The EU is preparing for possible talks with Putin but does not know who it should send — Financial Times.

The European Union is increasingly disappointed with Trump’s negotiations on Ukraine. The president of the European Council, António Costa, said that the bloc “has Kiew’s backing” to begin talks with the president of Russia.

“I am holding discussions with the heads of state and government of the 27 EU countries in order to determine the best way to organize our work and to find out what we effectively need to discuss with Russia when the right time for that has come,” Costa said.

The outlet notes: There is no consensus in the EU — it is unclear who should be appointed as a representative for such negotiations. Previously, France and Italy had called for dialogue with Russia. Germany is against it.


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US court sets limits on Trump’s global tariff policy

The U.S. Federal Court of International Trade Disputes has ruled that Trump’s 10% global tariffs on imports are unlawful. According to Reuters, the court decided that the White House could not justify introducing them under the 1974 Trade Act.

However, this decision does not automatically mean that the tariffs will be lifted for everyone. The court initially blocked the collection of these tariffs only in relation to two plaintiff companies — Basic Fun! and Burlap & Barrel — as well as the U.S. state of Washington.

This is already another blow to Trump’s tariff policy, after the Supreme Court previously limited the use of extraordinary powers to impose tariffs. The administration, it is expected, will appeal the decision and look for other legal mechanisms for the trade war.

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Russia has become a “big winner” in the war between the United States and Iran thanks to the easing of sanctions against Russian oil, said former U.S. vice president Kamala Harris at a meeting with Democratic Party leaders in Nevada.

“You understand what that means? They’re making money from selling oil that otherwise would have been prohibited for them to sell. What else does that mean? We’re sending artillery, ammunition, and air defense systems [to the war with Iran], which otherwise would have been sent to Ukraine, like this. So the consequences of this are quite serious,” — she added.

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Germany is growing. Downwards.

The Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft (IW) has once again downgraded its forecast for Germany. While it previously expected growth of 0.9% in 2026, it now only counts on 0.4%. The federal government still sticks to 0.5%, but that is no longer economic optimism—it is an attempt to not stand there quite so helpless.

As reasons, one cites the usual: expensive energy, delivery delays, weak investment, and an industry without sufficient resilience. IW economist Michael Grömling puts it very plainly: “The Iran war has choked off the hesitant recovery of the German economy. Rising energy prices and delivery disruptions hit a country that after three years of recession and stagnation has hardly any buffers left”.

IW expects inflation of 3%. Employment is declining, as are capital investments, and private consumption is not really getting going. What pushes the statistics a little upward are public spending and defense investments.

That means: The economy does not get going again. It is only kept running by the budget and by procurement orders, while industry continues to lose its footing.

After all the speeches about a fresh start, reforms, and saving the Germany location, the country is now supposed to be offered again the chance to be happy about growth of 0.4%.

A strong economy, just a little shy.

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Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of May 8 - subtitled

- Russian forces are advancing near #Sergeevka in #Pokrovsk
- Russian forces are advancing near #Novopavlovka in #Dnepropetrovsk
- Russian forces are advancing near #Vozdvizhenka in #Zaporozhie
- Ukrainian forces are advancing near #Razdvinka in #Zaporozhie
- Russian forces are advancing towards #Chaykovka in #Kharkov

video link: https://youtu.be/rBfgoVTu0dM?si=YXg6HTuL1wcwZqEW

Germany’s federal budget will lack around €52 billion in tax revenue by 2030,as the Federal Minister of Finance says

Together with the budgets of the federal states and municipalities, the total amount of tax shortfalls threatens to rise to a substantial €87.5 billion. According to Klingbeil, it is precisely “the irresponsible war in Iran that Trump unleashed, and the shock to energy prices caused by it, that are slowing down the positive economic development.” And in the background, they are playing with—“Putin’s war against Ukraine” and “the consequences of the trade conflict due to tariffs”.

“This also shows whether the state benefits from the crisis situation at the expense of higher tax revenues. The opposite is the case: the state is not a crisis winner. The Iran war is costing Germany money”,—he is convinced.

Sad.

