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The CPUSAs strategy at this moment, in this general point in time, is to strengthen the all-peoples front against the extreme right, at least some of which can be called fascist. When we use the terms people, peoples, and all-peoples front what we used to call popular we are saying this is a multi-class front. Not just the working class.

So our all-peoples front against the extreme right, against a developing fascist movement, is different from a united front against fascism that other left-wing parties call for. Historically, Marxist-Leninists used the term united front to mean the united working class. (Maoists use the term united front the way Leninists use the term popular front and peoples front. And for this reason, the Inside/Outside Project, because it unites some parties and movements from both traditions, uses the term broad democratic front.) We want a united working class to fight the extreme right, but we want much more than that.

We want the working class to lead the all-peoples front. Does it at present? That is debatable. Either way, if the working class does not lead the front, our task is to make it so. Regardless, the front already exists, and it involves or should involve all strata of the working class as well as other working peoples.

Unionized and nonunionized workers

In 2021, 14 million wage and salary workers belonged to unions, a drop of 241,000 from the prior year. The percent of that number in unions (the union membership rate) was 10.3% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Obviously, nonunionized workers far outnumber unionized ones.

Unemployed

They belong to the working class but are a special element of it. I personally know how easy it is to give up hope while unemployed. For a variety of reasons, white unemployed workers might be especially prone to extreme-right ideology.

Farmworkers

These are rural area wage-earning workers, too often neglected because social change movements are concentrated in urban areas. In a typical year, 2.5 million people are wage earners working on farms. About 2 million are employed on crop farms, and about 70% of these workers were born in Mexico (Wilson Center). Thus, the issues of farm workers and immigration rights are tightly interconnected. Farm workers are especially unprotected. Workers employed in agriculture are not eligible for time and a half their regular rates of pay when they work more than 40 hours per week (Department of Labor). (In New York State, the threshold is 60 hours.) So they face especially harsh exploitation.

All-class social movements

Examples are the African American equality movement, struggles for Latino/Hispanic equality, the womens equality organizations, LGBTQ struggles, the youth and student movements, and immigrant rights organizations. Every one of these social movements involves the working class and other classes. These movements are the greatest allies of the working class, and some hold positions more advanced than the programs of some unions. Included are organizations fighting on many fronts as well as single-issue groups.

Farmers and ranchers

In 2017, there were slightly more than 2 million farms and ranches. However, around 85,000 large farms owning 2,000 or more acres comprised nearly 60% of all farmland. There were only around 275,000 small farms owning 1 to 10 acres, and that represented just one-tenth of 1% of all farmland (CNBC).

Small business owners

The U.S. Small Business Administrations Office of Advocacy defines a small business as one employing fewer than 500 employees. There are nearly 32 million of them, but 81% (25.7 million) have no employees.

Given the level of development of socialist and progressive forces and the balance of forces, the all-peoples front also includes some elements of the capitalist class. After all, in this current period, we are attempting to stop the development of fascism; we are not launching an anti-monopoly coalition or attempting to overthrow capitalism. This does not mean that all the peoples victories are only defensive. It does mean that we are by no means in a general anti-capitalist phase.

The strike waves of the last two years; the unprecedented Black Lives Matter demonstrations; progressive electoral victories here and there, especially in the Deep South and other deep red regions: these and other victories are part of the all-peoples front. From my vantage point, the danger is to misinterpret these actions as evidence that something more advanced has superseded the all-peoples front.

When writing about the 1905 Democratic Revolution and the Russian Social-Democratic Labor Party (which became the Communist Party of that country), Lenin wrote, a Social-Democratic Party which operates in a bourgeois society cannot take part in politics without marching, in certain cases, side by side with bourgeois democracy (Two Tactics). When he wrote that, Russia had revolutionary and republican capitalists on one side, and liberal and monarchist capitalists on the other. His Bolshevik wing of the Russian party sometimes marched in parallel with the first group but did not merge into it.

This necessity of sometimes working alongside some elements of the capitalist class but not becoming engulfed by it stands true even in countries with a long democratic history (however limited that democracy has been). This is especially so right now in the U.S. because of our currently very limited trade union movement and our small organized left.

The two-party system is an additional force throwing the organized left into the world of capitalist politics. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have ever challenged capitalist rule in America, though the Democrats have a progressive and socialist wing and the Republicans have become dangerously reactionary. Socialist parties that stand aloof have much more limited contact and influence with mass movements in our country. If we feel the pain of workers and oppressed people, then we must conclude that it is a position of privilege to merely stand on the sidelines and only bark about what is wrong. Workers and especially oppressed people deserve solutions, and we must be part of the movements to remedy our societys wrongs. Right now, not in the distant future.

Yes, the various elements of the front unite based on common issues. However, in our political system, this will always boil down to this or that candidate, since practically every election involves a single-member district. Which given candidate in a given electoral district supports most of the issues that progressives favor?

