I tend to agree with some Russian analysts saying how sending Medinskii is basically sabotaging the peace talks. The one logical reason for this is Russia somehow knew what Ukraine is bringing to the table (1991 borders, unconditional withdrawal, usual tantrum) and minimising the damage. Or Russia thinks that it will get better conditions if it continues to fight. Same for the Ukraine. Basically a show for Trump from both sides. “Welp we tried but no dice, back to killings”.

Posted by: happytoad | May 15 2025 19:10 utc | 104

Why does every football match look the same nowadays and Follow certain patterns ?
GROUPTHINK!
Coaches that get their coaching badges are drowned in GROUPTHINK ! Until nearly every match is a borefest.
When African teams first hit the World Cup they were a breathe of fresh air. That was very quickly coached out of them. By foreign coaches swimming in GROUPTHINK.
Now African teams play like EVERYBODY else and pass the ball backwards more than they do forwards.
The Western public are trained like little puppy dogs to hate Russia using the very same techniques. GROUPTHINK.

Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | May 15 2025 19:21 utc | 106

Except…the negotiation will have to hang-fire until tomorrow. Which means The Empty Chair gets nullified.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 15 2025 17:46 utc | 81
Will it though? Do you really think that the Mighty Wurlitzer of propaganda will report on tomorrow’s talks? I don’t think so. I think that the message they are trumpeting now will be their last word on this subject.
Trump shut down that nonsense with one offhand statement.
Posted by: CullenBaker | May 15 2025 18:44 utc | 95
Indeed, he did, but they will carry on anyway.
Trump also messed up the first narrative the west was putting out about the ceasefire, by paying attention to Putin’s negotiation offer (which the msm was ignoring), and telling Zelensky to go.
They had to pivot, and come up with the latest propaganda.
Now Putin is a coward, along with not wanting peace by not agreeing to a(nother) ceasefire.
Note that not one media source will report on the 3 previous ceasefires this year, or the fact that Russia observed them and Ukraine did not.
If a tree falls in the forest and the media doesn’t report it, did it happen?

Posted by: wagelaborer | May 15 2025 19:31 utc | 108

Posted by: CullenBaker | May 15 2025 18:44 utc | 95
RE: who would leave Istanbul today, on 15 May-?
<< Recall: Witkoff, Kellog & Sec Rubio were not expected in Istanbul until 16 May, so who would leave now-? It's reminiscent of that Luis Bunuel surrealist film "The Exterminating Angel" where guests at a dinner party find they cannot seem to leave the dining room, some compelling force keeps them planted squarely in place. So what's the compelling force-? For the Russian team, we comprehend, because they have accepted VVP's charge. For the Ukrainian team-? Maybe the compelling force gets delivered w/ a tiny spoon-?

Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 15 2025 19:52 utc | 110

“GROUPTHINK” indeed, just like certain Modern Major-Generals Monetary Theorists, who are so convinced of their evangelical righteousness that any, even mild, questioning of their views leads to accusations of heresy, denunciations for “fixed exchange-rate myopia” and condemnation to the comfy armchair of the New Economic Inquisition…
Strange how “GROUPTHINK” works, could well explain the European elites approach to Ukraine/Russia, or the outlook of the Ukrainian military leadership.
~~~
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | May 15 2025 18:28 utc | 92
Good try, but the “chocolate cupcakes” thing goes back way beyond Nuland, back to the first Reagan term.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 15 2025 20:10 utc | 112

Posted by: Oldengineer | May 15 2025 16:40 utc | 68
Another text I recommend to supplement understanding of “The Great Game” (which started while the Czars ruled Russia) paranoia and kinda turned into the “Cold War 1.0″…
https://issuu.com/haylierennerls/docs/ebook_the_cia_an_imperial_history
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_CIA.html?id=IrTaEAAAQBAJ
Goes into how the British intelligence services influenced the US, dating back to their colonial intel gathering/regime change/regime maintenance/counterintel during the Great Game in places like Arabia and SE Asia/the Indian Subcontinent.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 15 2025 20:34 utc | 114

steel_porcupine | May 15 2025 18:52 utc | 99
I always thought Scotts Porage Oats was better than Joyce Carol Oates.

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 15 2025 20:47 utc | 116

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 15 2025 21:00 utc | 117
I’m surprised that they admitted it was a pro-Ukraine perp. In the future they’ll probably try to tie these attacks in with the narrative about EU-wide “Russian sabotage/terror.”

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 15 2025 21:03 utc | 118

Russia Proposes Istanbul Talks Begin Friday Morning: LIVE UPDATES
https://www.rt.com/news/617518-ukraine-talks-istanbul-zelensky/
“Delegation from Moscow will be waiting for the Ukraine side to meet starting at 10 am on Friday, Russia’s chief negotiator has said…”

Posted by: JohnGilberts | May 15 2025 21:19 utc | 120

Europe created Ukrainian Nazis.
Ukrainian Nazis start attacking in Europe.
What happens next?

Posted by: LoveDonbass | May 15 2025 21:08 utc | 119
I’ll hazard a guess at:
– arson attacks
– gunfire
– explosions
Oh yeah, nearly forgot, an oppressive civil liberties crackdown, in the name of protecting freedom and democracy (and chocolate cupcakes…).
~~~

