Ukraine and World Affairs: Weekly Update
4th April 2025
In terms of nervous tension, this has been an exceptional week for those who are following matters closely. Events in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean appear to be on a knife edge and it is impossible to predict what sort of disasters we could soon face.
In the Middle East, where the Israelis continue to maim and murder innocents in Syria, Gaza, the West bank and Beirut, a recent poll of Israelis revealed that 69% want the hostages back and an end to the war. Only 20% were opposed. Colonel Wilkerson talks about it here. All over the Western world populations are at odds with their leaders when it comes to war. But in this case, the Israeli people have hitherto wanted to eliminate the Palestinians as much as their Zionist government. This poll may show that the anger following the October 7th attacks has been suppressed or extinguished by the reality of war. I hope so. Wilkerson also referred to another poll in the US where 59% said that they don’t like Israel.
In Syria, clashes between various groups continue: you can read more about this complicated situation here. A new Syrian government has been formed as you can read here and Turkiye has begun to occupy Tiyas air base, which will not please the Israelis, according to this report.
Donald Trump, whose chances of a Nobel Peace Prize are shrinking fast, has threatened Iran with bombing if it doesn’t make a deal on its nuclear program. In response, the Iranians are refusing to speak with the Americans directly but are still leaving the door open to dialogue through third parties. Sensible heads in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar have insisted that the US will not be allowed to use their territory to launch an attack on Iran. They appreciate that they would be targeted if they assisted the US.
One of the odd things about this episode is that Tulsi Gabbard has already confirmed that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. However, some in Iran wish to change the constitution to allow a bomb to be made, which could be done fairly quickly. US threats could actually achieve what they wish to prevent - i.e. if it is attacked Iran could become a nuclear power - and the Trump team will have no one to blame but themselves.
The possibility of war with Iran has preoccupied most commentators this week, with some more pessimistic of the prospect than others as the US conducts a massive build up of forces in the Middle East, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Daniel Davis discussed the matter here (17 mins). Laith Marouf is among those who believe that a US/Israeli attack on Iran is inevitable. Brian Berlectic, talking with Danny Haiphong here, draws attention to the US’s attempts to separate Russia-China-Iran and therefore undermine the BRICS/emerging Multi-Polar World Order. The bullying of Iran could be part of this effort, he argues. But it won’t work. The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that any threats to Iran’s nuclear facilities will have ‘serious and irreversible consequences’ and it called the US rhetoric ‘unacceptable’. Concerns about Iran’s nuclear program should be resolved diplomatically, the Foreign Office asserted.
It is feared by some that the US believes that Iran’s air defences were destroyed by an Israeli strike last year - but I followed this event closely and saw no evidence of destruction. If there had been, the Israelis would have been quick to show images of this. But they offered nothing. So the US may believe that they will secure an easy victory which will not, in my view, be forthcoming. US intelligence services must surely know that Iranian air defences are intact and that their massive missile systems will be difficult to eliminate even with bunker busting bombs. In responding to such a threat Iran could cause much destruction of US and Israeli military facilities. Anyway - we can only hope that sane voices will speak out against this so that it can be avoided.
The political battle that has engulfed Europe for so many years continues to fascinate. Globalist Europeans have managed to eliminate another ‘right wing’ opponent by arresting Marine Le Pen (see below) and Ursula von de Leyen has scolded Robert Fico for failing to ask for permission to talk with Donald Trump about tariffs. ‘You 'idiot’, she blasted at him.
With regard to Ukraine, Donald Trump has become impatient about the lack of progress. It seems he wants a ceasefire first and negotiations later but the Russians are insisting that negotiations aimed at addressing the root causes of the Ukrainian war should proceed along with the war. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on a visit to Moscow, supported Russia’s view that the root causes should be addressed.
The Russians are also concerned about the legitimacy of the Ukrainian regime and have asked for temporary governance of the country through the UN so that elections can be conducted in the absence of considerable Nazi influence/coercion (see below). I don’t think an impatient Trump knows or wants to know about these things. He is critical of Putin for questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy but he has called him ‘a dictator without elections’ in the past. Trump has also threatened the Russians with secondary tariffs on oil unless they hurry up. It must be said that Trump is behaving somewhat erratically - but that’s just the way he is.
