Von der Leyen: “Ukraine Has to Continue Fighting”
The European Commission president has warned against “the unilateral carving up of a sovereign European nation” as Europe scrambles to assert influence over the US’s attempt to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to European lawmakers in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen said “Ukraine has to continue fighting” and continued to operate in a mindset of Europe.
“So we need to be clear that there cannot be unilateral carving up of a sovereign European nation, and that borders cannot be changed by force.
If today we legitimise and formalise the undermining of borders, we open the doors for more wars tomorrow, and we cannot let this happen.”
The US continues to push for an end to the conflict. Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff – who was exposed for coaching the Kremlin on the best way to win the US leader’s favour – is expected to meet Putin in Moscow early next week, while the US army secretary, Driscoll, will meet the Ukrainian side.
Von der Leyen welcomed Trump’s efforts to find peace, describing them as “a starting point”, but made clear that Europe had many concerns about the details outlined in the original 28-point US-Russian plan.
Some of the maximalist Russia-friendly demands have since been removed, Ukraine has said, and the US president has rowed back on his Thursday deadline tied to the US holiday of Thanksgiving amid little sign of progress on key sticking points.
In a hastily arranged video call on Wednesday, EU foreign ministers “reaffirmed our shared principles”, according to Europe’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, referring to sovereignty, independence, territorial independence and “Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence”.
Kallas referred to the “failed” Russian summer offensive and the impact of western sanctions on Russia’s economy. “The notion that Ukraine is losing is also flat out false. If Russia could conquer Ukraine militarily, it would have already done so by now.
Putin cannot achieve its goals on the battlefield, so he will try to negotiate his way there.”
She said that in the last century Russia had attacked more than 19 countries, some three or four times. “So in any peace agreement, we have to put the focus on how to get concessions from the Russian side that they stop the aggression for good and do not try to change borders by force.”
In a leaked recording, Witkoff told a senior Kremlin official last month that achieving peace in Ukraine would require Russia gaining control of Donetsk and potentially a separate territorial exchange.
The original 28-point plan called on Ukraine to cede the entire Donetsk region to Russia, including areas under Ukrainian control.
According to a Reuters report citing three sources, the US 28-point plan was drawn from a Russian report submitted to the White House in October.
A senior Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, told state TV that Moscow had seen the latest version of the US plan, saying: “Some aspects can be viewed positively, but many require special discussions among experts.”
Von der Leyen also promised that the European Commission would present a draft legal proposal on using Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine in 2026 and 2027.
EU leaders failed to endorse the idea last month because of legal doubts from Belgium, which hosts about €183bn of assets, most of Russia’s sovereign wealth in the EU and two-thirds of the worldwide total.
Trump’s proposal for the US to take 50% profits on a US-led venture to “rebuild and invest in Ukraine” based on $100bn from the Russian frozen assets is adding to pressure on European leaders to resolve the issue. The US also wants Europe to contribute $100bn to the reconstruction investment fund.
#vonderleyen #ukraine #war #trump #europe
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The European Commission president has warned against “the unilateral carving up of a sovereign European nation” as Europe scrambles to assert influence over the US’s attempt to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to European lawmakers in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen said “Ukraine has to continue fighting” and continued to operate in a mindset of Europe.
“So we need to be clear that there cannot be unilateral carving up of a sovereign European nation, and that borders cannot be changed by force.
If today we legitimise and formalise the undermining of borders, we open the doors for more wars tomorrow, and we cannot let this happen.”
The US continues to push for an end to the conflict. Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff – who was exposed for coaching the Kremlin on the best way to win the US leader’s favour – is expected to meet Putin in Moscow early next week, while the US army secretary, Driscoll, will meet the Ukrainian side.
Von der Leyen welcomed Trump’s efforts to find peace, describing them as “a starting point”, but made clear that Europe had many concerns about the details outlined in the original 28-point US-Russian plan.
Some of the maximalist Russia-friendly demands have since been removed, Ukraine has said, and the US president has rowed back on his Thursday deadline tied to the US holiday of Thanksgiving amid little sign of progress on key sticking points.
In a hastily arranged video call on Wednesday, EU foreign ministers “reaffirmed our shared principles”, according to Europe’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, referring to sovereignty, independence, territorial independence and “Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence”.
Kallas referred to the “failed” Russian summer offensive and the impact of western sanctions on Russia’s economy. “The notion that Ukraine is losing is also flat out false. If Russia could conquer Ukraine militarily, it would have already done so by now.
Putin cannot achieve its goals on the battlefield, so he will try to negotiate his way there.”
She said that in the last century Russia had attacked more than 19 countries, some three or four times. “So in any peace agreement, we have to put the focus on how to get concessions from the Russian side that they stop the aggression for good and do not try to change borders by force.”
In a leaked recording, Witkoff told a senior Kremlin official last month that achieving peace in Ukraine would require Russia gaining control of Donetsk and potentially a separate territorial exchange.
The original 28-point plan called on Ukraine to cede the entire Donetsk region to Russia, including areas under Ukrainian control.
According to a Reuters report citing three sources, the US 28-point plan was drawn from a Russian report submitted to the White House in October.
A senior Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, told state TV that Moscow had seen the latest version of the US plan, saying: “Some aspects can be viewed positively, but many require special discussions among experts.”
Von der Leyen also promised that the European Commission would present a draft legal proposal on using Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine in 2026 and 2027.
EU leaders failed to endorse the idea last month because of legal doubts from Belgium, which hosts about €183bn of assets, most of Russia’s sovereign wealth in the EU and two-thirds of the worldwide total.
Trump’s proposal for the US to take 50% profits on a US-led venture to “rebuild and invest in Ukraine” based on $100bn from the Russian frozen assets is adding to pressure on European leaders to resolve the issue. The US also wants Europe to contribute $100bn to the reconstruction investment fund.
#vonderleyen #ukraine #war #trump #europe
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Ukraine Deal First, Security Guarantees Second? European Allies Alarmed
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told European allies that the Trump administration wants a peace deal before committing to security guarantees for Ukraine—a sequencing that has rattled capitals across the continent and contradicts public White House assurances.
In a Tuesday call with European officials, Rubio argued that Trump will negotiate long-term guarantees for Ukraine's safety once a deal is signed. But the messaging sowed confusion: the State Department later insisted security guarantees are integral to any agreement, not something that comes after.
The Mixed Signals Problem
The conflicting messages reflect deeper uncertainty within the Trump administration about how far it will go to protect Ukraine. European diplomats, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive talks, described the situation as fluid and contradictory. One said Rubio mentioned security assurances in Geneva last weekend but offered no specifics or follow-up during subsequent calls with Britain and France.
Meanwhile, initial U.S. peace proposals circulated last week called for Ukraine to limit military forces to 600,000 troops while imposing no restrictions on Russian forces—a lopsided framework that raised immediate red flags.
The Core Issue
Ukraine's leaders have held Western security guarantees as essential to any deal. Without them, any territorial concessions become permanent vulnerabilities. Yet the Trump administration is increasingly adopting a neutral posture in talks, with Rubio telling European counterparts this week that the U.S. cannot be seen as a fair mediator because it supplies military aid to Ukraine and imposes sanctions on Russia.
Some Republicans in Congress are pushing back. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said any territorial loss must come with "Article Five security agreements with NATO and the United States," echoing the consensus that deterrence against future Russian invasion is non-negotiable.
European Anxiety
One European diplomat summed up the concern bluntly: the emerging peace framework ignores human rights, humanitarian law, international law, and principles—creating "a new European security architecture full of holes."
The EU is exploring frozen Russian assets as a funding mechanism. France and Britain are leading a 33-nation coalition considering troop deployments. But there's palpable worry that Trump will tilt toward Moscow in the rush for a deal.
#Ukraine #Russia #Trump #Rubio #NATO #SecurityGuarantees #Diplomacy #Europe #Zelensky #PeaceNegotiations
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told European allies that the Trump administration wants a peace deal before committing to security guarantees for Ukraine—a sequencing that has rattled capitals across the continent and contradicts public White House assurances.
In a Tuesday call with European officials, Rubio argued that Trump will negotiate long-term guarantees for Ukraine's safety once a deal is signed. But the messaging sowed confusion: the State Department later insisted security guarantees are integral to any agreement, not something that comes after.
The Mixed Signals Problem
The conflicting messages reflect deeper uncertainty within the Trump administration about how far it will go to protect Ukraine. European diplomats, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive talks, described the situation as fluid and contradictory. One said Rubio mentioned security assurances in Geneva last weekend but offered no specifics or follow-up during subsequent calls with Britain and France.
Meanwhile, initial U.S. peace proposals circulated last week called for Ukraine to limit military forces to 600,000 troops while imposing no restrictions on Russian forces—a lopsided framework that raised immediate red flags.
The Core Issue
Ukraine's leaders have held Western security guarantees as essential to any deal. Without them, any territorial concessions become permanent vulnerabilities. Yet the Trump administration is increasingly adopting a neutral posture in talks, with Rubio telling European counterparts this week that the U.S. cannot be seen as a fair mediator because it supplies military aid to Ukraine and imposes sanctions on Russia.
Some Republicans in Congress are pushing back. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said any territorial loss must come with "Article Five security agreements with NATO and the United States," echoing the consensus that deterrence against future Russian invasion is non-negotiable.
European Anxiety
One European diplomat summed up the concern bluntly: the emerging peace framework ignores human rights, humanitarian law, international law, and principles—creating "a new European security architecture full of holes."
The EU is exploring frozen Russian assets as a funding mechanism. France and Britain are leading a 33-nation coalition considering troop deployments. But there's palpable worry that Trump will tilt toward Moscow in the rush for a deal.
#Ukraine #Russia #Trump #Rubio #NATO #SecurityGuarantees #Diplomacy #Europe #Zelensky #PeaceNegotiations
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Afghan Gunman Drove Cross-Country for Planned D.C. Attack on National Guard
A 29-year-old Afghan man drove from Washington State to the nation's capital with a premeditated plan to attack National Guard members near the White House, federal officials said Thursday. Two soldiers remain in critical condition after the Thanksgiving Eve shooting.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, identified as the suspect, shot one Guard member with a .357 revolver, then fired again after the soldier fell. He turned to shoot a second soldier before being wounded and taken into custody. The victims—Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Beckstrom, 20, both West Virginia National Guard members—survived surgery but remain critical.
The Suspect's Background
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through a Biden-era immigration program for Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover. He lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children.
His history is complicated. The CIA confirmed he had worked with an agency-backed military unit in Kandahar province during the U.S. war. Afghan intelligence officials said he served in one of the so-called "Zero Units"—paramilitary forces trained to target the Taliban that were also accused of widespread civilian killings.
