Former Denmark PM and NATO Secretary General, Rasmussen: The most effective and cheapest way to guarantee security of Ukraine is to invite Ukraine to join NATO. Ukraine is a provider of European security, the strongest and most battle-tested military power in Europe right now. There might be arguments about how we can deal with a new member that is at war with Russia. But we have a precedent: when we allowed Germany into NATO back in 1955, the whole of Germany formally joined NATO, yet we decided that only the territory controlled by the government in Western Germany was covered by Article 5. We could do exactly the same with Ukraine and say: “You join NATO and Article 5 only covers that part of Ukraine controlled by the government in Kyiv.”

By striking the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the greatest holy sites of Christianity, Putin has forever put his name on the list of history’s worst barbarians. He should be damned for centuries. And he will lose this war. From the Horde in the 13th century to the Nazis and Bolsheviks in the 20th century, Kyiv’s sacred monasteries have suffered numerous barbarically attacks. Now we are dealing with Russian terrorists who have already outmatched ISIS in their crimes against cultural heritage. Only Russian scum who have nothing sacred can deliberately damage the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a unique UNESCO heritage site under special protection. We will be urgently initiating all relevant procedures within UNESCO and all other international mechanisms, demanding immediate and adequate responses to this state barbarism. We expect strong reactions by international institutions and capitals. No vague words, silence, or weak steps. We need action now to stop Russian barbarism.

Cannot imagine a more telling sign of Russian desperation. A wonderful, historic landmark of tremendous cultural value being attacked out of fear and what must be a growing understanding of Russian failure.

Trump last night: Praises Putin to the New York Times and promises to bully Ukraine (again) into handing over more land and people to Russia. Putin last night:

Many people are still shocked by the brutality of Russia’s recent attacks on Ukrainian cities, but let me just remind you that in 2023, the Russians deliberately targeted a hospital for children with cancer in Kyiv with a cruise missile. And even after that, the world continues to do business with the Russians; the American president gladly takes calls from Putin, and Europeans buy Russian oil and fertilizers. As a result, the Russians have no major problems procuring Western components for their ballistic and cruise missiles. The West constantly rewards the Russians for their crimes.

Goodness. Russia didn’t invade Ukraine because of NATO, because of biolabs, because of n@zis, because family values. Why is it so hard to process this is simply a colonialist imperialist war of conquest, war for control and domination of a sovereign free nation.

If Europe fails to provide Ukraine with the necessary support to crush Russian imperialism, we will be forced to fight the Russian army inside the European Union much sooner than most realize. Ukraine's incredible battlefield courage has stalled the invasion, but this success has lulled many Europeans into a dangerous false sense of security. The reality is that Russia is actually far more dangerous today than it was at the start of the full-scale war. Even though its overall potential is depleted, the Kremlin is now more isolated and has less left to lose. Furthermore, Russia now possesses years of invaluable experience in high-intensity modern warfare. In the crucial realm of unmanned systems, Moscow is currently heavily outpacing most Europeans. Operating on a war economy, Russian defense factories are out-producing the European Union. They are churning out drones, missiles, and interceptors at a pace that Europe simply does not match (we could if we wanted to). Meanwhile, most Europeans dangerously overestimate their own military readiness. European stockpiles of missiles, interceptors, and drones are catastrophically low and completely unsuited for a prolonged conflict. While European countries must urgently restock to build a credible deterrence, the absolute best way to avoid fighting Russia inside the European Union remains to defeat them in Ukraine. This is an entirely realistic target, but it demands an immediate surge in European aid, specifically through massive funding for Ukrainian drones right now. Russia will remain an immediate threat to its neighbors as long as its imperialism is not defeated

Elon Musk and the modern far right love to gaslight the public by claiming their views were considered normal a few decades ago. Do not fall for it. There is absolutely nothing normal about their corruption, lies, and pro-Russian treachery. The idea that today's far right represents traditional, moderate values from twenty or thirty years ago is a complete fabrication. They are pushing a radical, post-truth ideology rooted in racism and dishonesty, desperately trying to normalize positions that any sane person would have rejected in the past. Look at what is happening right now under Trump: no mainstream conservative decades ago wanted to dismantle NATO, grant the president absolute legal immunity, eliminate basic checks and balances, or allow a leader to make billions of dollars directly from holding office. These are not traditional positions. They are a direct assault on democratic governance that would have been completely disqualifying thirty years ago. The shift in foreign policy is equally alarming. No one with a functioning brain in the West would have tolerated a pro-Russian stance during the Cold War or its aftermath. Today, the far right openly acts as a mouthpiece for a hostile foreign dictatorship, treating Western alliances with contempt. This is not conservative nostalgia. This also has nothing to do with common sense. It is a dangerous, modern extremist movement designed to erode the rule of law. Reject the gaslighting and recognize this ideology for what it truly is, a toxic departure from sanity