Hypocritically and inconsistently, Trump is lamenting the deaths of soldiers on the battlefields in Ukraine while continuing to facilitate genocide in Gaza and killing innocents in Yemen. Pepe Escobar has called him a ‘gangster’. As far as many in the Global East and South are concerned the Houthis are the good guys trying to stop genocide while ‘Orange man’ is very much the villain who is trying to make it easier for the genocide to continue. A recent report suggests that the US’s monstrous military has cut off water supplies to 50,000 Houthis thus engaging in collective punishment - Israeli style - which is a war crime. You can read more at Tass.
Trump may also have been annoyed by Putin’s recent address to navy personnel in which he talked about being close to victory on the battlefield. He may even have been alarmed by Putin’s announcement that Russia is to conscript another 160,000 troops, though he may not realise that conscripts are not allowed to fight in the SMO.
The Globalist Europeans, including Kaja Kallas, are pressurising Russia to agree a ceasefire without conditions. But Russia will stand firm. According to one report, Two Tier Keir is robotically persisting with a plan to send NATO troops to Ukraine even though he knows that the Russians won’t accept this. However, his doggedness has earned him a couple of points in the polls. Russophobia is so strong in the UK that even an idiotic deadweight like Starmer can profit from it.
In recent Moscow talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Sergei Lavrov discussed ‘prospects for building a new security entity in Eurasia amid stagnating Euro Atlantic mechanisms’. Could this mean replacing NATO?
The Ukrainians continue to break the energy ceasefire agreement daily and, bizarrely, the Russians are not retaliating. I have no idea why Putin is failing to act but Trump may see him as weak in consequence. It is possible that Russia does not want to complicate matters by breaking the ceasefire themselves. Now they can tell the Americans that Zelensky breaks the ceasefire constantly while they have not retaliated. Lavrov will submit a detailed report of the violations to the US, the UN and the OSCE - documented proof that you can’t trust Zekensky. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov has noted that there has been no response at all to the Ukrainian violations from the US, which is a little strange. It has to be said that the Americans, including Trump, are rank amateurs. Experienced diplomats would have condemned Zelensky’s actions privately at least - but they appear to have done nothing. However, it is also possible that Trump is attempting to maneuver Russia into an unconditional ceasefire that would facilitate a build up of Ukrainian/NATO forces to continue the war later. Therefore Zelensky’s violations are unimportant to him. I am slowly moving towards this latter view and am not convinced that Trump wishes to end the conflict.
However, Russia’s Special Representative, Kirill Dmitriev, who was visiting Washington this week, has said that the Trump team was ‘constructive and helpful’ and that ‘significant progress’ has been made. Dates for renewed negotiations between the two countries ‘will be determined in the near future'.
In connection with the ‘minerals deal’ currently being discussed with the US, Zelensky has said that he will not treat the aid provided by the Biden administration as a loan. I think he may have a point: I certainly formed the impression that Ukraine was a proxy for Biden’s war in which Ukrainian men were being killed so that Americans didn’t have to die. Initially, there was no mention of loans: this came later in Biden’s reign.
On the fronts, things are very much the same as they were at the end of last week.
Finally, Trump’s long awaited ‘liberation day’ and ‘declaration of economic independence’ has happened and the world is now destined to engage in an intensified economic war (see below).
What a week.
US Assisted Ukraine From the Start - NYT
The New York Times has just admitted what many of us have known for years: the US provided intelligence and ‘boots on the ground’ technicians right from the start of the SMO. HIMARS and other systems cannot be operated and targeted without US/UK help. You can read more here. A Ukrainian source claims that this story has been leaked by the globalists in an effort to frustrate negotiations. This would not surprise me. But the article describes the Ukraine war as a direct conflict between the US and Russia using Ukrainian forces (rather than a proxy war). It also blames Zelensky’s interference and failure to obey orders for the defeat. So, a little ‘buck passing’ is probably going on here.
The NYT also confessed that the UK and the US were behind the failed ATACMs attack on the Crimea bridge in 2024 - which was obvious, since these missiles cannot be launched and guided without US/UK assistance. You can read more at Pravda.
Ukraine Authorities Illegitimate?
Vladimir Putin has suggested a temporary external governance of Ukraine under the auspices of the UN because Ukraine’s President and therefore the government is illegitimate. Basically, Putin is arguing that Zelensky’s term of office expired last May and the constitution demands that elections be called. UN Secretary General Guterres, on the other hand, considers the government to be legitimate and he is not the only one. The issue of legitimacy is a complex one that has divided many commentators.