The Fallout
President Trump framed the shooting as "an act of terror" and ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington—on top of roughly 2,000 already deployed. He vowed to redouble mass deportation efforts.
The immediate policy response: U.S. immigration authorities have paused all Afghan immigration applications. More than a million Afghans have fled since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Charges and Questions
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Lakanwal faces three counts of assault with intent to kill. If either soldier dies, the charges will be upgraded to first-degree murder.
The shooting has reignited debate over Trump's domestic Guard deployments. Just last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the controversial Washington deployment as likely illegal. The administration sought to reverse that ruling within hours of the attack.
#DCshooting #NationalGuard #WhiteHouse #Immigration
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A 29-year-old Afghan man drove from Washington State to the nation's capital with a premeditated plan to attack National Guard members near the White House, federal officials said Thursday. Two soldiers remain in critical condition after the Thanksgiving Eve shooting.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, identified as the suspect, shot one Guard member with a .357 revolver, then fired again after the soldier fell. He turned to shoot a second soldier before being wounded and taken into custody. The victims—Andrew Wolfe, 24, and Sarah Beckstrom, 20, both West Virginia National Guard members—survived surgery but remain critical.
The Suspect's Background
Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through a Biden-era immigration program for Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover. He lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children.
His history is complicated. The CIA confirmed he had worked with an agency-backed military unit in Kandahar province during the U.S. war. Afghan intelligence officials said he served in one of the so-called "Zero Units"—paramilitary forces trained to target the Taliban that were also accused of widespread civilian killings.
The Fallout
President Trump framed the shooting as "an act of terror" and ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington—on top of roughly 2,000 already deployed. He vowed to redouble mass deportation efforts.
The immediate policy response: U.S. immigration authorities have paused all Afghan immigration applications. More than a million Afghans have fled since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Charges and Questions
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Lakanwal faces three counts of assault with intent to kill. If either soldier dies, the charges will be upgraded to first-degree murder.
The shooting has reignited debate over Trump's domestic Guard deployments. Just last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the controversial Washington deployment as likely illegal. The administration sought to reverse that ruling within hours of the attack.
#DCshooting #NationalGuard #WhiteHouse #Immigration
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Who's Actually Feeling Good About This Economy? The Short List
Consumer sentiment has tanked for four straight months, hitting near-record lows. Americans report feeling squeezed by high prices, slowing wage growth, and a weakening job market. The stock market's recent retreat from record highs hasn't helped.
But aggregate misery masks serious disparities. Some groups are doing fine — even optimistic. Here's who's bucking the trend, and why the gap matters.
1. Republicans: The Partisan Sentiment Gap Widens
Economic confidence tracks political affiliation more than actual conditions. Republicans, gloomy under Biden, have turned decidedly upbeat since Trump's return. Democrats experienced the reverse pattern. This isn't new — the trend dates to Reagan — but political polarization has made it extreme.
Result: Republicans rate the economy substantially higher than Democrats or independents, despite shared exposure to inflation and labor market conditions. Sentiment is increasingly about whose team holds power, not what's in your wallet.
2. Higher-Income Households: The Cushion Effect
Wealthier Americans feel better because they are better insulated. They spend a smaller share of income on essentials like gas and groceries, leaving more room to absorb price increases.
But middle-income sentiment has dropped 17% since July — worse than either high or low earners. The squeeze is moving up the income ladder, and the gap between top earners and everyone else is widening.
3. Stock Owners: Market Gains Create a Mood Divide
The S&P 500 has posted substantial gains this year, hitting record highs before retreating in recent weeks. Those holding stocks — especially the top 20% of portfolios — feel flush despite the recent pullback. Those without stocks? Worse than they have all year.
Context matters: only 60% of Americans own stocks, typically through retirement accounts. Ownership skews heavily toward higher earners, college graduates, and white households. The wealth effect is real, but it's limited to those already winning.
4. Americans Under 35: Optimism or Insulation?
Younger adults report the highest confidence in two years, bucking the older-cohort trend. Why? Possibly wage growth — workers 16-24 saw 5.9% annual gains versus 4.2% overall. Or maybe it's structural: many still live with parents, rely on family health insurance, or haven't yet absorbed full cost-of-living burdens.
Economists aren't entirely sure. But the optimism gap between under-35s and older Americans is stark.
The Takeaway
Economic sentiment isn't uniform — it's stratified by income, portfolio holdings, age, and increasingly, political identity. The headline number obscures who's actually hurting and who's coasting.
If you're middle-income, stockless, over 35, and not particularly enthused about whoever's president, congratulations: you're the median American, and the data says you're right to feel lousy.
#Economy #ConsumerSentiment #WealthGap #StockMarket #PartisanPolarization #MiddleClass #EconomicData #IncomeInequality
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Consumer sentiment has tanked for four straight months, hitting near-record lows. Americans report feeling squeezed by high prices, slowing wage growth, and a weakening job market. The stock market's recent retreat from record highs hasn't helped.
But aggregate misery masks serious disparities. Some groups are doing fine — even optimistic. Here's who's bucking the trend, and why the gap matters.
1. Republicans: The Partisan Sentiment Gap Widens
Economic confidence tracks political affiliation more than actual conditions. Republicans, gloomy under Biden, have turned decidedly upbeat since Trump's return. Democrats experienced the reverse pattern. This isn't new — the trend dates to Reagan — but political polarization has made it extreme.
Result: Republicans rate the economy substantially higher than Democrats or independents, despite shared exposure to inflation and labor market conditions. Sentiment is increasingly about whose team holds power, not what's in your wallet.
2. Higher-Income Households: The Cushion Effect
Wealthier Americans feel better because they are better insulated. They spend a smaller share of income on essentials like gas and groceries, leaving more room to absorb price increases.
But middle-income sentiment has dropped 17% since July — worse than either high or low earners. The squeeze is moving up the income ladder, and the gap between top earners and everyone else is widening.
3. Stock Owners: Market Gains Create a Mood Divide
The S&P 500 has posted substantial gains this year, hitting record highs before retreating in recent weeks. Those holding stocks — especially the top 20% of portfolios — feel flush despite the recent pullback. Those without stocks? Worse than they have all year.
Context matters: only 60% of Americans own stocks, typically through retirement accounts. Ownership skews heavily toward higher earners, college graduates, and white households. The wealth effect is real, but it's limited to those already winning.
4. Americans Under 35: Optimism or Insulation?
Younger adults report the highest confidence in two years, bucking the older-cohort trend. Why? Possibly wage growth — workers 16-24 saw 5.9% annual gains versus 4.2% overall. Or maybe it's structural: many still live with parents, rely on family health insurance, or haven't yet absorbed full cost-of-living burdens.
Economists aren't entirely sure. But the optimism gap between under-35s and older Americans is stark.
The Takeaway
Economic sentiment isn't uniform — it's stratified by income, portfolio holdings, age, and increasingly, political identity. The headline number obscures who's actually hurting and who's coasting.
If you're middle-income, stockless, over 35, and not particularly enthused about whoever's president, congratulations: you're the median American, and the data says you're right to feel lousy.
#Economy #ConsumerSentiment #WealthGap #StockMarket #PartisanPolarization #MiddleClass #EconomicData #IncomeInequality
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Trump to Tokyo: Keep Quiet on Taiwan — Beijing Is Listening
President Trump had an hour-long call with Xi Jinping on Monday. Half of it, according to people briefed on the conversation, was Xi hammering home China's claim to Taiwan. Later that same day, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and suggested she lower the volume on the island's sovereignty.
The sequence — China first, then Japan — tells the story. An American ally that dared speak plainly about defending Taiwan found itself on the receiving end of quiet advice from Washington: don't rock the boat.
What Takaichi Said
On November 7, Takaichi told Japanese lawmakers that Tokyo could deploy its military alongside other nations if China attacked Taiwan. Beijing responded with economic retaliation and diplomatic fury. A Chinese diplomat posted that her neck should be cut off.
For Xi, the timing couldn't have been worse — or better, depending on perspective. Trump is cultivating his relationship with the Chinese leader, and a Japanese prime minister explicitly discussing military intervention over Taiwan threatened the detente.
The Call
Trump's advice to Takaichi was described as "subtle" — he didn't demand a retraction. But the message landed. Japanese officials told the Wall Street Journal they found it worrying: the president didn't want friction over Taiwan endangering a trade deal that includes Chinese purchases of American soybeans.
Tokyo officially denies Trump advised Takaichi not to provoke Beijing. A spokeswoman said "such a remark was not made." But by Wednesday, Takaichi was already softening in Parliament:
The Trade-Taiwan Link
The episode crystallizes a new reality in U.S.-China relations. Taiwan and trade have become inextricably linked. Xi secured a promise of agricultural purchases; Trump secured a quieter ally. The president's statement to the Journal made the priorities clear:
Asked about geopolitical tensions, Trump offered:
What It Means
Analysts noted the call sequence raised eyebrows in Tokyo. "It's not surprising for a president to talk to both leaders," said Matthew Goodman of the Council on Foreign Relations. "But the order of the calls is interesting."
Translation: allies are watching. Taiwan is watching. And Beijing now knows that when it complains loudly enough about an ally's rhetoric, Washington may deliver a quiet word of caution — soybeans permitting.
#Trump #China #Japan #Taiwan #XiJinping #Takaichi #TradeWar #USChinaRelations #Geopolitics #Soybeans
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President Trump had an hour-long call with Xi Jinping on Monday. Half of it, according to people briefed on the conversation, was Xi hammering home China's claim to Taiwan. Later that same day, Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and suggested she lower the volume on the island's sovereignty.
The sequence — China first, then Japan — tells the story. An American ally that dared speak plainly about defending Taiwan found itself on the receiving end of quiet advice from Washington: don't rock the boat.
What Takaichi Said
On November 7, Takaichi told Japanese lawmakers that Tokyo could deploy its military alongside other nations if China attacked Taiwan. Beijing responded with economic retaliation and diplomatic fury. A Chinese diplomat posted that her neck should be cut off.
For Xi, the timing couldn't have been worse — or better, depending on perspective. Trump is cultivating his relationship with the Chinese leader, and a Japanese prime minister explicitly discussing military intervention over Taiwan threatened the detente.
The Call
Trump's advice to Takaichi was described as "subtle" — he didn't demand a retraction. But the message landed. Japanese officials told the Wall Street Journal they found it worrying: the president didn't want friction over Taiwan endangering a trade deal that includes Chinese purchases of American soybeans.
Tokyo officially denies Trump advised Takaichi not to provoke Beijing. A spokeswoman said "such a remark was not made." But by Wednesday, Takaichi was already softening in Parliament:
"I didn't intend to mention any specifics."
