NATO’s Rutte on Russia:

Putin is again sending this historian next week to the talks in Geneva, where he will lecture Ukrainians about Sweden or whatever.

Christiane Amanpour: Are you feeling the pressure by Trump?

Zelensky: A little bit.

Zelensky:

The American side proposed a free economic zone. We said we are ready to look at such proposals. It is our territory. It has to remain our territory. We cannot just withdraw. There are 200,000 Ukrainians living there. It is our land. We cannot simply run away. We did not run away on the first day of this war, so why would we do it today?

We are ready to talk about a free economic zone. Maybe it could be something important for compromises and for the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are ready to take steps.

The question is: what are the Russians ready to do? We do not hear any compromises from the Russian side. We want to hear something from them.

Zelensky on elections:

I see comparisons. They say they had elections during the Civil War with Lincoln. How can we compare that to us?

Our people are under missiles; it is not just a land war.

We are under ballistic attacks. Give us a ceasefire.

Zelensky on elections:

We can also give a ceasefire for Russians if they will do elections in Russia.

Newly released Justice Department files show that in 2019, Steve Bannon messaged Jeffrey Epstein about efforts to undermine Pope Francis, writing that he hoped to “take down” the pontiff.

Bannon, a former Trump adviser, viewed Francis as a barrier to his nationalist-populist agenda.

Source: CNN

Italy's Meloni at African Union:

Those who believe that migration is necessary and indispensable are in fact acting selfishly.

If young people leave their land… what will become of the history, culture, and existence of the country they have abandoned?

At the Munich Security Conference, UK Defence Secretary John Healey met Baltic and Nordic counterparts to explore seizing oil tankers linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” aiming to curb revenue funding Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Source: Bloomberg

Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Ofer Prison with IPS chief Kobi Yaakobi ahead of Ramadan, where stun grenades were used near Palestinian detainees.

He said prison conditions were “not enough” and backs expanding the death penalty.

Source: Drop Site News

Zelensky Warns: No ‘Munich 1938’ Again

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a stark warning at the Munich Security Conference, invoking “Munich 1938” and cautioning against pressuring Ukraine into unilateral concessions while Russia offers none.

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8,000 Bodies Still Under the Rubble in Gaza

Gaza Civil Defence says 8,000 bodies still remain under rubble and 3,000 missing as UN estimates 61 million tonnes of debris.

READ MORE

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán to Zelensky:

Thank you for yet another campaign speech in support of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. It will greatly help Hungarians see the situation more clearly.

There is, however, something you misunderstand: this debate is not about me and it is not about you. It is about the future of Hungary, Ukraine, and Europe. This is precisely why you cannot become a member of the European Union.

Alexei Navalny died in prison after being poisoned with epibatidine, a toxin found in Ecuadorian dart frogs, according to the UK and European allies.

They say lab tests confirmed the chemical — about 200 times stronger than morphine — and will submit findings to the global chemical weapons watchdog.

The UK said only the Russian government had the means and motive.

Source: Sky News

Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar suspended student groups after the death of Abdoulaye Ba during protests over unpaid stipends. Authorities have admitted to excessive force.

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Trump Administration Revokes Temporary Protection Status for Yemenis in America

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Trump posts on Truth Social.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge A. Colby:

We’re not trying to strangle China.

Maria Corina Machado:

We must dismantle the presence of Cuba, Russia, Iran inside our institutions. China lent over $60 billion to the regime.

Once we dismantle the regime in Venezuela, Cuba will be next. Nicaragua will follow.

For the first time in history, the Americas will be free of communism and dictatorship.

Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado:

The vast majority of the armed forces support us.

They were ordered to stop us — and they disobeyed.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius:

Moscow is not acting alone. It is pursuing a revisionist agenda by cooperating with China, Iran, and North Korea.

Up north, Russia and China are preparing to project military and economic power in the Arctic.

In the event of an escalation in Europe, Russia would most likely use its Northern Fleet to open a second front, cut transatlantic supply chains, and threaten both sides of the Atlantic with nuclear submarines.