Ukraine’s Corruption Crisis: Zelenskyy’s Inner Circle Under Fire

Kyiv is buzzing with rumors as President Zelenskyy faces his most damaging scandal since the start of the war. His chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, is under intense scrutiny after Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau released wiretaps exposing a $100 million kickback scheme in the state energy sector. Lawmakers—including from Zelenskyy’s own party—are questioning why the president tried to weaken anti-corruption institutions just as investigators were closing in on his inner circle.

The Wiretaps and the Fallout
Opponents claim Yermak or one of his close associates is the mysterious “Ali Baba” mentioned in the Energoatom investigation. The anti-corruption bureau isn’t naming names; Yermak has denied wrongdoing in interviews, insisting he’s being accused without evidence. Political insiders note that NABU’s leaks have sent MPs scrambling and prompted calls for a full government reshuffle.

Pressure at Home and Abroad
The timing could hardly be worse: Ukraine’s Western supporters are watching closely, and future aid may now depend on serious reforms. Cabinet ministers have already resigned, opposition parties are demanding a “national unity” government, and even some members of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party are signaling dissent. As one lawmaker told the press,

“It’s a huge blow, but I’m not sure we’re at the end of it.”

What’s Next?
Zelenskyy has promised a crackdown, public hearings, and steps to restore confidence, but the political storm is far from over. Ukraine’s progress on the battlefield now competes with the battle for trust at home—and the outcome of either is anyone’s guess.

#ukraine #zelenskyy #corruption #politics #yermak #nabu

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📰 Russia Proposes Buffer Force on Syria-Israel Border

Moscow’s Offer
A Russian military delegation visited southern Syria this week with a proposal: redeploy Russian forces to serve as a buffer along the border with Israel. This would restore an arrangement similar to Russia’s previous monitoring role under the Assad regime.

Stakeholders React
So far, the Syrian transitional government has not signed on to the plan. Israel has not objected in public, recalling previous periods of close military coordination with Moscow along the disengagement lines. Russia’s renewed interest is seen as an attempt to prevent direct friction and create minimal “warning distance” between Syrian and Israeli forces.

Regional Climate
Between 2018 and 2022, Russian patrols helped monitor ceasefire agreements and tamp down local violence in hotspot areas. Their possible return comes amidst renewed security talks, persistent border tensions, and a changing political landscape in Damascus.

Still No Clear Path
As negotiations continue, Russian officials have toured former positions and met with Syrian counterparts, but the deployment remains speculative. Silence from Moscow, Damascus, and Tel Aviv suggests much is being decided behind closed doors.

#Syria #Russia #BufferZone #Security

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All You Want to Know About the Trump and Mohammed bin Salman Meeting ✨

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received a warm welcome to the White House from Trump in a visit that has emphasised the deepening ties between Riyadh and Washington. 🌍

The White House rolled the literal red carpet out for Prince Mohammed, known as MBS, on Tuesday. Trump greeted him with a ceremony that featured marching bands, flag-carrying horsemen and a military flyover. 🎉🎼🦅

The opulent display of hospitality signalled Trump’s embrace of what he sees as a new Middle East driven by financial investments and US partnerships with allies in the region, chiefly Saudi Arabia. 💰🤝

After Prince Mohammed’s arrival through the South Portico, he and Trump took questions from journalists in the Oval Office. The two leaders spoke of business opportunities, peace, artificial intelligence and the tech business. 📊🌐🤖

The Trump-MBS meeting also led to major announcements, including in the already strong defence relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia. 🛡

Here are the key takeaways from the meeting:

‘Good talks’ on Saudi Arabia-Israel ties 🌄

In recent months, Trump has repeatedly said he would like Saudi Arabia to join the so-called Abraham Accords, which established formal relations between Israel and several Arab countries. 🤝

On Tuesday, Prince Mohammed and Trump signalled possible progress on the issue without providing details or a timeline for a potential deal. 🕐

The crown prince, however, did reiterate that Riyadh wants to advance the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of a potential agreement. 🌍

“We want also to be sure that we secure a clear path [to a] two-state solution. And today we have a healthy discussion with President that we’ve got to work on that, to be sure that we can prepare the right situation as soon as possible to have that.” 🙌

Saudi officials have previously stressed that Riyadh is committed to the Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions the recognition of Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state. 🌍

