Wednesday, March 19

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the plenary session of Russia Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, March 18, 2025, in Moscow, Russia. Putin spoke prior to his telephone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. (Contributor/Getty Images)

Trump-Putin call: Russia agrees to 30-day pause of energy infrastructure strikes. "Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the appropriate command to the Russian military," the Kremlin said.

Kremlin demands halt to foreign military aid**, intelligence to Ukraine as condition for avoiding war escalation.** The Kremlin has demanded a complete cessation of foreign military aid and intelligence to Ukraine as a "key condition for avoiding an escalation of the war," according to a statement released on March 18.

Kyiv supports energy sector ceasefire**, expects military aid to continue, Zelensky says.** "We will support such a proposal, but we're very interested in the details," Zelensky said after the Trump-Putin call.

US announces another round of negotiations in Middle East on war in Ukraine. "This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts," the White House's statement read.

'I don't want us to be on Putin's menu' — Zelensky says negotiations must include Ukraine. "We are an independent state. Without us, I think it's wrong to negotiate," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 18.

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Putin didn't mention military aid in phone call, Trump says. Trump also said it was "a great call" and that the U.S. hopes to expand trade with Russia, including deals on "very big forms of rare earth."

Ukraine withdraws from one front-line sector in Donetsk Oblast, commander says. "This allowed us not only to save our soldiers, but also to improve our defense. (Russia) is suffering losses, and we can act more effectively," Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev said.

Ukrainian forces attempted to enter Belgorod Oblast**, repelled by Russian forces, Russia claims.** The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on March 18 that the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to enter Russia's Belgorod Oblast but were repelled by the Russian military.

Zelensky arrives in Finland for official visit to discuss security and strengthen ties. President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Finland for an official visit on March 18. The plane carrying the couple landed at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in the afternoon.

Russian energy giant Gazprom suffers $13.1 billion loss in 2024. Gazprom's losses averaged $251 million per week, $35 million per day, or $1.4 million per hour. While the company's total revenue increased by 11% and its gas revenue by 14%, it still ended the year with a sales loss of 192 billion rubles ($2.3 billion).

Read our exclusives

Meet the Ukrainian fashion brand that's making heritage trendy

Natalia Kamenska had grown tired of a fashion industry she felt was too focused on mass production and commercial interests, rather than creativity. While in the Carpathian mountains, Kamenska encountered a “gunia,” a traditional western Ukrainian shag fur coat that weighs around six kilos (13 pounds).

Photo: Gunia

Learn more




Polish right takes hard line on Ukraine ahead of presidential vote

With the Polish presidential elections just two months away, two of the country's leading right-wing candidates have become increasingly antagonistic toward Ukraine and its leadership. Both men have made headlines by public spats with Ukrainian officials and denounced Kyiv as ungrateful for Polish aid.

Photo: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Ukraine war latest: Putin, Trump hold 1.5-hour call, discuss ceasefire in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a 30-day pause of energy infrastructure strikes during a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a readout of the call issued by the Kremlin on March 18.

Photo: Maxim Shemetov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

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Human cost of Russia’s war

2 killed, 13 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 63 of the 137 Russian attack and decoy drones overnight over 12 oblasts, the Air Force said. Sixty-four decoy drones reportedly disappeared from radars without causing damage.

General Staff: Russia has lost 897,010 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The number includes 1,560 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

UK reportedly hopes US drones, satellites will help monitor Ukraine ceasefire. The U.S. military has 247 military satellites and thousands of commercial satellites, providing an "unrivaled picture" of eastern Ukraine that European forces would struggle to replicate, the Times wrote.

UK, EU to discuss confiscating Russian assets ahead of Ukraine peace talks, Bloomberg reports. Negotiations will focus on establishing the legal and financial framework to seize Russian assets, despite opposition from some EU member states, particularly Belgium and Germany.