I’m surprised that they admitted it was a pro-Ukraine perp. In the future they’ll probably try to tie these attacks in with the narrative about EU-wide “Russian sabotage/terror.”

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 15 2025 21:03 utc | 118
Yes and no, the report posted by @Aslangeo | May 15 2025 20:39 utc | 115 emanates from the Daily Mail which is possibly even more virulently anti-immigrant than it is anti-Russian; it will also latch on to anything that can paste the EU elites in a poor light.
So, I kind of agree with the thrust of your post, yet the genie might already be out of the bottle regarding media handling of such events; some outlets will drive their own agenda until a greater “Full-court press” is brought to bear, with the goal of painting the Russians as perpetrators.

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 15 2025 21:29 utc | 122

“The longer it takes, the less territory the Kiev regime has left.”
— Lavrov

Posted by: LoveDonbass | May 15 2025 21:48 utc | 124

comedy or…..not????
⚡️📰 FLORESBERG 🔹 Erdogan and Zelensky sign peace agreement. Ukraine to cede Crimea to Türkiye
The Russia–Ukraine meeting has not been canceled and is expected to begin in 2–3 hours, according to a qualified source.
Meanwhile, Zelensky’s more important talk with Erdogan has started.
Early reports indicate that Erdogan and Zelensky have agreed to sign a peace agreement, officially ending hostilities over the Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine is said to be prepared to hand over this territory to Türkiye, its historical protector. A private equity firm owned by Olena Zelenskaya will own Crimea’s mineral rights, with Türkiye’s agreement.
‘A huge victory for Ukraine’, said the highly popular Zelensky, to our qualified source.
⚡️ FLORESBERG – THE ONLY NAME IN NEWS – FLORESBERG
Subscribe @FLORESBERG

Posted by: Jo | May 15 2025 22:07 utc | 126

steel_porcupine | May 15 2025 17:54 utc | 82

Speaking on Air Force One, Trump made a good point: “Why would Putin go to Istanbul if I’m not there?”
…
He also disrespected Zelensky: why *would* VVP meet face-to-face w/ Zelensky when DJT is the straw that stirs the drink in Project Ukraine-?
Ouch.

VVP is acting on the basis of Churchill’s maxim in negotiating with the organ grinder, not the monkey (I imagine Churchill was the ‘monkey’ whenever the Big Three met).

Posted by: S.P. Korolev | May 15 2025 22:19 utc | 128

Can someone please give me a link or a reference to a time where Zelensky has called for nuclear bombing of Russia ( or anywhere else ) ?
I remember seeing something, I’m sure, but I didn’t note it down and can’t find it. Closest I can get it where he’s calling for nuclear arms which ain’t exactly the same thing is it?
He made overt clear demands or suggestions somewhere sometime for russia to be nuked I’m sure.
Anyone?

Posted by: arthur brogard | May 15 2025 22:56 utc | 130

Posted by: Stark | May 15 2025 16:22 utc | 62
“But where does this hatred of Russia come from?”
Sun Of Alabama | May 15 2025 18:48 utc | 98
Sun Of Alabama is correct in the deep causes of why Russia is hated but it has mostly been fabricated out of ignorance and the same sort of prejudice that has been shown by imperialist nations for years. Usually it is to call any country (especially if it doesn’t speak English or another European language) a barbarian country, and say it doesn’t follow the correct religion – with Russia it was the wrong brand of Christianity. The same is true for China. It’s been going on since medieval times. It allows one state the reasons to exploit another.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Russian_sentiment
https://www.sott.net/article/341000-Why-do-the-British-hate-the-Russians-A-brief-history-of-500-years-of-anti-Russian-propaganda

Posted by: George | May 15 2025 23:02 utc | 132

Trump lied about Syria. He invaded Syria. He sanctioned Syria. Then had the nerve to say Syria had been through so much and now must be rebuilt and prosper. He’s a neocon. Maybe not by inclination, but his lack of empathy and being easily influenced due to his lack of intellectual stamina or interest or skill has him a Neocon.