Those who believe that Zelensky is legitimate will argue that the RADA has supported the imposition of martial law because of the war and that under such circumstances Zelensky is not obliged to call elections. Votes to extend martial law have been made since 2023: the most recent was approved by RADA in February of this year - as you can read here. It has been argued that this means that the Zelensky is legitimate even though the constitution says that a President can’t be in office for more than five years. I should add that in February an initial vote on this issue failed to obtain a majority in favour so another vote was taken at a later session. If the constitution allows this then Zelensky could be considered legitimate in this narrow sense.
Of course, it can be argued that in spite of the above, Zelensky could have held elections by simply lifting martial law. But I am not sure whether the constitution would have allowed this.
Legitimacy can also be viewed in a wider sense to include issues around democracy. Can a government be considered legitimate when opposition parties and press have been banned and the rule of law abandoned so that people can be mobilised? Can a government that was created following a CIA backed coup, which caused many to revolt or break away, be considered legitimate? Can a government containing a coercive Nazi contingent, which could influence voting, be considered legitimate? These are complex issues both legally and morally.
Putin has pointed out that one of the objectives of the SMO was denazification, yet Nazis are still in positions of power in the military, government and administration. Moreover, according to Putin, the influence of the Azov1 types on government is increasing. Whether Zelensky is elected or not, the influence of these people will continue to grow. Therefore, Russia would be ill-advised to accept elections while the Nazis are in situ - as Ray McGovern discusses here. This is why Russia will push for UN involvement in an interim government.
Leader of banned Ukraine Opposition Party, Viktor Medvedchuck agrees with Putin:
[US President Donald] Trump must understand that agreements with the Ukrainian authorities cannot be implemented in principle, since this government does not have the real powers and capabilities to fulfill any deals while the country is dominated by neo-Nazi gangs. <...> Without complete denazification of Zelensky's Ukraine, without complete destruction of the Nazi ideology and getting rid of those who are its bearers, no deals will be executed, and unfortunately there is no alternative to this.
The Nazis will be a disruptive and oppressive force to the extent that no elections can be judged authentic while they are able to bring their malign influence to bear on voters and politicians alike. Any deal agreed with Trump is unlikely to be honoured by these people who will make sure that such deals are not implemented if they oppose them. You can read more in Tass.
According to one report, Trump was not pleased with Putin’s questioning of Zelensky’s legitimacy and responded in the only way he can: with threats of a 25% tariff on Russian oil which he later denied. Zero Hedge is reporting the story here.
Zelensky himself is sounding more ridiculous, the more desperate he becomes. Recently he said ‘Russia must pay reparations and we don’t want the world to forgive them'. He sounds more like a petulant child than a President.
NATO Prioritised Killing of Journalists
Last week I reported on the murder of several Russian journalists and Maria Zakharova claimed that they were deliberately targeted. In a shocking revelation, it appears that NATO trainers recommended the targeting of journalists as a priority - according to this report.
Ukraine Morale Crumbling
According to a Ukrainian source, morale among many Ukrainian soldiers is crumbling following the defeat in Kursk. Unofficial sources claim that desertion rates have reached 40% over the past month:
The reasons are fatigue, lack of rotations, low supply levels and distrust of decisions made at the highest level, lack of faith in victory and a crisis in relations with the Trump Administration, most of the military are confident that Zelensky will be squeezed for corruption and Ukraine will give up its territories.
The official line is much more positive.
Ukraine Aid Was a Loan
The ‘minerals deal’ involves an acknowledgement by Zelensky that the aid provided under Biden was a loan and this could be a stumbling block to a deal which would hand over ownership of Ukraine to the US. Therefore, Zelensky is refusing to sign. Furthermore, the deal does not involve any security guarantees. Given these problems it is unlikely to be agreed by the RADA. We shall see.
Zelensky’s a Demon - Dmitruk
Zelensky has sent soldiers into the catacombs of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra whih has been condemned by RADA MP, Artyum Dmitruk:
Zelensky is perpetrating genocide of the Ukrainian people. What we are seeing now and what we are witnessing now is the continuation of terror policies of Zelensky’s against [the] Ukrainian people. Zelensky is a demon in the body of a human being. You can call him whatever you want, a godless person, a terrorist, and so on and so forth. The gist of his actions is the same. Zelensky is following a demon’s will.