The Trade-Taiwan Link
The episode crystallizes a new reality in U.S.-China relations. Taiwan and trade have become inextricably linked. Xi secured a promise of agricultural purchases; Trump secured a quieter ally. The president's statement to the Journal made the priorities clear:
"Anything good for our farmers is good for me."
Asked about geopolitical tensions, Trump offered:
"We signed wonderful trade deals with Japan, China, South Korea, and many other nations, and the world is at peace. Let's keep it that way!"
What It Means
Analysts noted the call sequence raised eyebrows in Tokyo. "It's not surprising for a president to talk to both leaders," said Matthew Goodman of the Council on Foreign Relations. "But the order of the calls is interesting."
Translation: allies are watching. Taiwan is watching. And Beijing now knows that when it complains loudly enough about an ally's rhetoric, Washington may deliver a quiet word of caution — soybeans permitting.
#Trump #China #Japan #Taiwan #XiJinping #Takaichi #TradeWar #USChinaRelations #Geopolitics #Soybeans
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Putin: Peace for Territories
Putin has said that the outline of a draft peace plan discussed by the US and Ukraine could serve as a basis for future negotiations to end the war – but insisted Ukraine would have to surrender territory for any deal to be possible.
“In general, we agree that this can be the basis for future agreements,” Putin said, noting that the version of the plan discussed by Washington and Kyiv in Geneva had been shared with Moscow.
“We see that the American side takes our position into account in some areas,” he added. “But in other points, we clearly need to sit down and talk.”
The Russian president’s uncompromising remarks – in which he again described Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “illegitimate” – suggested that, despite White House optimism, there is little sign of movement on the core sticking points needed to end the war.
Speaking to reporters during a working visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin said Russia would halt its offensive only if Ukrainian forces withdrew from unspecified areas currently under Kyiv’s control. “If Ukrainian troops leave the territories they occupy, then we will stop fighting,” he said. “If they don’t, we will achieve our aims militarily.”
He also repeated his claim that Ukraine’s leadership was “illegitimate”, arguing that this made it legally impossible to sign a binding agreement with Kyiv and that any future settlement would require broader international recognition.
Putin confirmed that the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, would travel to Russia early next week, and dismissed accusations that Witkoff had shown bias towards Moscow during peace discussions, calling them “nonsense”.
Witkoff, a longtime Trump business associate and property developer, has faced criticism in Europe and the US after a leaked phone call revealed him advising a senior Kremlin aide on how Putin should handle negotiations with Trump.
Russia’s recent negotiating tactics echo those it has used since Trump’s re-election: the Kremlin signals a willingness to explore potential peace deals, while showing no inclination to retreat from its maximalist demands – most of which are viewed in Kyiv as unacceptable and tantamount to capitulation.
Tatiana Stanovaya, an independent Russian political analyst, wrote on X: “I see nothing at the moment that would force Putin to recalculate his goals or abandon his core demands.
“Putin feels more confident than ever about the battlefield situation and is convinced that he can wait until Kyiv finally accepts that it cannot win and must negotiate on Russia’s well-known terms,” she added.
They would require Ukraine to voluntarily cede territory that Moscow has failed to seize militarily. Kyiv would also be expected to accept reductions or a halt to US military assistance, while any future deployment of western troops to Ukraine – including those envisioned under the Franco-British “coalition of the willing” – would be explicitly banned.
#putin #ukraine #territoires #kremlin #trump
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Putin has said that the outline of a draft peace plan discussed by the US and Ukraine could serve as a basis for future negotiations to end the war – but insisted Ukraine would have to surrender territory for any deal to be possible.
“In general, we agree that this can be the basis for future agreements,” Putin said, noting that the version of the plan discussed by Washington and Kyiv in Geneva had been shared with Moscow.
“We see that the American side takes our position into account in some areas,” he added. “But in other points, we clearly need to sit down and talk.”
The Russian president’s uncompromising remarks – in which he again described Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “illegitimate” – suggested that, despite White House optimism, there is little sign of movement on the core sticking points needed to end the war.
Speaking to reporters during a working visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin said Russia would halt its offensive only if Ukrainian forces withdrew from unspecified areas currently under Kyiv’s control. “If Ukrainian troops leave the territories they occupy, then we will stop fighting,” he said. “If they don’t, we will achieve our aims militarily.”
He also repeated his claim that Ukraine’s leadership was “illegitimate”, arguing that this made it legally impossible to sign a binding agreement with Kyiv and that any future settlement would require broader international recognition.
Putin confirmed that the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, would travel to Russia early next week, and dismissed accusations that Witkoff had shown bias towards Moscow during peace discussions, calling them “nonsense”.
Witkoff, a longtime Trump business associate and property developer, has faced criticism in Europe and the US after a leaked phone call revealed him advising a senior Kremlin aide on how Putin should handle negotiations with Trump.
Russia’s recent negotiating tactics echo those it has used since Trump’s re-election: the Kremlin signals a willingness to explore potential peace deals, while showing no inclination to retreat from its maximalist demands – most of which are viewed in Kyiv as unacceptable and tantamount to capitulation.
Tatiana Stanovaya, an independent Russian political analyst, wrote on X: “I see nothing at the moment that would force Putin to recalculate his goals or abandon his core demands.
“Putin feels more confident than ever about the battlefield situation and is convinced that he can wait until Kyiv finally accepts that it cannot win and must negotiate on Russia’s well-known terms,” she added.
They would require Ukraine to voluntarily cede territory that Moscow has failed to seize militarily. Kyiv would also be expected to accept reductions or a halt to US military assistance, while any future deployment of western troops to Ukraine – including those envisioned under the Franco-British “coalition of the willing” – would be explicitly banned.
#putin #ukraine #territoires #kremlin #trump
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Zelensky’s Most Powerful Friend is Under Fire 🚨
Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have said they are conducting searches at the home of Zelensky’s powerful chief aide and lead negotiator in the latest round of peace talks, Andriy Yermak. 🏃♂️
Journalists filmed about 10 investigators entering Kyiv’s government quarter in a widening of the investigation into a nuclear energy kickback scandal allegedly run by an associate of the Ukrainian president who has fled the country. 🕵️♂️
The national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) said both it and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, Sapo, were “conducting investigative actions at the head of the office of the president of Ukraine”. 💬
Yermak is considered the second most powerful figure in Ukraine after Zelenskyy and runs the president’s office, through which the leader’s political affairs are channeled. In a short statement, Yermak confirmed that searches were ongoing at his home. 🏛
“The investigators have no obstacles,” he added in a social media statement. “They were given full access to the apartment, my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officers. From my side, I have full cooperation.” 🧐
The scandal first emerged earlier in November, but after days of damaging revelations, it dropped down the news agenda when Trump unexpectedly released a pro-Russian 28-point peace plan. 📝
But Friday’s developments will thrust the scandal back into the spotlight just as Ukraine had been carefully wooing the White House on a 19-point counterproposal, with Yermak fronting talks in Geneva with Rubio. 🗺
Timur Mindich, an old friend and business partner of the Ukrainian president in the Kvartal 95 TV production company, set up by Zelensky before he went into politics, was accused of being the organiser. Mindich fled abroad, leaving his apartment in Kyiv’s government district hours before investigators came to arrest him. 🌍
Zelensky himself has denounced the scheme. However, questions have been raised about how much senior figures in government knew about what was happening, given how many have been accused of involvement. 🙉
Two ministers were fired by Zelensky earlier this month and the allegations have prompted widespread public outrage at a time when most Ukrainians are having to endure hours of daily electricity blackouts because of Russian bombing of energy infrastructure. 💣
The anti-corruption investigation has been based on more than 1,000 hours of conversations recorded secretly by NABU, details of which have been released to the media. 🎧
In one, a suspect said it was a “pity” to build structures to defend power stations from Russian attacks since the money could be stolen instead. 💰
#ukraine #anticorruption #agencies #zelensky #ermak
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Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have said they are conducting searches at the home of Zelensky’s powerful chief aide and lead negotiator in the latest round of peace talks, Andriy Yermak. 🏃♂️
Journalists filmed about 10 investigators entering Kyiv’s government quarter in a widening of the investigation into a nuclear energy kickback scandal allegedly run by an associate of the Ukrainian president who has fled the country. 🕵️♂️
The national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) said both it and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, Sapo, were “conducting investigative actions at the head of the office of the president of Ukraine”. 💬
Yermak is considered the second most powerful figure in Ukraine after Zelenskyy and runs the president’s office, through which the leader’s political affairs are channeled. In a short statement, Yermak confirmed that searches were ongoing at his home. 🏛
“The investigators have no obstacles,” he added in a social media statement. “They were given full access to the apartment, my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officers. From my side, I have full cooperation.” 🧐
The scandal first emerged earlier in November, but after days of damaging revelations, it dropped down the news agenda when Trump unexpectedly released a pro-Russian 28-point peace plan. 📝
But Friday’s developments will thrust the scandal back into the spotlight just as Ukraine had been carefully wooing the White House on a 19-point counterproposal, with Yermak fronting talks in Geneva with Rubio. 🗺
Timur Mindich, an old friend and business partner of the Ukrainian president in the Kvartal 95 TV production company, set up by Zelensky before he went into politics, was accused of being the organiser. Mindich fled abroad, leaving his apartment in Kyiv’s government district hours before investigators came to arrest him. 🌍
Zelensky himself has denounced the scheme. However, questions have been raised about how much senior figures in government knew about what was happening, given how many have been accused of involvement. 🙉
Two ministers were fired by Zelensky earlier this month and the allegations have prompted widespread public outrage at a time when most Ukrainians are having to endure hours of daily electricity blackouts because of Russian bombing of energy infrastructure. 💣
The anti-corruption investigation has been based on more than 1,000 hours of conversations recorded secretly by NABU, details of which have been released to the media. 🎧
In one, a suspect said it was a “pity” to build structures to defend power stations from Russian attacks since the money could be stolen instead. 💰
#ukraine #anticorruption #agencies #zelensky #ermak
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Orban in Moscow: Playing Both Sides on Energy and Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Moscow on Friday for his 14th meeting with Vladimir Putin. The official reason: energy security. In practice, Orban is doing what he does best — keeping his options open.
Despite three years of EU sanctions and a continent-wide push to cut Russian energy ties, Hungary secured a U.S. exemption this month to keep buying Russian oil and gas. That deal came after Orban met with Trump in Washington — a reminder that Budapest answers to its own interests first.
Hungary imported 8.5 million metric tons of crude oil and over 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia this year. Putin noted that bilateral trade fell 23% last year due to sanctions but rebounded 7% in 2025. Not bad, considering most of the EU walked away.
