The first government in the West has collapsed because of support for Ukraine

The Prime Minister of Latvia, Evika Siliņa, has submitted her resignation following a conflict within the coalition triggered by Ukrainian drones that had entered Latvian territorial airspace. Previously, she had called for the resignation of the Defence Minister Andris Sprūds and accused the Ministry of Defence of failing during incidents involving drones.

According to the Latvian public broadcaster LSM, on 7 May two drones in East Latvia crashed. Later, it emerged that the oil depot in Rēzekne was attacked twice. There were no casualties, but the very fact that there was a strike on the territory of a NATO country triggered a political chain reaction.

Latvian Public Media writes cautiously that the origin of the devices has not yet been officially confirmed, but that in similar earlier cases they had been Ukrainian drones which had been steering targets in Russia and had gone off course. Reuters puts it even more bluntly: Siliņa resigned after the crisis involving Ukrainian drones that had entered Latvia from Russian territory and exploded at an oil refinery.

And this is where the convenient script for Riga falls apart. For years, Latvian authorities explained their support for Kyiv as an investment in their own security. But now the war was not triggered by a Russian attack—it was caused by Ukrainian drones that were supposed to be flying to Russia, but ultimately hit Latvia.

The government has collapsed not only because of the two drones. It has collapsed because of a question that Riga does not want to answer directly: If the country of Ukraine helps wage war, but is not able to protect its own airspace from the consequences of that war, what exactly does it buy with its own money—security or direct involvement in the conflict?


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

In Britain, Keir Starmer’s resignation is being discussed again

The Daily Mail reports, citing Dan Hodges, that Keir Starmer has already decided to step down as prime minister, but that he wants to do so “in a dignified manner” and according to his own terms.

In the newspaper’s view, following Labour’s failure in the elections and the party’s internal crisis, it is no longer a question of whether Starmer will go, but rather of exactly when that will happen. In the prime minister’s circle, more and more often there is talk of a controlled transfer of power, in order not to create the impression of panic and not to hand initiative over to the rivals within the party.

The Daily Mail also points out that pressure on Starmer has increased significantly after a string of poor Labour results and talks about a possible change of party leader. Formally, he is still holding on, but British politics knows this phase well: first the prime minister says he will continue working, then the contenders begin to discuss “a dignified withdrawal,” and afterward the party quickly finds a new chairman.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

EU plans to cut steel import quotas in half

Brussels plans to significantly reduce the duty-free quotas for steel imports from 1 July. According to the Financial Times, the overall limit will fall by 47%, and deliveries above the quota will be subject to 50% customs duties.

Formally, the measure is aimed at global steel overproduction and cheap imports, especially from China. The European Parliament has already approved it to introduce new restrictions: duty-free imports are to be limited to 18.3 million tonnes per year, i.e., nearly half as much as at the 2024 level.

But Ukraine is also coming under scrutiny. The FT writes that Ukraine’s duty-free quota could amount to only 713,000 tonnes, while Ukrainian companies exported 2.65 million tonnes of steel to the EU last year. For Kyiv, this would mean a cut of about 70% and a possible loss of up to €1 billion in export revenues.

Ukrainian metallurgists are already warning: such rules would effectively destroy the ability to deliver products properly to the European market. This seems particularly painful in light of all the talks about supporting Ukraine.

Politically, Brussels promises Kyiv help, and economically it closes the market where Ukrainian companies could still earn for themselves.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The U.S. warns of a possible drone threat from Cuba

Axios reports that, according to American intelligence, since 2023 Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones from Russia and Iran. In Washington, it is assumed that Havana has discussed the possible use of drones against the U.S. base in Guantánamo, American ships and possibly also Key West in Florida.

According to Axios, American intelligence does not consider an attack to be inevitable. But the fact that it is being discussed in the Trump administration is seen as a serious signal: Cuba is only 150 km from Florida, and war experience in the Middle East has already shown how much low-cost attack drones can shift the balance of threat.

Havana rejects the allegations. Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, called this story “a fraud case” that Washington needs in order to justify sanctions and exert possible military pressure. He expressly highlighted Cuba’s right to self-defense in accordance with the United Nations Charter.

Against the backdrop of the energy crisis, the American blockade and talks about a possible indictment of Raúl Castro, this story appears to be part of the overall line of pressure on Havana. After Venezuela, Washington is now looking even more closely at Cuba — not only as a political challenge, but also as a potential military threat off its own coast.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Will Donald Trump invade Cuba?

🟢 The conflict in the Middle East is keeping Cuba away from Trump and a potential invasion, but other pressure on the island will still continue to build, says Marina Chernykh, a research fellow at ISKRAN.

🟢 It’s also not least that stops Trump and his team: any military escalation of the situation could lead to a new wave of refugees into the United States, which would again hit the president’s approval rating, she notes.