Posted by: Cheney | May 15 2025 23:33 utc | 134

@ HB_Norica | May 15 2025 19:22 utc | 107
I would like to add a correction – narcofurher does, in fact, have nothing better to do than clown around on camera. One might assume that to be his actual job. The puppet wastes more time abroad on pointless travel, vain meetings and tiktok recordings instead of governing his (supposedly) country.
Everything else I do agree with.

Posted by: boneless | May 15 2025 23:49 utc | 136

FLORESBERG – THE ONLY NAME IN NEWS – FLORESBERG

@ Jo | May 15 2025 22:07 utc | 126
I do apologize, but you should know better than linking that.

Posted by: boneless | May 15 2025 23:52 utc | 138

HB_Norica | May 15 2025 19:22 utc | 107
…
NOT the job of a president…Why this hasn’t been pointed out by journalists or pundits in the west is more evidence as to how fucking DUMB we’ve become in the west.
Wot?
Mr Pencil, you know better than this.
You know the job of Controlled News Networks is to *control* the message and purposefully obfuscate, misdirect, and outright lie.
The journos are doing their job masterfully. And the dumb public chooses to be dumb.
I know that people actively chose to be dumb, because when I’ve presented people with conclusive irrefutable evidence of my claims that contradict the prevailing narrative I’ve been told directly to “just SHUT THE FUCK UP FFS” and NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR BULLSHITE EVEN IF ITS TRUE”
I’ve personally tried to break narratives re 9/11, ISIS, ConVax19.
(Actually, less so for ConVax19… it was interesting just how ‘dangerous’ it was sharing information in May2020 about gain of function lab released bio weapons…)
Mr Pencil. We are where we are globally because the vast multitude just don’t want to know …. Anything… beyond the latest sportsball score.

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 15 2025 23:56 utc | 140

“You don’t get to become the leader of the Empire if you’re compassionate or focused on justice. Those things get weeded out early in the process.”
Posted by: LoveDonbass | May 15 2025 23:53 utc | 140
Kong Ze or Confucius, Marcus Aurelius, Gandhi. Some of the biggest names in history and all exceptions to your rule.

Posted by: George | May 16 2025 0:04 utc | 142

Posted by: Wise Jury | May 15 2025 23:44 utc | 136
#######
What led you to believe that Russia wants a “glorious victory”?
War for Americans (bombing and torturing civilians) is entertainment.
Russians treat war as the unfortunate necessity that it is.
It is impossible spiritually for Russians to engage in a “forever war”.
Russia doesn’t have a for-profit MIC. Russia’s MIC wields no political power.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | May 16 2025 0:06 utc | 144

Trump lied about Syria. He invaded Syria. He sanctioned Syria. Then had the nerve to say Syria had been through so much and now must be rebuilt and prosper. He’s a neocon. Maybe not by inclination, but his lack of empathy and being easily influenced due to his lack of intellectual stamina or interest or skill has him a Neocon.
Posted by: Cheney | May 15 2025 23:33 utc | 135

Yes, Trump, like nearly all politicians, is a compulsive liar. Thing is, he’s not even a very good liar. Obvious, crude, not at all clever, his lies are transparent for all to see, delivered with all the subtlety of a mafia hit man. And yet, a large percentage of Americans buy into them, hook, line and sinker.