Ugh, I wonder on what authority Rodney Mims Cook Jr, head of the Commission on Fine Arts, who as per Rubio’s Senate testimony does not represent the U.S. government at the St. Petersburg conference, is going be signing an MOU on a huge infrastructure project with a U.S.-sanctioned Russian official? If all this actually happens, of course. @CFA_GOV

There is a widespread misconception, actively promoted by the Kremlin & its proxies, that a ceasefire between Russia & Ukraine will lead to a so-called ‘return to normal’ — a resumption of Eurasian energy trade, a return of Russia to capital markets & an end to Moscow’s political isolation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if Russia stops shooting prisoners on the frontlines or bombing Ukrainian civilians in their beds, it will still be illegally occupying 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. It will still be holding tens of thiusands of kidnapped children hostage, as it seeks to brainwash & militarize them. It will still be engaged in hostile corruption, influence & sabotage operations against democracies. Its leadership will still be liable to face accountability for the crime of aggression & genocide, as well as many other war crimes & atrocities. Russia has no intention of giving up on this national programme of unmitigated genocidal savagery. Instead of clinging to impossible dreams, our free societies should continue to re-evaluate what Moscow was doing before 2022, before 2014 & even before 2008, when it invaded Georgia. The Kremlin was never interested in having ‘normal commercial relations’ with anyone. They wanted cash in order to rebuild their economy so they could start invading neighbours again. Even after 1991, post-Soviet Russia never stopped occupying parts of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova & Ukraine. After their many defeats & failures in Chechnya, they knew they needed larger armed forces & more sophisticated active measures fully to subjugate any of these neighbouring countries. By its valour & military prowess, Ukraine has almost shattered this agenda of neo-colonial fascist military expansion. As a result, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldova & Syria have moved steadily away from Moscow’s orbit. Mali may do the same. Iran is also weaker. The upshot is clear: Russia now has fewer vassals in Europe, the Middle East & North Africa, although Belarus & Georgia remain under Russian control & occupation, & Russian mercenaries & spies retain influence in Burkina Faso, Burma, CAR, Venezuela & elsewhere. The fact that so many democratic leaders were deceived with regard to Moscow’s intentions in 1991-93 & again in 2000-02 need not blind people today to the reality of Russian treachery, manipulation & hostile intent. Even if the guns fall silent in Donbas & elsewhere, as still remains most unlikely, Russia will not be a normal country. It will remain a neo-imperialist genocidal occupier with an unbroken history of aggression over centuries against neighbours & states further afield. Even if one theatre of operations becomes less active, democracies will still need to deter & defeat this Kremlin war machine. We will need a workable strategy for victory to liberate occupied areas of Ukraine, as well as Belarus, Georgia & occupied Moldovan Transnistria. Russian coercive control must end in the Caucasus & Central Asia, as well in remaining parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, where it lingers. The new normal should be a world free of Russian aggression, invasion, occupation & repression. That remains a goal well worth fighting for.

Putin on Germany: AfD is ahead of both the CDU and SPD in Germany. This is all due to the fact that the leadership of AfD is capable of clearly stating its positions in the interests of the German people and the German economy.

Don’t let pro-Russian traitors take power in European countries. A vote for those parties is a vote for Putin

In this video, I say the obvious about Trump’s proposal to increase the military budget by nearly 50%: it’s a bribe to officers and soldiers so that they will side with him when he tries to overthrow the Constitution and stay in power indefinitely. snyder.substack.com/p/trumps…

⚡️'First such operation in modern history' — Ukraine destroys Russia's drone base at occupied Donetsk Airport. Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces are "systematically destroying enemy infrastructure, making the airport's operation impossible." kyivindependent.com/first-su…

The German far right's open attendance at Russia's SPIEF conference proves that the threat to Europe is already inside the house. If the RN, AfD and Reform UK win elections, European security will completely collapse. European democracy is facing its most dangerous moment since the Cold War. AfD sending representatives to Saint Petersburg to smile for cameras alongside war criminals is not an isolated incident. It is part of a coordinated, long-term strategy to place pro-Russian traitors and their puppets at the helm of the British, French, and German governments. A political victory for the National Rally, AfD, or Reform UK at the next elections would be a historical catastrophe. These groups are designed to paralyze Europe, cut off vital aid to democracies under attack, and legitimize brutal authoritarian expansion. They wrap themselves in national flags, yet they take their marching orders directly from Moscow. Real traitors! It is time to speak with total clarity about what a vote for these parties actually means. Choosing to support these movements is a betrayal of national sovereignty and a direct contribution to the destabilization of the West. Voters who fall for their populist rhetoric are actively enabling foreign subversion. A vote for them is a vote for Putin. We need a massive mobilization of citizens within these countries to fight back against this creeping threat. Passivity is no longer an option when the enemy is on the ballot. We must aggressively expose their lies, contest their narratives, and protect the values that keep Europe safe and free