One cannot be a dialectical and historical materialist and ignore the two-party reality of today. Then theres the anti-democratic nature of the Senate, in which the Democratic Party represents 41.5 million more people than the Republican Party, yet holds the same number of seats. Add to this the filibuster, and we have a situation in which the country is ruled by a minority that routinely blocks popular legislation. Democratic Party Senators Joe Manchin (W. Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) were able to sabotage President Bidens plans for two reasons: 1) The Democrats control the Senate only via Vice President Kamala Harriss tiebreaker role, and 2) the Republican Party, including the Never Trumpers, has been the Party of No since President Obama.

Wishing we had a massive left-wing party in a parliamentary system, or something even better, is an idealist waste of time. We must look at where reality is today and strategize on how to make it much better. Some democratic reforms could make critical differences. Included on this list would be expanding voting rights, creating independent redistricting commissions, eliminating the Electoral College, and reversing Citizens United some of those demands are herculean and will require Democratic supermajorities in the Capitol and many state capitals. Standing to the side and lecturing people in struggle about how terrible the situation is, but refusing to help elect candidates who pledge to make better laws, does not begin to do enough.

It also ignores what the Party program correctly points out: The Democratic Party has been the main vehicle used by African American and Latino communities to gain representation, as well as the main mechanism used to elect labor, progressive, and even left activists to public office, especially at the local level. African American, Latino, Native American, and Asian people have more reason than any social group to give up. Yet their leaders and organizations have not done so and are still fighting like mad. How dare any left political party or movement tell them they are wrong.

Unions have not had the support of the federal government for several generations. And most states have been hostile, not supportive. Yet unions and their leaderships have also not given up. When I hear left-wing nonprofit organizations and leaders tell trade unionists that they are wasting their time by supporting less-than-socialist candidates in the Democratic Party, I get a visceral reaction, an instinctive repulsion.

Indeed, the all-class nature of the all-peoples front is especially evident in our electoral system. When most or all campaigns are non-ending, with essentially unlimited spending, many elections must involve at least some capitalist funding, especially on the level of governor, other state-wide offices, the U.S. Senate, and increasingly so members of the U.S. House. And without debate, capitalists are highly involved in our presidential elections.

The few socialist legislators serving in Washington, D.C., and Albany, NY, who refuse all capitalist contributions are the exception some capitalist funding goes to nearly every progressive legislator.

Communist candidates cannot accept money from billionaires and monopolies. But we cant impose our position on every progressive and left-of-center liberal candidate. If we do, we will end up with only a few candidates to support. The task of halting the extreme right requires a much broader electoral front. How does our Party march side by side with antiextreme-right elected officials from a capitalist party? Primarily through the mass movements, nearly all of which are involved in every election we have.

Our tactics must jibe with our strategy. What exactly do we mean by tactics? Lenin answered, By the Partys tactics we mean the Partys political conduct, or the character, direction, and methods of its political activity (Two Tactics). At the least, we must not be sectarian. Instead, we should be broad in our approach. We should not hammer on the shortcomings of elements of the all-peoples front. Many forces of the front do that already; there is no need for us to pile on. Communists, more than any other political force, must work to build up the coalitions involved.

This is true especially after primary elections are over and voters face the choice of a decent liberal candidate or an extreme rightist. Harsh criticism of a Democratic candidate, who will either defeat or lose to an extreme-right Republican, serves no positive purpose. Some on the left think they must cleanse their brains and souls by telling the masses how flawed the better candidate is. In an age of rampant misinformation, which hits people from many sides, this is an especially poor tactic. Nearly half of the population gets its news sometimes or often from social media (most likely Facebook) (Pew Research). Watch segments from the three cable news networks Fox, Newsmax, and One America News. See which stories they pound on and which they ignore, and you will learn why some voters have no idea of where progressives truly stand. In such a world of misinformation, we must keep things straightforward when talking to voters.

Avoiding harsh criticism of Democrats in general election time periods is particularly difficult for parties and movements that back social democratic/democratic socialist candidates and the most progressive of the rest. These candidates are winning primaries nearly exclusively in the darkest blue districts. So during their campaigns, there are contrasts only with other Democrats and not the extreme-right Republicans. Sometimes, there seems to be an inability to turn off such criticism after primary season has ended. On a federal level are the examples of Bernie Sanderss voters who couldnt bring themselves to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016 or Joe Biden in 2020.

That objective situation produces an ironic outcome: corporate Democrats take all the heat, and Republicans, regardless of party faction, are rarely mentioned. I am on email lists of several social change organizations working to elect democratic socialist and progressive legislators. I have yet to see a critique of Republicans from two of them. I am guessing these two organizations are in large company with other social change movements.

Leftists who tell people to not bother voting, that voting is a waste of time, are committing terrible errors. The extreme right is expending vast amounts of time, energy, and money trying to limit voting rights, to minimize or eliminate democracy. That alone should tell progressives and leftists to fight like hell to expand the electorate, to never counsel people to not vote. Electoral struggle is a necessary path of struggle.

We must avoid getting a contact high by surrounding ourselves with only like-minded activists. Instead, I prescribe sobriety tests by working with the people. Some of the general mass of voters are deeply confused by primary elections. I know this because when I do mass work for general elections, I sometimes hear, But I already voted this year. And the statements are not coming from early voters. We must accept the reality that many voters do not understand the basic civics of the primary versus the general.

In my mass work for the Working Families Party, when attempting to gather signatures to place candidates on the WFP line, some WFP-registered voters tell me they are registered with the Democrats and not the WFP. They are wrong, and I know it, because my information is from the Board of Elections. Meaning, these people have never voted in a primary. Otherwise, they would have learned at their polling sites that they were not eligible to vote in the Democratic Party primary since they were registered with the WFP. This is not, by any means, to pick on the WFP. I think the mass movements especially need to clarify this to Democratic Party voters, elements of which constitute the major pillars of the future anti-monopoly coalition.

This is the reality of where things stand. Lenin told us that scientific thinking demands that account should be taken of all the forces, groups, parties, classes and masses operating in a country. He added that policy should not be determined by mere desires and views, and by the degree of class consciousness and readiness of the most advanced group or party (Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder). We must heed his advice. The all-peoples front against the extreme right is the strategy to bring us forward.

The opinions of the author do not necessarily reflect the positions of the CPUSA.

Images: Top, Indivisible (Facebook); Farmworker, United Farm Workers (Facebook); Rev. Raphael Warnock campaigning for Senate (Facebook); Amazon Labor Union activists, ALU (Facebook); Poor Peoples Campaign march, PPC (Facebook); I voted, Daniel Parks (CC BY-NC 2.0).

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As the far right grows, so should the all-people's front - Communist Party USA

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a media conference after a meeting of the College of Commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels on Friday. Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP hide caption

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a media conference after a meeting of the College of Commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels on Friday.

BRUSSELS The European Union's executive arm on Friday recommended making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, a first step on what was expected to be a long road for the war-torn country to join the 27-nation bloc.

The European Commission delivered its proposal to award Ukraine candidate status after a fast-tracked analysis of answers to a questionnaire. The Ukrainian government applied for EU membership less than a week after Russia invaded the country.

"Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective," commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. "We want them to live with us, the European dream."

The leaders of the bloc's existing members are scheduled to discuss the recommendation during a summit next week in Brussels. The European Commission's endorsement, while a strong sign of solidarity with Ukraine, is likely to take years or even decades to materialize into EU membership.

Along with Ukraine, the European Commission also recommended giving neighboring Moldova EU candidate status. The commission also reviewed Georgia's application but said the Caucasus nation first needs to fulfill a number of conditions.

Adding new members requires unanimous approval from all existing EU member nations. They have expressed differing views on how quickly to add Ukraine to their ranks. Ukraine's bid received a boost when the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the country Thursday and vowed to back its candidacy.

To be admitted, potential newcomers need to demonstrate that they meet EU standards on democratic principles and they must absorb about 80,000 pages of rules covering everything from trade and immigration to fertilizer and the rule of law.

Before Russia's war in Ukraine, the European Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms.

"Yes, Ukraine deserves a European perspective. It should be welcomed as a candidate country, on the understanding that important work remains to be done," von der Leyen said Friday. "The entire process is merits-based. It goes by the book and therefore, progress depends entirely on Ukraine."

Ukraine currently has has an association agreement with the EU, which is aimed at opening Ukraine's markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Von der Leyen said that due to the 2016 agreement, "Ukraine has already implemented roughly 70% of the EU rules, norms and standards."

"It is taking part in many important EU programs," she continued. "Ukraine is a robust parliamentary democracy. It has a well-functioning public administration that has kept the country running even during this war."

Von der Leyen said the country should continue to make progress in the fields of rule of law and fighting corruption. She also cited the need to speed up the selection of high court judges.

Expediting Ukraine's application by declaring it an official candidate would challenge the EU's normal playbook for adding members. The degree to which Ukraine's request for a fast-track accession represents a change in the EU's standard operating procedure is evident from the experiences of other aspiring members.

Turkey, for example, applied for membership in 1987, received candidate status in 1999, and had to wait until 2005 to start talks for actual entry. Six so-called Western Balkan countries Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo have been in the EU waiting line for decades, and only Serbia and Montenegro have the candidate status that was proposed for Ukraine.

At their June 23 summit, EU heads of state and government therefore face a delicate balancing act: signaling to Ukraine that the door is ajar while reassuring other aspiring members and some of the bloc's own citizens that they aren't showing favoritism to Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday he was grateful to the European Commission's recommendation to put his country and Moldova on the membership path. He called it "the first step on the E.U. membership path that'll certainly bring our victory closer."

Zelenskyy added that he "expected a positive result" from the EU summit in Brussels.

Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy said it was in all of Europe's interest to see that Moscow is defeated in his country.

Speaking at an annual discussion forum in North Macedonia, Zelenskyy said that Russian's actions even before the war have "challenged every nation on the continent, every region of Europe."

"Today, there is not a single country left in Europe that would not have suffered from at least one of the many manifestations of Russian anti-European policies," he said.