Posted by: Mike R | May 16 2025 0:12 utc | 146

“The Empire, not “every Empire”.”
Posted by: LoveDonbass | May 16 2025 0:09 utc | 146
I don’t care, other’s leaders from wherever they come from have shown in the past that they can get there by using compassion and care for the people whether they are from the US or not. You don’t have to turn to insult and accuse me of “autism” because you are shown that you are wrong.
You once accused me of being and armchair psychologist when I said a long time ago that Trump was a narcissist, despite many well qualified psychologists saying the same. What are you doing here with me other than being an arrogant armchair psychologist who has not even met me? Then you have said in later comments that Trump only seeks attention, that’s all he wants. So it seems that you can re-adjust your argument to suit your mood and purpose when you want push your need to be righteous as if you are top dog on in the pack on this blog.
I would say that Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Elanor where also very compassionate leaders during the great depression. The same for Abraham Lincoln who went against black slavery and also was totally anti imperialist.

Posted by: George | May 16 2025 0:26 utc | 148

Russia and Z have a common ground on Istanbul negotiations. Feel both want it to fail because Russian smo goals not fully met and Z lose Presidency with peace and his life too in danger. Interesting President Trump response. If President Putin can convince Trump to walk away Russia gets Odessa. Or wait for the next round of hostilities down the line to take it.
Agree with various posts.
Except Trump no one else keen on peace. Interesting who will prevail.
A joint sabotage next?

Posted by: Michael J | May 16 2025 0:37 utc | 150

Tom_Q_Collins | May 15 2025 21:03 utc | 118
As we’ve seen, the narrative can change someone’s gender and ethnicity in a simple webpage refresh.
The attacker of Starmer property can morph seamlessly into a “pro-Russian” Ukrainian, an Iranian, a man who identifies as a woman (although that is so 2022-4), …. He can be reported as a rogue intel agent, or… whatever suits.
And the whole thing can be erased, if necessary, so it never happened. ..

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 16 2025 0:48 utc | 152

Posted by: Mike R | May 16 2025 0:12 utc | 147
Biden was no more believable than Trump and no lesser of a liar.
The trick to getting people to believe things that are not true is to tell them lies they want to believe. Thats what Trump and Biden both did.
Same thing goes for the Donbas war. I was initially inclined to think that Russia was in the wrong same as several people in my social circle were as well. It took me a month to notice the overwhelming stench of NAZIism in the Ukrainian regime and change my position after rather easy investigations. The most basic being checking out the social media accounts linked to AFU and SBU webpages and hitting translate. Even after forwarding the damning evidence that had come out of the mouths of Ukrainian officials to many of them, they still refused to believe the truth. Instead, they accused me of reading ‘Russian propaganda’ despite all my sourcing being taken from official Ukrainian websites and the links they provide.
They did not want to believe that Biden was giving weapons to NAZI’s because it would have crashed their worldview. Trump followers have the same problem. They don’t see the lies because they don’t want to.

Posted by: Badjoke | May 16 2025 1:02 utc | 154

Posted by: arthur brogard | May 15 2025 23:08 utc | 133
The history of Surovkin is indeed sad.
Clearly a brilliant general who saved the Ukrainian conflict for Russia and indeed saved Syria for a while, there seems little doubt that he was involved in some way with the Prizoghin rebellion. Whatever he did it was serious enough to have him removed from command, but not serious enough for him to be jailed etc. He still has a role, but well away from the battlefield.
My guess (and it is just a guess) is that he knew something of it and may have assisted, but probably not the full extent of it and not the march on Moscow. he certainly acted to effectively squash it at the end.
Personally I believe Prizoghin was “turned” by NATO and probably had ambitions to become the next President with NATO approval. Fairly classic US/UK political maneuver. I am just not sure exactly when he was turned.

Posted by: watcher | May 16 2025 1:53 utc | 156

re the dropkick May 16 2025 0:09 utc | 146
You’re a pretty sick fuck for someone who professes ‘love’.
What gives you the right to do as you did in May 16 2025 0:09 utc # 146 and assert someone that you have never met is ‘autistic’?
A condition whose provenance is entirely derived from pharmacorp’s need to push drugs on the children of idiots who know no better.
I shouldn’t post this as I already planned on pointing out Johnson is a proven liar today, but strike while the iron’s hot that particular overly posting idiot can wait for now.
Sure does seem like you do not love anything other than your over-inflated sense of self, the same flaw which prompts you to pump out many, many, far too many, posts each day where you allude to everyone’s but your own failings. You repeat ponts of view that are 100% lifted from other sources; many highly disreputable for all we know since you rarely include links. Not that it matters as I’ve yet to see a post by you that expresses a pov I haven’t heard before. IOW your posts are irrelevant drivel.