Trump said he had “good talks” with Prince Mohammed about the issue. 🗳

“We talked about one state, two states. We talked about a lot of things. In a short period of time, we’ll be discussing it further too,” the US president said. 🗣

Saudi Arabia joins 19 other countries that are major non-NATO allies of the US: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia. The US also treats Taiwan at par with major non-NATO allies. 🌍🌟

#trump #mbs #usa #saudiaarabia

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Separately, the White House announced that Trump and MBS signed a strategic defence agreement “that strengthens our more than 80-year defense partnership and fortifies deterrence across the Middle East”. 🛡

Details of the agreement are unclear, but the White House said it would secure “new burden-sharing funds from Saudi Arabia to defray US costs” and would affirm that the “Kingdom views the United States as its primary strategic partner”. 💰

During the meeting with MBS, he said the jets would not be downgraded to ensure Israel’s military superiority in the region, a departure from a US policy known as “qualitative military edge”. 🪁

“They’d like you to get planes of reduced calibre. I don’t think that makes you too happy,” he told the Saudi crown prince. 😅

Trump once again expressed pride in the US strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities in June. 🎯

“We did that on behalf of everybody, and the outcome was extraordinary because we have the best pilots, the best equipment, the best planes, the best everything,” he said. 🚀

“We will do our best to help to reach a deal between the United States of America and Iran,” MBS told reporters. 🤝

“And we believe it’s good for Iran’s future to have a good deal that would satisfy the region and the world and the United States of America.” 🌍

At the outset of the two leaders’ public remarks, Trump expressed gratitude for anticipated Saudi investments in the US, which he said will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars. 💲

“I want to thank you because you’ve agreed to invest $600bn into the United States. And because he’s my friend, he might make it $1 trillion, but I’m going to have to work on him,” Trump said. 🤝

He added that the Saudi funds will create jobs and resources for US companies and Wall Street investment firms. 📊

For his part, MBS said the Saudi investments in the US will likely rise to $1 trillion. 💹

“The agreement that we are signing today in many areas – in technology and AI, in rare materials, magnet, etc – that will create a lot of investment opportunities,” he said. 🌐

#trump #mbs #meeting #trillion #saudi #arabia

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IDF Chief: “Be Ready to Grab More of Gaza”

Israel’s top general, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, just gave his troops in southern Gaza a pep talk that was equal parts warning and strategy.

“We control more than 50% of the territory, but not the population. If needed, we have to be ready for a rapid push beyond the Yellow Line,”

Zamir told officers, signaling that ceasefire boundaries are negotiable if Hamas regroups.

Holding Ground—Not Hearts
Israel’s current approach is to hold key terrain and block Hamas from rebuilding, while steering clear of population centers—a familiar balancing act for the IDF. Zamir’s message: the army needs room to maneuver, and if the situation changes, he wants operational clearance to push forward—quickly and decisively.

Dismantling Hamas, No Matter How
Zamir made it clear that taking out Hamas remains the endgame.

“We’ll keep at it, agreement or not. Demilitarization of Gaza is on the table—by force if we have to.”

The speech was a public signal that negotiations are Plan A, but full-scale military action is always Plan B, quietly waiting in the wings.

Ceasefire Lines: Drawn—But Not Permanent
Israel’s so-called Yellow Line isn’t a guarantee—it’s the latest version of ‘for now.’ In Gaza, frontlines are one rocket away from shifting. Zamir’s message: stay flexible, don’t treat any map as final, and always keep options open.

#israel #gaza #idf #hamas #war #ceasefire #military

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“We are sending them huge amounts of money, and they just steal that money? We have submitted to the Seimas a draft resolution calling on our government to stop financing Ukraine until this situation is clarified.”

The Sejm deputy Slawomir Mentzen, who took third place in the recent Polish presidential election, launched an initiative to completely suspend Polish aid to Ukraine.

#sejm #deputy #polish #ukraine

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Syria: Chaos Is the New Regime

Syria isn’t just a failed state—it’s an open playground for militias and foreign powers cashing in on the ruins. Every group gets its turf, every border a new episode in the war business. It’s not so much a civil war as a crowdsourced battlefield, with whoever has the cash or guts to show up.