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Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade.

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Commission recommends making Ukraine a candidate for European Union membership - NPR

Despite the growing deficit in multilateralism, exacerbated by the rise in power political competition, the European Union remains mobilized to work closely with the United Nations, which has kept functioning even at the height of the cold war, the blocs foreign affairs chief told the Security Council today.

The multilateral system is under pressure like never before, observed Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, noting that the bloc, with multilateralism in its DNA, has invested in the United Nations both politically and financially. Bloc members back United Nations initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement on climate change and work on human rights, he added.

However, with the return of power politics, the deficit in multilateralism has deepened, he said. The Russian Federations war against Ukraine has compounded global problems, with tens of thousands of dead and over 5million refugees the fastest growing refugee crisis since the Second World War. This is not a European war, he declared, adding: This is an attack on the foundations of the UN and this Security Council, by a permanent member of the Council.

The European Union is fully mobilized to keep Ukraine economically afloat and militarily able to defend its people, he continued, stressing that bloc sanctions are not the cause of food shortages and target only the Kremlins ability to finance the military aggression not the conduct of legitimate trade.

Elsewhere in the world, the European Union continues to help prevent and solve conflicts and crises, he noted. Over 4,000people are deployed by the European Union in 18crisismanagement missions and operations on three continents, always working in close cooperation with the United Nations, including operations in the Mediterranean, off the Somali coasts and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the ensuing discussion, members stressed the importance of the United Nations-European Union partnership, outlining the blocs contribution to the world bodys initiatives, including peacekeeping, sustainable development, climate action and human rights. They also exchanged views on the European and global security arrangement, as well as European Union sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Albanias Foreign Minister, Olta Xhaka, said Moscows aggression poses a challenge to the values of freedom, democracy and justice that bind Europeans together, pointing out that increased insecurity will always result in increased defence spending, which could lead to a decrease in investments in other areas, such as innovation, education and public services. She also noted that Western Balkan States made a choice to invest in their future for more development, increased security and stronger institutions accountable to their citizens. This is the value of European Union enlargement, she stressed.

Frances delegate highlighted the European Unions contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping, noting that the blocs member States collectively deploy nearly 5,300personnel in those missions around the world, also paying tribute to 683European personnel who were killed in these operations since1948. She added that Brussels sanctions have only one objective to bring Moscow back to adherence to the Charter of the United Nations.

Echoing that, the representative of the United States said the European Union clearly demonstrated its support of the values of the Charter through its actions to uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity after the Russian Federations unjust, unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine.

However, the Russian Federations representative refuted such claims, reporting that the relations between the European Union and his country have now completely collapsed, as the bloc adopted a policy of strategically pressing his country out of Europe. Despite his countrys warnings, the Union went down a path towards the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) and undertook geopolitical absorption of space around it, pitting the East against the West. It also adopted a policy of transforming the economic alliance into a military and political one. Given the obvious hostility of the Union towards his country, the Kremlin has no choice but to reconsider basic approaches to the development of relations with the bloc.

Injecting an African perspective, Gabons representative highlighted the importance of burden-sharing in crisis management and said the partnership between the United Nations and the European Union is illustrated in Africa, where the two bodies work side by side in Somalia, Central African Republic and Libya. In Africa, security risks flowing from repeated abuses by extremist groups undermine shared values of liberty and democracy, he said, voicing support for trilateral cooperation among the African Union, European Union and the United Nations.

Chinas delegate urged the European Union to play an active role in international relations by resisting the revival of confrontation by camps and blocs, respect the legitimate security concerns of all countries and help establish balanced, sustainable global and regional security mechanisms. He also called on the bloc to be more attentive to the needs of developing countries and increase donations to the United Nations humanitarian and development work.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Ghana, Mexico, Ireland, Norway, India, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Kenya and the United Kingdom.

The meeting began at 10:03a.m. and ended at 12:16p.m.

Briefing

JOSEP BORRELL, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, in its capacity as an observer, via video-teleconference, recalled that the United Nations was created 72years ago to prevent war, build global cooperation, safeguard the sovereign equality of all and protect the rights of both States and people. Gradually, the Organization developed into a system of rules, norms and organizations addressing the full range of international relations. Even at the height of the cold war, the United Nations kept functioning. All States, no matter their size or political orientation, committed to respect international law and core principles, above all the non-use of force in international relations. For its part, the European Union with multilateralism in its DNA, has invested in the United Nations both politically and financially. Bloc members back United Nations initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement on climate change and work on human rights, among others.

However, the multilateral system is under pressure like never before, he observed. Science and technology are advancing, but diplomacy and rule-making are not or not enough. With the rise in power political competition, the deficit in multilateralism he talked about at last years briefing has since worsened. The Russian Federations war against Ukraine has amplified these problems, with tens of thousands of dead and over 5million refugees the fastest growing refugee crisis since the Second World War. But, make no mistake; this is not a European war. This is an attack on the foundations of the UN and this Security Council, by a permanent member of the Council, he declared.