Posted by: Debsisdead | May 16 2025 2:14 utc | 158

He’s basically better than every American and NATO Commander on the planet. He has led successful peer operations.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | May 15 2025 19:02 utc | 103
Well I’m bloody pleased to hear it. I hope you are correct in your assessment. I’ve long worried about the state of the command of the russian forces. I hoped for big changes with belousov but it seems he was/is there to root out financial corruption?
This guy now will root out military incompetence? Beauty.
And what about Surovikin?

Posted by: arthur brogard | May 16 2025 3:18 utc | 160

US/UK political maneuver. I am just not sure exactly when he was turned.
Posted by: watcher | May 16 2025 1:53 utc | 157
I remember Surovikin onscreen giving an adress to us all re Prigozhin thing and with a revolver conspicuously in hand, on his knee.
that’s another vid I’ve lost the link to and would like to have if anyone has it ?

Posted by: arthur brogard | May 16 2025 3:28 utc | 162

Some are apologetic about duplicate posts.
Others unapologetically post repetitive tedious nonsense incessantly..

Posted by: Barstool | May 16 2025 3:46 utc | 164

I see that england’s anti-terror thugs have arrested someone for chucking molotov cocktails at starmer’s Nth London house as well as a car which had belonged to Starmer as well as the entrance of one of the apartments he lets out to people caught in London’s hugely expensive & exploitative accommodation market.
At first I thought that it must be someone pissed at starmer’s rabid zionism or his stupid insistence that ‘europe’ join the war on Russia.
Then we learned two things 1/ that the perp is a young ukie b loke in early 20’s and 2/ that he had been charged under the crimes act with arson, no sign that he was gonna be charged with a terrorist offence.
That tells me this ukie was likely upset that kid starver wasn’t doing enough for ukieland otherwise if it were a protest against the genocide or starmer’s over-involvement in something which doesn’t concern him, he would’ve have been charged as a terrorist.
Maybe he’s fibbing and does oppose europe buying into the ukie civil war but prefers not to be locked up for the rest of his life but somehow it seems doubtful given his relatives also living in england claim they had no idea what the bloke was up to.
Anyway the other interesting bit is that all the attacks occured in North London which has become london’s jewish quarter, most of whom living there are zionist ‘boomers’ just like starmer’s missus and his sister-in-law who starmer is letting his home to while englander taxpayers pick up his family’s accommodation costs. He is letting out his home to hos sister in law for under 10,000 quid a year so he doesn’t have to declare it.
That means england’s prime minister is adding insult to injury to england’s taxpayers as he is charging less than 200 pounds a week fora 4 bedroom mansion in london reputed to have one of the most expensive house rental rates in the world.
The only link I currently have is to a paywalled Times article.
This leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind that this entire government is a fraud, a con on all ofg those lifelong labour party supporters who still imagined that england’s labour party was at heart still a socialist endeavour. Sorry not since starmer & co set up the anti-semitism bulldust on Jeremy Corbyn has that organisation been even vaguely socialist.
Corbyn the man whose parents met each other in the 1930’s whilst were protesting racism displayed by england’s tory government towards the Jews who were at that time living in London’s impoverished East End getting tarred with the anti-jewish racism brush in the 2010’s is the ultimate irony but I reckon it would be foolish to imagine that this current ‘labour’ government won’t pull even worse strokes in the next 4 years.
I’m angry today aty the hops I had to go through just to pay my annual insurance premium. The insurance company I have always used here is the same company that my parents and grandparents used following the first labour government here setting them up as well as what became the nation’s biggest bank set up as state enterprise devoted to providing a service ahead of making huge profits both were flogged off years ago and now the insurance company has been taken over by amerikan private equity the company can only be contacted by using a ‘service’ desk in Manila, the Philippines. So not only do they burn their customers they don’t even create positions for kiwis any longer.
I just hope that this joint won’t have to suffer full on fascism before the citizenry finally wake TF up, tho I concede the avoidance of nasty naziism is gonna be the biggest challenge societies will have to endure over the next coupla decades.