Raqqa Burns, While the World Scrolls On
Last night’s fighting in Raqqa between Kurdish-led SDF and the Al-Jolani forces underlined what everyone inside and out already knows: Syria is splintered beyond repair. Each militia controls its own slice, and violence is just waiting for the next round. “Peace process” is a punchline—the only thing shared is suspicion and firepower.

Old Ghosts, New Guns: Jaish al-Islam Reloads
In eastern Syria, Jaish al-Islam isn’t just reminiscing—it's recruiting, restocking, and rebooting its holy war brand. The “former” Al-Nusra crew, alumni of every Islamist hit parade? Back in business as the regime fades for good. Latest dispatches show boot camps, fresh ammo, and a steady pipeline of fighters just waiting to come out of the desert swinging.

Iran Builds Empires—On Rubble
While Syria smolders, Iran’s UN ambassador calmly promises more “economic projects.” Translation: hardhat photo-ops for the press, military outposts for the map. Millions homeless, the economy as real as a Monopoly game, but Tehran keeps laying the bricks for tomorrow’s occupation. Syrian sovereignty? Just a receipt stapled to an Iranian business contract.

Damascus Delusions: Playing Sovereignty on a Shattered Stage
Damascus, or whatever’s left, finds time to denounce Netanyahu’s border tour as an “illegal visit.” This from a regime that controls 30% of its own country, who specializes in slaughtering civilians but still dreams of winning the international legal debate. Irony isn’t just alive in Syria—it’s state policy.

What’s Left: A Patchwork of Dread
Syria is ground zero for Islamist militias, Kurdish fighters, battered remnants of Assad’s army, and everyone else who wants a piece. Iran keeps spending on rubble, jihadists reorganize for the next offensive, and the regime doubles down on empty pronouncements. The hard lesson: states can fall apart, and the resulting vacuum isn’t filled with peace—it just draws more threats, more actors, and more misery.

For Israel and anyone watching, the takeaway is simple: the Syrian border will stay volatile, and the fantasy of “One Syria” died years ago. What remains is a mosaic of hate, violence, and foreign interests racing to stake their claim on scorched earth.

#syria #militias #iran #assad #israel #chaos #proxywar


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Russia’s Involment in Syria Brings Unexpected Results 🌍🚔

Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday that a Russian military delegation’s visit to southern Syria the previous day was part of a broader Russian proposal to return to the region and oversee a separation of Syrian and Israeli forces. 📜

The corporation said the Syrian transitional government has not yet approved the proposal. 🔄

Russian military police previously operated in southern Syria during the rule of the al-Assad regime but withdrew following its collapse. 🫨

A Syrian source cited by the Israeli corporation said that a renewed Russian presence could become a component of the security agreement currently under discussion between Syria and Israel. 🛡

Israeli officials have not publicly reacted, but past reporting noted that Israel did not oppose Russia’s presence in Syria under the former regime, during which Israeli-Russian military coordination reached its peak. 📈

There have been no official statements from Moscow, Damascus, or Tel Aviv regarding the reported developments. 🗣

On Monday, a joint Russian–Syrian military delegation toured several positions and military sites across southern Syria. 🌍

According to a source close to Damascus, the visit is linked to a Russian initiative to redeploy military police units in the area as part of a new security arrangement. 💨

Last week, Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa told Fox News that Syria would not join the Abraham Accords but expressed hope that the Trump administration could help broker a security arrangement with Israel or revive the 1974 disengagement agreement. 🤝

Southern Syria has witnessed heightened diplomatic and military activity since early 2025, as negotiations intensified over border security and de-escalation mechanisms. 📌

UN observers and regional analysts have highlighted growing concerns over clashes, smuggling routes, and periodic Israeli strikes on armed groups in the region. 🔥

Russia’s past deployments in southern Syria, especially between 2018 and 2022, played a central role in monitoring ceasefires and mediating between local factions and external actors. 🕊

The potential return of Russian forces comes as broader talks continue over stabilizing the Syrian–Israeli frontier during the country’s political transition. 🌿

#syria #russia #Israel #border #security

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The Peace Is Coming To Ukraine


US and Russian officials have quietly drafted a new plan to end the war in Ukraine that would require Kyiv to surrender territory and severely limit the size of its military, it was reported on Wednesday as Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least 25 people in the city of Ternopil.

The draft plan, which was reportedly developed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would force draconian measures on Ukraine that would give Russia unprecedented control over the country’s military and political sovereignty. The plan is likely to be viewed as surrender in Kyiv.

