WORLD BRIEFING: June 12, 2024

The US has lifted its long-standing ban on weapons supplies and training to Ukraine's Azov brigade, whose origins were mired in controversy over alleged links to far-right groups. A state department spokesman told the BBC a vetting process "found no evidence of gross violations of human rights" by the brigade. The Azov brigade, now a unit within Ukraine's National Guard, hailed the move, saying Russia's "lies... received a devastating blow". Moscow condemned the decision, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying the US was "even prepared to flirt with neo-Nazis" to suppress Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly made false claims about a "neo-Nazi regime" in Kyiv to try to justify first the annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula and backing of pro-Moscow fighters in the east in 2014, and then his full-scale invasion launched in 2022. - BBC

President Biden will arrive in Italy today for the G7 summit — an organization of leaders from some of the world's largest economies — to discuss pressing issues on the global stage. Notably, Pope Francis will become the first pope to participate in the summit when he takes part in a session dedicated to artificial intelligence - CNN

Russian forces targeted Ukraine's Kyiv region with missile and drone attacks overnight, injuring at least one person and damaging several buildings, Ukrainian officials said on June 12. “As a result of falling debris one person was injured…and medical assistance was provided on the spot,” said the head of the regional military administration, Ruslan Kravchenko. A residential house, a gas station, and a garage were damaged by falling debris, which also caused a fire in an industrial facility, he added. - RFE/RL

Hunter Biden has been convicted of all three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018 when, prosecutors argued, the president’s son lied on a mandatory gun-purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. Biden faces up to 25 years in prison, but no sentencing date has been set. Biden said he is grateful for support from family and friends but “disappointed by the outcome.” The president says he’ll accept the outcome and continue to respect the judicial process as his son considers an appeal. - AP

A court in the United States has found multinational fruit company Chiquita Brands International liable for financing a Colombian paramilitary group. The group, the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), was designated by the US as a terrorist organisation at the time. Following a civil case brought by eight Colombian families whose relatives were killed by the AUC, Chiquita has been ordered to pay $38.3m (£30m) in damages to the families. Chiquita said in a statement that it intended to appeal against the jury's verdict, arguing that there was "no legal basis for the claims". The jury in the case, which was heard in a federal court in South Florida, found Chiquita responsible for the wrongful deaths of eight men killed by the AUC. The AUC engaged in widespread human rights abuses in Colombia, including murdering people it suspected of links with left-wing rebels. The victims ranged from trade unionists to banana workers. - BBC

Yesterday, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas spoke at the Ukraine Recovery Conference and was the only senior official to raise the importance of having a robust media sector - saying people need to know it’s not right to steal from the state

Kallas also said: ”We do not have the option to get tired. It is a losing game to build your strategy upon pessimism. Instead, we must continue to set Ukraine’s victory as the goal and believe in it. For that, we must keep up international assistance to Ukraine not only in larger volumes, but also for the long-term. Ukraine must be able to resist the aggressor, both by fighting on the battlefield and by keeping its state and economy running. As we know, Ukraine’s needs for reconstruction are enormous, and Ukraine should not and cannot do it alone. Our message has been clear: ultimately, Russia has to pay for the damages it has caused. That’s not only a moral but also a legal imperative. Estonia’s Parliament recently passed a law allowing the use of Russia’s frozen assets for Ukraine. Hopefully it inspires more to follow. Estonia has committed a total of 1.2 billion euros of assistance to Ukraine from the start of the war until 2027. This includes 316 million for civilian assistance and 900 million for military assistance.“

Russia is issuing visas in huge numbers to “testosterone hooligans” from Asia and Africa who come to Belarus with the intention to ram through the border with Poland. The ultimate aim is to destabilise the EU and to grow support for the far right, who want to destroy the EU - Polish Foreign Minister Radislaw Sikorski. Later, a Poland foreign ministry official told me in May alone some 7000 individuals turned up at Belarus / Poland border. Many have lethal weapons and are apparently trained how to injure and kill. A Polish soldier was stabbed in May by a suspected migrant at the border and died of his injuries

Ukraine’s ongoing energy crisis -brought about by Russian missile strikes on power installations and hydro and thermal power plants -could be a blessing in disguise: it might very well hasten the country’s transition to green energy. Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi told me they’re looking at a cutting edge generation system from Norway to help the city secure a more reliable energy supply.

Separately, Ihor Syrota, CEO of Ukrhydroenergo, told the URC: “We urgently need to protect the sky to restore lost and build new hydropower capacities.” He added: “A year ago, on 6 June, the enemy blown up Kakhovka HPP by means of an internal explosion. In 2022-2024, 118 missile attacks were carried out against other stations. Ukrhydroenergo has no HPPs and PSPPs that have not been damaged. We have lost 45% of Ukraine’s hydrogeneration. The Dnipro HPP decommissioned, but the enemy continues to hit it. This could lead to another environmental disaster.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says he’s having a “sober look” at mobilisation as Ukraine will need people to operate a growing number of weapons. In response to a question from CNN on who will man the incoming kit donated from western allies, he hinted that mobilisation rules need to be changed to deploy more able bodies individuals to the frontline. Zelensky added the country needs a “complex air defence system” given the frequency, sophistication and size of Russian missiles. He added that the upcoming Swiss summit will not bring peace but rather jumpstart a path to peace - and that no one should be allowed to hijack the process. Asked about the estimated one million Ukrainians in Germany, Zelensky said the loss of half of the national generating capacity is a factor but it’s being repaired & updated. “There’s no point trying to motivate people with slogans. I’m sure they’ll come back. We can’t force this but we need help rebuilding”