Avoid being hostage to Putin:
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Wednesday his country could become a hub to export natural gas to European countries that seek to reduce their dependence on Russian energy. “Spain is a solidary country, it’s a responsible country. And we will do everything we can, that’s what I told [Polish] Prime Minister [Mateusz] Morawiecki as well as the EU Commission and member states so that Europe does not become an energy hostage to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Sánchez said at a press conference with his Polish counterpart.
Sánchez said that 30 percent of Europe’s total re-gasification capacity currently resides in Spain, adding that the country has already increased its gas export capacity and was willing to improve it even further.
“Last June, 20 percent of the liquified natural gas imports that arrived in Spain were exported to other countries in the European Union,” Sánchez said, adding that Spain has asked the EU Commission and neighboring countries to increase the capacity for interconnectivity to be able to be better integrated and export more gas to the EU’s energy market.
Read More: https://youthdiplomacyforum.com/2022/07/22/russias-influence-in-ukraine-is-about-to-wane/
Russia-Ukraine War:
Sánchez also said the uncertainty and threat of Russia’s war in Ukraine should be countered by reinforcing the European Union. “Today more than ever, it’s important to stay united around the common values that make up the essence of Europe and that Putin is questioning with his illegal, illegitimate and unjust invasion of Ukraine,” Sánchez said.
Alexander Boykov, the lawyer of WNBA star Brittney Griner — who testified today in a Russian courtroom — said his client’s detention, search and arrest were “improper.” Boykov added that he would go into the details during the closing arguments expected to take place “in a manner of a couple of weeks.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, Griner testified that when she was stopped at the Sheremetyevo airport on Feb. 17 and asked to open her bags, nobody read her rights to her. She added that she signed documents without explaining what was in them. She said no lawyer was present.
The US Basketball Star Griner Says Didn’t Intend To Smuggle Drugs Into Russia:
Following the end of today’s hearing, Griner’s other lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, said, “Brittney testified today. She explained to the court that she knows and respects Russian laws and never intended to break them. She was very stressed and tired because of the post-Covid syndrome, her tight schedule, and the upcoming transatlantic flight and was packing in a hurry.”
“Brittney confirmed that she had a doctor’s prescription for the use of medical cannabis and that in the USA medical cannabis is quite a popular treatment among professional athletes.
She emphasized that she never planned to bring it to Russia and use it. She also told the court that Ekaterinburg became her second home, and she has always enjoyed her time in Russia,” Blagovolina added.
Griner stated she had no intention of breaking the Russian law and that she was in a rush “stress packing.” Asked how she got those cartridges in the US, Griner said she used her medical permit document issued in Arizona to buy marijuana for medical purposes from a pharmacy.
Griner said she had such a bad knee injury that she spent four months in a wheelchair. She said she used medical marijuana when her knee and ankle joint were inflamed.
Griner added she never uses it before tournaments, as it may lead to disqualification.
As Reported by the media team of the Youth Diplomacy Forum