Posted by: Debsisdead | May 16 2025 3:58 utc | 166

RT:
Warsaw contradicts US on possible Ukraine deployment
Poland wishes to remain only a regional NATO “logistics hub,” the country’s top officials have said

Poland has no plans to send its military to Ukraine in any role, the country’s top officials have said, responding to remarks by Keith Kellogg. US President Donald Trump’s special envoy had said Warsaw’s troops could be a part of a “resilience force” to be deployed to the country.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Tuesday that was not the case, stating that his country would only serve as a “logistics hub” and the government “does not plan and will not send Polish soldiers to Ukraine.”
“This is the clear position of the government, the president, and all political forces in Poland. Poland sees its very important role – and we are talking about this within the coalition led by Great Britain, France, most European countries, NATO countries – in stabilizing the situation in Ukraine after the long-awaited ceasefire or peace as a country supporting the logistics hub, infrastructure security, and protection of NATO’s eastern flank,” he said.
The message was further reinforced by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Wednesday, when the top diplomat told web portal Onet that “Kellogg could have overinterpreted the fact that Poland would be part of this operation if it took place.”
“Stop manipulating, the head of government, the minister of defense, and I repeat: Poland will NOT send Polish soldiers to Ukraine,” Sikorski wrote on X shortly after the conversation with the outlet.
Trump’s special envoy told Fox Business on Tuesday that Washington was in talks with its European NATO allies about sending military contingents to Ukraine as part of a possible post-conflict settlement.
Kellogg spoke about the potential “resilience force” being deployed west of the Dnieper River, which would place them “outside the contact zone.”
“This is a force referred to as the E3, but it’s actually now the E4 – when you include the Brits, the French, and the Germans, and in fact, the Poles as well,” he claimed.
A group of European NATO member states has for months been trying to muster a “coalition of the willing” for what they describe as a post-conflict peacekeeping force.

Thus far however, Kiev’s backers have failed to agree on its exact goals, mission, or shape.
https://www.rt.com/news/617532-poland-ukraine-no-troops/
Overgrown chihuahua quickly stops barking, … bolts away, yelping

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 16 2025 4:30 utc | 168

-John Mearsheimer has a very interesting view on the war in the Ukraine and its ending. He thinks that Russia wants a negociated settlement to the war and a new security arragement for Europe. Whereas the US seems to be in a hurry to end the hostilities. And then the US can move on to their next target called China.

Posted by: WMG | May 16 2025 7:17 utc | 170

And then the US can move on to their next target called China
Posted by: WMG | May 16 2025 7:17 utc | 171
People keep saying this but I see no real conflict with China. The US are possibly trying to incite something but the Chinese aren’t playing ball in that regard. Trade deals are being hammered out, it’s far from a Mexican stand off at this point.

Posted by: Night Tripper | May 16 2025 7:20 utc | 172

Posted by: unimperator | May 16 2025 7:20 utc | 172
RE: F-16 “collides” w/ UAV
<< The skies are so drone-cluttered over Ukraine, of course it was bound to happen eventually: an F-16 bumping into a Russian UAV and going a-kilter. F-16s helmed by skilled pilots don't get taken out in combat. They simply crash.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | May 16 2025 7:58 utc | 174

“I’m surprised that they admitted it was a pro-Ukraine perp. In the future they’ll probably try to tie these attacks in with the narrative about EU-wide “Russian sabotage/terror.””
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins
As in Germany: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-arrests-three-ukrainians-suspected-spying-exploding-parcel-plot-2025-05-14/

Posted by: Apollyon | May 16 2025 8:03 utc | 176

🇪🇺🤡”European Political Society”: At today’s summit in Albania, the EU will discuss the introduction of a complete ban on trade with Russia.
” Europe is considering various options for damaging Russia, and one of them is the introduction of a full trade embargo . The introduction of “punitive tariffs” on Russian imports will be discussed at the summit of the European Political Community in Tirana, where Zelensky flew the day before.
Talk of an embargo began after Russia’s president ignored calls for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, senior diplomats said.
It is claimed that the Europeans were inspired to take this measure by the words of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who proposed to hit Russian exports with 500% sanctions if Putin does not stop attacking Ukraine.”

a trade embargo. huh.