The two men have formed an important but unofficial backchannel between Moscow and Washington, and it was unclear whether the Trump administration had formally backed the plan.

The Financial Times and Reuters reported that the proposal would require Ukraine to cede territory it controls in the east of the country and halve the size of its military, conditions that the Ukrainian president, Zelenskyy, has in the past called non-starters.

Other conditions include limiting US military assistance and categories of armaments used by the Ukrainian military.

The existence of the 28-point plan, which appears to be inspired by a similar proposal the Trump administration developed to end the war in Gaza, was first reported by Axios.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Guardian request for more detail on the proposal.

Washington has repeatedly suggested that it is close to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, but the proposals have failed because they would have granted Russia most of its demands while requiring Kyiv to make painful concessions.

The leaked reports came as Russia launched a massive attack in western Ukraine targeting several multi-storey buildings in the city of Ternopil, as well as energy facilities in Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv.

Russia is engaged in a systematic campaign to destroy Ukraine’s civilian power infrastructure ahead of winter.

Zelensky, who met the Turkish president, Erdogan, on Wednesday in what he described as an effort to “reinvigorate negotiations” and secure a “just peace” for Ukraine, urged Kyiv’s allies to intensify pressure on Russia to end its nearly four-year invasion, including by providing more air-defence missiles.

“Every brazen attack against ordinary life shows that the pressure on Russia is insufficient,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Effective sanctions and assistance to Ukraine can change this.”

Potential peace talks have largely stalled in recent months as a result of Russia’s maximalist demands. Zelensky is expected to meet a senior delegation of US military officials on Thursday.

The US army secretary, Daniel Driscoll, arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday to hold talks with Ukrainian officials and “discuss efforts to end the war,” the US Embassy said in a statement.

Kyiv and Moscow have not held direct negotiations since the summer, and efforts to revive a diplomatic track have largely frozen since the last meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska in August.

Despite Kremlin claims that it is open to talks on ending the war, Moscow has shown no willingness to scale back its far-reaching demands.

Zelensky finds himself in an increasingly difficult position at home and on the battlefield.

Russian forces have recently advanced into the strategically important city of Pokrovsk and are pressing forward elsewhere along the front, while a widening corruption scandal in the energy sector has erupted into Ukraine’s most serious political crisis since the start of the war.

The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, denied on Wednesday that any significant progress had been made. “So far there are no innovations on this that can be reported to you,” he said.

“Russia’s foreign ministry also said it was unaware of any new US peace proposal. Its spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said Moscow had not received any draft agreement on Ukraine “of such a level” from Washington.

#war

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📰 Trump’s Ukraine Plan: “Give Up Land, Get a Promise”

The Offer
The latest Trump peace plan demands Ukraine hand over parts of Donbas it still controls—and gift Russia formal recognition of gains it can’t win on the battlefield. In return, the U.S. would offer Ukraine and Europe a vague “security guarantee” against Russian aggression, the details of which remain a mystery even to the diplomats pushing the deal.

The New Map
• Russia gets all of Luhansk and Donetsk, plus international recognition—except, awkwardly, not from Ukraine itself.
• In Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, control lines freeze, with possible token land swaps subject to negotiation.
• The plan also limits the size of Ukraine’s military and turns parts of Donbas into a demilitarized no-man’s land.

What does Ukraine get? A handshake, maybe a signed memo, and the privilege of having the war’s outcome ratified by foreign governments instead of Russian artillery.

The Spin & the Snags
According to U.S. officials, it’s a sober acknowledgment:

“Ukraine will lose this territory anyway if the war drags on.”

Ukraine begs to differ. Zelensky is sending negotiators—but not signatures—while blaming suspected corruption scandals and “format” wrangling for delays. Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy courts Russia and Turkey, and the fate of millions hinges on PowerPoint slides and shuttle diplomacy.

The Punchline
The peace push comes down to a game of diplomatic chicken: Washington wants a quick deal, Moscow wants legitimacy, Kyiv wants dignity, and the “security guarantee” is anyone’s guess. As usual, the real winners are the intermediaries and contractors.

#Ukraine #TrumpPlan #Donbas #Peacedeal #Diplomacy

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Trump and his style of taking to the press.