Italy, Spain hesitant on EU's $43 billion military aid to Ukraine plan. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the proposal needed further discussion and that Italy was awaiting the outcome of the upcoming call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump boasts of saving 'surrounded' Ukrainian soldiers despite Kyiv denying encirclement in Kursk Oblast. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on March 17 that he took an unspecified action to save "surrounded" Ukrainian soldiers, apparently referring to his earlier and unsubstantiated claims of Kyiv's troops being encircled in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Trump's aid cuts threaten supply of HIV treatments to Ukraine**, 7 more countries, WHO warns.** The World Health Organization warned that Kenya, Haiti, Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Ukraine could run out of critical antiretroviral drugs in the coming months.

Russian negotiator says he expects talks with Musk on space, tech. Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said he expects Russia to hold talks with U.S. billionaire and President Donald Trump's ally, Elon Musk, in the near future, the pro-state news agency RBK reported on March 18.

In other news

Notorious judge dismissed amid accusations of criminal activity, power grab. Judge Pavlo Vovk was held responsible for "committing a significant disciplinary offense, gross or systematic neglect of duties that is incompatible with the status of a judge or revealed his incompatibility with the position he holds."

France to deploy fighter jets with nuclear warheads on German border by 2035, Macron says. France will deploy Rafale fighter jets equipped with supersonic nuclear warheads along its border with Germany in 2035, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on March 18 at the Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase, according to BFMTV.

Telegram CEO Durov returns to Dubai amid French investigation. Pavel Durov, Telegram's Russian-born founder and CEO, said that the investigating judges allowed him to depart even though the probe is ongoing.

Poland, Baltics to withdraw from anti-personnel mine ban treaty. The defense ministers of the four nations argued that the security situation in the region has "fundamentally deteriorated" and that military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have "significantly increased."

EU approves over $2 billion in economic support for Moldova. The Reform and Growth Facility, which includes 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in low-interest loans and 385 million euros ($420 million) in grants, will cover the period of 2025-2027 and is part of the EU's long-term Moldova Growth Plan.

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JD Vance’s cousin Nate Vance:

I saw Russians shooting their own troops. It happens often. Russian military murder of their own troops is policy. That fact is well documented.

They are not our allies and never will be.

#Ukraine #eu #uk #Baltics #nato #usa

#Putin and #Trump spoke on the phone today where they discussed the conditions for a potential (and severely limited) #ceasefire in #Ukraine. They agreed to seek a limited ceasefire on energy and infrastructure.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto was more optimistic. "Great news from Washington and Moscow. Today, the world has become a safer place. We fully support the peace agreement and hope Brussels (#NATO) will not undermine the peace process,"

France24 liveblog https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250318-live-trump-putin-ukraine

#israel #netherlands #belgium : #military / #nato / #armssales / #armsindustry

„#Rafael and #ElbitSystems will supply a European NATO country with electronic countermeasures for protecting frigates from ship-killing missiles, the companies announced on Monday.“

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/03/17/israeli-companies-to-supply-ship-defense-suite-to-european-frigates/

Der russische Krieg gegen die #Ukraine darf nur auf folgende Weise enden:

- Mit #Putin und seine Clique entweder tot oder im Gefängnis. Dazu zählen auch #Trump, #Orban und Co.
- Mit der Ukraine in der #EU und #NATO.
- Mit der Auflösung der Russischen Föderation und der Einbindung der neuen Staaten in die westliche Sicherheitstruktur und #Demokratie. Man will ja niemanden #China zum fraß vorwerfen.
- Mit einer kompletten Neuausrichtung oder Auflösung der #UN. In ihrer jetzigen Form ist sie nutzlos.

Wie die Türkei die Umwälzungen in Europa nutzen will

Die Krise zwischen Europa und den USA wirkt sich auch auf die Türkei aus. Das Land begreift die Veränderungen als unerwartete Chance - und will bei den neuen Bündnissen dabei sein. Von Uwe Lueb und Mehmet Uksul.

