Russia Continues to Attack, Allies Slow but Finally Engage | Schaftlein Report

Russia Continues to Attack, Allies Slow but Finally Engage | Schaftlein Report
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Topics:
1) Russia attacks airfields and fuel depots – 300K refugees flee
*Germany shifts policy to deliver anti-tank weapons and increase defense spending to 2% of GDP
2) 3000 Russians arrested in demonstrations across Russia – Discontent grows at home
3) European skies are closed to Russian aircraft – Putin puts forces on Nuclear alert in an effort to intimidate the allies who call it reckless
4) Russian financial markets roiled as additional sanctions add to stress
*SWIFT is partially utilized to hurt the Russian economy – Russian Central Bank cannot access foreign reserves ($600B frozen)
**Russian central bank raised interest rates from 9.5 to 20% to halt the slide in the Ruble
5) Russia and Ukraine negotiators begin discussions at Ukraine/Belarus border while fighting continues
6) China calls for a halt to the violence as concern grows over global economic disruption
7) Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Biden at the lowest approval number ever at 37%, with 57% Disapproving
*Harvard/Harris has similar numbers 38% Approval and 55% Disapproval
8) Control of Congress 50% Republican and 40% Democrat
Economy 37% Approval and 58% Disapproval
Pandemic 44% Approval and 50% Disapproval
Border and Immigration 66% Disapproval and only 34% Approval from Biden’s personnel polling company
*62% believe Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump was President
9) Consumer Price Index up 7.5% year over year in January – No surprise here
10) Trump hints at 2024 run in CPAC speech – Trump (59%) and DeSantis (28%) run 1-2 in CPAC straw poll – Pompeo 3rd at 2%
11) Biden’s energy policy disaster under the microscope at gas prices increase across the country