollar question. Especially when we consider that Russia, by far the world’s largest and resource-richest country, was for over hundred years in the crosshairs of the western empire, led by the US and since WWII also by NATO, to be overtaken or to become a “colony” – similar – or worse – than western Europe, the European Union (EU), has become a colony of Washington’s and NATO’s It is worth a distinction though, between the people of Europe and the governments of western Europe, i.e. the EU member countries and the European Commission (EC), the latter consisting of unelected members. The EC currently headed by the hawkish EC President, Ursula von der Leyen (unelected), former Minister of Defense of Germany, and close ally of Klaus Schwab’s. In fact, she is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum. It is unlikely that Ms. Von der Leyen would deviate from the WEF’s globalist agenda. And it looks like part of this globalist agenda is “regime change” in Russia. On behalf of Washington, it’s driven by NATO and the EU. Let me make this clear: the EU and EC are not representative of the 500-plus million people of Europe. The European Parliament that is supposed to represent the interests of the people, has practically no voice. Most people, educated people, inquired about Russia, have a positive opinion about Russia. They want peaceful relations. While perhaps not agreeing with the Ukrainian conflict, they understand what may have led up to it. The people of Europe want sanctions on Russia to stop. The sanctions are foremost hurting Europe, but not Russia. On the basis of these sanctions, the planned One World Order (OWO), currently represented by the World Economic Forum (WEF), is using these sanctions, or rather Russia’s reaction to the sanctions, as a justification for causing massive energy and food shortages throughout the west, and to some extent also the Global South. They want to cause suffering and death. This is a gigantic western agenda of mass starvation, possibly mass death – fitting well into the Great Reset’s population reduction program. Having said this, it is difficult to imagine that the west will let go, and pursue a Peace Agreement between Russia and Ukraine. That would in fact, be easy. All Ukraine would have to do is to adhere to the Minsk II Agreement (February 2015), which was sponsored by France, President Macron, and Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel; by the very countries which are now coming down strongest, following US sanctions on Russia. Let’s just for a moment look at NATO’s Madrid Summit 22-point Declaration, released on 29 June 2022. Item two is a statement of utter hypocrisy and points 3 reflects an outright hatred against Russia: 2. We are united in our commitment to democracy, individual liberty, human rights, and the rule of law. We adhere to international law and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We are committed to upholding the rules-based international order. 3. We condemn Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. It gravely undermines international security and stability. It is a blatant violation of international law. Russia’s appalling cruelty has caused immense human suffering and massive displacements, disproportionately affecting women and children. Russia bears full responsibility for this humanitarian catastrophe. Russia must enable safe, unhindered, and sustained humanitarian access. Allies are working with relevant stakeholders in the international community to hold accountable all those responsible for war crimes, including conflict-related sexual violence. Russia has also intentionally exacerbated a food and energy crisis, affecting billions of people around the world, including through its military actions. Allies are working closely to support international efforts to enable exports of Ukrainian grain and to alleviate the global food crisis. We will continue to counter Russia’s lies and reject its irresponsible rhetoric. Russia must immediately stop this war and withdraw from Ukraine. Belarus must end its complicity in this war. Then, point 4, starts with a love declaration for Ukraine’s President Zelensky: 4. We warmly welcome President Zelenskyy’s participation in this Summit. We stand in full solidarity with the government and the people of Ukraine in the heroic defense of their country. That means, continue supplying billions worth of weapons to Ukraine – weapons that already now are ending up largely in the hands of dark and criminal weapons dealers. Brussels and Washington know it, but they will not stop it. Zelenskyy, of course, is not free at all to take any decisions on his own. His decisions are dictated by the west. These circumstances give a bleak outlook for Peace. But one should never lose hope. GEOFOR: Can the statements of a number of Baltic politicians on the need to take Kaliningrad away from Russia lead to a new hotbed of military confrontation already in Lithuania? Peter Koenig: The Kaliningrad Oblast / District, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, has also an important Baltic Sea port for Russia. Who knows what will really happen, but I do not believe that Poland and / or Lithuania will dare intervene in Kaliningrad. These statements or declarations may be just hot air, or a new type of western-style anti-Russia propaganda. From my point of view, not to be taken seriously. GEOFOR: The sanctions confrontation has, apparently, finally gone beyond reasonable explanations. Canada, following the UK, introduced them even against Patriarch Kirill… Tell us, is the bottom already reached, or should we expect new surprises? Peter Koenig: Another good question. Frankly I don’t know. I think rather that the Europeans, as well as Washington, start realizing that they are the ones suffering, I mean them – particularly also the elite, not just the people, about whom they do not care. Therefore, it just might be, that they are quietly trying to make arrangements with Russia for energy deliveries – dropping “sanctions” and accepting Russia’s ruble-billing and more. It has been clear from the beginning that the Global South, meaning China and associated Asian countries, like the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), ASEAN, the BRICS-plus Iran – as well