German Chancellor declares support of anti-Russia sanctions

Germany supports sanctions against Russia, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, adding that restrictive measures should be coordinated.

"We support sanctions against Russia. They should be coordinated (with Ukraine)," she said.

Western countries should maintain the dialogue with Russia, German Chancellor said, adding that it is necessary to observe the Russia-NATO Founding Act.

"As before, we are committed to the Russia-NATO Founding Act," she said, adding that "from the geostrategic viewpoint, Europe cannot be interested in breaking the relationship with Russia.".

Economic sanctions were imposed against Russia on July 31, 2014, after the crash of the Malaysian Boeing flight MH17 over Donbass. Since then, they have been extended every six months in unchanged form. In March 2015, the EU summit decided that sanctions could only be lifted after the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Germany's Merkel Warns U.S. Against Withdrawing From Syria, Afghanistan Last

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that a hasty U.S. pullout from Syria runs the risk of strengthening the roles of Russia and Iran in the Middle East.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on February 16, Merkel questioned whether the planned U.S. withdrawal was "a good idea."

"Will it once more strengthen the capacity of Iran and Russia to exert their influence?" she asked.

She also cautioned against a premature U.S. withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan, saying that NATO's Resolute Support mission in that country was dependent on the U.S. military's commitment.

The German leader also called on Beijing to join the international disarmament process. Earlier this month, the United States announced it was withdrawing from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty after claiming that Russia was violating it. But Washington is also concerned that the treaty restricts U.S. weaponry in Asia, but does not limit those of China.

US killing INF treaty further hampers any hopes of peace

Merkel noted that the INF Treaty was negotiated "essentially for Europe" and that without it, Europe would have to push for future disarmament agreements to ensure its own security.

"Disarmament is something that concerns us all and where we would, of course, be glad if such talks were held not just between the United States, Europe, and Russia, but also with China," she said.

Chinese Politburo member Yang Jiechi told the Munich Conference shortly after Merkel's speech that the INF Treaty should be saved, but that China would not sign it.

"China develops its capabilities strictly in accordance to its defensive needs and doesn't pose a threat to anybody else," Yang said. "So we are opposed to the multilateralization of the INF."

[...]

Speaking as Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko looked on, she said his country would continue to be a transit country for Russian gas even after the pipeline was complete.

Merkel noted that Europe also has enough terminals to receive more liquefied gas from the United States, among other options. "There's nothing that speaks against getting gas from the United States, but to exclude Russia is the wrong strategic signal."

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[...]

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[...]

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While SDF commanders have claimed that they are currently liberating the last village held by jihadists in eastern Syria, hundreds of civilians and former terror group members are fleeing the Daesh-controlled area, with their former lovers not infrequently putting a spoke in their wheels.

Daesh* fighters have shot fleeing families trying to escape from Baghuz, the last remaining Daesh enclave located not far from the border with Iraq in Deir ez-Zor province, according to a coalition commander, British Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika said, cited by British media.

While over 1,500 civilians have fled the last Daesh stronghold in Syria in the last several days, arriving at so-called screening points, where new arrivals are checked by SDF members, hundreds reportedly remain trapped inside. According to Ghika, those "arriving to be screened are the wives of Isis [Daesh] fighters, some of whom sustained gunshot wounds while fleeing from Isis".

Those fleeing, as well as the coalition's efforts to recapture the territory have, meanwhile, been considerably hindered by "tunnels" in the area, "IEDs and suicide cars and bombs that slow down the advance of our forces", said Adnan Afrini, the SDF commander in Baghuz, who portrayed the area surrounding Baghuz as a "rabbit hole":

"There is a network of tunnels that the terrorists are using, and our forces need to clear the tunnels very delicately to avoid counter-attacks and explosives", he said.

The battle to claim victory over the terrorist group's last speck of land is now drawing to an end, Kurdish commanders said, with Mustafa Bali, a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) spokesman, stating that the fighters who remained there appeared to be among the most experienced Daesh elite who continue to fight "fiercely".

Those fleeing, as well as foreign fighters, who along with their families, at some point joined Daesh, are reported to be being intimidated by the terrorist group, which is threatening them with death if they leave the fight:

"They said that the Kurds would humiliate our women, that men would search them. They said we were walking into the jaws of wolves. They intimidated people and we had to be smuggled out. It was very dangerous", said Jumah Hamdi Hamdan, 53, a former Daesh supporter who fled the area together with his family on Saturday.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US-led coalition may finally defeat and declare victory over Daesh in the region in the coming days:

"Our brave warriors have liberated virtually 100 percent of ISIL [territory] in Iraq and Syria... soon it will be announced, soon, maybe over the next week, maybe less, but it will be announced we have 100 percent", he told a rally in the US city of El Paso.

Separately, in December, Trump asserted that the US is altogether pulling its troops out of the region, announcing that Daesh had been "beaten".

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