Mass Executions in Sudzha
I find some stories hard to report and this is one of them. According to the War Chronicle:
Near Suja, places of mass executions of entire families were found. The number of found corpses of children 6-10 years old went to dozens, they report from the field, there are more and more finds. In the Kursk region, the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine encouraged the destruction of the peaceful Russian-speaking population: people were blown up in basements, tripwires were put on their shelters, raped and tortured to death
Ukraine Terrorist Attacks
France and UK involved in Sudzha Attack
Last week I suggested that the US was involved in the attack on the Sudzha gas metering station - because HIMARS were being used. But Maria Zakharova believes that France provided the intelligence for this attack while the command/technical support came from the UK.
28th/29th March
Overnight in the DPR, a drone attack on a car injured the driver. Elsewhere in Lisichansk, the Ukrainians launched missiles at residential buildings, injuring 4 while elsewhere the hospital in Oleshky (Kherson) was struck several times. No casualties were reported.
30th/31st March
Overnight, 66 drones were destroyed/disabled over Byransk, Kaluga and Kursk. The airfield in Kaluga was hit.
31st March/ 1st April
On the afternoon of the 31st March, a drone hit a car in Gorlovka (DPR) injuring several journalists. Elsewhere in Gorlovka, 12 people were injured when a drone attacked their bus. In Kherson, two civilians were injured by drone strikes.
1st/2nd April
Overnight, the Kursk region was attacked by 15 drones which hit residential buildings and forced the evacuation of 85 civilians. In Belgorod region, a man was injured when a drone hit his van while Taganrod in Rostov suffered drone attacks which damaged two apartment buildings. In Gorlovka (DPR) a local bus was attacked and damaged by drones but the 16 people on board were not hurt. According to the Russian MoD, 87 drones were destroyed/intercepted over Kursk, 4 over Rostov ad 2 over Belgorod. Finally, three civilians were injured by shelling in Kherson.
2nd/3rd April
Overnight in Belgorod region, six people were injured by drone attacks in which four vehicles were damaged. In Gorlovka (DPR), three civilians were injured by a drone drop on their car while another was injured by an exploding ‘Lepestok’ mine. According to the Russian MoD, 6 drones were destroyed over Bryansk; 5 each over Oryol and Kursk; 4 over Kaluga, 2 over Belgorod and 1 over Smolensk.
3rd/4th April
Overnight, drones attacked Moscow, Rostov, Tula and Lipetsk regions while the border region of Bryansk was attacked, killing one man and injuring another. Two civilians were injured by shelling in Kherson and another two were injured by drone drops in Gorlovka (DPR). Altogether, according to the Russian MoD, 107 drones were shot down: 34 over Kursk; 30 over Oryol; 18 over Lipetsk; 7 over Kaluga; 4 over Rostov; 3 over Moscow; 2 over Bryansk; 3 over Tambov and 1 each over Voronezh and Tula.
The Sea War
1st/2nd April
Overnight, three unmanned boats were destroyed in the Black Sea while en route to Crimea.
3rd/4th April
Overnight, 4 drones were shot down over the Sea of Azov.
The Air War (Map)
Russian Missile/Drone Attacks
28th/29th March
Overnight, 30 Geraniums were launched into Dnepropetrovsk, many of which hit the Bartolomeo hotel where foreign mercenaries live. According to this report, ten NATO officers were among the dead. Explosions were also recorded in the Kiev, Vinnitsia, Zhitomir, Kharkov, Sumy, Nikolaev, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Chernigiv regions.
29th/30th March
Overnight, the Russians attacked Odessa, Kharkiv and Dnipro with Geraniums. A new tactic is being used whereby Geraniums gather in groups above a target and strike it one after the other which guarantees destruction. A total of 180 kamikaze drones were used in the overnight attacks.
30th/31st March
Overnight, Iskanders attacked Sumy and Geraniums attacked Kiev and Zhytomyr. Targets in Kharkov were also hit by Geraniums.
1st/2nd April
Overnight, 15 Geraniums attacked Kharkov where an industrial facility was burned down. Geraniums also hit military targets in Kramatorsk, Odessa and Zolotoy Kolodez. You can read more detail here if you have Telegram.