as most of Africa and many of Latin American countries, will not adhere to sanctions. These are also he countries that Russia keeps supplying with energy resources and food. The west has clearly overreached with their sanctions, totally illegal sanctions, mind you. That’s also a reason why the east, led by China and Russia will disassociate from the western currency and payment system (via US banks and SWIFT) and become an autonomous, sovereign politico-economic force. That may happen soon, possibly later this year or in early 2023. – A shockwave may be expected. It could well be that the financial-economic decoupling of the east from the west may be the “surprise”, when it happens. And that in the meantime, the west is quietly back-paddling, as they realize to what extent they have been shooting themselves, unwittingly embarking on committing socioeconomic suicide. GEOFOR: Autumn is coming soon, will be followed by winter. Judging by the statements of the Europeans, they will not have time to fill in the gas storage facilities, even despite the fact that many companies have agreed to pay for Russian hydrocarbons "in rubles", and the United States supplies liquefied natural gas. What will Brussels do in such a situation? Peter Koenig: Some of my assessment is already given above. And of course, supposedly NATO approves (despite 28 of the 30 NATO members being European, decisions are made in Washington), they may go back to Russia, quietly “lifting” some (or all) sanctions and trying to re-activate Nordstrom I and activate Nordstrom II. It is clear that the Middle East, the Saudis, for example, will not jump in to supply Europe and the US with gas and oil, to replace deliveries from Russia. The results of the recent Joe Biden visit to the Saudis may be an indication. For the Middle East replacing Russian gas, would be like “sanctioning” Russia, when they have clearly indicated that their future trading inclination is more eastwards, Russia, China and SCO and other eastern socioeconomic associations. The Middle East realizes that the future is in the east. The west has been digging their own grave for decades. But they apparently still cannot admit it. Instead of seeking Peace, they are confronting an impending collapse. GEOFOR: And the last question. Against the backdrop of the financial and economic crisis gaining momentum, the ratings of leading Western politicians are beginning to fail. B. Johnson is no longer the leader of the Conservatives. They are increasingly talking about the upcoming political crisis in Germany, and the midterm elections to the US Congress are not far off… What are we to expect from all this? Peter Koenig: Yes, Boris Johnson is out. But his “outing” was most likely a planned outing. In the west, there are no decisions nor elections made by the people or Parliaments. They are all imposed or planned from the beginning with the consent of the leaders in question – by the WEF and its handlers, or commanders, i.e., the interlinked corporate financial oligarchs of this world, the amalgamation of Black Rock, Vanguard and State Street. Plus, there are other important players – like Chase, Bank of America, JPMorgan, City Group et al. The WEF is the executioner according to the Great Reset and following the script of UN Agenda 2030. Only people themselves, waking up, can stop this drive to total destruction. And, yes, I’m positive that LIGHT will prevail over darkness. It is said, the “financial emperors” control close to 90% of the western corporate industrial and service world with majority shareholdings. Under these circumstances it is not difficult to decide who “presides” over what country – and when they have to go. Boris Johnson will be replaced by another vassal of the financial emperors, the one which best suits their current agenda. As to Germany’s Olaf Scholz, he has been put into the German Chancellorship just a bit over six months ago, after a long vetting process with important players like the EC, Washington and not least NATO. He had the right profile for what the west is all about. If one reads or listens to his history, it is amazing that he is not in jail. See this The Olaf Scholz File – His Words, his Deeds (English spoken – 3 March 2022). Yes, an economic crisis is coming. Even to Germany. According to many economists, Germany is de-industrializing. I agree. Self-made, by the insane “sanctions”. But even that is part of the plan. During and after a harsh winter 2022 / 23, there may be lots of bankruptcies, unemployment, poverty to extreme poverty, perhaps even deadly famine for the poorest. This is not a coincidence. There are no coincidences. This is shifting capital from the bottom and the center to the top – the financial elite, that pretends to rule the world. If they – the WEF-led globalists – have their way, there would be a One World Government. But that will not happen. The globalist agenda is falling apart. That was already visible at the WEF’s Davos meeting last May. People around the world are waking up to the globalist agenda. The vast majority of them has been suffering under the global everything – and now the attempt of global digitization, meaning total control of every move you make, via the financial system. Russia and China may lead humanity into a new future, a multipolar world. This is the hope. And the peoples will, is to be expressed in solidarity, and peace may prevail. Peter Koenig is a geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he worked for over 30 years around the world. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for online journals and is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed; and co-author of Cynthia McKinney’s book “When China Sneezes: From the Coronavirus Lockdown to the Global Politico-Economic Crisis” (Clarity Press – November 1, 2020). Peter is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). He is also is a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute of Renmin University, Beijing. Serge Duhanov is a journalist, specializing in international relations and national security issues. Не worked as the NOVOSTI Press Agency's own correspondent in Canada (Ottawa, 1990-1992) and the US Bureau Chief (Washington, 1996-2001) of the newspapers Business MN, Delovoy Mir and Interfax-AiF.