➡️ https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/asien/tuerkei-europa-sicherheit-ruestung-100.html?at_medium=mastodon&at_campaign=tagesschau.de

#Türkei #NATO #EU #Ukraine #Russland #USA

Deutschland und andere #Nato-Staaten erhöhen ihre Schulden, um massiv aufzurüsten. Damit die Schulden tragbar bleiben, muss nun das Wirtschaftswachstum steigen. Dafür soll die Bevölkerung sorgen – mit Arbeit und Verzicht. https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1189778.schuldenbremse-kanonen-butter-kriegskredite.html

Es wäre ein #Frieden zu begrüßen! Gleichzeitig muss an einer europäischen Sicherheitsarchitektur gearbeitet werden - fernab der #Rüstung ! #Atomwaffenverbotsvertrag muss endlich von allen #NATO Staaten unterschrieben werden, als Zeichen, dass Sie es ernst meinen mit dem #Frieden ! Wie wäre dieser Vorstoß? Liebe #Bundesregierung #Stoppt die #Sonderschulden !

Warum Polen US-Atomwaffen ins Land holen will

Präsident Duda will US-Atomwaffen nach Polen holen - nicht zum ersten Mal. Doch neuerdings zieht das auch Polens Regierung in Erwägung. Das Kalkül: Wäre auf Trump kein Verlass mehr, könnte zumindest ein Nuklearschirm Russland abschrecken. Von M. Adam.

➡️ https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/polen-atomwaffen-100.html?at_medium=mastodon&at_campaign=tagesschau.de

#Atomwaffen #Polen #NATO

Instead of F-35, #Portugal turns to Europe in search of new fighter

The change in the United States government’s policy towards #NATO has prompted the Portuguese Defense Minister to consider an agreement unlikely

https://www.airdatanews.com/instead-of-f-35-portugal-turns-to-europe-in-search-of-new-fighter/

Goes to show what Columbia University and #NATO know about #Sanctions

The United States is discussing the possibility of future collaboration with #Russia’s Gazprom on international projects.. #geopolitics

https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/russian-and-european-officials-see-us-interest-in-gazprom-ties

Es würde aber das Töten beenden, also Russland mach mit! Und #NATO und #EU sollten endlich auf gemeinsame Sicherheit hin arbeiten und die Ostfrontvorbereitungen sein lassen! Und die #UN und #China mit reinholen!

“…yesterday, 34 army leaders from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, Japan, and Australia met in Paris without inviting the United States.”
—Heather Cox Richardson, March 12, 2025
#nato #eu #japan #australia without #usa

US dominates European weapons purchases: report – POLITICO https://www.byteseu.com/822955/ #Europe #France #Germany #Imports #india #Israel #Military #NATO #Pakistan #Poland #Procurement #Qatar #Russia #SaudiArabia #Security #SouthKorea #Ukraine #UnitedStates #WarInUkraine #Weapons

"But really it's Tony Soprano, right? He thinks NATO is a protection racket and they're not kicking up enough. It explains why he's so nasty to our allies, but so deferential to our adversaries. They are in effect heads of the other five families, and they deserve respect as equals 'cause he's a boss and they are bosses. But the underbosses, his caporegimes, you know, England, Canada, all those guys, they aren't showing enough respect to the Don."

- Jonah Goldberg

This explains a lot.

#NATO

“We Need to Teach Ourselves Disciplined Hate, and Never Forget it”

by Alon Mizrahi in The Mizrahi Perspective on Substack

@palestine
@israel
@BBC5Live
@BBCRadio4
@guardian @Independent @thetimes

“Because a second mass extermination event is being permitted and encouraged in two years in the same part of the world by the same people and the same political and cultural forces”

https://open.substack.com/pub/alonmizrahi/p/we-need-to-teach-ourselves-disciplined?r=27oltk&utm_medium=ios

#Press #Israel #US #NATO #UK #Genocide #Syria #Minorities #Alawites #Extermination #HTS

Yep. #NATO and the US want him bad... as Syria's ruler.

"The EC said al-Julani had been invited to a "donor conference" in Brussels on March 17 after killing thousands of Syrians. He could be given more money there.