2nd/3rd April
Overnight, at least 16 Geraniums were involved in attacks on Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Slovyansk and Zaporozhye.
3rd/4th April
Geranium-2s attacked targets in Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk and the Institute of Tank Forces in Kharkov. A drone factory and other military targets were also hit by Iskanders in Kharkov.
Ukrainian Missile/Drone Attacks
30th/31st March
On the evening of the 30th, the Ukrainians broke the energy ceasefire yet again by attacking a high voltage line and a substation in Bryansk.
1st April/2nd April
Overnight, an electric substation in the village Klyukva (Kursk) was hit by drones leaving 1,200 people without electricity while elsewhere in Kursk another strike hit overhead power lines leaving another 300 without electricity. Both incidents constitute violations of the energy ceasefire.
2nd/3rd April
Overnight, the Ukrainians broke the energy ceasefire four times. In Lugansk, the Svatovo Gas Distribution Centre was attacked causing a fire and interrupting gas flow to 11,000 consumers. In Kursk, damage to a high voltage line interrupted power supply to 12,000 consumers while an attack on a substation in Belgorod interrupted supplies to a further 1,700. Finally, in Zaporozhye, an attack on a substation left another 9,000 without electricity.
3rd/4th April
Overnight and this morning, the Ukrainians attacked energy infrastructure at three different locations in Bryansk. They also attacked energy facilities in Tambov and Lipetsk.
The Ground War
Russian MoD Reports on Ukrainian Losses - Excludes Kursk
w/e March 14th 2025 10,780 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 649.
w/e 21st March 2025 10,365 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 585
w/e 28th March 2025 10,780 Casualties, killed and wounded: equipment losses 459
w/e 4th April 2025 9,920 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 457
Kursk
▫️more than 71,940 troops; 404 tanks; 330 infantry fighting vehicles; 294 armoured personnel carriers; 2,247 armoured fighting vehicles; 2,609 motor vehicles; 595 artillery guns; 53 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA; 26 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles,
The Fronts
This section has suffered from a dearth of maps in English. Marat Khairullin hasn’t produced any and SouthFront has produced fewer than usual. I need to find alternative sources for maps.
Front Line Cats
Belgorod
On the 3rd April, according to the Two Majors:
…fighting continued in Demidovka and Popovka. The transfer of AFU reinforcements was disrupted, and the remaining enemy units are in a deplorable state. Near Popovka, the Russian Armed Forces tried to destroy the dam with an ODAB-1500 bomb with JDAM to further complicate the enemy's logistics.
By the end of the week, the Ukrainians continued their attempts to break through to the forested areas and were attacking Murom, Shebekino, Masychevko and Malinovka.
Kursk
On the morning of April 4th, according to the War Chronicle:
The Russian army has made significant progress in the Guevo area, the enemy is organizing defense on the territory of the Gornalsky St. Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery - a natural hill, thick walls, underground passages in which, as they write, two companies of the Tro brigade have already been blocked.
Svatove/Kreminna
Toretsk/Gorlovka
Pokrovsk
Kamyanske
Zaporozhye
On April 3rd, according to the War Chronicle:
….the Russian army is expanding the zone of control north of Piatykhatky. The 247th Airborne Regiment has made significant progress in Lobkove, but it is too early to talk about full control over the village and the surrounding area. Attack aircraft of the 429th motorized rifle regiment are advancing in the direction of Kamenskoye, taking up landings in the direction of the botanical reserve
Kherson
Mutual artillery strikes have continued all week.
The Economic War
‘Liberation Day’
On April 2nd, Donald J Trump announced his eagerly awaited ‘Liberation Day’ and declared ‘economic independence’. This is the day American industry was reborn, he said, adding:
For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike. American steel workers, auto workers, farmers and skilled craftsmen -- we have a lot of them here with us today. They really suffered gravely….Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country, and you see it happening already. We will supercharge our domestic industrial base.
So, America lost its greatness due to the duplicity of others. That’s a little dishonest Donald, don’t you think. Furthermore, hasn’t the US done its fair share of looting, raping, pillaging and plundering over hundreds of years.