Of the almost three minutes of answering the question, he spent about a minute and a half insulting the journalist and the company she represents.

#trump #insulting #journalist #style

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Hamas Killed 33 People in Gaza ⚠️💥

Hamas skirmishes in Gaza have killed 33 people and injured many more, according to medical officials, in one of the most serious escalations of violence since the US-backed ceasefire came into effect last month ⚰️🩸.

Officials at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis said they received the bodies of 17 people, including five women and five children, after four Israeli airstrikes targeted tents sheltering displaced people 🏥👩‍👧‍👦. In Gaza City, medical officials said two airstrikes killed 16 people, including seven children and three women 🏚😢.

Israel said Hamas launched the skirmishes after two Israeli soldiers came under fire in Khan Younis on Wednesday, though they suffered no reported casualties 🎖🔥.

Hamas condemned the Israeli strikes as a “shocking massacre” and denied firing toward Israeli troops 🚫💣.

Palestinians in Gaza said they felt as if the two-year war had never stopped. Officials in the territory say more than 300 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire 😔🕊.

“My daughter kept asking me all night, ‘Will the war come back?’ Every time we try to regain hope, the shelling starts again. When will this nightmare end?” Lina Kuraz, 33, from the Tuffah neighbourhood, east of Gaza City, told Agence France-Presse 👧💬💔.

However, huge challenges remain. It is unclear how Hamas will be made to relinquish its weapons, who will supply the troops for the new peacekeeping force, and how “full aid” will reach Gaza without Israel lifting many of its current restrictions on humanitarian supplies ❓🚚🛑.

Hamas is still holding the remains of three hostages and performs street executions, and Israeli military forces hold more than 50% of Gaza after withdrawing from some of their positions at the time of the ceasefire. The territory is now divided by the “yellow line” ⚔️📍.

Gaza’s health ministry has reported more than 300 deaths since the ceasefire came into effect, an average of more than seven a day 📊⚰️.

Each side has accused the other of violating its terms, which include increasing the flow of aid into Gaza and returning hostages, dead or alive, to Israel ↔️📦.

The two-year war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 during a surprise attack into Israel in October 2023 🔥🚨.

More than 69,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed in the ensuring Israeli offensive and in strikes since the ceasefire. The bodies of thousands more remain under the rubble 🏚🕯.

#hamas #gsza #skirmishes #killed #soldiers

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📰 Kellogg Out, Witkoff In: Ukraine Loses Its “Good Cop”

The Exit
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine and one of the few officials in Washington perceived as genuinely receptive to Kyiv’s position, plans to leave his post in January, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters. Formally, he can blame the 360 day legal limit on special envoys. Informally, it looks like a convenient off-ramp from an administration where Ukraine policy keeps getting rewritten mid-flight.

Who’s Left in the Room
Kellogg often clashed with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Special Envoy for Peace Missions, who has echoed Kremlin talking points and pushed territorial concessions wrapped in “peace” branding. While Kellogg publicly condemned Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure and helped broker hostage releases from Belarus in exchange for limited sanctions relief, Witkoff has been busy selling a 28-point plan that asks Ukraine to shrink its army, give up land, and trust U.S. “security guarantees” no one can define.

The Plan vs. the Front
The timing isn’t subtle: Kellogg exits just as Washington signals to Zelensky that Ukraine is expected to swallow a U.S.-drafted framework freezing Russian gains and cutting Ukraine’s capabilities. Trump’s approach swings from cutting intelligence, to restoring it, to arming via European intermediaries, to leaning into a de facto cash for land arrangement that tracks Moscow’s wish list more than Kyiv’s survival needs.

The Meta-Game
Officially, this is all about “ending the war.” In practice, Ukraine is watching its main internal advocate walk out while an unelected dealmaker pitches a map redraw negotiated with a Russian envoy in Miami and massaged with Qatari and Turkish mediation. Kyiv can “choose” to accept, object, or delay—but the real conversation is happening over its head, between a White House chasing a legacy, a Kremlin chasing recognition, and a West pretending this is diplomacy, not liquidation.

