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After his return to Russia last year, and the subsequent arrest by Russian authorities, opposition leader Alexey Navalny is now facing yet another trial.

Navalny is now accused of embezzling money from his anti corruption foundation, which has been labeled an extremist and terrorist organisation and banned in Russia. He might face up to 10 years in prison, and has called the allegations politically motivated and false. The EU and U.S. have called for his immediate release.

Maria Pevchikh, journalist and longtime aide to Navalny, has said that the Russian authorities scheduled his trial to mid-February with purpose. Now it takes  place at the same time as the deepening crisis in Ukraine, hence avoiding international dismay and condemnations.

In a new report, published by the Atlantic Council this week, several authors including Anders Åslund and David Kramer outline what the U.S. and European approach toward Russia should be, now and in the future.

As Vladimir Putin is continuing the military build up in Ukraine and thereby threatening the European security order, it is necessary for the transatlantic allies to proceed in thwarting and deterring the Russian aggressive foreign policy. In the short and medium term, however, the authors call for cooperation in fields of common U.S. and Russian interest, such as in Afghanistan, arms control and combating climate change.

Moreover, the report from the Atlantic Council calls for a clear description of what a cooperation with a free Russia in the future could enable and how it can be beneficiary for all parties.

The long term strategy in enabling cooperation with Russia as soon it has turned away from its revanchist and aggressive foreign policy is important. However it can only come after profound guarantees and actions that indicate that the Kremlin ends its current policies, threatening the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Georgia and other neighboring countries.

The diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and resolve the ongoing Russian aggression towards Ukraine have so far been fruitless. This week, French president Emmanuel Macron visited both Moscow and Kyiv in order to hold talks with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, trying to once again enable France and the European Union as facilitators of dialogue.

The French president reportedly stated that he “understands the Russian security concerns”, a statement that has sparked criticism in the U.S. and the European Union. Former Swedish prime minister and the honorary chairman of the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter: “Meanwhile Emmanuel Macron heads to Moscow tomorrow, saying that he understands Russian security concern. Sorry, but the ones they are making a crisis of now are all pure phantasy. Neighbours of Russia, notably Ukraine, have far more acute security concerns”.

In a statement released today, the leader of democratic Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called to dedicate February 9 to a Day of Solidarity with Belarus.

The days marks one and a half years since the authoritarian leadership of Belarus falsified the elections, subsequently forcing the leaders of the democratic opposition, including Ms. Tsikhanouskaya, to flee the country.

During these 18 months, the repression and crackdown against the civil society, democratic movement and journalists have increased. With over 1.000 political prisoners kept in jail by order of dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko, the authoritarianism and use of force have reached unprecedented levels.

The Day of Solidarity with Belarus will mainly focus to bring attention and support for “free media, journalists, bloggers and all those who tell the truth about the situation in the country”, according to a statement from the office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation once again reiterates the long time support from the Foundation for the democratic movement in the country.

As the leaders of Russia and China met in Beijing yesterday, the two authoritarian leaders issued a statement indicating a stronger relationship between their two countries. The leaders emphasized falsely that the “West should abandon the ideologized approaches of the Cold War”, ignoring the fact that the ongoing European security order crisis stems directly from the Russian aggression towards Ukraine. 

In an immediate response, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen reiteraded the European unity and support for a sovereign and independent Ukraine. In an interview with German newspapers, ms. von der Leyen confirmed that the EU has prepared a broad set of sanctions if Ukraine is invaded by Russia. “We have prepared a robust and comprehensive package of financial and economic sanctions”, von der Leyen told German newspaper Handelsblatt on February 4.

If Russia breaches the border to Ukraine, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to impose sanctions immediately, Boris Johnson declared at a press conference that was held in Kyiv yesterday. The prime minister made clear to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and that a Russian invasion would be a political, humanitarian and military disaster.

The prime minister also emphasized United Kingdom’s commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine within its borders, in the face of an ongoing Russian aggression.