The European Union is fully mobilized to keep Ukraine economically afloat and militarily able to defend its people, its territorial integrity and its democracy, he continued, calling on every United Nations member, big and small, to help Ukraine by doing the same. In the face of aggression, no one can be neutral. No one can live safely in a world where the illegal use of force is normalized or tolerated. This war is sending ripple effects throughout the world and has compounded a pre-existing food crisis with yields already suffering because of climate change. The Russian Federation is blocking at least 20million tons of Ukrainian grain that cannot reach global markets. That is the equivalent of 300massive ships that should be docking at ports all over the world. Instead, Moscow is bombing Ukraines ports, infrastructure and farmland. Indeed, just after President Vladimir V. Putin spoke with the Chair of the African Union, Russian forces bombed Ukraines second largest grain silo in Mykolaiv.

The bloc fully supports United Nations efforts to re-open Ukraines ports and resume deliveries of grain to the world, he stated. Team Europe stands by its partners and supports the United Nations role, including the Global Crisis Response Group. The European Union has already increased its support for some of the most affected regions, pledging 1billion for the Sahel and Lake Chad regions and over 600million for the Horn of Africa. Rejecting the Russian Federations disinformation, he pointed out that European Union sanctions are not the cause of food shortages. They target the Kremlins ability to finance the military aggression not the conduct of legitimate trade. These sanctions do not prohibit the import and transportation of Russian agricultural goods, nor for fertilizers, nor for payment for such Russian exports. Furthermore, European Union financial sanctions only apply on the blocs territory.

The European Union continues to help prevent and solve conflicts and crises around the world, he noted. Over 4,000 people are deployed by the European Union in 18crisis management missions and operations on three continents, always working in close cooperation with the United Nations, including operations in the Mediterranean, off the Somali coasts and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also outlined how the European Union engages in other places, including Syria, Iran, the Sahel, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Myanmar, Yemen and Venezuela.

Statements

OLTA XHAKA, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania and Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity, noted that the unprovoked, unjustified war in Ukraine has entered its fourth month. Its consequences are not only felt in Ukraine; it has also seriously affected global trade and induced sharp food insecurity worldwide. Further, she stressed that this aggression poses a challenge to the values of freedom, democracy and justice that bind Europeans together. Underscoring the need to keep trade open for food, fuel and fertilizer, she called for an immediate end to the blockade of Ukrainian ports. She also pointed out that increased insecurity will always result in increased defence spending, which could lead to a decrease in investments in other areas such as innovation, education and public services.

She went on to say that the European Union is a central actor in global political, development and humanitarian issues. It is the largest financial contributor to the United Nations not only to the regular budget, but also to official development assistance(ODA) and peacekeeping missions projecting its humanitarian, development and conflict-resolution actions worldwide. This is particularly important for Western Balkan States, all involved in various stages of Euro-Atlantic cooperation. Such States have made that choice to invest in their future for more development, increased security and stronger institutions accountable to their citizens. This is the value of European Union enlargement, she stressed, adding a call for the bloc to speed up its efforts to facilitate dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, which should lead to mutual recognition.

NATHALIE BROADHURST ESTIVAL (France) highlighted the European Unions contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping, noting that the blocs member States collectively represent the second-largest share of the peacekeeping budget and deploy nearly 5,300personnel in those missions. Since1948, 683European personnel were killed in these operations. The European Union is present on all fronts, deeply engaged in the Sahel, off Libyan shores, Somalia, Gaza, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mozambique. Since the start of the Russian Federation aggression, the bloc has mobilized more than 4.6billion to help Ukraine. European Union sanctions have only one objective, which is to bring Moscow back to adherence to the Charter of the United Nations. The fight against terrorism cannot serve as a pretext for non-compliance with international humanitarian and human rights laws. Also expressing concern about disinformation in cyberspace, she stressed the need to apply the human rights-based approach to the governance of the digital space.

RICHARD M. MILLS, JR. (United States) welcomed the European Unions significant security engagement in Africa, where 11of its current 18missions are either in or off the coast of the continent. Further, the European Union clearly demonstrated its support of the values of the Charter through its actions to uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity after the Russian Federations unjust, unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine. The Russian Federations actions are spiking global food insecurity. International sanctions do not target agricultural exports, despite that countrys misinformation suggesting otherwise and European Union efforts to address this crisis are welcomed. He also noted that Ukraines European Union neighbours have opened their borders to refugees, spotlighting the blocs temporary protection directive that affords social and protection benefits to all fleeing the conflict. Recalling the High Representatives words regarding statements suggesting that all sides bear responsibility for the conflict, he said that such statements may be diplomatically clever but are morally indefensible.

DAI BING (China) said that, amid the complicated changes to the international landscape, his country supports the United Nations-European Union partnership. The bloc should take the lead in upholding the principles of the Charter and observing international law and universally recognized norms for international relations. It should also respect the sovereignty and political independence of States, as well as non-interference in domestic affairs. As well, it should play an active role in international relations by resisting the revival of confrontation by camps and blocs under the banner of multilateralism. Humanity is an indivisible security community, he stressed, urging the bloc to respect the legitimate security concerns of all countries and help establish a balanced sustainable global and regional security mechanisms. He called on the European Union to be more attentive to the needs of developing countries and increase donations to the United Nations humanitarian and development work.