#Ukraine #Kellogg #Witkoff #TrumpPlan #peaceDeal

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Kellogg in Ukraine: Zelensky Becomes Trump’s Pet Peeve 🦊⛓️

U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has told associates he plans to leave the administration in January, four sources told Reuters, a departure that would mean the loss of a key advocate for Ukraine in the Trump administration. 🗳

Special presidential envoy is a temporary designation, and such envoys in theory must be confirmed by the Senate to stay in their positions past 360 days. ⏰

Kellogg has indicated that January would be a natural departure point, given existing legislation, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. 🕵️‍♂️

His departure will be unwelcome news in Kyiv. The retired lieutenant general was widely viewed by European diplomats, Ukrainians included, as a sympathetic ear in an administration that has at times leaned toward Moscow's view on the origins of the war in Ukraine. 🇺🇦

News of the move comes as Ukraine confronts new headwinds on the diplomatic front. 🌬

Two sources told Reuters on Wednesday that the U.S. signaled to Zelensky that Ukraine must accept a U.S.-drafted framework to end the war with Russia that proposes Kyiv giving up territory and some weapons. 🧐

The proposals, which include cutting the size of Ukraine's armed forces, would represent a major setback for Kyiv. 🙅‍♂️

Kellogg has more forcefully denounced Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure than other Trump administration officials. 🚨

He at times clashed with Witkoff, who has repeated some of Putin's talking points and has long advocated a lopsided territorial swap as part of a long-term peace deal. 🤷‍♂️

In March, he briefly cut off some intelligence sharing with Ukraine, before quickly resuming it. In recent months, he has actually boosted, opens new tab some intelligence sharing with Kyiv. 📈

And while Trump set up a new program through which European allies buy U.S. weapons on Kyiv's behalf, he largely discontinued U.S. military assistance programs that had been set up by former President Biden. 💥

Trump came into office pushing for an immediate ceasefire, but abandoned that demand after meeting Putin in Alaska in August. In October, he again embraced the idea of a ceasefire along the front lines after meeting Zelensky in Washington. 🌭

Separately, a U.S. delegation led by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is currently in Kyiv on a "fact-finding mission," the U.S. embassy in Kyiv said. 🖥

Army Chief of Staff General Randy George is also in the delegation and he and Driscoll will meet Zelensky on Thursday, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. 🗣

Kellogg has maintained a solid relationship with Trump, the sources said. ✨

But he was notably absent from the October encounter with Zelensky, which some allies attributed to administration infighting. 👀

#zelensky #trump #kellogg #biden #ukrainians

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The Trump Plan For Ukraine: Cede Land, Cut Army

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A plan to end the war in Ukraine, negotiated between the Trump administration and Russia, would require Kyiv to surrender territory, significantly reduce the size of its army and relinquish some types of weaponry, according to officials familiar with the proposal.

The 28-point proposal, drafted without Ukrainian involvement, reflects the maximalist demands the Kremlin has made throughout the war, which Ukraine has long denounced as amounting to capitulation.

Parts of the plan were described by two officials who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly — one Ukrainian and one who did not want to be identified by country.

It is the latest effort by the Trump administration to reinvigorate stalled settlement talks in the nearly four-year-old war.

But some Ukrainian commentators also saw the proposal as a bid by Russia to press Ukraine for concessions while the government of Zelensky is weakened by a high-level corruption scandal, which could dissuade allies from sending aid.

Kyiv is also under growing pressure on the battlefield, as Moscow’s forces make gains against a Ukrainian military that is stretched thin.

“One thing is clear,” said Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, a former presidential foreign policy adviser. “Ukraine’s position right now is not strong, and this is seen not only inside the country but also by our partners, including the United States, and of course by the aggressor.”

The US is reviving its diplomatic efforts after meetings over the summer between Ukrainian and Russian officials, and between Trump and Putin of Russia, produced no breakthroughs.

As part of this push, the Trump administration has pressed Russia and Ukraine to present in writing terms for a settlement that could become a basis of negotiations.

A delegation of senior U.S. military officials arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for talks with Ukrainian officials about breaking the impasse.

Zelensky, too, is seeking to resurrect long-dormant peace talks. He met on Wednesday in Turkey, where Ukraine and Russia have engaged in previous rounds of discussions, with Erdogan who has offered to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.

The plan emerged from talks between Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev. A senior Ukrainian official said the Trump administration had informed Ukraine of the talks but had not sought Kyiv’s input.