Posted by: Justpassinby | May 16 2025 8:33 utc | 178

Posted by: Justpassinby | May 16 2025 8:33 utc | 180
Conversely, this means…
Hard times are coming for Western Europeans…of course, only for the average consumer!
Imagine if Putin repays them in kind and stops all deliveries of LNG and oil, fertilizer, and wheat to Europe (even via intermediaries), and imposes sanctions on Europe…
Have fun starving and freezing, LNG and oil prices are unaffordable…it’s dark in Europe if nothing comes in via the Dutch ports or Spain. The EU would then crumble; a Spain, for example, that obtains oil and gas from its own sources would NEVER share it with the rest. In German supermarkets, entire rows of shelves are already filled with items that are still available so that there are no gaps in between, and it’s not so noticeable.
Germany’s own supply of animal feed and bread wheat will be completely exhausted by 2025; according to the Farmers’ Association, 45% of wheat imports are NOT contractually covered. Livestock numbers have been reduced to such an extent that without pork imports from China, empty store shelves would have been normal long ago, it’s just not mentioned in the media.
So who do you think has the upper hand…who in Europe would be willing to pay 500% more?
A Marcron, a Merz, or a Von der Layen don’t go to supermarkets, and when they do go shopping, an extra €1,000 doesn’t make a difference…but there’s already enough friction among the people.
The question arises for me, someone with no knowledge of economics but experience, how one has to live on less than €1,000 in Germany but can’t…
Why hasn’t Putin shown the Europeans long ago what it means for them to have to live WITHOUT Russian raw materials?
If I were him, I would have done it…the West is dead for Russia for generations to come, unless the MOB cleans up the warmongers in the country!

Posted by: Peedy | May 16 2025 9:08 utc | 180

Posted by: Peedy | May 16 2025 9:08 utc | 182
Fortunately for the average European the leader of the Russian Federation and most of the Russian peoples remember Leningrad and will not allow civilians to starve if they have the power to end it.
No they cannot end it in Gaza. Russia is not an imperial state with the ability to project power outside its own region.

Posted by: Badjoke | May 16 2025 9:38 utc | 182

RT:
US lifts sanctions on Russia-linked international oil project
The Treasury Department has issued a new license easing restrictions on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium

The US government has allowed American and international companies to resume oil-related work involving a major Russia-linked project to deliver Caspian oil to the global market.
The license, lifting restrictions on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and the Kazakh company Tengizchevroil (TCO), was issued by the Treasury Department on Thursday.
CPC operates a major pipeline that transports oil from western Kazakhstan to the Black Sea coast of Russia, from where it is shipped globally by tanker.
The 1,511-kilometer pipeline is one of the most important export routes for Kazakh oil, handling over 80% of the country’s crude exports.
The pipeline is jointly owned by multiple companies and governments.
Russia holds a 24% stake through the state-owned operator Transneft.
Other major shareholders include Chevron, ExxonMobil, Russia’s Lukoil and Kazakhstan’s national oil company KazMunayGas. Several smaller international firms also own shares.
Tengizchevroil is a joint venture that runs the massive Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan.
It was formed in 1993 and is owned by Chevron (50%), ExxonMobil (25%), KazMunayGas (20%), and Lukoil (5%).
The earlier sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 14071, which targets services related to Russian energy projects.
However, US authorities have made exceptions for projects that are considered critical to global energy markets or involve non-Russian stakeholders.
General License No. 121, issued in January, had already temporarily allowed some services for CPC and TCO.
That license remains valid until June 28, 2025, but the new license appears to clarify and reaffirm that companies may continue their involvement in these projects without penalty until then.
According to the Treasury, the license covers activities like drilling, refining, transportation, and marketing of oil – provided they are connected to CPC or Tengizchevroil.
Earlier this year, CPC was forced to temporarily halt operations following two attacks by Ukrainian drones that damaged oil transfer stations linked to the pipeline network on Russian territory.
The attacks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump approved a partial ceasefire, under which both Moscow and Kiev committed to refraining from strikes on energy infrastructure.

https://www.rt.com/news/617644-us-sanctions-russia-oil-pipeline/

Posted by: Melaleuca | May 16 2025 10:03 utc | 184

“Interestingly, I think the City of London is still the only jurisdiction in the world that allows unlimited re-hypothecation of banking assets.”
Posted by: Saul Goode | May 16 2025 4:41 utc | 170
100% right on.
The City now has got caught short gold and are getting mercilessly hammered; nice to see.
Excellent post, thanks

Posted by: canuck | May 16 2025 10:52 utc | 186

Quitting with Ansar Allah/Yemen and pulling the B2s from Diego Garcia are good signs.
Posted by: ockham | May 16 2025 11:04 utc | 189
But he’s the one who did everything. He attacked Yemen during the ceasefire and he started to send planes to that base. What is the “good sign”? He quit Yemen because he was getting close to 100% chance of losing planes and ships, that’s the only reason.
Trump’s fans need a lot of mental gymnastics to somehow make their president Camacho a savior when he’s the only one behind the problems he invents and the imaginary solutions he creates, which don’t even reset the situation to what it was before he existed. The only difference happens in his pocket

Posted by: rk | May 16 2025 11:23 utc | 188

“RT:
US lifts sanctions on Russia-linked international oil project
The Treasury Department has issued a new license easing restrictions on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium”
Wait 48 hours; that could 180.