There will be a baseline tariff of 10% on everyone and Trump will match any retaliatory tariffs by other countries - so the process will be reciprocal. However, some countries will be subject to larger reciprocal tariffs according to the chart below:
Trump produced another seven charts like the one above in which ‘bad actors’ are given higher tariffs. Zero Hedge provides more detail along with the charts. Trump has also imposed a 25% tariff on all auto imports. He is obviously attempting to spark US industry into life but this is the end of ‘free trade’ as we have known it according to the economics of liberalism. Adam Smith will be spinning in his grave. Some say the measures will be inflationary. The markets did not respond well as you can read at Politico and see on the chart below:
China has condemned the move as a form of trade protectionism that will harm world trade and possibly violates WTO rules as well as damaging the US’s reputation.
Macron is hopping mad and wants French companies to stop investing in the US, while Ursula von der Leyen has said that the EU feels ‘let down by our oldest ally’ and is preparing a package of counter measures. European responses have all been negative with some calling the tariffs illegal. You can read more of these responses at Politico. Russia, Belarus, Cuba and others are not on any of these lists because officially there is no US trade with them. The inimitable Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia will not be affected very much because its trade with the EU and the US is minimal due to sanctions.2 However, quoting the advice of the Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu he suggested:
it is worth sitting on the shore and waiting for the corpse of the enemy to float past us. The decomposing corpse of the EU economy.
In other words, for the Russians this is a ‘popcorn moment’.
For some good exposition and analysis of this check out Bruce O'Hara.
Hungary/Slovakia Boost Gas Supplies From Russia
The two countries were badly affected when Ukraine turned off their gas but they have managed to boost supplies from Russia by increasing the capacity of a pipeline that avoids Ukraine. They did so without any help from the EU. You can read more at Tass.
Germany Loses Manufacturing Jobs
During 2024, German’s manufacturing industry lost 120,000 jobs with small and medium sized companies most affected. The ‘Employers Association’ has described this as ‘alarming’ and has called for a a revision of current policy and the need for structural change.
World Politics
Bonkers Britain
Foreign Influence Registration Scheme
Any interaction with the Russian government will require registration under this scheme. Five years imprisonment awaits those who do not conform. Maria Zakharova called the scheme ‘hysterical’. I wonder, since I read RT on a daily basis could I be required to register?
UK Democracy in Trouble
A recent survey of British 16-29 year old young people found that 63% are concerned that UK democracy is ‘in trouble’ while 72% believe that British politics is ‘too divided’. On racism and immigration, 73% believed that racism was a problem whereas 52% believes that immigration had changed communities for the better. I suppose attitudes in this respect will depend very much on where you are living. You can read more about the survey at Politico.
Le Pen Jailed
Another ‘right winger’ has been taken out of the democratic process as Marine Le Pen is jailed for four years. The charge of ‘embezzlement’ may or may not be contrived but the fact that Le Pen has been banned from running for office until 2030 suggests that there could be a political dimension to this decision. This ban is unusual in a country where convicted criminals are allowed to vote. Moreover, she has been forbidden from taking part in politics during the appeals process. Viktor Orban posted ‘Je Suis Marine’ on X: many more will do the same. Georgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini in Italy as well as Donald J in the US have condemned the move. Trump reminded the world that such ‘lawfare’ was used against him, once or twice. So, the courts have removed the number one candidate from the 2027 French Presidential elections and this follows the arrest of Călin Georgescu, leading candidate for President of Romania not so long ago. The French establishment has created a martyr who will become a focal point for resistance but Marcon probably hasn’t the imagination to appreciate this.
Hungary and Serbia Form Military Alliance
This initiative involves 79 ‘defence actions’ including cooperation on Cyber attacks, joint drills, peacekeeping and military medicine. This could be the beginning of a drift away from NATO and the prospect of two ‘security camps’ in Europe. Where there is divisions of this kind there could be conflict in the future. This is why Russia’s desire for a European security framework makes sense.
Hungary to Withdraw From ICC
Hungary withdrew from the International Criminal Court ahead of a visit to the country by Benjamin Netanyahu. This means that they will not be obliged to arrest this genocidal war criminal. Around 70,000 Jews live (figures vary) in Hungary out of total population of 9,600,000 - so this may have something to do with the decision. Orban called the ICC a political court, hence his decision to leave. Yet Orban appears to want to befriend this monster - which baffles me.