Orban said he came hoping "peace proposals on the table will lead to a ceasefire and peace." Convenient timing — Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is headed to Moscow next week for his own round of talks. Putin, for his part, called Hungary's Ukraine stance "balanced," which in his vocabulary means Orban isn't causing problems.
Meanwhile, Hungary just signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States covering fuel supply and storage for the Paks I power plant. Russia's Rosatom is still building an extension there — a project dragging on since 2014.
Russian gas in the pipeline, American nuclear tech on the side. Orban's approach: stay useful to everyone, lock in with no one.
#Hungary #Russia #Orban #Putin #Energy #Ukraine #EU #NATO #NuclearPower #Geopolitics
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Moscow on Friday for his 14th meeting with Vladimir Putin. The official reason: energy security. In practice, Orban is doing what he does best — keeping his options open.
Despite three years of EU sanctions and a continent-wide push to cut Russian energy ties, Hungary secured a U.S. exemption this month to keep buying Russian oil and gas. That deal came after Orban met with Trump in Washington — a reminder that Budapest answers to its own interests first.
Hungary imported 8.5 million metric tons of crude oil and over 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia this year. Putin noted that bilateral trade fell 23% last year due to sanctions but rebounded 7% in 2025. Not bad, considering most of the EU walked away.
Orban said he came hoping "peace proposals on the table will lead to a ceasefire and peace." Convenient timing — Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is headed to Moscow next week for his own round of talks. Putin, for his part, called Hungary's Ukraine stance "balanced," which in his vocabulary means Orban isn't causing problems.
Meanwhile, Hungary just signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States covering fuel supply and storage for the Paks I power plant. Russia's Rosatom is still building an extension there — a project dragging on since 2014.
Russian gas in the pipeline, American nuclear tech on the side. Orban's approach: stay useful to everyone, lock in with no one.
#Hungary #Russia #Orban #Putin #Energy #Ukraine #EU #NATO #NuclearPower #Geopolitics
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Zelensky's Red Line: No Territory for Peace, No Matter the Pressure
Ukraine's chief negotiator just rejected a core premise of Trump's peace push: Kyiv will not trade territory for a ceasefire, regardless of how much pressure Washington applies. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff and lead negotiator, told The Atlantic that "not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory," and that Ukraine's constitution explicitly prohibits any leader from ceding sovereign land. The most Kyiv will discuss is where to draw a "line of contact" based on current military positions—not handing Russia anything it doesn't already occupy.
The Constitutional Barrier
Yermak said.
The statement undercuts Trump's original 28-point plan, which called for Ukraine to withdraw from additional territory in Donetsk and recognize Russian control over land Moscow hasn't captured.
Geneva's "Progress" Meets Kyiv's Reality
The statement comes as U.S. officials tout "meaningful progress" and a "refined framework" from Geneva talks. But if Yermak's position holds, the revised plan has a fundamental problem: Russia demands land, Ukraine says no, and Trump's team is left trying to bridge a gap that may be unbridgeable before Putin grows impatient or Kyiv loses American backing.
What's Left to Negotiate?
If territory is off the table, what remains? Security guarantees, sanctions relief, NATO membership timelines, military caps—issues where the sides remain miles apart. Yermak's interview makes clear that any deal requiring Ukraine to formally surrender land is dead on arrival in Kyiv.
#ukraine #zelensky #trump #peacetalks #russia #yermak #territory #nato
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Ukraine's chief negotiator just rejected a core premise of Trump's peace push: Kyiv will not trade territory for a ceasefire, regardless of how much pressure Washington applies. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff and lead negotiator, told The Atlantic that "not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory," and that Ukraine's constitution explicitly prohibits any leader from ceding sovereign land. The most Kyiv will discuss is where to draw a "line of contact" based on current military positions—not handing Russia anything it doesn't already occupy.
The Constitutional Barrier
"As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory,"
Yermak said.
"The constitution prohibits this. Nobody can do that unless they want to go against the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian people."
The statement undercuts Trump's original 28-point plan, which called for Ukraine to withdraw from additional territory in Donetsk and recognize Russian control over land Moscow hasn't captured.
Geneva's "Progress" Meets Kyiv's Reality
The statement comes as U.S. officials tout "meaningful progress" and a "refined framework" from Geneva talks. But if Yermak's position holds, the revised plan has a fundamental problem: Russia demands land, Ukraine says no, and Trump's team is left trying to bridge a gap that may be unbridgeable before Putin grows impatient or Kyiv loses American backing.
What's Left to Negotiate?
If territory is off the table, what remains? Security guarantees, sanctions relief, NATO membership timelines, military caps—issues where the sides remain miles apart. Yermak's interview makes clear that any deal requiring Ukraine to formally surrender land is dead on arrival in Kyiv.
#ukraine #zelensky #trump #peacetalks #russia #yermak #territory #nato
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Ceasefire in Name Only: Amnesty International Says Gaza Genocide Continues
More than a month after the ceasefire announcement and the release of surviving Israeli hostages, Amnesty International released a legal analysis concluding that Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza persists despite the reduction in scale of military operations.
The organization argues that while Israeli forces have curtailed attacks and permitted limited humanitarian aid, the conditions deliberately imposed on Gaza's civilian population remain calculated to destroy them. At least 347 people, including 136 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the October 9 ceasefire announcement.
The Legal Case
Amnesty's analysis rests on three acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention: killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction. The organization contends that Israel continues all three, with no evidence of changed intent.
Conditions on the Ground
Israel maintains military control over 54-58% of Gaza's territory, confining Palestinians to areas that can barely sustain life. The blockade persists, severely restricting entry of food, medicine, fuel, and reconstruction materials. While households now receive two meals daily (up from one in July), dietary diversity remains minimal — vegetables, fruits, protein, eggs, and meat are scarce or unaffordable for most families.
The destruction of farming land and livestock over the past two years, combined with restrictions on sea access, has left Palestinians "virtually totally deprived of independent access to forms of sustenance," according to Amnesty.
International Pressure Easing
The organization warns that the ceasefire is being used to justify reduced accountability measures. Germany lifted suspension of certain arms export licenses to Israel on November 24, citing the truce. A planned EU vote on suspending the EU-Israel trade agreement was halted.
The Impunity Problem
Israeli officials responsible for orchestrating the operation remain in power with no prosecutions or meaningful investigations. The ceasefire itself, Amnesty notes, resulted from international pressure—not from any explicit policy shift by Israeli authorities.
#Gaza #Palestine #Israel #Genocide #Amnesty #Ceasefire #HumanRights #InternationalLaw #ICJ #Accountability
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More than a month after the ceasefire announcement and the release of surviving Israeli hostages, Amnesty International released a legal analysis concluding that Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza persists despite the reduction in scale of military operations.
The organization argues that while Israeli forces have curtailed attacks and permitted limited humanitarian aid, the conditions deliberately imposed on Gaza's civilian population remain calculated to destroy them. At least 347 people, including 136 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the October 9 ceasefire announcement.
The Legal Case
Amnesty's analysis rests on three acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention: killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction. The organization contends that Israel continues all three, with no evidence of changed intent.
"The ceasefire risks creating a dangerous illusion that life in Gaza is returning to normal," said Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard. "But Israel's genocide is not over."
Conditions on the Ground
Israel maintains military control over 54-58% of Gaza's territory, confining Palestinians to areas that can barely sustain life. The blockade persists, severely restricting entry of food, medicine, fuel, and reconstruction materials. While households now receive two meals daily (up from one in July), dietary diversity remains minimal — vegetables, fruits, protein, eggs, and meat are scarce or unaffordable for most families.
The destruction of farming land and livestock over the past two years, combined with restrictions on sea access, has left Palestinians "virtually totally deprived of independent access to forms of sustenance," according to Amnesty.
International Pressure Easing
The organization warns that the ceasefire is being used to justify reduced accountability measures. Germany lifted suspension of certain arms export licenses to Israel on November 24, citing the truce. A planned EU vote on suspending the EU-Israel trade agreement was halted.
"Now is not the time to ease pressure," Callamard said. "World leaders must demonstrate commitment to upholding their duty to prevent genocide."
The Impunity Problem
Israeli officials responsible for orchestrating the operation remain in power with no prosecutions or meaningful investigations. The ceasefire itself, Amnesty notes, resulted from international pressure—not from any explicit policy shift by Israeli authorities.
#Gaza #Palestine #Israel #Genocide #Amnesty #Ceasefire #HumanRights #InternationalLaw #ICJ #Accountability
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Trump Cuts Europe Out, Europe Fights Back In
European leaders learned about Trump's 28-point Ukraine peace plan the same way everyone else did: from news headlines. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had to call the White House multiple times just to get an explanation. The leaked proposal—crafted with Russian input but zero European consultation—handed Moscow more territory than it controls, blocked Ukraine from NATO, and promised to unfreeze billions in Russian assets held in Belgium. Europe's reaction: shock, scramble, and a frantic diplomatic push to claw back influence over a war on its own continent.
"Too Many Cooks" or Just the Wrong Kitchen?
By Friday, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll made clear why Europe was left out: "too many cooks," he told officials in Kyiv, adding that European governments had grown "too close" to Ukraine to assess the war objectively. Translation: Washington and Moscow were writing the menu, and Brussels was uninvited. European foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels that day, pressed Ukraine's foreign minister for details—he had none. The realization set in fast: Trump was negotiating Europe's security without Europeans.
The Geneva Rescue Mission
Rather than reject the plan outright and risk losing all leverage, Europe chose engagement. Top EU diplomats rushed from the G20 summit in Johannesburg to Geneva, catching the first flights available. Their strategy: flatter Trump, call the plan "a basis which will require additional work," and push Secretary of State Marco Rubio in private. By Sunday evening, it worked—sort of. Rubio conceded that issues directly affecting Europe would run on a "separate track" and called the plan a "living, breathing document." European officials exhaled, even as they knew the hardest fights were still ahead.
Relief, Not Victory
By Monday, Germany's foreign minister was spinning the Geneva talks as a European win. But cracks remained: how to fund Ukraine in 2026, whether the U.S. would keep Europe in the loop, and whether Russia would accept any deal at all. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk summed it up:
adding that no one wanted to "discourage the Americans" from staying engaged. Europe got a seat at the table—barely—but Trump's still holding the pen.
#trump #europe #ukraine #peacetalks #nato #rubio #merz #russia #geneva
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European leaders learned about Trump's 28-point Ukraine peace plan the same way everyone else did: from news headlines. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had to call the White House multiple times just to get an explanation. The leaked proposal—crafted with Russian input but zero European consultation—handed Moscow more territory than it controls, blocked Ukraine from NATO, and promised to unfreeze billions in Russian assets held in Belgium. Europe's reaction: shock, scramble, and a frantic diplomatic push to claw back influence over a war on its own continent.