Posted by: malenkov | May 16 2025 11:41 utc | 190

malenkov | May 16 2025 11:39 utc | 191
“we’re supposed to ignore the hundreds if not thousands of sheep-dips Poland has been sending to fight”
I think if it were thousands, surely there’d be some discomfort in Poland as the body bags returned?

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 16 2025 12:01 utc | 192

DS daily update: https://deepstatemap.live/en#6/49.4383200/32.0526800
Overall: RFA took 9.5 kmsq. This is a typical day for MAY2025. Less than half the pace of NOV2024. At this rate, it would take about 8 years to accomplish the limited territorial goals of the SMO (remaining contested four oblasts, NOT wider ambitions like Odessa or all of Novorossiya.)
Note that Ayden (one of the worst clickbaiters and “first, first” claim makers) had to follow up a very questionable big day of pocket filling (65 kmsq) with a smaller day of 2 kmsq. And now, he’s even saying that UFA continues to leave ground he claims RFA already controls! That’s what happens to the first, first crowd when they “get ahead of events”. Even Suriyak (much better than Ayden) has a tendency to this effect, often needing to cite fictitious counterattacks within a month to correct overpromises earlier in the month. (This happened to him in March, clearly. And he’s been called out for it before.)
Specific changes, S to N (all loosely related to Pokrovsk):
1. Pocket filled (gray converted to red) between Rozlyv and Bahatyr (sort of Andriivka sector, bottom of what I call the DP front). There was also a small change of control from red to gray within the town of Bahatyr. But overall acreage was positive for the RFA.
2. Small gain at Novoolesandrivka (W of Uspenivk, sort of the N part of what I call the DP front, almost up to the W Pokrovsk flank).

Posted by: Anonymous | May 16 2025 12:15 utc | 194

JMR, 125:
1. I went to bed before it came out, but up now. DS was slacking getting his work done. Either that Or Syrski was slacking on the approval.
2. Your comment about 2022 is interesting. However, even if RFA claims have increased…actual control is much less than in spring 2022. Just look at the maps. RFA actually has LESS ground now than at that point.
At this point, I think eventual path forward will need to be at the line of contact. Russia will need to renounce their claims on areas, they just can’t get to. They’ve had two years since recovering from the late 2022 UFA counterattacks at Kherson and Kharkiv. And have ground forward extremely slowly. There’s about zero path towards recovering Kherson, especially.
The bigger issue is probably that UFA attitudes have hardened. While once they might have been amenable to a promise of Austrian neutrality to get the RFA out of their country, they’ve now had years of war. I don’t think they are beaten down enough. And certainly the POOR ability of RFA to move the territory line, makes the RFA not so menacing.
I think at this point, a lot within the UFA probably see this as a test of wills. And the SMO was always a foreign adventure for Russia. Sure in an important border region. But not “as existential” to the RFA as to the UFA. They will wait like the Taliban did for the US (and Russians before them) to get tired and leave. It has become a test of wills. Russia may have a bigger population, but it’s just not as central a concern to Russia as to Ukraine…look how big Russia is and how many borders it has.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 16 2025 12:28 utc | 196

‘Reuters has a quick snap that a Ukrainian diplomatic source has told the news agency Russia’s demands in Istanbul are unrealistic and go far beyond anything previously discussed.’
mmmm, should have taken what was on offer earlier – like 2022 – you Ukro bastards.

Posted by: Night Tripper | May 16 2025 12:32 utc | 198

Narcofurher has not withdrawn the ban on negotiating with Russia yet either, making these negotiations illegal. Quite a few implications in that. Pathetic all around.
At least US shows it has _some_ control over their suicide-vest-chimpanzee, forcing them to sit down and talk after a whole day of “but we don’t like it” circus.

Posted by: boneless | May 16 2025 12:41 utc | 200