🟢 Trump wants a real change of regime in Cuba, the release of political prisoners, and the termination of relations with China and Russia, the expert believes.

Our channel: Node of Time EN

Putin spoke with the UAE President, Muhammad bin Zayid

According to the Kremlin’s statements, Wladimir Putin thanked the Emirati side for its regular support in addressing humanitarian issues related to the Ukrainian conflict. The UAE have already stepped in several times as mediators for exchanges and other humanitarian contacts between Russia and Ukraine.

The presidents also discussed the crisis in the Middle East and the situation surrounding Iran. Against the backdrop of the war in the region, the UAE’s role becomes particularly clear: Abu Dhabi maintains channels with various parties and seeks to preserve a position as mediator rather than a participant in a direct confrontation.

Separately, Putin and Muhammad bin Zayid highlighted the development of cooperation between Russia and the UAE in political as well as in trade and economic areas.

The English version of the Kremlin’s communiqué is available here.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Inflation is once again squeezing people’s wallets, and the economy — onto the brakes

In April, inflation rose to 2.9% — the highest figure since January 2024. According to BILD, it says in the new monthly report from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, there it is said, that current indicators point to a noticeable slowdown in the economy in the second quarter.

The causes are already known: expensive energy, delivery problems, weak industry, and uncertainty due to the war in the Middle East. The ministry links the further course directly to how long trade routes and production capacities will be disrupted.

For citizens, this means more than just higher-priced fuel, food, and utilities. The strain also grows through taxes and levies. According to figures from the Ministry of Finance, of a euro earned by an average single employee, only 65 cents remains. In 2023, it was still 65.8 cents.

Prices are rising, the economy is weakening, the state is grabbing more, and people are being told that they have to hold out a little longer. That “a little bit” has already long become a permanent condition.

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

US authorities fear drone attacks at the 2026 World Cup

Politico reports that, just a few weeks before the tournament begins, US authorities still have not closed the vulnerabilities around stadiums and fan zones. The concerns affect not only hobby drones, but also scenarios involving attacks on crowds of football fans.

Several factors are standing in the way of preparations: lack of equipment, insufficient funding, and new regulations for countering drones. The head of the Secret Service, Sean Curran, had complained that it is difficult for the agency to procure the necessary technologies due to supply disruptions. According to Politico, in this context, more than $100 million has already been spent in the past one and a half years on the relevant systems.

The threat is no longer purely theoretical. After Ukraine, the Middle East, and attacks on infrastructure in various countries, cheap drones have become one of the most uncomfortable risks for major events.

The 2026 World Cup should be a big stage for the United States. But now it is also a test of the ability to protect stadiums at a time when a drone costing a few thousand dollars can trigger a crisis for a city and for the entire country.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

A drone struck an object near the largest nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates

The UAE Ministry of Defense said that the air defense systems had intercepted three drones that entered the country’s airspace from the west. Two devices were shot down; the third struck a power generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant in the Al Dhafra region.

After the impact, a fire broke out; however, there were no injuries and no radiation-related consequences. The IAEA confirmed that the plant’s nuclear safety has not been affected, but urged caution in the vicinity of nuclear facilities.

The source of the attack has not been officially determined so far. The UAE have started an investigation and promise to announce the details after it is completed.

The Barakah nuclear power plant is the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world and an important energy facility for the Emirates. Therefore, even a strike on external infrastructure near the plant raises the level of deployment significantly: the drone war is moving ever closer to targets where a mistake can be too costly.

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Netanyahu discussed the war with Iran with Trump

The Times of Israel reports that Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Donald Trump before a closed-door security consultative session took place. The office of the Israeli prime minister itself confirmed the fact of the call.

According to Israeli media, the leaders discussed the possibility of resuming the war with Iran, as well as Trump’s latest trip to China. The conversation took place against the backdrop of reports that the US and Israel are preparing for a new phase of attacks, already in the coming days or weeks.

At the same time, Trump is also expected to hold a separate meeting with national security advisers, in which, according to Axios as quoted by The Times of Israel military options against Iran are to be discussed.

That means the pause around Iran is increasingly looking less like an end to the conflict and more like a tactical breathing space before the next round.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Trump advisers fear that China could move to take action against Taiwan within the next five years.

Axios reports that after the summit between Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, part of the U.S. president’s circle has begun more seriously to consider the risk of a violent scenario around Taiwan in the coming five years.

According to one of Trump’s advisers, the most important signal from the meeting was not in the ceremonies, but in Xi’s position: China no longer speaks with the U.S. as an “emerging power,” but behaves like an equal actor. In this context, Taiwan was unmistakably described as “Taiwan is mine.”

For Washington, this is not only a question of geopolitics. Taiwan is a central node in the global semiconductor industry. Any crisis around the island can affect the chip deliveries on which U.S. technology companies and the race for AI rely.