"Too Many Cooks" or Just the Wrong Kitchen?
By Friday, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll made clear why Europe was left out: "too many cooks," he told officials in Kyiv, adding that European governments had grown "too close" to Ukraine to assess the war objectively. Translation: Washington and Moscow were writing the menu, and Brussels was uninvited. European foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels that day, pressed Ukraine's foreign minister for details—he had none. The realization set in fast: Trump was negotiating Europe's security without Europeans.
The Geneva Rescue Mission
Rather than reject the plan outright and risk losing all leverage, Europe chose engagement. Top EU diplomats rushed from the G20 summit in Johannesburg to Geneva, catching the first flights available. Their strategy: flatter Trump, call the plan "a basis which will require additional work," and push Secretary of State Marco Rubio in private. By Sunday evening, it worked—sort of. Rubio conceded that issues directly affecting Europe would run on a "separate track" and called the plan a "living, breathing document." European officials exhaled, even as they knew the hardest fights were still ahead.
Relief, Not Victory
By Monday, Germany's foreign minister was spinning the Geneva talks as a European win. But cracks remained: how to fund Ukraine in 2026, whether the U.S. would keep Europe in the loop, and whether Russia would accept any deal at all. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk summed it up:
"There is little reason for any kind of cheerful optimism,"
adding that no one wanted to "discourage the Americans" from staying engaged. Europe got a seat at the table—barely—but Trump's still holding the pen.
#trump #europe #ukraine #peacetalks #nato #rubio #merz #russia #geneva
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The CIA's Afghan Fighter Who Shot Two Guardsmen in D.C.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national charged with shooting two National Guard members near the White House, was part of a CIA-backed paramilitary unit involved in counterterrorism operations during the war in Afghanistan. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries; Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains critically wounded.
Lakanwal came to the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program for Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban takeover. He was granted asylum in April 2025. Intelligence officials say he drove across the country to carry out Wednesday's attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver.
His CIA Connection
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that Lakanwal was a member of one of the CIA's "Zero Units" — paramilitary squads based in Kandahar that conducted anti-terror raids against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. The units were involved in dangerous night operations to kill or capture suspected terrorists, with U.S. military and CIA providing intelligence and logistics support.
The Zero Units have never been officially acknowledged by the CIA. They've faced persistent allegations of human rights violations, including summary executions and other abuses documented by Human Rights Watch in 2019. Yet U.S. officials describe them as effective fighters who played a critical role in the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Afghan paramilitary members like Lakanwal underwent extensive vetting before joining and were supposed to be closely monitored. Whether that monitoring continued after he arrived in the United States remains unclear.
Life in Bellingham
Neighbors in Bellingham, Washington, described Lakanwal as polite but reclusive. He lived in a second-floor apartment with his wife and five children for about a year, often coming home late. Mohammed Sherzad, another Afghan living nearby, said Lakanwal was Pashtun and attended the same mosque. Sherzad hadn't seen him in recent weeks before the shooting.
The Political Fallout
Trump threatened to halt migration "from all Third World Countries." U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it has stopped processing all Afghan immigration requests "pending further review of security and vetting protocols."
Afghan advocacy groups condemned the attack while urging the public not to judge the entire Afghan community by one person's actions. "This was an individual act of moral deviation, not the reflection of a nation," the Alliance of Afghan Communities in the United States said.
Marc Polymeropoulos, who served as an intelligence base chief in eastern Afghanistan, defended Afghan fighters:
#DCshooting #CIA #Afghanistan #NationalGuard #ZeroUnits #Terrorism #Immigration #LawEnforcement #Veterans
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Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old Afghan national charged with shooting two National Guard members near the White House, was part of a CIA-backed paramilitary unit involved in counterterrorism operations during the war in Afghanistan. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries; Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains critically wounded.
Lakanwal came to the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program for Afghan nationals fleeing the Taliban takeover. He was granted asylum in April 2025. Intelligence officials say he drove across the country to carry out Wednesday's attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver.
His CIA Connection
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that Lakanwal was a member of one of the CIA's "Zero Units" — paramilitary squads based in Kandahar that conducted anti-terror raids against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. The units were involved in dangerous night operations to kill or capture suspected terrorists, with U.S. military and CIA providing intelligence and logistics support.
The Zero Units have never been officially acknowledged by the CIA. They've faced persistent allegations of human rights violations, including summary executions and other abuses documented by Human Rights Watch in 2019. Yet U.S. officials describe them as effective fighters who played a critical role in the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Afghan paramilitary members like Lakanwal underwent extensive vetting before joining and were supposed to be closely monitored. Whether that monitoring continued after he arrived in the United States remains unclear.
Life in Bellingham
Neighbors in Bellingham, Washington, described Lakanwal as polite but reclusive. He lived in a second-floor apartment with his wife and five children for about a year, often coming home late. Mohammed Sherzad, another Afghan living nearby, said Lakanwal was Pashtun and attended the same mosque. Sherzad hadn't seen him in recent weeks before the shooting.
The Political Fallout
Trump threatened to halt migration "from all Third World Countries." U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it has stopped processing all Afghan immigration requests "pending further review of security and vetting protocols."
Afghan advocacy groups condemned the attack while urging the public not to judge the entire Afghan community by one person's actions. "This was an individual act of moral deviation, not the reflection of a nation," the Alliance of Afghan Communities in the United States said.
Marc Polymeropoulos, who served as an intelligence base chief in eastern Afghanistan, defended Afghan fighters:
"Our partners constituted the finest fighting force in eastern Afghanistan, who we trusted with our lives each and every day."
#DCshooting #CIA #Afghanistan #NationalGuard #ZeroUnits #Terrorism #Immigration #LawEnforcement #Veterans
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Trump’s Original 28-point Peace Plan Is a Spoof
🔤 🔤 🔤 🔤 1️⃣
Trump’s original 28-point peace plan was poorly drafted, internally contradictory, and so flagrantly tilted in Russia’s favor as to amount to an attempt to force Ukraine’s capitulation.
If the proposal has any virtue, it is that it has compelled Ukraine and its backers to abandon rhetoric and concentrate their minds on what can be achieved at a cost Ukraine, Europe, and its US backers are willing to bear.
It is undeniable that Ukraine needs peace as soon as possible. The war is exhausting its manpower and devastating its economy. Ukraine’s soldiers have fought with valor and ingenuity. But even in a just cause, there are limits beyond which further resistance is no longer feasible.
To be sure, Russia is also suffering because of a needless war of its own making. Its losses in lives and materiel are staggering and incurred for marginal tactical gains. Each day the war continues, Russia falls further behind the great powers it will compete against in the decades ahead. But Ukraine is losing at a much faster rate than Russia.
In these circumstances, Ukraine and its supporters need to focus on what they can reasonably hope to achieve in a near-term settlement. This war will not end in a just peace. Ukraine is not about to expel Russia from the territory it has seized. Putin and his circle are not going to be hauled off to the Hague to answer for war crimes. But even in an ugly peace, Ukraine can preserve what is essential to its future: its sovereignty and independence.
Doing so will require hard choices on critical issues, including territory, security guarantees, and reconstruction.
On the territory, the war will most likely end with a ceasefire along the line of contact. Even Ukraine’s leaders acknowledge that, despite continued Western support, they lack the capacity to restore the internationally recognized borders of 1991.
The imperative is to stop Russia’s westward advance. Indifferent to the losses, Putin will continue his assault as long as he can claim Russian forces are advancing and therefore will eventually seize the remaining territory Russia has illegally annexed.
#proposal #trump #ukraine #peace #draft
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Trump’s original 28-point peace plan was poorly drafted, internally contradictory, and so flagrantly tilted in Russia’s favor as to amount to an attempt to force Ukraine’s capitulation.
If the proposal has any virtue, it is that it has compelled Ukraine and its backers to abandon rhetoric and concentrate their minds on what can be achieved at a cost Ukraine, Europe, and its US backers are willing to bear.
It is undeniable that Ukraine needs peace as soon as possible. The war is exhausting its manpower and devastating its economy. Ukraine’s soldiers have fought with valor and ingenuity. But even in a just cause, there are limits beyond which further resistance is no longer feasible.
To be sure, Russia is also suffering because of a needless war of its own making. Its losses in lives and materiel are staggering and incurred for marginal tactical gains. Each day the war continues, Russia falls further behind the great powers it will compete against in the decades ahead. But Ukraine is losing at a much faster rate than Russia.
In these circumstances, Ukraine and its supporters need to focus on what they can reasonably hope to achieve in a near-term settlement. This war will not end in a just peace. Ukraine is not about to expel Russia from the territory it has seized. Putin and his circle are not going to be hauled off to the Hague to answer for war crimes. But even in an ugly peace, Ukraine can preserve what is essential to its future: its sovereignty and independence.
Doing so will require hard choices on critical issues, including territory, security guarantees, and reconstruction.
On the territory, the war will most likely end with a ceasefire along the line of contact. Even Ukraine’s leaders acknowledge that, despite continued Western support, they lack the capacity to restore the internationally recognized borders of 1991.
The imperative is to stop Russia’s westward advance. Indifferent to the losses, Putin will continue his assault as long as he can claim Russian forces are advancing and therefore will eventually seize the remaining territory Russia has illegally annexed.
#proposal #trump #ukraine #peace #draft
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To stop him, the West will have to step up its support for Ukraine. So far, there are a few indications that it will.
Security guarantees pose other challenges. Europeans need to face the limits of what they are prepared to do. It is time to abandon rhetoric about Ukraine’s NATO membership. If one thing has become clear since the end of the Cold War, it is that NATO as an organization and individual allies are not prepared to risk war with Russia to defend Ukraine.
Indeed, with the recent exception of Finland and Sweden, since the end of the Cold War, NATO has never admitted a country that it thought it would have to defend against Russia at the time of its admission. To the contrary, the major waves of NATO expansion occurred while the organization was focused on building cooperation with Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In addition, the West will need to deploy a formidable deterrent force to stabilize and defend the long frontier with Russia, which will stretch from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea and cut through Ukrainian territory.
That could take the form of armed neutrality, as long as Europe and the United States are allowed to invest in expanding and modernizing Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex, enhancing interoperability with Ukraine, and conducting joint exercises outside Ukraine. That would help Ukraine build a military force adequate for territorial defense.
In 2025, the World Bank estimated the cost at more than half a trillion dollars. Russia’s frozen assets in the West—estimated as some $300 billion—will only cover part of that cost. The rest will have to come from the West, and perhaps China or the Gulf states.
