The Democratic National Convention nominates Harris for president, motives behind Indian PM Modi's trip to Kiev and plans for a Russian naval base in Sudan are still on. These stories topped Friday's newspaper headlines across Russia, according to TASS News Agency.
Vedomosti: Democratic National Convention concludes in US
The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where current Vice President Kamala Harris was nominated for president concluded on August 22. Democrat heavyweights such as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, ex-US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as well as incumbent US President Joe Biden, all took to the stage to back Harris in her bid to vanquish Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November election. Throughout the event, the word "enthusiasm" was a recurring theme, as many believe that Harris has managed to reignite excitement among Democrats. According to an August 14 poll by Monmouth University, enthusiasm among Democrats has gone through the roof since June, climbing from 46% back then to 85% today.
One of Harris’ less obvious advantages is her relative inconspicuousness in recent years, Yevgeny Minchenko, head of Minchenko Consulting, said. This low profile makes it tough for Republicans to link her to Biden, while their entire strategy is built on criticizing him.
Still, what effect this will have on ratings or financing going forward is unclear, noted Researcher at the Center for North American Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) Anastasia Bunina. From the moment Harris replaced Biden in the race, she has enjoyed a kind of honeymoon period, but that may fade as the election gets closer. "Over the time left until the election, Harris might say or do something that could dampen the current enthusiasm surrounding her candidacy," the expert thinks.
The growing excitement around Harris’ nomination, including increased donations, is a result of this honeymoon effect, Minchenko concurs. The political consultant stressed that the most important phase of the presidential campaign will begin after the convention.
Indian Prime Minister Sudan will visit Ukraine on Friday on the eve of its Independence Day. This is his first visit after military actions commenced in the country and a month and a half after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. As opposed to Western countries, India does not condemn Russia, urging instead that Moscow and Kiev settle the conflict via dialogue and diplomacy. Since this approach does not suit Washington, it is trying to bring New Delhi over to its side with promises of expanded arms deliveries and cutting-edge technologies.
Many Indian analysts view Modi’s visit to Kiev as a play to repair his image with the West, which took a hit after his trip to Moscow and talks with Putin. This is crucial for New Delhi amid deepening ties with Washington. As a result, India has been cautious about taking on the role of an intermediary on Ukraine. Earlier, India even agreed to serve as a go-between for Putin and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to exchange messages.
Indian diplomats reiterate that New Delhi and Moscow have been close allies since Soviet times, a big reason why India did not condemn Russia for its military operation in Ukraine, calling for Moscow and Kiev to come to the negotiating table to settle their differences instead. It’s also worth noting that after the onset of the special military operation, Russia became India’s main oil supplier.
However, Raja Mohan of the Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore insists that Modi’s main goal is not to play peacemaker between the two sides, but rather to make a good impression on Central European countries. According to Mohan, New Delhi realizes that Washington is the one steering the ship in Kiev and when Putin decides that it is time to hold negotiations on halting combat in Ukraine, he will turn to the US, not some other countries.
Tatyana Shaumyan, head of the Center for Indian Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta: "Modi wants to make sure that he is known not only by Indians but by the entire world. Certainly, he is not opposed to acting as an intermediary on Ukraine. But he realizes that India is not first in line to serve in this role, with China and the US ahead of them. So his task is more modest: to show Germany and other European countries that India takes into account their opinion and position on Ukraine. After all, Europe, which has a large Indian diaspora, is a major trade partner. Additionally, the trip to Ukraine will show the Indian people that Modi is a skilled politician.
Izvestia: Russia poised to establish naval base in Sudan
Plans to establish a Russian naval base on the Sudanese coast are moving forward, the Russian Embassy in the North African country told Izvestia. That said, experts explained that a number of regional players, as well as the US, are not too keen on Russia having a military presence in Sudan, meaning its authorities have to walk a tightrope here, especially amid the ongoing domestic civil conflict.
Military expert Vasily Dandykin explained to Izvestia that Sudan's location makes it strategically advantageous for the Russian Navy to set up a material and technical support center there because of nearby trade routes and the Red Sea.
In his opinion, the US is certainly not crazy about Moscow’s decision to build a naval base in Sudan as it has an interest in maintaining control over the World Ocean.
"The Americans have these bases scattered all over the world. For them, it’s important and justifies the funds spent. They hoped that with the breakup of the Soviet Union no problems would emerge in this regard. But Russia has risen like a phoenix, launching submarines and ships left and right, and building new ones. And such bases may appear in other countries," he concluded.
The establishment of a Russian base in Sudan will immediately change the balance of power in the region, which may ruffle some feathers, said Nikolay Shcherbakov, lead researcher at the Institute of Asia and Africa at Moscow State University.
"To have such a point of power in the Red Sea in the current circumstances is a big deal, especially when Yemeni Houthis could potentially block everything at any moment. But opening a base will be perceived as a demarche of sorts on the part of al-Burhan’s government, signifying that Russia and Sudan have become official allies. This could open a whole can of worms. So they don’t want to play toro with the bull with this base, so to speak, and don’t want to taunt other potentially useful negotiation partners on military and technical aid with this cooperation," he added.
Izvestia: Israel ready to sign deal on Gaza, but Hamas not budging on some non-negotiables
Israel is ready to sign a truce if the US and regional intermediaries can convince Hamas to come to the negotiating table, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Izvestia. However, the Palestinian movement is publicly criticizing the new US ceasefire plan because it does not provide for a complete withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip. Hamas is specifically displeased about the provision of retaining Israeli units on the border.
"Hamas considers any Israeli military presence in the Gaza Strip a dealbreaker for concluding any truce or agreement. Hamas sees a complete pullout of Israeli troops from the enclave as absolutely necessary for any agreement, particularly from the Philadelphi Corridor. And at this time, there are no grounds to think that Hamas is ready to abandon these terms," Grigory Lukyanov, researcher with the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies, told Izvestia.
According to Andrey Baklanov, a professor at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University), the talks are just an internal political instrument for the Israeli prime minister while the prerequisites for any real settlement have not been laid down yet.
"Israel’s authorities, led by Netanyahu, need the negotiations just as a mechanism to delay accountability for actions in the enclave, including Netanyahu’s personal accountability. The talks are a cover for Israel. Even if the sides sign a deal, it will be of an intermediate and humanitarian nature. The real issue lies in the deep-seated differences on major points," he explained.
Kommersant: Cryptocurrency exchanges may appear in Russia
Two cryptocurrency exchanges, one in Moscow and one in St. Petersburg, may appear in Russia. Their main aim would be to support external economic activity. According to lawyers, they are most likely to be created in an experimental legal mode. Experts think that "blue chip" companies will be the first to receive access but the functionality of these exchanges may be quite restricted due to sanctions risks.
A source explained to Kommersant that currently, the talk centers around developing stablecoins. For instance, it is planned to create stablecoins for the yuan and for BRICS currencies in general. The stablecoins, because of their legal nature, are rather a cryptocurrency which presents certain difficulties, both technological in the Russian blockchain and in terms of its convertibility, obtaining liquidity and links to support means, said BitRiver Deputy Director for Communications Oleg Ogiyenko. "There is an opinion that stablecoins are digital financial assets in the terminology of Russian legislation because of the existence of an emission center and an obligor," he added.
At first, the exchanges will be used by a narrow circle of individuals in a test mode, then by major exporters and importers, subsidiaries of "blue chips" and businesses from their close circle, thinks Mikhail Uspensky, member of the Russian State Duma expert council on the legal regulation of cryptocurrencies. According to him, it is unlikely that small and medium-sized enterprises, not to mention private individuals, will gain unhindered access at the beginning stages.
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