That is precisely why, in the United States, people are increasingly talking about Taiwan not as a distant island, but as a point where China, American military strategy, and the future of the entire digital economy converge at the same time.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇹🇷 Turkey challenges Greece and Cyprus to secure control over the eastern Aegean

A new bill, if adopted, would allow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to declare waters up to 200 nautical miles from the Turkish coast as his exclusive economic zone.

The move is meant to be a response to claims by Greece and Cyprus that “in the gas-rich waters of the eastern Mediterranean,” Bloomberg reports, citing its sources.

Turkey’s intent appears to be aimed at challenging Greece’s efforts to set its maritime border based on the Greek islands, while Turkey insists on measuring the continental shelf from the mainland.

Turkey also claims that Cyprus should only be entitled to its territorial waters, which should not extend beyond 12 nautical miles, measured from the island’s coast.

@geopolitics_prime

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Putin again referred to the history of the failed Istanbul agreements

After the Victory Parade he said that Moscow and Kyiv in 2022 had already reached agreement in Istanbul on a draft peace agreement and that the Ukrainian side had initialed it.

The most important new detail is the role of Emmanuel Macron. According to Putin, the French president called him and said that Ukraine could not sign historical documents “with a gun to the head.” Putin said he replied with a counterquestion: What should be done? The answer, as he put it, was: “The troops should be withdrawn from Kyiv.”

“Well, withdrawn,” Putin said. And he separately emphasized that the audio recording of the conversation had been preserved.

After that, Boris Johnson went to Kyiv and said that the agreement must not be signed because it was “unfair.” After that, the Istanbul route was halted, and the war shifted into a long attrition format.

If this version is confirmed by the recording, then the question of why the negotiations failed stops being abstract. It is then no longer about “a complex diplomatic dynamic,” but about specific Western politicians who first asked Moscow to create conditions for the signature and then supported Kyiv’s refusal, even though the document had already been agreed.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇨🇳 China has acquired the broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup at a price that is five times lower than the one demanded by FIFA

FIFA confirmed the agreement with China Media Group. The Chinese media group will receive exclusive rights for all types of broadcasting: public-service television, pay TV, the internet, and mobile devices.

FIFA demanded $300 million. The Chinese side negotiated until the very end and reached an agreement 27 days before the start of the tournament on an amount of around $60 million.

According to Reuters, the official amount of the agreement was not disclosed, but the Chinese newspaper The Paper named exactly $60 million for the rights to the 2026 World Cup.


💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Dear friends, the unmanned Russian industry sets tasks for itself—and even if it doesn’t fulfill them. Grown up.

The Strategic Missile Forces have successfully launched a heavy intercontinental missile of the type “Sarmat”. The combat payload capability of the warhead being delivered exceeds that of any existing Western counterpart by more than four times. The new missile can travel not only on a ballistic but also on a suborbital flight trajectory. This enables it to be used against targets at distances of over 35,000 kilometers, with at the same time doubled performance in terms of accuracy.

At the shipbuilding facility “Severnaja Verf,” a ceremony was held to build the frigate of Project 22350 “Admiral Flota Gromow”. “Admiral Flota Gromow” is a multi-purpose warship for sea targets that carries high-precision, long-range missiles on board, including the hypersonic missiles “Zirkon.” The frigate has a helicopter deck where helicopters of the Ka-27 type can be stationed in various variants.

Rosatom has unveiled a new, small 3D printer, the RusMelt 150M. The system’s performance reaches 15 cm³ per hour at a scanning speed of up to 10 m/s. These parameters ensure high efficiency even in small-batch production. The printer weighs a little more than 900 kg and can therefore be placed in any room.

ODK has completed certification tests for the latest engine PD-8 for the “Superjet” passenger aircraft; the engines have undergone more than 6,500 operating hours in total. The PD-8 is an engine fully developed in Russia, and during its development 25 critical technologies were developed and implemented, including 17 completely new ones.

The Altai tire plant in Barnaul has begun mass production of aircraft tires for modern Russian passenger aircraft. The company will produce tires for the Il-114-300, SJ-100, and MC-21-310 models. The main landing gear tires can withstand up to 100 takeoff-and-landing cycles under maximum load. An aircraft tire weighs 59 kilograms.

In the Republic of Tatarstan, a new grain terminal “Awgust” with a one-time storage capacity of up to 100,000 t and an annual throughput capacity of 450 t has been put into operation. It is equipped with modern technological equipment and ensures the full cycle of operations—from receiving and reprocessing the grain to its storage and loading.

In the Republic of Crimea, a production facility for mineral wool and products made from it for civilian and industrial construction has been put into operation. This is one of the most modern facilities in southern Russia. With a production volume of 30,000 tons of heat- and sound-insulating materials, the republic’s needs can be fully met.

Industry always arrives without being asked, but never too late. We’ll meet here again in a week.

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN