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#### Resignations in Ukraine
While the war rages on in Ukraine, President Zelensky is trying to ensure that he sticks to his 2019 election pledge to try and deal with corruption in the country. It was revealed over the weekend that the Defense Ministry had been buying food for soldiers at inflated prices, which in turn raised questions about the government's procurement processes. It was also revealed at the weekend the anti-corruption police had detained the Deputy Infrastructure Minister on suspicion of receiving $400,000 to facilitate the import of generators into Ukraine in September. In a nightly address yesterday. Zelensky indicated that a reshuffle was imminent and that he would crack down on any corruption. Part of this will be toughening regulation on procurement and making prices public in times of conflict. Clearly, Zelensky doesn't want a repeat of this weekend scandal. 

#### Could Finland join NATO without Sweden?
Finland and Sweden made headlines in May last year when they reversed decades old policies and applied to join the NATO military alliance prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But the country's accession bids have hit a stumbling block, namely Turkey, that has seen their NATO's ambitions fade further and further into the distance. Despite simultaneously handing in their application letters and effectively being treated as a joint bid. It has gotten to the point where Finland may have to consider joining Nato on its own without Sweden. On Tuesday, Finland's foreign minister hinted at this, saying that while joint membership remains the first option, we obviously have to assess the situation if something has happened, which means that in the long term, Sweden can no longer move forward. However, at this point, he said, it's too early to tell. The last remaining barrier between the Scandinavian countries and NATO is Turkey, which has a NATO member, has a veto over their entry.

https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/sites/default/files/2022-11/NATOFlagsTurkeySwedenFinlandRC2R9U90PV62_RTRMADP_3_UKRAINE-CRISIS-NATO-TURKEY.jpg

Turkey has reservations about Sweden and Finland from the start, but progress appeared to have been made. Last year. In June, the country signed a trilateral memorandum which was meant to avoid a Turkish veto by addressing President Erdogan's stated concerns about the activities of Kurdish militants and their affiliates in Sweden and Finland, which Erdogan described as a nesting ground. But this progress was short lived, and on Monday, Erdogan casts serious doubts over Sweden's entry to Nato by saying that Sweden should not expect any support from Turkey regarding the NATO issue. This followed a series of events in Sweden that angered authorities in Ankara. These include the upside down hanging of the mannequin representing Erdogan in Stockholm by a pro-Kurdish group and most recently the public burning of a copy of the Kur'an by a far right Swedish politician at a protest. Sweden's leaders condemned the acts, and Prime Minister Christensen called the latter an act of sabotage against the Swedish Nato bid. Despite the government's condemnations, the actions are legal in Sweden and they sparked protests and significant anger in Turkey. So with Sweden's prime minister recently saying that Turkey is asking for things, Sweden cannot give increasing public opposition to Turkey and Sweden, Turkey saying Sweden shouldn't expect its support and also key elections in Turkey just months away. It's clear that things aren't exactly on track and it's no wonder that Finland might be considering dropping Sweden and joining Nato by itself. Finland's foreign minister said in an interview that a time out is needed before we return to the three way talks and see where we are when the dust has settled after the current situation. So no conclusions should be drawn yet. I think there will be a break for a couple of weeks, he added. 


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#### Germany Treason Charges
Prosecutors in Germany have charged five people with treason over an alleged plot to overthrow the German government by violent means, as well as planning to kidnap Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. The five are believed to have ties with the far right Reich burger movement, which rejects the legitimacy of the modern Democratic German state. Prosecutors say the group had a goal of triggering civil war like conditions in Germany by means of violence, taking over the state and replacing it with an authoritarian system of government based on the model of the German empire. Four men were arrested in April 2022, and a woman identified as the ringleader was arrested in October. Another Rice burger affiliated coup plot was disrupted in December last year when about 25 people, including the self-styled Heinrich to the 13th, were arrested. 


#### Burkina Faso Kicks Out France

The government of the West African nation of Burkina Faso has confirmed that it has terminated an agreement with France and asked French forces to leave the country, the latest country in the region, to do so. Like other countries in the Sahel region, Burkina Faso has been plagued with violence from insurgent groups linked to al Qaeda and the so called Islamic State group. A 2018 agreement allowed French troops to be stationed in the country to help with insurgency. But this week, a government spokesperson said that it had asked its ex colonial ruler to withdraw its 400 ish troops within a month. France's President Macron said he was awaiting clarification over the demand to which Burkina Faso's government responded. We don't see how to be more clear than this. A military junta rules Burkina Faso, led by Capt Ibrahim Trey Ory, who in September last year overthrew the previous military government, which itself overthrew the elected government a year ago because of a failure to tackle the violent insurgency. Burkina Faso's government says it wants to be the prime actors in the recapture of our territory and that this is not the end of diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France. 

#### Sources:
* https://www.euronews.com/2023/01/24/finland-must-considering-joining-nato-without-sweden-says-minister
* https://www.politico.eu/article/finland-join-nato-sweden-pekka-haavisto-turkey-ukraine-ankara/
* https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/24/ukraines-zelenskyy-renews-war-on-corruption-amid-scandals
* https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/burkina-faso-confirms-end-military-accord-with-france-2023-01-23/
* https://www.channelstv.com/2023/01/24/several-senior-ukraine-officials-resign-amid-corruption-allegations/
* https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64317261
* https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20230123-macron-asks-burkina-faso-to-clarify-reports-of-demand-for-french-troops-to-leave