Peter Koenig: West and proxy war against Russia

GEOFOR: Greetings! Since our last conversation, truly historic, epochal changes have taken place in the world. The struggle between Russia and the West is only gaining momentum. How do you see the prospects for this process? How far can this confrontation go? Peter Koenig: Predicting an outcome at this point is close to impossible. We are talking about a proxy-war, the west / NATO against Russia, played out in Ukraine and eventually - potentially – I trust not – in the European theatre. This would be the third WW on European territory in a little over a century. At least today - 6 May – the UN Security Council for the first time has encouraged both parties to seek negotiations for peace, or at least a cease fire. Of course, that doesn’t mean much, since President Zelensky is totally controlled by the west, predominantly Washington and Brussels, meaning NATO. If this call for negotiations does not amount in anything tangible, in terms of at least an armistice agreement, with the strong expectations that it may eventually be leading to Peace, the conflict could go on for a long time – and escalate further, indeed risking a WWIII scenario; emerging, God forbid, in a nuclear war. Let’s not even think about it. On the other hand, let’s not forget, that in her entire 246 years of history, the US have known only 15 years without a conflict. The US economy is to almost 60% based on war, direct war-industry and war-related services and industries. Therefore, a new war for the US is necessary, now, with the hegemon USA faltering, more than ever. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Al Arabiya, President Zelenskyy is totally in the hands and under control of the west. While Zelenskyy accepted several of Russia’s conditions, he backed out of his commitment after he got instructions from US / NATO to the contrary. See this 59-min. video interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DwOZOaJfY4 . GEOFOR: Today, a number of states are increasing arms supplies to Kiev. How many more weapons can Western countries supply to Ukraine, as their stockpiles are not unlimited after all? Peter Koenig: Supplying Kiev with arms is a western war-industry bonanza. As mentioned before – the US, for one, depends with her economy to mor than 50% on wars and armed conflicts, carried out either directly or by proxy. The Ukraine-Russia war is a proxy war for the US / NATO – and by NATO-association also for Europe. Therefore, rather than depleting western weapon stockpiles, their war industry is running on overdrive. “War is good for business” – has become a common, almost “household- phrase”; it indicates the type of dystopian world we are living in. GEOFOR: Returning to the previous question: don't you think that Russia should have blocked the western borders of Ukraine in response? And at the same time, maybe it's time for the Kremlin to stop supplying oil, natural gas as well as other resources and goods to Europe and the United States? Peter Koenig: It’s difficult to block borders. Russia never had the intention – and still doesn’t to “take-over”, as in absorbing – Ukraine. Russia had and still does have four objectives: No NATO – ever – in Ukraine; making Ukraine an independent and neutral country; denazifying Ukraine; and, last but not least, protecting the two overwhelming Russian and Russian-speaking Donbass Provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk. The Donbas area, you may recall, is constantly being attacked by the Nazi-Azon battalion, having caused about 14,000 civilian deaths since the western engineered February 2014 Maidan coup in Kiev. These are simple objectives, offered by Russia. Zelenskyy originally accepted them against Russian security measures, but then backtracked, when Washington / NATO said niet. See above Lavrov-interview. GEOFOR: How long can the unity of the West last on the issue of sanctions against Russia against the backdrop of their own internal problems, rising prices, protests, etc.? Peter Koenig: This is another good question. In fact, already now, and since the very beginning of the this insane “sanctions game”, the west is the primary loser. Not Russia, but the west, predominantly Europe, is suffering from their own sanctions. These are sanctions imposed by the US and Europe, the spineless European Union let herself being coerced in repeating them. It is clear that Europe depends much more on Russian vital supply lines – like energy – especially gas – than vice-versa. Germany, for example, depends to at least 50% on Russian gas; and this is a conservative estimate. The rest of Europe also needs Russian gas as a vital energy supply source. The reason for Europe to go along with the “sanctions”, may be a bit more complex than meets the eye. There is a little-known fact, known only to few people: Germany, the lead country in the EU, is by no means free and independent. Germany still lives under an armistice agreement since WWII – no Peace Agreement has ever been granted by the winners of the war, especially the United States. Several attempts by German Chancellors, to break loose from this – we might as well call it slavehood – failed. Washington reacted “no way”, or else….. A case in point is Nord Strom 2. It was killed not by Germany, but by Washington. To the detriment of all of Europe. So far, the EU has followed the shots of her major economic partner. How long they will adhere to this unspoken rule – is anyone’s guess. From my point of view, the breaking point is near. The moment, when Europe has to make her own decisions, independent of the coercion Germany is under. In the meantime, President Putin and his brilliant economic adviser, Sergey Glazyev, have come up with an ingenious