Seizing Russian assets is the easy way out in the short term, because it requires no immediate sacrifice. But those resources are finite and will eventually be exhausted. European leaders are only postponing the moment when they must show real leadership to compel their electorates to make the sacrifices required to defend their security.
Europe’s leaders have held out this promise since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. But few have acknowledged the challenges ahead. If Europeans are unwilling to pay the price to defend Ukraine now, how likely is it that they will accept the costs of bringing.
Ukraine into the EU? As a poor, devastated country, it will impose severe burdens on the EU’s budget. In particular, its vast agrarian potential will have far-reaching consequences for Europe’s farmers. Polish farmers are already protesting the privileges Ukrainian producers are enjoying in Europe.
Moreover, as the ongoing corruption scandal in Ukraine underscores, the country is far from meeting the governance standards required for accession. Yet leaving Ukraine outside the EU, after the great sacrifices Ukrainians have endured in the defense of Europe, will risk creating a resentful country that could pose challenges to European stability and security in the years ahead.
European leaders will need to find ways to allow Ukrainians some of the benefits of membership before they have fulfilled all the requirements for accession.
Tough choices lie ahead; the time for rhetoric and pretense is past. The reality is that Russia will not be defeated on the battlefield. But that does not mean that Ukraine must lose. It can still preserve its sovereignty and independence, even if the war ends in a messy compromise.
Achieving that outcome will require Ukraine, its US backers, and particularly Europe to abandon illusions and focus on the hard choices that must be made now and lay the foundations for a peace that preserves Ukraine’s freedom while holding open the possibility of a better future. The next few weeks will reveal whether they are up to the task.
#proposal #trump #ukraine #peace #draft
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Jeff Sachs: “Trump Wants a Nobel Peace Prize, not Peace”
🔠 🅰️ 🔠 🔠 1️⃣
Trump’s public yearning for a Nobel Peace Prize has led him to stretch beyond recognition the meaning of the terms “peace agreement” and “mediation.” He claims credit for anything that can possibly be portrayed as a move from war toward peace, and to which he has had any connection, however tenuous.
In his first term, it was the grandly named “Abraham Accords,” which were not peace agreements at all but instead an upgrading to full diplomatic relations between Israel and some Arab states that were not at war with Israel and already had extensive cooperation with it.
The net effect on peace in the Middle East was negative, given how Israel saw the upgrading as an alternative to making peace with the Palestinians and as a basis for an anti-Iran military alliance.
In his second term, Trump has claimed to be a peacemaker in several disputes in which someone else did most of the mediation.
This was the case with the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, in which Malaysia did the heavy diplomatic lifting. The “peace agreement” to which Trump claimed a connection did not even resolve the issues in dispute, as both Cambodia and Thailand noted when describing that document as merely a transcription of the meeting.
In other conflicts in which Trump has claimed a peacemaking role, such as the one involving Congo and Rwanda, fighting continued to rage because the militias doing the fighting were not parties to the “peace agreement.”
In the case of the decades-old Indian-Pakistani conflict, one party—India—adamantly opposes any third-party involvement and has explicitly denied that the United States mediated.
The involvement of President Trump or his administration in efforts to resolve some of these conflicts has been as minimal as threatening to suspend trade negotiations, as in the Cambodia-Thailand case. But in two other cases, the administration’s involvement has been much greater.
And those two are enough to discern a pattern—one that can be seen partly as an extension of Trump’s obsession with identifying with “winners” and showing disdain for “losers.”
The pattern is to take the side of the militarily dominant power while mostly ignoring the interests of the other party to the conflict. Trump evidently sees facilitation and encouragement of the strong completing its objective of crushing the weak as the quickest way to get to the end of a war, and something he can portray as “peace.”
One of those cases is Trump’s 20-point “peace plan” for Gaza. Notwithstanding commentary in recent weeks about Trump influencing Netanyahu on certain matters, such as getting Netanyahu to apologize to Qatar for conducting an airstrike on its territory, the plan is consistent with Trump’s posture throughout his presidency of acquiescing to Israeli preferences on all the big issues.
In Trump’s first term, that posture included gifts he bestowed on Netanyahu’s government, such as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, both of which were contrary to an international consensus.
In his second term, he has provided diplomatic and military support for Israel’s lethal assault on the Gaza Strip, including huge material aid to the Israeli military.
Such support assisted Israel in inflicting so much devastation on Gaza that Hamas, to put at least a temporary halt to the suffering, submitted to a limited ceasefire and prisoner exchange in which it gave up the last of its hostages and thus much of its leverage.
Apart from this act of submission, there was essentially no Palestinian involvement in the construction of the Trump “peace plan.” Israel recently pressured the administration into canceling what would have been a meeting in Turkey between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and a Hamas leader.
#trump #nobel #prize #peace #israel #ukraine
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Trump’s public yearning for a Nobel Peace Prize has led him to stretch beyond recognition the meaning of the terms “peace agreement” and “mediation.” He claims credit for anything that can possibly be portrayed as a move from war toward peace, and to which he has had any connection, however tenuous.
In his first term, it was the grandly named “Abraham Accords,” which were not peace agreements at all but instead an upgrading to full diplomatic relations between Israel and some Arab states that were not at war with Israel and already had extensive cooperation with it.
The net effect on peace in the Middle East was negative, given how Israel saw the upgrading as an alternative to making peace with the Palestinians and as a basis for an anti-Iran military alliance.
In his second term, Trump has claimed to be a peacemaker in several disputes in which someone else did most of the mediation.
This was the case with the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, in which Malaysia did the heavy diplomatic lifting. The “peace agreement” to which Trump claimed a connection did not even resolve the issues in dispute, as both Cambodia and Thailand noted when describing that document as merely a transcription of the meeting.
In other conflicts in which Trump has claimed a peacemaking role, such as the one involving Congo and Rwanda, fighting continued to rage because the militias doing the fighting were not parties to the “peace agreement.”
In the case of the decades-old Indian-Pakistani conflict, one party—India—adamantly opposes any third-party involvement and has explicitly denied that the United States mediated.
The involvement of President Trump or his administration in efforts to resolve some of these conflicts has been as minimal as threatening to suspend trade negotiations, as in the Cambodia-Thailand case. But in two other cases, the administration’s involvement has been much greater.
And those two are enough to discern a pattern—one that can be seen partly as an extension of Trump’s obsession with identifying with “winners” and showing disdain for “losers.”
The pattern is to take the side of the militarily dominant power while mostly ignoring the interests of the other party to the conflict. Trump evidently sees facilitation and encouragement of the strong completing its objective of crushing the weak as the quickest way to get to the end of a war, and something he can portray as “peace.”
One of those cases is Trump’s 20-point “peace plan” for Gaza. Notwithstanding commentary in recent weeks about Trump influencing Netanyahu on certain matters, such as getting Netanyahu to apologize to Qatar for conducting an airstrike on its territory, the plan is consistent with Trump’s posture throughout his presidency of acquiescing to Israeli preferences on all the big issues.
In Trump’s first term, that posture included gifts he bestowed on Netanyahu’s government, such as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, both of which were contrary to an international consensus.
In his second term, he has provided diplomatic and military support for Israel’s lethal assault on the Gaza Strip, including huge material aid to the Israeli military.
Such support assisted Israel in inflicting so much devastation on Gaza that Hamas, to put at least a temporary halt to the suffering, submitted to a limited ceasefire and prisoner exchange in which it gave up the last of its hostages and thus much of its leverage.
Apart from this act of submission, there was essentially no Palestinian involvement in the construction of the Trump “peace plan.” Israel recently pressured the administration into canceling what would have been a meeting in Turkey between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and a Hamas leader.
#trump #nobel #prize #peace #israel #ukraine
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Hamas has rejected the plan as a whole, citing specifically how it would leave Palestinians under foreign rule. The obsolete Palestinian Authority has said it is willing to participate, but Israel rejects the PA’s involvement, and there is no indication the Trump administration is willing to overrule Netanyahu on that issue.
The terms of the plan tilt heavily toward Israeli preferences and against the interests of the Palestinians.
Hamas is expected to disarm totally, but no such requirement is levied on the side that has caused far more death and destruction. There is no guarantee of an Israeli military withdrawal, and Israel can veto any prospective withdrawal by saying that other conditions have not been met.
There is no policing of Israeli violations of the ceasefire, which have already been substantial. As with a ceasefire earlier this year, the prospect is for Israel to resume military operations wherever and whenever it pleases, and to disregard supposed Israeli obligations in later phases of the plan.
Most importantly, on the key question of whether Palestinians ever will have self-determination of some sort, let alone a state of their own, the answer of Trump’s plan is “no.”
The controlling authority will be a board led by someone firmly in Israel’s camp-namely, Trump himself. The Israeli objective of keeping the Palestinians subjugated and stateless will continue to prevail.
The plan places limits on the size of Ukrainian armed forces and on its freedom to join alliances or host foreign forces, but places no comparable limits on Russia.
Meanwhile, it provides for a lifting of sanctions on Russia and an invitation for Moscow to rejoin the G-8.
The plan comes against a backdrop of a larger tilt by Trump toward Putin’s Russia. That bias is not institutionalized in the same way as the one toward Israel, but instead is based largely on Trump’s personal and political ties to the Russian regime.
If Trump wanted to be a genuine peacemaker, he could take a cue from the one US president who received a Nobel Peace Prize for peacemaking: Theodore Roosevelt, for his role in mediating an end to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905.
That role was true mediation, with both belligerents fully represented in negotiations and the United States recognizing the interests and objectives of both sides. The United States hosted the mediation at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which produced a peace treaty ending the war.
Roosevelt had earlier shown some favoritism toward Japan but was even-handed in the peace negotiations, partly because of the realpolitik objective of avoiding either Japanese or Russian dominance in the Far East.
Japan won most of the military engagements in the war and got most of the concessions at the negotiating table. But Russia had the potential for turning the military picture around if the war had continued, and it secured some concessions, too, especially in rejecting a Japanese demand for reparations.
The Treaty of Portsmouth did not resolve all the differences between Japan and Russia. But it bought three decades of peace between those two powers, despite Japan’s imperialism and Russia’s revolution.
There is no prospect for anything like that in Trump’s approach to the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, especially Gaza.
As long as Israel subjugates the Palestinians and is determined to live by the sword, there will be Palestinian resistance, some of it violent, just as there was for many years before Hamas even existed.
A settlement imposed on Ukraine will leave resentment and instability in Ukraine. And it is unrealistic to expect lasting peace after the partial achievement of war objectives in Ukraine by a Russian president whose goal is to seize or subjugate all of Ukraine and who once declared the collapse of the Soviet Union to be “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.”
