Latest news with #Turkic-speaking
NBC News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Crimea is at the crux of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Here's why it's important.
All this is a far cry from the peninsula's history as the home of the Crimean Tatars, a Turkic-speaking Islamic ethnic group whose roots in the region can be traced to the start of the 15th century. They were persecuted for centuries by the Russian Empire after it seized the peninsula in 1783. And following several rounds of mass deportations, they have since been replaced by Russian speakers, outnumbered 13% to 76% in a population of 2.2 million. 'It is not only land,' said one Crimean Tatar, 30, who works as a civic activist and asked to remain anonymous to protect their family on the peninsula. 'If we refuse to fight politically for Crimea, it will be also a sign that it is fine to kill people, change geopolitical laws, steal land and start wars.' Many Tatars would like to see Crimea return to Ukrainian control, with Joseph Stalin's 1944 mass deportation of their people still in living memory. In 1954, Nikita Khrushchev, then the leader of the Soviet Union, transferred Crimea to what was then the Soviet Republic of Ukraine. When the USSR broke apart in 1991, Crimea slipped out of Russia's orbit, becoming part of the newly independent Ukraine. For Putin, who believes the Soviet collapse was 'the biggest geopolitical catastrophe of the century,' taking Crimea in 2014 was righting a historical wrong. 'As far as most Russians are concerned, whether they support or despise Putin, Crimea is Russian,' said Mark Galeotti, director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence. 'I was living in Moscow when Crimea was annexed, and the enthusiasm was astonishing, with people partying all night.' For most of the rest of the world — including the U.S. — it was an illegal occupation, with only a handful of countries such as North Korea and Sudan disagreeing. In 2018, Trump's then-secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said Washington rejected 'Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea.' That's what makes Trump's reversal of that position so striking. 'Crimea will stay with Russia,' he told Time magazine on Friday. When asked Sunday whether Zelenskyy was ready to give up Crimea, Trump told reporters, 'Oh, I think so, yeah.' That would be a dramatic reversal for the Ukrainian president, who has previously said there is 'nothing to discuss' when it comes to allowing Russia to annex parts of his country. Even if he wanted to, Article 2 of Ukraine's constitution says its 'inviolable' borders can only be changed by a parliament-granted referendum, and not during its current state of martial law. Some within the Trump administration don't appear optimistic that success is imminent. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Thursday that the war is "not going to end any time soon." Russia currently controls around 20% of Ukraine following its full-scale invasion in 2022. But for many Ukrainians, Crimea holds a singular status. 'Crimea is a test for principles, resilience and dignity,' said the Crimean Tatar civic activist. 'Not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire civilized world.'
Daily Express
02-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Expand markets to Central Asia to counter tariff threat, says Saifuddin
Published on: Friday, May 02, 2025 Published on: Fri, May 02, 2025 By: Danish Raja Reza, FMT Text Size: Former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah says intra-Asean trade must be strengthened to reduce dependency on the United States. PETALING JAYA: Former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah has urged Malaysia to look to Central Asia as a potential market, amid the looming imposition of a 24% tariff on Malaysian imports by the US. In an exclusive interview with FMT, Saifuddin said the region – which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – holds vast untapped potential, especially in the oil and gas sector. 'The Central Asian countries are prospering well. They have the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), which has five members. 'Petronas used to be in one or two of these countries, but is not as active there now. These countries are not as exploited when it comes to oil and gas,' he said. OTS is an intergovernmental body established in 2009 to promote cooperation among Turkic-speaking nations based on shared cultural, historical and linguistic ties. Its full members include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan, with Hungary, Turkmenistan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus holding observer status. As of 2024, only about 20–25% of Central Asia's proven hydrocarbon resources have been exploited, according to the US Energy Information Administration and the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Turkmenistan, for instance, produces just three trillion cubic feet of natural gas annually from 400 trillion cubic feet in reserves, while Kazakhstan extracts under two million barrels of oil per day from a 30-billion-barrel reserve base. Extraction across the region remains low due to limited export infrastructure, underinvestment, ageing facilities and geopolitical constraints, including dependence on Russian transit routes and a lack of diversified foreign partnerships. Saifuddin, the Indera Mahkota MP, also called for a strengthening of intra-Asean trade to reduce dependency on the United States, noting that it currently makes up less than 25% of the regional bloc's total exports. He highlighted the growing relevance of the BRICS grouping, saying Malaysia should keep its options open and explore alternatives to the current international financial, trade and economic order. Malaysia is among nine nations officially accepted as BRICS partners from Jan 1 this year. Saifuddin also called on the Malaysian business community to be more courageous in exploring new markets, rather than continuing to operate only within familiar regions. The Bersatu man said Malaysia could act as a key conduit for trade between East and West Asia, particularly by leveraging its global reputation in the halal sector. 'One of our strong points is our halal certification. We are probably the best in the world, and we're still leading in that area. 'Taiwan, among others, is also interested in halal certification because they see Malaysia as a gateway to the Arab world. Similarly, the Arab world sees Malaysia as a window to Southeast Asia,' he said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Free Malaysia Today
02-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Expand markets to Central Asia to counter tariff threat, says Saifuddin