solution. Russia will honor her contractual obligations supplying the west with gas – and other hydrocarbons, provided that Russian energy is paid in rubles. Not in US-dollars, not in Euros, but in Russian Rubles. This rule applies to all countries which acquiesced to Washington’s request to dish-out sanctions on Russia, concerning more than 40 countries. See this https://graphics.reuters.com/UKRAINE-CRISIS/SANCTIONS/byvrjenzmve/ . The Ruble-rule has originally created quite some protests and upheavals in Europe, to the point where Mme. Ursula van der Leyen, President of the European Commission (EC), naively called out, this is unacceptable…. Well, its simple. It’s either rubles or no gas. Eventually most countries have accepted the Russian conditions, quietly, no fuss, and especially no western mainstream media coverage. This could become a bonanza for Russia: The Petro-Ruble replacing the faltering Petro-Dollar. It’s very befitting for the west and for the western “sanction-prone” monetary system. More and more countries dare defecting the fiat-money system, for mor stable currencies, like the gold and national economy-backed ruble and Chinese Yuan. Most frauds eventually come to an end. The fiat US-dollar scam has lasted long enough – more than a century, since the fraudulently passed 1913 Federal Reserve Act. Its time that the dollar is being replaced – ringing the world into a more honest, more equitable socioeconomic system. GEOFOR: The United States is increasing its activity in the Pacific region: the AUKUS block, nuclear submarines for Australia, cooperation on hypersonic weapons with the Australians and the British, etc. Does this mean that, on the one hand, Washington is working to weaken Europe and NATO, and on the other hand, it is preparing a new strategic project directed against China and Russia? Peter Koenig: The AUKUS block is an expansion of NATO into the Pacific. Its not a weakening of NATO per se, quite to the contrary. It is meant to further encircle China, via the South China Sea and indirectly Russia. Under this deal Australia would receive from the British war industry nuclear sub-marines – replacing and cancelling a 2016 contract for French submarines. As a byline, according to ABC-Australia new (see this https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-01/cancelled-french-submarine-program-cost-billions/100959082) , the broken submarine contract with France, could cost Australian tax-payers as much as 5 billion dollars. Aukus, is a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, announced on 15 September 2021 for the Indo-Pacific region. Under the pact, the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The pact would essentially expand NATO into the Pacific region. On the other hand, NATO is not intended to be weakened in Europe. Also, to the contrary. While several EU NATO members have quietly started expressing doubts about the usefulness of NATO in times of Peace, the Ukraine-Russia proxy-war has changed the tune. Worldwide highly funded propaganda of Russian aggression, makes “everyone” scramble for more security. European “leaders” (sic) – most of them scholars of Klaus Schwab’s Academy for Young Global Leaders are implanted by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) and its invisible handlers. They will follow their learned script of working towards the Great Reset, a global tyranny, eventually leading to the western dream of a One World Order (OWO), or a Global Governance, led by Washington. That’s their pipedream. In the meantime, NATO in Europe may soon have two new members – if their dream comes through, Sweden and Finland. They are considering applying for NATO membership. Mr. Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary General, has already said, he would favor an accelerated accession, if indeed the two countries would apply. According to Stoltenberg, full membership could be possible by June 2022. Just imagine, Finland that shares a 1,340-kilometre-long border with Russia. Sweden, however, shares no border with Russia, and Sweden and Russia have not been at war with each other for at least the last two centuries. Sweden joining NATO might, therefore, be considered a specially sever act of aggression by Russia. In the case of Finland, if Ukraine is any indication, Russia would most certainly not tolerate another NATO country – Finland – on her doorstep. This could become another point of contention, escalating the war scenario – and again, God-forbid, towards a hot (nuclear?) WWIII scenario. An overwhelming majority of the people in both Finland and Sweden are against their countries’ accession to NATO. For the sake of world piece, we may just hope that the leadership of the two countries listen to their people. Peter Koenig is a geopolitical analyst and a former Senior Economist at the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), where he has worked for over 30 years on water and environment around the world. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for online journals and is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed; and co-author of Cynthia McKinney’s book “When China Sneezes: From the Coronavirus Lockdown to the Global Politico-Economic Crisis” (Clarity Press – November 1, 2020) Peter Koenig is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG). Peter Koenig is also is a non-resident Senior Fellow of the Chongyang Institute of Renmin University, Beijing. Serge Duhanov is a journalist, specializing in international relations and national security issues. Не worked as the NOVOSTI Press Agency's own correspondent in Canada (Ottawa, 1990-1992) and the US Bureau Chief (Washington, 1996-2001) of the newspapers Business MN, Delovoy Mir and Interfax-AiF.