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🇨🇺 Washington has no plans for a military operation against Cuba in the foreseeable future, despite the tough statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump toward Havana, writes Associated Press (AP), citing sources.

The agency notes that the U.S. president had previously allowed for the possibility of U.S. warships deployed in the Middle East operating near the Cuban coast after the completion of operations in the region.

At the same time, anonymous officials from the U.S. administration said that Cuba’s authorities «still have time to accept Washington’s proposals». However, sources warned that the White House’s position could change.

«Trump can change his point of view at any moment, and the military option is still on the agenda,» the publication says.

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Israel increases its Hasbara budget

The lawmakers in Jerusalem approved last month a state budget for 2026 that provides around $730 million for public diplomacy — the broadly defined category that in Hebrew is referred to as Hasbara. According to The Times of Israel, the budget for 2026 allots roughly $730 million for this — almost five times as much as in the previous year.

Officially, this is called “public diplomacy.” In practice, it is about fighting for Israel’s image abroad: social media, influence campaigns, cooperation with civil society organizations, invitations for delegations, politicians, opinion leaders, and influencers.

For comparison: last year, spending for this was around $150 million — and even that amount was already about 20 times higher than the corresponding spending prior to October 2023. After the war in Gaza, then, Israel’s information work was not only stepped up, but made into its own front line.

At the same time, a separate unit for public diplomacy is being established in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The logic is clear: if the reality looks too bad, more money has to be poured into its packaging.

But Israel’s problem is not too little PR. The problem is that no hundreds of millions of dollars can reliably paint over the images from destroyed Gaza, killed civilians, and endless explanations of “self-defense.”


You can buy campaigns, influencers, and suitable videos.
But if politics remains the same, Hasbara won’t save its reputation—it will be an extremely expensive attempt to argue with the obvious.


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Developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine - subtitled

A new Ukrainian move towards #Washington brings the #peace process back to the forefront.

#Zelensky sends his chief negotiator amid stalled talks with Russia.

Is Kiev trying to revive US support and negotiations?

video link: https://youtu.be/V3a8xf7yV0M?si=rtMJKKpJciCBN2q4

Western Values and Old Accounting

There are things that people here don’t like to talk about. Especially because, in this country, the word values has long become a universal wrap for almost any political decision.

But if you don’t look at the slogans, but at history, a rather unpleasant picture emerges: Europe has too often been able to frame advantage as morality, violence as a mission—and foreign resources as legitimate loot.

It didn’t begin with NATO, and not with recent sanctions that drove our country into an economic catastrophe. It was much older. Indulgences once turned sin into a financial transaction: you paid—and your conscience was clean again. Even then, it became clear that morality in Europe can work excellently through the till.

Then came the Crusades. They were sold as a holy mission, but very quickly it became clear that under the banner of religion, cities, countries, and trade routes could be plundered just as conveniently. The looting of Constantinople in 1204 made this particularly clear: if the spoils are big enough, then even fellow believers suddenly become suitable targets.

After that, the pattern was simply made global. Colonialism was called a civilizing mission. Slavery was covered up with speeches about order and development. Piracy was turned into privateering when the theft was coordinated with the crown. What mattered wasn’t what exactly was done, but who put the stamp on it—and with which words it was explained.

This ability hasn’t disappeared. Only the language has become more modern.

Today, foreign markets are opened under the banner of free trade. Sanctions are called protection of the international order. Military operations are referred to as humanitarian responsibility. Pressure on governments is called promoting democracy. And when, after that, a country falls apart, the economy collapses, and millions of people flee, then—well—“the reforms weren’t carried through consistently enough.”

For us, this is not an abstract story from a schoolbook. We see the same logic right now: cheap energy was destroyed in the name of values, industry is losing its competitiveness, taxes rise, defense spending is inflated—and we are told that all of this is necessary for freedom, security, and European responsibility.

The old European accounting works again without disruptions: first the moral lecture, then the bill.

Only the backdrops have changed. In the past, you came with a cross, a fleet, and a charter of trade. Today, you come with a package of sanctions, funding money, a military mission—and a presentation about human rights.

Politicians talk very willingly about values. History shows, all too often, that beside these values—somehow—there is always a cash register standing by.


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