HAROLD ADLAI AGYEMAN (Ghana) welcomed the European Unions new consensus on the role of development cooperation which has strengthened the nexus among security, development and humanitarian aid, adding his hope it will have a transformative impact on fragile situations in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. The Sahel region has become a breeding ground for terrorists and violent extremists who are making in-roads into other parts of Africa, he said, welcoming renewed commitment in support of the counter-terrorism efforts in the region, among other efforts. Also acknowledging cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations in Syria, Yemen and Myanmar, to name a few, he encouraged an enhanced partnership of the European Union in the Middle East Quartet for a negotiated solution to the Question of Palestine. He also noted that the war against Ukraine has created Europes worst security and humanitarian crisis since the end of the Second World War. The ramifications of the war on the rest of the world have been severe, with millions of people experiencing new levels of food insecurity, rising cost of living across the world, and widespread sociopolitical instability in several countries. The war in Ukraine must stop, he stressed, urging support for the bloc in exploring solutions to the supply chain disruptions for food, energy and global financing as a result of the war.

JUAN RAMN DE LA FUENTE RAMREZ (Mexico) pointed out that, while the affront to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity generated a strong cohesion within the European Union, the military escalation did not generate conditions to reduce tensions or establish a possible ceasefire. He expressed hope that all available dialogue and mediation tools are used to move towards a negotiated solution. Mexico shares the principles of the Charter with the European Union and all Member States, since all agreed to respect them without exception, he said. He also stressed that it is also essential to share in efforts to mitigate the multiple consequences triggered by the conflict in Ukraine. The global increase in food prices and resulting food insecurity has a greater effect on developing countries which do not have the resources to respond. Further, 19of the 69economies identified as being at the greatest food risk because of the crisis are in the Latin America and Caribbean region. He expressed hope that agreement on an exit route for grain can be reached with the necessary urgency and that, when the time is right, the Council will speak with a single voice.

GERALDINE BYRNE NASON (Ireland) stressed that the European Unions strategic partnership with the United Nations is a cornerstone for the blocs policy and actions in support of international peace and security. A key priority for the European Union-United Nations partnership must continue to be on United Nations missions and operation transitions, ensuring that any reconfiguration takes place in a responsible, planned and gender-responsive manner. She also underlined the need to ensure addressing climate-related security risks in the prevention and peacebuilding work across the European Union and the United Nations. Noting that the bloc is the worlds leading humanitarian and development assistance donor and a key partner to the Organization in crisis management, she stressed that both now have a crucial role to play in ensuring a rapid and effective response to the deepening global food security crisis driven by Russian Federations senseless war in Ukraine. There are around 20million metric tons of grain trapped in Ukraine, she noted, stressing that European Union sanctions do not affect the trading of food, between the Russian Federation and third countries. She also noted that, the bloc and its member States are making an overall contribution of more than 5billion in humanitarian and development assistance for global food security, up until2024.

TRINE HEIMERBACK (Norway) pointed out that the war against Ukraine has caused the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War and is threatening global food security. She commended the European Unions leading role in Europes response to the Russian Federations attack, and for defending fundamental global principles and international law. The [European Union] has played a historically important role in transforming Europe from a continent of war to a continent. Now, when peace again is broken in Europe, we need a strong [European Union], she said. She went on to note that EUFOR Altheas contribution to maintaining peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina is vital, as is the blocs commitment to the peace and security architecture on the African continent, including through the African Union Mission to Somalia(AMISOM), African Union Transition Mission in Somalia(ATMIS) and the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel). She also spotlighted its leading role in the fight against climate change and its action plan on women, peace and security. The Russian Federations war on Ukraine has consequences way beyond European soil, she said, calling for rapid global action to increase food security, and to prevent the threat of a worldwide wave of hunger.

VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) said that, with each passing year, the European Unions global policies depart from the post-war ideals of its founding fathers. Further, the relations between the Union and his country have now completely collapsed, he said, blaming Brussels. Sharing the vision for a common European future, the Russian Federation, in1994, signed an agreement on partnership and cooperation with the European Union, which Moscow implemented. Citing the Charter for European Security, which enshrines, among others things, the principle of indivisible security and the 2005road map setting out that Russian Federation-European Union cooperation aimed at contributing to the establishment of a greater Europe without dividing lines, he noted: There were hopes that this will permanently end geopolitical competition in Europe, he said, Rather, it quickly became clear that the ideals of the blocs founding fathers were consigned to the past.

