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

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