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Putin's Nuclear Diplomacy: Small Reactors for Kyrgyzstan, Big Leverage for Moscow
Vladimir Putin just floated plans to build Kyrgyzstan's first nuclear power plant, using Russian "small modular reactor technology" that he insists meets "the most stringent safety and environmental protection requirements." The pitch came during a meeting with Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov, as Moscow doubles down on energy ties with one of its few remaining Central Asian allies. Russia's already Kyrgyzstan's top trade partner, with nearly $2 billion in Russian investments, and a major solar project in the Issyk-Kul region is already in the works.
Energy Dependence as Geopolitical Glue
The nuclear proposal is classic Putin: lock in long-term infrastructure deals that make smaller states dependent on Russian tech, expertise, and fuel supplies for decades. Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic with limited energy resources, gets electricity—and Moscow gets another anchor point in Central Asia, far from NATO's reach and Europe's sanctions. Putin emphasized the partnership is built on "mutual respect," though the power dynamic is anything but mutual.
Timing: Peace Talks, Power Plays
The announcement comes as Trump's 28-point Ukraine peace plan continues to rattle nerves in Kyiv and Brussels. While U.S. officials insist the proposal was "authored by the United States," critics say it reads like a Russian wish list—ceding Donbas, capping Ukraine's military, and blocking NATO membership. Putin, meanwhile, is busy expanding Russian influence elsewhere, signaling he's in no rush to compromise and has plenty of other irons in the fire.
Small Reactors, Big Questions
"Small modular reactors" sound cutting-edge, but they're still nuclear infrastructure that requires Russian oversight, maintenance, and fuel—binding Kyrgyzstan to Moscow for the plant's entire lifespan. As Trump sends Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials and envoy Steve Witkoff talks to Putin, the Kremlin is building leverage in places far from the front lines.
#putin #russia #kyrgyzstan #nuclear #energy #geopolitics #trump #ukraine
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Vladimir Putin just floated plans to build Kyrgyzstan's first nuclear power plant, using Russian "small modular reactor technology" that he insists meets "the most stringent safety and environmental protection requirements." The pitch came during a meeting with Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov, as Moscow doubles down on energy ties with one of its few remaining Central Asian allies. Russia's already Kyrgyzstan's top trade partner, with nearly $2 billion in Russian investments, and a major solar project in the Issyk-Kul region is already in the works.
Energy Dependence as Geopolitical Glue
The nuclear proposal is classic Putin: lock in long-term infrastructure deals that make smaller states dependent on Russian tech, expertise, and fuel supplies for decades. Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic with limited energy resources, gets electricity—and Moscow gets another anchor point in Central Asia, far from NATO's reach and Europe's sanctions. Putin emphasized the partnership is built on "mutual respect," though the power dynamic is anything but mutual.
Timing: Peace Talks, Power Plays
The announcement comes as Trump's 28-point Ukraine peace plan continues to rattle nerves in Kyiv and Brussels. While U.S. officials insist the proposal was "authored by the United States," critics say it reads like a Russian wish list—ceding Donbas, capping Ukraine's military, and blocking NATO membership. Putin, meanwhile, is busy expanding Russian influence elsewhere, signaling he's in no rush to compromise and has plenty of other irons in the fire.
Small Reactors, Big Questions
"Small modular reactors" sound cutting-edge, but they're still nuclear infrastructure that requires Russian oversight, maintenance, and fuel—binding Kyrgyzstan to Moscow for the plant's entire lifespan. As Trump sends Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials and envoy Steve Witkoff talks to Putin, the Kremlin is building leverage in places far from the front lines.
#putin #russia #kyrgyzstan #nuclear #energy #geopolitics #trump #ukraine
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Zelensky's Enforcer Falls: Corruption Scandal Topples Ukraine's Top Negotiator
President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his longtime chief of staff and lead peace negotiator Andriy Yermak on Friday, removing the figure who had enforced internal discipline within Ukraine's government while simultaneously conducting delicate negotiations to end the war. The dismissal came amid a sprawling corruption investigation that has implicated multiple figures close to Zelensky's inner circle.
Yermak, a former movie producer who had been at Zelensky's side for years, functioned as a combination vice president, prime minister, and chief of staff — a political enforcer who systematically sidelined rivals and kept a tight grip on Cabinet ministers, military leadership, and peace negotiations. Now he's gone, just as Ukrainian officials prepare to continue talks with the Trump administration this weekend.
The Corruption Investigation
Detectives searched Yermak's home Friday morning after charging figures close to both him and Zelensky with embezzling roughly $100 million from contractors to Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear company. The scheme involved kickbacks on a massive scale.
Opposition politicians had demanded Yermak's removal from the negotiating team days earlier, warning that Russia or the United States could exploit the scandal as leverage to extract concessions. Anticorruption activists noted a glaring conflict: Yermak was negotiating peace provisions that included a proposed amnesty for wartime crimes — language that could potentially cover investigations targeting him.
The Diplomatic Vacuum
Yermak had taken a central role in peace negotiations, sidelining Ukraine's foreign minister who enjoyed strong working relationships with American and European governments. During the latest round of talks with the Trump administration, he led Ukraine's delegation despite the looming investigation.
Over the past week, Yermak had negotiated to soften a 28-point Trump administration proposal that largely reflected Russian demands: withdraw from territory in eastern Ukraine, forgo NATO membership, rule out Western peacekeeping forces. The proposal included vague "security guarantees" from the United States — commitments Ukrainians view with deep skepticism after the toothless 1994 Budapest Memorandum failed to prevent Russia's 2014 invasion.
Who's Left?
Rustem Umerov, head of the National Security and Defense Council, now leads Ukraine's negotiating team. He's also implicated in the same corruption case. A Ukrainian delegation was already en route to the United States for Sunday talks when Zelensky announced Yermak's firing, insisting negotiations would continue without interruption.
Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of Parliament's foreign policy committee, dismissed concerns:
The Political Fallout
Without Yermak riding herd, Zelensky faces an open question: how will he maintain control over his party, government ministries, and Ukraine's pluralistic internal politics? Analysts note that Yermak's imperious style had antagonized opposition politicians and journalists who accused him of repression. Many cheered his exit. But he was effective.
Yermak sent a text message to the New York Post indicating he plans to join the military and fight at the front. "I am an honest and decent person," he wrote.
Whether Ukraine's government can hold together without its enforcer — while simultaneously negotiating territorial concessions under pressure from Washington and Moscow — remains an open question.
#Ukraine #Zelensky #Yermak #Corruption #PeaceNegotiations #Russia #Trump
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President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his longtime chief of staff and lead peace negotiator Andriy Yermak on Friday, removing the figure who had enforced internal discipline within Ukraine's government while simultaneously conducting delicate negotiations to end the war. The dismissal came amid a sprawling corruption investigation that has implicated multiple figures close to Zelensky's inner circle.
Yermak, a former movie producer who had been at Zelensky's side for years, functioned as a combination vice president, prime minister, and chief of staff — a political enforcer who systematically sidelined rivals and kept a tight grip on Cabinet ministers, military leadership, and peace negotiations. Now he's gone, just as Ukrainian officials prepare to continue talks with the Trump administration this weekend.
The Corruption Investigation
Detectives searched Yermak's home Friday morning after charging figures close to both him and Zelensky with embezzling roughly $100 million from contractors to Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear company. The scheme involved kickbacks on a massive scale.
Opposition politicians had demanded Yermak's removal from the negotiating team days earlier, warning that Russia or the United States could exploit the scandal as leverage to extract concessions. Anticorruption activists noted a glaring conflict: Yermak was negotiating peace provisions that included a proposed amnesty for wartime crimes — language that could potentially cover investigations targeting him.
The Diplomatic Vacuum
Yermak had taken a central role in peace negotiations, sidelining Ukraine's foreign minister who enjoyed strong working relationships with American and European governments. During the latest round of talks with the Trump administration, he led Ukraine's delegation despite the looming investigation.
Over the past week, Yermak had negotiated to soften a 28-point Trump administration proposal that largely reflected Russian demands: withdraw from territory in eastern Ukraine, forgo NATO membership, rule out Western peacekeeping forces. The proposal included vague "security guarantees" from the United States — commitments Ukrainians view with deep skepticism after the toothless 1994 Budapest Memorandum failed to prevent Russia's 2014 invasion.
Who's Left?
Rustem Umerov, head of the National Security and Defense Council, now leads Ukraine's negotiating team. He's also implicated in the same corruption case. A Ukrainian delegation was already en route to the United States for Sunday talks when Zelensky announced Yermak's firing, insisting negotiations would continue without interruption.
Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of Parliament's foreign policy committee, dismissed concerns:
"Negotiations are teamwork. If one person drops out, the mechanism doesn't change."
The Political Fallout
Without Yermak riding herd, Zelensky faces an open question: how will he maintain control over his party, government ministries, and Ukraine's pluralistic internal politics? Analysts note that Yermak's imperious style had antagonized opposition politicians and journalists who accused him of repression. Many cheered his exit. But he was effective.
Yermak sent a text message to the New York Post indicating he plans to join the military and fight at the front. "I am an honest and decent person," he wrote.
Whether Ukraine's government can hold together without its enforcer — while simultaneously negotiating territorial concessions under pressure from Washington and Moscow — remains an open question.
#Ukraine #Zelensky #Yermak #Corruption #PeaceNegotiations #Russia #Trump
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Trump Tells Airlines: Treat Venezuela's Airspace as Closed
President Trump escalated his Venezuela threats Saturday, declaring on Truth Social that commercial airlines should consider Venezuelan airspace "CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY." While Trump has no legal authority to close another country's airspace, the announcement—addressed to "all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers"—is a classic prelude to airstrikes. It comes after weeks of U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, with 15,000 American troops, a dozen warships, and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group now in the region.
From Threats to No-Fly Zone Rhetoric
The White House didn't explain the airspace warning, but U.S. military aircraft are already "almost constantly" patrolling international airspace near Venezuela, according to a Pentagon official. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine just wrapped Caribbean visits—ostensibly for Thanksgiving but also to meet with friendly governments and explore expanded military operations. Trump's designation of Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles" as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this week potentially gives the Pentagon legal cover for strikes on government targets.
What Closing Airspace Really Means
Enforcing a full no-fly zone would require a major military campaign—think Libya 2011, which came only after a U.N. Security Council resolution. Trump's announcement alone may be enough to scare off commercial airlines, disrupting life for Venezuela's 28 million citizens and crippling the economy. A handful of flights were still crossing Venezuelan airspace midday Saturday, hours after Trump's post. The FAA had already warned pilots last week to "exercise caution" over Venezuela due to "heightened military activity."