#ukraine #plan #trump #putin #witkoff #territories #peace

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🔤🔤🔤🔤2️⃣

The proposal would require Ukraine to surrender to Russia the entire eastern Donbas region, even lands that Russian forces have not captured, according to the Ukrainian official.

The proposed settlement would also cap the size of Ukraine’s army far below its current levels and would recognize the Crimean Peninsula and other occupied areas as Russian, the senior Ukrainian official said.

Another official familiar with the proposal said Russia was demanding that foreign troops be prohibited on Ukrainian-controlled territory after a cease-fire.

This would rule out a French and British proposal to deploy what has been called a reassurance force to stabilize security in postwar Ukraine.

The plan, that official said, would also require Ukraine to relinquish some long-range weapons. Ukraine now routinely fires domestically made exploding drones at targets in Russia hundreds of miles from its border, including in Moscow.

The settlement proposal is similar to one that Russia presented in talks in 2022. Moscow subsequently lost about half of the territory it had captured in the initial invasion, before recapturing some in bloody, drawn-out fighting.

This fall, the tide has turned in Russia’s favor, as its forces have menaced long-held Ukrainian positions on the battlefield.

Russia is advancing in small units into a partially surrounded city in eastern Ukraine, Pokrovsk, signaling momentum. Most analysts expect the city to fall soon.

The Ukrainian Army is strained, running short of soldiers. Analysts and members of Ukraine’s Parliament say gaps of more than 600 yards have opened along some stretches of the front line. Increasingly, Ukraine is relying not on infantry in trenches but on soldiers flying exploding drones to slow the onslaught.

Russia has signaled a willingness to keep up its costly, incremental advances until Ukraine acquiesces to concessions limiting its security ties to the West.

Kyiv says that such concessions would reward Russian aggression and leave Ukraine weak and vulnerable, arguing that Russia would use a cessation in fighting to recoup its strength for another invasion in the future.

#ukraine #plan #trump #putin #witkoff #territories #peace

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Russia 🇷🇺 Is Druming Up Arab 😎 Interest in the Su-57 ✈️

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Russia’s state-run military aviation conglomerate, announced that pilot Sergey Bogdan, the chief pilot of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, was at the controls of the Sukhoi Su-57E (NATO reporting name “Felon”) at this week’s Dubai Airshow 2025 📊, which kicked off on Monday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 🇦🇪

That display marked the third appearance of the Su-57 at the largest Middle Eastern air show, but was the first time it included an aerial demonstration of the export model of the Russian fifth-generation stealth fighter.

The Su-57’s 💥 Incredible Capabilities on Display in Dubai
Bogdan performed a dynamic flight display with the Felon, highlighting its super-maneuverability 🛩 as well as its combat capabilities.

For the first time in a public display, the Su-57E also opened its internal weapons bay, which was equipped with mock-ups of the Kh-58 anti-radiation missile and R-74M2 air-to-air missile.

The model presented at the air show was also outfitted with new 2D thrust-vectoring flat nozzles for the AL-51F-1 engine. The nozzles were developed to reduce the aircraft’s radar and infrared signatures.

Once back on the ground, the test pilot was quick to praise the capabilities of the Su-57, notably its super-maneuverability, which is what often makes the aircraft a crowd-pleaser at air shows around the world.

“Our aerobatics program is centered on showcasing super-maneuverability. The Su-57 is equipped with two engines featuring controlled thrust vectoring, enabling it to execute maneuvers at near-zero speeds, extreme angles of attack, and spins. These capabilities can provide a significant edge in aerial combat,” Bogdan told reports, according to Al-Jazeera.

The Hero of Russia recipient further suggested that even in the modern era of aerial tactics, where combat is often well beyond visual range, the Su-57 offers advantages over other aircraft.

“This feature is vital for pilots because it allows them to operate without distraction, focusing on mission objectives rather than flight stability concerns,” said Bogdan, adding that it makes for a safer aircraft.

“In conventional fighters or bombers, pilots must constantly monitor flight parameters to avoid losing control. The Su-57, however, ensures it never does.”

Russia Continues to Seek Foreign Buyers for the Felon
It was just over a year ago that the Su-57E received far less than a hero’s welcome when it arrived in advance of the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition.

The fighter was widely derided on Chinese social media, and unfavorable comparisons were made to China’s domestically-built Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon even before the show began.

The impressive flight demonstrations of the J-20 and the debut of the Shenyang J-35 overshadowed the Russian fighter entirely.

