The Backseat Driver

World Bank economist and McKinsey and Frontier Economics consultant in another life. Inveterate back seat driver. RT not an endorsement.

[Nicholas Drummond @nicholadrummond]

Banksy’s new sculpture in Waterloo Place features a man seemingly blinded by his beliefs. Perhaps this is a perfect metaphor for us today.

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

Thank you, Australia! @dfat @MFA_Ukraine

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

We recorded this interview with Saskia Mabin for ABC Radio Canberra some time ago, but I never shared it. I spoke about my recent visit to Kyiv, Ukrainian traditions, and the symbolism of our national emblem and flag. Tune in to listen to this episode of On Foreign Soil: https://t.co/rudRs2AM81

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

I am very grateful to the members of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade who attended a private meeting this week to discuss the illegal and unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine.  The discussion was frank and fearless, and we discussed various angles of the conflict in a respectful and honest manner.   There is clear consensus that the conflict must be resolved swiftly and on Ukraine’s terms.  The President and People of Ukraine remain deeply grateful for Australia’s much-needed practical and financial support, which has directly contributed to Ukraine’s resistance against the Russian invasion.  @ShayneNeumannMP @DeanSmithWA

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

It’s not like we needed another confirmation about the state of affairs in Russia but it’s quite telling. Russia is a paper tiger captured by kleptocratic KGB officers who have taken the country into demise, shame and poverty

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

Thank you, @AlboMP

[100 Climate Messages @climatemessages]

#EndFossilFuels #ClimateEmergency

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

Putin criticised by Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia after inconclusive meeting with Trump https://t.co/ejR97TRcOM

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

Australian Financial Review ran my op-ed today.

Please read it here @FinancialReview:  

https://t.co/azZP7lkyPO

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

The peaceful protests in Ukraine show that a healthy democracy and a strident defence against Russian invaders sit side by side. Everyone opposes corruption and we can debate the best ways to fight it.

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

Every now and then make sure to spend a night far away from big city lights.

[100 Climate Messages @climatemessages]

#EndFossilFuels

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

Every Ambassador to Australia has ends up with a photo like this

[Vasyl Myroshnychenko @AmbVasyl]

My Australian friend James Baillieu has written a beautiful op-ed based on his recent trip to Ukraine highlighting the contribution of the common Australians to Ukraine’s defence. 

As I have said many times, Ukrainians will never forget Australia. I am forever grateful to the Australian Government and its people for their support 🇺🇦🇦🇺💪

Read the article here @KyivPost

https://t.co/HEBbbkWaVs

[derek guy @dieworkwear]

I debated whether to share my story on here, but I guess I will.

I think there's an idea out there that millions of violent criminals are pouring across the border, carrying machetes and drugs, looking to harm Americans. Certainly, while some people fall into that category, the vast majority of undocumented immigrants don't.

My family escaped Vietnam after the Tet Offensive and went through an arduous journey that eventually landed them in the Canada. My father worked there for a time as a janitor; my mother, a secretary. When work fell through, my dad was offered to work with his sister in the United States, so he went, as our family needed money. He ended up staying in the US longer than he was supposed to — not knowing immigration laws — and asked my mom to come be with him. Of course, she went and carried me over the border while I was still a baby.

I'm still unsure whether we technically broke an immigration law. The border between Canada and the United States was pretty porous (as it is today, for the most part). But either way, since I came here without legal documentation, I eventually fell into the category of being an undocumented immigrant. Yet, I've been in the United States since I was a baby. My identity and roots are very much based in this country, no different from anyone else.

The lack of legal immigration has totally shaped my life. It has made every interaction with the law much scarier. It has shaped which opportunities I could or could not get. It has taken an emotional toll, as this legal issue hangs over your head like a black cloud.

There are millions of people in my situation — people who were brought here as children, some babies, and were unable to raise their hand during this process and say "maybe we should hire a lawyer." Parents may have crossed the border not knowing about the law, as the law can be pretty confusing and lawyers are expensive. Perhaps, in the end, they should have hired a lawyer; but sometimes life is messy. In the end, they crossed for the same reason many people rise every day: to support their families.