Strikes Without Evidence, Strikes Without Answers
Since September, U.S. forces have killed dozens of alleged drug smugglers in Caribbean waters, though the administration hasn't disclosed evidence the victims were cartel members or the boats carried drugs. Current and former officials note that very little Venezuelan cocaine actually reaches the U.S.—most goes to Europe. But Trump's fixated on Maduro as a migration and drug scapegoat, and on Tuesday hinted at the "hard way" if diplomacy fails.
#trump #venezuela #military #nofly #maduro #caribbean #airstrikes #drugwar
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President Trump escalated his Venezuela threats Saturday, declaring on Truth Social that commercial airlines should consider Venezuelan airspace "CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY." While Trump has no legal authority to close another country's airspace, the announcement—addressed to "all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers"—is a classic prelude to airstrikes. It comes after weeks of U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, with 15,000 American troops, a dozen warships, and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group now in the region.
From Threats to No-Fly Zone Rhetoric
The White House didn't explain the airspace warning, but U.S. military aircraft are already "almost constantly" patrolling international airspace near Venezuela, according to a Pentagon official. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine just wrapped Caribbean visits—ostensibly for Thanksgiving but also to meet with friendly governments and explore expanded military operations. Trump's designation of Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles" as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this week potentially gives the Pentagon legal cover for strikes on government targets.
What Closing Airspace Really Means
Enforcing a full no-fly zone would require a major military campaign—think Libya 2011, which came only after a U.N. Security Council resolution. Trump's announcement alone may be enough to scare off commercial airlines, disrupting life for Venezuela's 28 million citizens and crippling the economy. A handful of flights were still crossing Venezuelan airspace midday Saturday, hours after Trump's post. The FAA had already warned pilots last week to "exercise caution" over Venezuela due to "heightened military activity."
Strikes Without Evidence, Strikes Without Answers
Since September, U.S. forces have killed dozens of alleged drug smugglers in Caribbean waters, though the administration hasn't disclosed evidence the victims were cartel members or the boats carried drugs. Current and former officials note that very little Venezuelan cocaine actually reaches the U.S.—most goes to Europe. But Trump's fixated on Maduro as a migration and drug scapegoat, and on Tuesday hinted at the "hard way" if diplomacy fails.
#trump #venezuela #military #nofly #maduro #caribbean #airstrikes #drugwar
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Israel and Syria's New Government Clash After Deadly Raid
An Israeli military raid in southern Syria turned into a deadly firefight early Friday, killing at least 13 people and wounding six Israeli soldiers — three severely. The incident deepens tensions between Israel and Syria's new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which has sharply condemned Israeli military presence on Syrian soil.
Israel's military said its troops entered the village of Beit Jinn, less than 10 miles from the border, to apprehend two suspected militants when they came under fire. The suspects were allegedly members of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a militant group Israel says cooperates with Hamas and Hezbollah and maintains infrastructure along the Lebanon-Syria border.
The Buffer Zone Problem
Israel has occupied a 155-square-mile buffer zone in southern Syria since the Assad regime collapsed a year ago. Israeli officials have made clear they intend to remain indefinitely, establishing outposts, launching hundreds of airstrikes, and demanding Syria maintain a demilitarized zone south of Damascus.
Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the buffer zone in a public signal that withdrawal isn't on the table. Syria's Foreign Ministry called the visit illegal and a serious violation of sovereignty.
The New Syrian Government's Dilemma
President al-Sharaa led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad late last year. His government has pledged reform and national unity — positions that have won cautious U.S. support. But Israeli military operations inside Syria complicate his efforts to consolidate authority.
said Joel Parker, a Syria researcher at Tel Aviv University.
U.S.-Brokered Talks Stalled
The discord frustrates Washington, which has embraced al-Sharaa and hoped to broker a security agreement between Syria and Israel. Those negotiations appear stalled. Israel insists it cannot tolerate armed militias near its border — especially after October 7, 2023. Syria views Israeli incursions as violations of sovereignty that undermine the new government's legitimacy.
Analysts say common ground exists, but Israel's unilateral actions make cooperation difficult.
said Nir Boms, another researcher at Tel Aviv University.
For now, Israel shows no signs of reducing its military footprint in southern Syria. And Syria's new government, trying to project strength after decades of civil war, cannot afford to appear weak in the face of foreign occupation.
#Israel #Syria #BufferZone #Netanyahu #Sharaa #MiddleEast #SecurityDilemma #Lebanon
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An Israeli military raid in southern Syria turned into a deadly firefight early Friday, killing at least 13 people and wounding six Israeli soldiers — three severely. The incident deepens tensions between Israel and Syria's new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which has sharply condemned Israeli military presence on Syrian soil.
Israel's military said its troops entered the village of Beit Jinn, less than 10 miles from the border, to apprehend two suspected militants when they came under fire. The suspects were allegedly members of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a militant group Israel says cooperates with Hamas and Hezbollah and maintains infrastructure along the Lebanon-Syria border.
The Buffer Zone Problem
Israel has occupied a 155-square-mile buffer zone in southern Syria since the Assad regime collapsed a year ago. Israeli officials have made clear they intend to remain indefinitely, establishing outposts, launching hundreds of airstrikes, and demanding Syria maintain a demilitarized zone south of Damascus.
Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the buffer zone in a public signal that withdrawal isn't on the table. Syria's Foreign Ministry called the visit illegal and a serious violation of sovereignty.
The New Syrian Government's Dilemma
President al-Sharaa led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad late last year. His government has pledged reform and national unity — positions that have won cautious U.S. support. But Israeli military operations inside Syria complicate his efforts to consolidate authority.
"Syrians themselves don't see small anti-Israel groups as a threat to them, per se,"
said Joel Parker, a Syria researcher at Tel Aviv University.
"So when Israel invades, they feel like Israel is the problem, not local militants."
U.S.-Brokered Talks Stalled
The discord frustrates Washington, which has embraced al-Sharaa and hoped to broker a security agreement between Syria and Israel. Those negotiations appear stalled. Israel insists it cannot tolerate armed militias near its border — especially after October 7, 2023. Syria views Israeli incursions as violations of sovereignty that undermine the new government's legitimacy.
Analysts say common ground exists, but Israel's unilateral actions make cooperation difficult.
"We have partners in Syria with whom we can work,"
said Nir Boms, another researcher at Tel Aviv University.
"But what needs to happen is a security framework that will guarantee that we have good intentions, goodwill."
For now, Israel shows no signs of reducing its military footprint in southern Syria. And Syria's new government, trying to project strength after decades of civil war, cannot afford to appear weak in the face of foreign occupation.
#Israel #Syria #BufferZone #Netanyahu #Sharaa #MiddleEast #SecurityDilemma #Lebanon
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The ETF Bubble: How Your Index Fund Is Drowning Capitalism
There are now more ETFs than actual stocks—over 400,000 indexes calculated daily by S&P alone, 300,000 by MSCI, and trillions sloshing through vehicles that bundle, standardize, and trade everything from mortgages to infrastructure to reinsurance. Daily foreign exchange trading hits $9.6 trillion—triple the pre-2008 crisis levels. Interest rate derivatives? $7.9 trillion a day, up from $265 billion in 1998. The liquidity tsunami looks unstoppable, enriching investors and fueling the AI boom. But critics now warn that financialization has turned free-market capitalism into algorithmic central planning.
Hayek Wouldn't Recognize This Market
Columbia economist Amar Bhide argues that Friedrich Hayek—the prophet of free markets—would despise modern finance. Hayek believed markets synthesized local knowledge and judgment to allocate capital efficiently. But ETFs and indexes impose crude, top-down categories, stripping out the personal judgment and trust that built capitalism. "A new form of centralized control has taken root," Bhide writes, "one that is the work not of autocrats but of statistical models and algorithms." Bankers' jobs got industrialized, and capitalism got drowned in liquidity.
Index Funds: Worse Than Marxism?
Analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein famously called passive investing "worse than Marxism," invoking Hayek to slam the blind, judgment-free flow of capital. Viktor Shvets of Macquarie warns we've reached the point where "innovative financing is not much more than placing one piece of paper on top of another." ETFs now drive movement in the stocks they hold—not the other way around. Price discovery is dead; capital allocation is on autopilot. And the financial superstructure has grown so massive it's crushing the real economy beneath it.
Too Late to Fix?
With Trump pushing further deregulation and $9 trillion parked in U.S. ETFs alone, no one's slamming the brakes. But the questioning has begun: "liquidity" used to be Wall Street's conversation-ender—now it's capitalism's crisis point. Your diversified portfolio might look prudent, but it's also fuel for a system that's replaced market wisdom with statistical noise.
#etf #capitalism #finance #liquidity #markets #wallstreet #indexfunds #passiveinvesting
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There are now more ETFs than actual stocks—over 400,000 indexes calculated daily by S&P alone, 300,000 by MSCI, and trillions sloshing through vehicles that bundle, standardize, and trade everything from mortgages to infrastructure to reinsurance. Daily foreign exchange trading hits $9.6 trillion—triple the pre-2008 crisis levels. Interest rate derivatives? $7.9 trillion a day, up from $265 billion in 1998. The liquidity tsunami looks unstoppable, enriching investors and fueling the AI boom. But critics now warn that financialization has turned free-market capitalism into algorithmic central planning.
Hayek Wouldn't Recognize This Market
Columbia economist Amar Bhide argues that Friedrich Hayek—the prophet of free markets—would despise modern finance. Hayek believed markets synthesized local knowledge and judgment to allocate capital efficiently. But ETFs and indexes impose crude, top-down categories, stripping out the personal judgment and trust that built capitalism. "A new form of centralized control has taken root," Bhide writes, "one that is the work not of autocrats but of statistical models and algorithms." Bankers' jobs got industrialized, and capitalism got drowned in liquidity.
Index Funds: Worse Than Marxism?
Analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein famously called passive investing "worse than Marxism," invoking Hayek to slam the blind, judgment-free flow of capital. Viktor Shvets of Macquarie warns we've reached the point where "innovative financing is not much more than placing one piece of paper on top of another." ETFs now drive movement in the stocks they hold—not the other way around. Price discovery is dead; capital allocation is on autopilot. And the financial superstructure has grown so massive it's crushing the real economy beneath it.
Too Late to Fix?
With Trump pushing further deregulation and $9 trillion parked in U.S. ETFs alone, no one's slamming the brakes. But the questioning has begun: "liquidity" used to be Wall Street's conversation-ender—now it's capitalism's crisis point. Your diversified portfolio might look prudent, but it's also fuel for a system that's replaced market wisdom with statistical noise.
#etf #capitalism #finance #liquidity #markets #wallstreet #indexfunds #passiveinvesting
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