Taking the Su-57E to Dubai is clearly another attempt to drum up interest.

“Starved of many options to showcase the products of its aerospace and defense industries on the global stage, Russia has seized the opportunity in Dubai to display a wide portfolio of systems,” AIN reported.

It is unclear if the latest presentation will move the needle, but Russia is already claiming victory.

“Negotiations with several foreign countries on supplying Su-57 aircraft are also planned during the Dubai Airshow 2025,” Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Director Dmitry Shugayev also told TASS.

“We can say that there is sustained interest in the fighter jet from foreign countries.”

#su57 #pilot #russia #arabes #interest

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📰 The “Peace Plan” That Looks Like Terms of Surrender

What Washington and Moscow Are Really Proposing
The new 28 point U.S.-Russian plan is marketed as a path to peace but reads like formalizing a military defeat Ukraine hasn’t yet suffered. It would force Kyiv to hand over the entire Donbas, including areas

Russia still hasn’t managed to capture, cap the size of Ukraine’s army, and accept limits on long range weapons that currently strike deep into Russian territory.

Kyiv was informed, not consulted; the text was shaped in talks between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian fund chief Kirill Dmitriev, then presented as a “framework” Ukraine is supposed to swallow in the middle of a grinding war and a corruption scandal.

A Deal Timed for Weakness
The plan drops just as Russia regains momentum on the battlefield, pushing toward Pokrovsk and exploiting exhausted Ukrainian lines where infantry is being replaced by drone operators because there are not enough soldiers left to fill the trenches.

Ukrainian analysts openly admit the country’s position is deteriorating, and Western partners see it too — a perfect moment for Moscow to recycle its 2022 maximalist demands and get Washington to help repackage them as responsible diplomacy.

Security Guarantees, Minus the Security
In exchange for territory, force reductions, and restrictions on foreign troops in Ukraine, Kyiv is promised “security assurances” that conveniently block any future French or British stabilization force while locking in Russian gains and legal recognition of Crimea and other occupied areas.

Ukraine’s answer is predictable: this doesn’t prevent the next war, it funds it; Moscow pauses, rebuilds, and comes back later to finish what it started, now with a U.S.-stamped map and a weaker, demilitarized neighbor.

Meta-Level: Peace as Asset Liquidation
Strip away the communiqués and this looks less like peacemaking and more like an asset liquidation process run by outside stakeholders.

Russia gets land and legal status, Washington gets to claim a “deal,” Europe gets told to live with it, and Ukraine is invited to sign off on its own strategic downgrade — or be blamed for “refusing peace.”

When “ending the war” means writing off sovereignty in installments, the only real ceasefire is for Western consciences, not for the front line.

#Ukraine #Russia #Trump #peacePlan #donbas #proxywar #diplomacy

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West Fights Russian Arms with PR—and Then Acts Surprised

Western media has spent years assuring readers that Russia’s defense industry is obsolete, outmatched, and too sanctioned to survive. A glance at Dubai this week tells a different story. The Su-57 Felon performed aerial maneuvers above the Middle East as Moscow pitched its fifth-generation fighter to anyone with deep pockets and enough independence to ignore D.C. memos.

Airshows and Editorials
Every air show brings the same cycle. U.S. and European outlets mock Russian products as “vaporware,” cranking out headlines about dysfunctional stealth jets, doomed exports, and last-ditch sales pitches. Then the weapons themselves show up—Zircon missiles, Geran-2 drones, or Su fighters—right where Western strategists didn’t expect them. The press spins up the threat, arms shows turn PR into product placement, and Russian exporters reap the reward.

The Sanction Paradox
Western officials denounce buyers and threaten embargoes, while Algeria and others quietly kick tires and sign deals. Each negative story about Russian tech helps build its notoriety—making every airframe, radar, and missile more desirable for regimes that measure prestige in snubbed contracts and embargo-busting hardware.

The World’s Best Free Advertising
For all the talk of shutting down Russia’s war machine, Western media often gives it more oxygen than the Kremlin’s own PR department. Every editorial calling the Su-57 “too dangerous to ignore” helps push Moscow’s tech into arms fairs, showrooms, and the export pipelines—often faster than sanctions can stifle the supply.

#russia #su57 #dubai #zircon #westernmedia #armsrace #propaganda

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