I think it's unreasonable to deport millions of people who have contributed positively to society. It's simply not true that the majority of these people are violent criminals carrying drugs. Many own small businesses; many work as skilled laborers (including garment workers!). The vast majority are good, honest people. For those of us who grew up in the United States, sending us "back" to our "home" country would mean sending someone to a foreign land, as they grew up in the United States. Tearing families apart based on immigration status seems inhumane.

About twenty years ago, I watched with some small measure of hope that the Dream ACT would pass and help a portion of undocumented immigrants. I saw people march angrily in the streets (something I supported). But I was dismayed to see nothing really come about. In fact, when Obama passed DACA, I was skeptical that it would be sensible to give your information to the federal government without a guaranteed path to citizenship. It seems that the Trump administration may use those lists to hunt down immigrants.

I think the ICE sweeps are inhumane. I support and admire the protestors who are putting their bodies on the line for non-violent resistance. Ultimately, I think we need to solve this issue on a systemic level. It's unreasonable to me to expect that the government will deport some 10-20 million people. Even deporting 1 million will cause an insane amount of chaos, not to mention an incredible amount of wasteful government spending. The militarization of law enforcement is over the top and only escalate the situation.

I have seen people march on this issue, only for it to be dropped later and dissolve into quiet grumbles. In the end, nothing is done for immigrants. Time passes until decades later, we have another political crisis like the one we have today. This cycle seems unsustainable. I hope people sustain this energy to solve the immigration issue and put undocumented immigrants — most who are peaceful, skilled, and hard-working citizens — on a path to citizenship. As time continues to go by, many undocumented immigrants are seeing their lives wasted away.

If you care about this issue, I hope you get involved on the long haul: volunteer for pro-immigrant groups, donate to mutual aid, and perhaps pursue career paths that help people in this situation. I was moved to read someone on here say that, when they found their employee was undocumented, they helped them get a green card. The path was difficult, as our immigration system is broken (it took them 11 years). But I can tell you that this is like pulling someone drowning in raging waters.

Ultimately, I hope me sharing this story helps push back against the idea that all undocumented immigrants are MS-13 members. I know many people in my position and they are all like your neighbors.

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

Since it's popular to float insane geopolitical ideas, here is how Canada would rank if it were to join the EU.

[Emmanuel Macron @EmmanuelMacron]

Dear @MarkJCarney, congratulations on your victory. You embody a strong Canada in the face of today’s challenges. France is glad to further strengthen the friendship which unites our two countries. I’m looking forward to working with you — "elbow to elbow!"

[Oleksandra Matviichuk @avalaina]

Today, I spoke at an event in Stockholm about our colleague, Ukrainian journalist Viktoriya Roshchina. I had to turn off the camera right after my speech because it was difficult to contain my emotions.

Today, 13 world media outlets published investigations about the capture and death of Viktoriya Roshchina. I will leave links in different languages ​​in the comments. And I will say a few words from myself.

Viktoriya was young, talented, dedicated to the journalistic profession, and incredibly brave. I met her 11 years ago when she joined our campaign to release illegally detained people in Crimea and eastern occupied territories.

In the first year of the full-scale invasion, she went to the occupied territories herself to write about illegaly detained people and disappeared. We already know that she was abducted, tortured, secretly transported to Russia, and detained there without any legal basis. We know that she did not receive medical care and weighed about 30 kg. But we still do not know how she died. 

Russians refused to return her body for a long time. When they returned the body, it had a visible trace of torture and was missing several internal organs – eyeballs, brain, and part of the trachea.

Russians are even now hardly trying to hide what they did to her. That's why the investigation conducted by 50 journalists from 6 different countries around the world is so important.

Victoria believed in truth and justice so strongly that she knowingly risked her life to tell us what was happening in the occupied territories. We will continue her struggle.

Photo Graty

[roweafr @roweafr]

carney carne..@FinancialReview

[Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 @IAPonomarenko]

I want to save time for those who are new to this conversation — the problem is not that Ukraine has to “give up” something to Russia “for peace.”

The problem is that no matter what Ukraine “gives up” now — be it Crimea, or Donbas, or Kherson, or Zaporizhia, or Odesa, or Kharkiv or anything — it will not give any sort of “peace” and will only strengthen Russia in its goal of defeating and eradicating Ukraine as a nation and incorporating its territory into its empire.

The rest is just idle talk.