The bloc, instead, embraced a policy of strategically pressing the Russian Federation out of Europe, he pointed out. Despite his countrys warnings, the Union adopted a path towards the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) and undertook geopolitical absorption of space around it, pitting the East against the West. It also adopted a policy of transforming the economic alliance into a military and political one, including recent calls by the Polish leadership to build a defence system in Europe targeted at the Russian Federation. In addition, the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union required Ukraine to break ties with the Russian Federation. The European Union and the United States staged an anti-constitutional coup that started a bloody civil war in Ukraine, which has lasted the past eight years. In addition, the Union turned a blind eye to violations by the Kyiv regime in Donbas of the Minsk agreements. Given the obvious hostility of the European Union towards the Russian Federation, his country has no choice but to reconsider basic approaches to the development of relations with the bloc, describing it as degenerating into NATOs geopolitical shadow.

MICHEL XAVIER BIANG (Gabon), highlighting the importance of international burden-sharing for crisis management, said that the partnership between the United Nations and the European Union is illustrated in Africa, where the two bodies work side by side in Somalia, Central African Republic and Libya. In Africa, security risks flowing from repeated abuses by extremist groups undermine shared values of liberty and democracy. He voiced his support for trilateral cooperation among the African Union, European Union and United Nations. He further called for strengthened dialogue between the African Unions Peace and Security Council and the European Unions Political and Security Committee, noting that, while Africa must provide African solutions to African challenges, the support of international partners is necessary for more effective action. The increasingly regional nature of crises calls for the United Nations to be better connected to realities on the ground, he added, stating that the involvement of regional actors allows for more effective stabilization processes and a better understanding of persistent threats.

RAVINDRA RAGUTTAHALLI (India) noted that, in the Balkans, the European Union is at the forefront in promoting economic prosperity and peace. It is also an important member of the Quartet in the Middle East Peace Process and in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The role of the bloc has also been growing in Africa, alongside the African Union and League of Arab States, with complementary efforts addressing conflict resolution and security challenges, including terrorism. As well, the European Union has a critical role to play in addressing challenges to the security environment. However, it is also natural to expect the bloc to do much more to advance the comprehensive reform agenda of global multilateral architecture, including in the Security Council. Stressing that the Ukraine conflict is having a destabilizing effect with broader regional and global implications, he called for the European Union to play a leading role in alleviating the adverse impact the crisis on people living in vulnerable countries and further urged it to step up efforts to make the fight against terrorism a collective one fought with zero tolerance and without any double speak.

MOHAMED ABUSHAHAB (United Arab Emirates) cited the European Unions contributions to peace and stability in the wider European region, facilitating the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, as well as implementation of the Dayton Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina through EUFOR-Althea. Noting more than a quarter of Ukraines population remains displaced and nearly 5 million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded across Europe, he commended the blocs work in assisting countries hosting those fleeing their homes in search of safety. In the meantime, its support to humanitarian organizations and civilians in need with 373million in assistance has been a crucial lifeline for civilians. He further highlighted financial support for the World Food Programme(WFP) cash-assistance programme, as developing countries face new pressures due to increases in the price of basic food materials. Welcoming the donation of more than 400million doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility as part of the European Union member States deliveries of more than 1.4billion doses worldwide, he nonetheless affirmed that the pandemic is ongoing, and the bloc and other key donors must work to ensure that vaccine equity is achieved across the globe.

RONALDO COSTA FILHO (Brazil) noted that the European Union has launched 37Common Security and Defence Policy missions since2003, with 211ongoing civilian missions and 7military missions/operations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He also highlighted the blocs commitment to the Western Balkans, especially in facilitating dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina although the Brussels Dialogue still seeks to achieve a comprehensive normalization of relations, an objective of paramount importance to the stability of the region. As well, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo Mission also contributes to the stability in that territory, while in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the bloc launched the military Operation Althea, following the decision by NATO to hand over its own peacekeeping mission in the country in2004. Calling for European Union missions to always be aligned with the mandates established by the Council and the principles enshrined in the Charter, he urged the bloc to consider in advance the possible unintended consequences of unilateral measures, such as sanctions.

JAYNE TOROITICH (Kenya), drawing attention to the European Unions historical strong partnership with the African Union and its subregional organizations, welcomed the outcomes of the sixth European Union-African Union Summit in February, which focuses on commitments to combat instability, radicalization and terrorism. Similarly, support for African-led peace support operations was demonstrated during the recent reconfiguration of AMISOM to ATMIS. These collaborative efforts have also been instrumental in facilitating Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) initiatives, including the South Sudan peace process. She called for support for adequate training, capacitybuilding and equipment to scale up autonomous peace operations of African defence and security forces, African-led Peace Support Operations and for ongoing discussions on the use of assessed contributions for operations authorized by the Council. While the international community must make active use of efforts by regional and subregional organizations, the principle of national ownership and priority for regional leadership should remain the guiding pillar in maintenance of international peace and security.

BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom) noted that 2022has been a challenging year for Europe, the international community, United Nations, the multilateral system and the rules-based international norms due to the Russian Federations illegal, unprovoked war in Ukraine. She welcomed the positive role played by the European Union and other regional organizations in promoting diplomacy and multilateralism and in supporting the Security Council on matters of international peace and security. The United Kingdom supports an outward-looking European Union, she said, praising the blocs efforts towards restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, its partnership with the African Union, its contributions to United Nations peacebuilding and its efforts in the Western Balkans. Seven months have passed since the 2021United Nations climate change conference, and the European Union and the United Kingdom are coordinating efforts to deliver a net-zero climate-resilient transition. At a time of global instability with increasing inflation, debt and food insecurity she said that the bloc and her country are united in their determination to deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Mr. BORRELL, taking the floor a second time, echoed the words of many speakers particularly Ghana, Gabon and Kenya who highlighted the important role of regional and subregional organizations in addressing global challenges. He also agreed with Chinas representative regarding avoiding a world organized around opposing blocs, as this would breed greater insecurity. He welcomed the representative of Indias comments on the Indo-Pacific strategy. Turning to Ukraine, he thanked the Russian Federations representative for lecturing him on the historical role of the European Union and how it was conceived by its founding fathers. However, he noted: I think I have better interpreters of my history. The European Union is not a military union, but it cannot be indifferent to what is happening in its neighbourhood and the aggression from which Ukraine one of its most important partners is suffering. While the causes of the war can be endlessly discussed, one thing is clear: there are Russian troops in Ukraine, but there are no Ukrainian troops in the Russian Federation, making the aggressor clear. He urged concentrated efforts to avoid the next step of this drama a big wave of hunger in the world which will happen if the Russian Federation continues blocking the export of wheat from Ukraine. It is not the European Union who is blocking these exports or bombing the storage of wheat, he added.

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European Union Committed to Partnership with United Nations Despite Regional Conflicts, Bloc's High Representative Tells Security Council | Meetings...

Throughout the entire Cold War and in the decades since, Russia was a stable supplier of gas to Europe. That changed this week.

Russia slashed gas supplies in apparent retaliation over Europe's support for Kyiv. After its biggest moves yet to use energy as a weapon, gas rationing in the region is now a very real prospect. The squeeze caused prices to surge, added pressure to the region's economy and could strain European solidarity - all victories for the Kremlin that came as European leaders underlined support for Ukraine during a high-profile trip to the country.

With European utilities forced to tap reserves intended to cover needs for the winter, government controls of gas distribution could start within months. If Russia completely shuts its main link, the region could run out of supplies by January, according consultant Wood Mackenzie Ltd.

The heightened alarm was triggered after the Kremlin cut flows by about 60% through the Nord Stream pipeline, which pumps gas straight to Germany. The diminished deliveries had a knock-on effect for France, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Germany's Uniper SE, the biggest buyer of Russian gas in Europe, is receiving 60% less gas than ordered. Italy's Eni SpA received just half of its requested volumes from state-owned Gazprom PJSC on Friday, and France's Engie SA and Austria's OMV AG have been hit as well.

President Vladimir Putin upended decades of reliable energy relations by gradually curbing supplies in small steps.

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Gas rationing now a real prospect for the European Union - Economic Times

The EuroHPC Joint Unit initiative in the European Union recently allowed for the deployment of LUMI, the continent's first pre-exascale system that will integrate next-gen technology from AMD. This initiative and involvement with AMD will allow for a quantum-ready system to be designed with carbon-negative manufacturing and enable the globe to move closer to post-exascale computing in the European Union.

Jlich's Supercomputing Centre in Germany will be the installation home for JUPITER, with over $522 million to be spent on installation, hardware, and infrastructure, with the European Union funding the costs. The expected completion and full operation timeframe will be in 2024 when the system begins to process over a trillion operations per second.

JUPITER will allow researchers to study climate modeling, engineering of materials, sustainable energy production, and biological simulations utilizing the latest in accelerated artificial intelligence. Due to the level of workloads, incredibly taxing computations, and memory alone, that is the reason the EU is investing a large number of finances towards the supercomputer.

The organizations involved have not officially stated the hardware used to be the backbone of the JUPITER supercomputer. In the press release for JUPITER, it is indicated that GPU-based accelerators will be significant to the processing power of the system. Using star-based architecture in the LUMI system, JUPITER will also house several supercomputing modules to process GPU visualization and use a universal CPU-based accelerator and high-powered GPU clusters. Also included in the system will be a quantum computing node and temperature-based storage clusters to maintain heat levels properly. It is also reported that JUPITER will utilize rare computational models that include a fully dedicated neuromorphic computing node.

JUPITER will have a power consumption level of 15 MW, 22% less than the top global supercomputer, Frontier, which averages 19 MW of consumption. Compared to Japan's Arm-based Fugaku, JUPITER reduces it to 50% less than the previous top supercomputer from 2020.

AMD will have the upper hand in rivaling Intel with this new endeavor. Intel only has contracts with five of ten supercomputing installations, with AMD having ten of twenty installations using the company's hardware for their supercomputers. However, Intel recently announced the Silicon Junction initiative, which will see $80 billion in the European Union's research, development, and manufacturing of next-gen semiconductors.

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JUPITER, the European Unions All-AMD post-exascale supercomputer, promises to access around a quintillion operations per second - Wccftech