Former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah says intra-Asean trade must be strengthened to reduce dependency on the United States. PETALING JAYA : Former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah has urged Malaysia to look to Central Asia as a potential market, amid the looming imposition of a 24% tariff on Malaysian imports by the US. In an exclusive interview with FMT, Saifuddin said the region – which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – holds vast untapped potential, especially in the oil and gas sector. 'The Central Asian countries are prospering well. They have the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), which has five members. 'Petronas used to be in one or two of these countries, but is not as active there now. These countries are not as exploited when it comes to oil and gas,' he said. OTS is an intergovernmental body established in 2009 to promote cooperation among Turkic-speaking nations based on shared cultural, historical and linguistic ties. Its full members include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan, with Hungary, Turkmenistan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus holding observer status. As of 2024, only about 20–25% of Central Asia's proven hydrocarbon resources have been exploited, according to the US Energy Information Administration and the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Turkmenistan, for instance, produces just three trillion cubic feet of natural gas annually from 400 trillion cubic feet in reserves, while Kazakhstan extracts under two million barrels of oil per day from a 30-billion-barrel reserve base. Extraction across the region remains low due to limited export infrastructure, underinvestment, ageing facilities and geopolitical constraints, including dependence on Russian transit routes and a lack of diversified foreign partnerships. Saifuddin, the Indera Mahkota MP, also called for a strengthening of intra-Asean trade to reduce dependency on the United States, noting that it currently makes up less than 25% of the regional bloc's total exports. He highlighted the growing relevance of the BRICS grouping, saying Malaysia should keep its options open and explore alternatives to the current international financial, trade and economic order. Malaysia is among nine nations officially accepted as BRICS partners from Jan 1 this year. Saifuddin also called on the Malaysian business community to be more courageous in exploring new markets, rather than continuing to operate only within familiar regions. The Bersatu man said Malaysia could act as a key conduit for trade between East and West Asia, particularly by leveraging its global reputation in the halal sector. 'One of our strong points is our halal certification. We are probably the best in the world, and we're still leading in that area. 'Taiwan, among others, is also interested in halal certification because they see Malaysia as a gateway to the Arab world. Similarly, the Arab world sees Malaysia as a window to Southeast Asia,' he said.
Russia Today
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Court extends Moldovan governor's arrest
A court in Moldova has ordered Governor Yevgenia Gutsul, who heads the autonomous region of Gagauzia, to be held in custody for 20 days. Prosecutors had asked for her to be remanded for one month. Gutsul is a vocal critic of the country's pro-Western government. The official was first detained on Tuesday at Chisinau International Airport, with the Moldovan authorities saying she was on a wanted list. On Friday, prosecutors said the governor stood accused of complicity in illegal campaign financing in the 2023 election. The politician won the governor's post in Gagauzia that year. She was also charged with falsifying documents. Law enforcement officials did not provide any further details about the charges, citing a pending investigation. Gutsul herself maintains her innocence. Her lawyers have denounced the court decision as 'absurd' and vowed to appeal. 'When there are no legal arguments [in favor of such a court decision], there are other arguments. I believe they are political in this case,' one of the politician's lawyers, Sergiu Moraru, told journalists after the hearing. Read more Kremlin responds to arrested Moldovan governor's appeal to Putin The governor herself labeled the investigation a 'political case' linked to her role as Gagauzia's leader. She has accused Chisinau of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region's autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration. The Gagauz are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in southern Moldova. Their region has been granted broad rights to self-government. On Thursday, Gutsul appealed to both Russia and Türkiye to apply pressure on Moldovan President Maia Sandu's administration in defense of Gagauzia's rights. The Kremlin responded that it had 'reviewed' Gutsul's request. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the actions of the Moldovan authorities are at odds with the democratic principles proclaimed by the West. Chisinau claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country's attempts to become a member of the EU. Moscow has accused Moldova of cracking down on politicians and journalists who advocate closer ties with Russia.
Russia Today
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kremlin responds to arrested Moldovan governor's appeal to Putin
The Kremlin said on Thursday it had reviewed an appeal by Yevgenia Gutsul, the detained leader of Moldova's autonomous Gagauzia region, to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking for help in securing her release. Gutsul was taken into custody on Tuesday evening at Chisinau International Airport, with the Moldovan authorities saying she was on a wanted list. In a statement released via her lawyers on Thursday, she accused the government of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region of Gagauzia's autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration. Also on Thursday, Gutsul appealed to both Russia and Türkiye to apply pressure on Moldovan President Maia Sandu's administration in defense of Gagauzia's rights. In her message to Putin – published on her Telegram channel – she said the region looks 'with hope and faith to Russia,' a country that has 'never betrayed friends' and always stood by those 'who fight for the truth and their legal rights.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to TASS that Moscow had 'reviewed' Gutsul's request, and said her detention was at odds with the democratic principles proclaimed by the West. Read more EU candidate's pro-Western government arrests autonomous region's leader Peskov had already condemned the arrest on Wednesday, calling on Moldovan authorities to stop putting pressure on political opponents. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova echoed that criticism, accusing the government in Chisinau of cracking down on politicians and journalists who advocate for closer ties with Moscow. According to Moldovan media, Gutsul was taken into custody as part of an investigation into the 2023 gubernatorial election in Gagauzia, which she won. Her campaign was accused of financial irregularities. The Moldovan government claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country's attempts to become a member of the EU. The Gagauz are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in southern Moldova. Their region, Gagauzia, has been granted broad rights to self-government. Sandu has questioned Gutsul's mandate as governor, denouncing her former party 'Shor' as a 'criminal organization.' A court in Chisinau banned the party in 2023.