The #EU has already given the #terrorists €235m in aid, while the #UK has given £50m. The killers were also allowed to take money from the Central Bank of Syria..."
https://t.me/R_Diplomat/14488

“Syria’s sectarian massacres are blowback for foreign-led dirty war”

by Aaron Mate on Substack

@UKLabour @BBC5Live
@BBCRadio4
@guardian @Independent @thetimes

“By arming the sectarian insurgency that now rules Syria, the US and its allies bear responsibility for the current slaughter of Alawite civilians and other minority groups”

https://open.substack.com/pub/mate/p/syrias-sectarian-massacres-are-blowback?r=27oltk&utm_medium=ios

#Press #US #UK #NATO #Syria #HTS #AlQaeda #ISIS #Alawite #Christian #Massacre

Nuclear weapons warning for Donald Trump as NATO members question U.S. guarantees https://www.byteseu.com/817506/ #DonaldTrump #Europe #IAEA #Iran #Israel #Japan #NATO #NorthKorea #NuclearWeapons #Russia #SouthKorea #taiwan #Ukraine #UnitedStates #WorldWarIII

Confused? They want you to be confused. Because when you're unsure, you become reactive, and it's easy to get you to listen to the 'experts'. Most of the reportage originates from #Ukraine and #USAID ops like the "Kyviv Independent" meaning it's currently nonsense, and the Telegraph article is projective.

"US to cease all future military exercises in #Europe"
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/03/08/us-to-cease-all-future-military-exercises-in-europe-reports/

"US forces continuing to join #NATO exercises, officials say following reports of exit https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-03-10/nato-exercises-us-europe-17094572.html

#MarkSleboda Details Ukraine's "Major Collapse" And Punishing Losses In #Kursk; #Sudzha Pipeline Attack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRzaK8GXliI

#Ukraine #Russia #Donbas #NATO #UkraineRussiaWar #NATORussiaWar #RussiaUkraineWar #RussiaNATOWar #Syria #ISIS #AlQaeda #JamarlThomas

Russians Close In #Kiev Troops Panic As #Kursk Defences Collapse; #Moscow Lashes #Macron; #Syria Descends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0z5Bo3VwtE

#Ukraine #Russia #Donbas #NATO #UkraineRussiaWar #NATORussiaWar #RussiaUkraineWar #RussiaNATOWar #AlexanderMercouris #TheDuran

Russians Close In #Kiev Troops Panic As #Kursk Defences Collapse; #Moscow Lashes #Macron; #Syria Descends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0z5Bo3VwtE

#Ukraine #Russia #Donbas #NATO #UkraineRussiaWar #NATORussiaWar #RussiaUkraineWar #RussiaNATOWar #AlexanderMercouris #TheDuran

#NordicBaltic8 hört sich sehr gut an. Die Grundlage einer neuen #NATO

From Telegram:
'#Poland authorities and #EU leadership are trying to hinder peace talks to resolve the conflict in #Ukraine

The head of the #Hungary Foreign Ministry, Szijjarto, wrote about this on social networks.

"It is a great pity that the Polish government, together with Brussels (#NATO), is trying to prevent peace talks," he noted.

https://t.me/ukr_leaks_eng/19988 #Russia

Atomare Abschreckung: Wer schützt Europa im Ernstfall?

Können sich die NATO-Staaten weiter auf die nukleare Abschreckung der USA verlassen? Präsident Trump lässt daran zweifeln. Sind die französischen Atomwaffen eine sinnvolle Alternative? Claudia Buckenmaier mit Antworten.

➡️ https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/atomare-abschreckung-faq-100.html?at_medium=mastodon&at_campaign=tagesschau.de

#Atomwaffen #NATO #NukleareTeilhabe

⛔️⚠️Trump and GOP kill Ukrainian children for their “peace”: Injury toll in American empowered Russian missile attack on Dobropillia rises to 47, including children (PHOTOS and more) https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3968396-injury-toll-in-russian-missile-attack-on-dobropillia-rises-to-47.html #Ukraine #NukesForUkraine #Mastodon #SouthKorea #Japan #Press #Taiwan #Media #NukesOrNATO #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #News #UnitedStates #EuropeanUnion #UnitedKingdom #russiaUkraineWar #11yrInvasionofUkraine
#RussiaIsATerroristState
#AmericaIsATerroristState

NATO Nations Take Fight Against Trump To New Level; Back Arab Plan For Gaza Opposed By US, Israel https://www.byteseu.com/811856/ #ArabPlan #DonaldTrump #Europe #France #GazaReconstruction #Germany #Israel #Italy #NATO #UK

#NATO members should send an email to #Trump and ask him five things he did last week to strengthen the North Atlantic Alliance, and to commit to article 5. If he fails to answer accordingly, then they should stop all intelligence and military cooperation with the #USA. #StandWithUkraine #EuropeanArmy

Trump questions NATO allies’ will for collective defense while casting doubt on U.S.’ own treaty commitment https://www.byteseu.com/809302/ #DonaldTrump #Europe #EuropeanUnion #France #JdVance #NATO #Ukraine #UnitedKingdom #War

"Ukraine lives, fights and, despite everything, develops thanks to the strength and courage of our people, thanks to the support of our partners. Thank you, Ukrainians, each and every one of you, for protecting and preserving your state!"
- President Zelensky
#AureFreePress #News #press #headline #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #EU #NATO #Zelensky #war

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jGU2BR1aEdo
⛔️🇺🇸‘We, Europeans, are alone’, America Has Stabbed NATO And Ukraine In The Back! ‘Trump is acting like Hitler’: French economist Jacques Attali interview (FRANCE 24 English News VIDEO) #Ukraine #France #Mastodon #Germany #NukesForUkraine #SouthKorea #Japan #Press #Taiwan #Media #NukesOrNATO #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #News #BudapestMemorandum #UnitedStates #EuropeanUnion #UnitedKingdom #russiaUkraineWar #11yrInvasionofUkraine
#RussiaIsATerroristState

https://t.me/liveukraine_media/29528
⛔️⚠️Duplicitous Backstabbing Americans! Trump and Republicans have cut AFU ability to launch offensive and save encirclement troops by withholding arms and intel. Russians Have Penetrated Ukrainian Defensive Line Near Sudzha, Logistics in Kursk Region Nearing Critical Condition
According to Ukrainska Pravda, Russian (more) #Ukraine #Press #News #Media #Mastodon #Japan #Taiwan #SouthKorea #NATO #Germany #France #UK #USA #UnitedKingdom #UnitedStates #11yearInvasionOfUkraine

#Europe, and #Ukraine's media, are desperate. This politician in #Italy calls violating #NATO's charter requiring free and open elections a 'durable solution', even as NATO literally disintegrates.

"NATO could extend Article 5 protection to Ukraine without membership, Italian PM says"

"Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) states that if a member country is attacked, all other members will come to its defense." -Google AI

Ukraine IS NOT a member.
https://kyivindependent.com/nato-could-extend-article-5-protection-to-ukraine-without-membership-italian-pm-says/

#NATO was always a #Nazis #protectionracket. #Trump turned it around on them 🤣

"If NATO members don't pay, US won't defend them: Trump"
https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/03/501_393631.html

Please boost this around. Attend if you are able. Add your voice.

#USA #Constitution #NATO #News #Fascism #Nazism #Democrats #Economy #Tariffs #MAGA #Financial #Protest #Veterans #Scotus #Potus

https://nowmarch.org/

. 👆
"How #Palestine Became the Testing Ground for #Israel-i Military Exports
The Israeli #defenseindustry is making record profit by selling weapons it used on Palestinians.", via @JapanProf
@palestine

Similarly #Ukraine on the black market with #NATO 'given' weapons.

A European air force of 120 fighter jets could secure Ukraine’s skies from Russian attacks without escalating the war, say military experts.

The proposed Sky Shield would be EU-led, separate from NATO, and protect Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv & nuclear plants.
#AureFreePress #News #press #headline #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #EU #NATO #Zelensky #war #Breaking #BreakingNews

The emergency EU summit in Brussels has begun

President Zelensky has arrived in the Belgian capital.

Key discussions on Ukraine’s future support and security are expected.
#AureFreePress #News #press #headline #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #EU #NATO #Zelensky #war #Breaking #BreakingNews