Peace Could Break Out - NATO Fears
According to the Islander, NATO officials are concerned about Trump’s negotiations which could end the war in Ukraine (but not anytime soon) which would destroy NATO’s raison d’etre. Many fear that the US will pull out.
Protests
Paris - ‘We Will Not Die For Ukraine’
Protesters chanted: ‘Frexit’; ‘Leave NATO’ and ‘this is is not our war; this is not our future’. They told Macron that they will not die for Ukraine.
Turkiye
It is reported that 2.2 millions people took to the streets of Istanbul demanding the release of their mayor. According to Laith Marouf, many of the demonstrators are Allawites protesting against the ‘genocide’ of their people in Syria.
Moldova
Protesters have taken to the streets in Moldova demanding the release of Evgenia Gutsul, leader of the autonomous Gagauzia Region.
Demonstrators also gathered outside Chisinau airport to protest the expulsion of Russian diplomats. Moldova is fast becoming a forward operating base for NATO and these people know it. You can read more here if you have Telegram.
Holland
Following the stabbing spree by a Ukrainian asylum seeker in Amsterdam people took to the streets demanding an end to Ukraine funding from their taxes.
Serbia
Protests in Serbia have been ongoing for some time and many suspect that a ‘colour revolution’ is being attempted, backed by George Soros. Serbia refuses to go along with sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine. The Serbian authorities have been accused of employing a ‘sonic weapon’ on protesters. President Aleksandar Vučić has invited the Russians into the country to investigate the claim.
The emerging Multi-Polar World
Yi and Lavrov Meet
Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, met with Sergei Lavrov in Moscow this week. They discussed Ukraine and the need to address the root causes of the conflict but most importantly, they discussed a new security architecture for Eurasia that would be free from the influence of NATO or AUKUS. They also reviewed a schedule for upcoming high level contacts including ‘more summits’, ‘more agreements’ and more steps towards a Multi-Polar World. Yi welcomed the improvement in relations between the US and Russia but was critical of the former, according to Sputnik:
The US itself is sick but is forcing others to get treatment,” Wang said, emphasizing that Trump’s trade wars will “cause serious damage not only to the global market and trade order, but the US’s reputation” as well. “‘America First’ cannot be achieved by American bullying, especially to the detriment of the interests of other countries.
Yi welcomed increased cooperation between the two countries explaining that this is never directed at third parties and ‘does not succumb to impediments coming from outside’. In other words, ‘China and Russia will nurture their embrace regardless of BS coming from Europe or America - so there!’ Geography and mutual interests dictate such things - not coercion. This is obviously sending a message to the US that any attempts to undermine this ‘long term relationship’ will not succeed. The US has been attempting to separate the two for years and may impose secondary sanctions on China as a penalty for importing Russian oil. The Chinese have just said ‘so be it’. Their relationship is much too important. Of course the recent bullying of Iran is also part of an effort to split the three powers.
Dragon-Elephant Dance
Marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of international relations between the two countries, Xi Said:
The development of China-India relations demonstrates that it is the right choice for China and India to be partners of mutual achievement and realize the “Dragon-Elephant Tango,” which fully serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples.
Relations between the two countries have been strained in recent years but there is a joint commitment to improve the situation.
That’s it for another exhaustingly eventful week. Many thanks for your views, subscriptions, shares, restacks, follows, likes and comments. Thanks also to those who commented on the name change, the vast majority of whom supported the name I suggested. So - what started as ‘Ukraine Update’, then became ‘Ukraine Weekly Update’ has evolved into ‘Ukraine and World Affairs: Weekly Update’. Have a great week. Best Rob
Non subscribers can view Updates on Telegram: https://t.me/UWUupdate.
i.e. Nazi types.
I have just noticed a typo that is significant. When I was reporting on Le Pen's arrest and ban from politics I said that this was 'usual' in a country that allows convicted criminals to vote. It should have been 'unusual'. And it is unusual. It could be the case that no one who is part of the ruling class is discouraged from being corrupt or immoral. This enables the Deep State (i.e. the globalists) to pick and choose who they expose and who is not exposed. It facilitates blackmail. But maybe Le Pen has done nothing wrong. The same sort of thing happened to Trump - as you know.
Thank you.
I think if I was Iran I would do a deal with North Korea and have some missile systems and nuclear technology in store in exchange for tankers of oil. I would also encourage China to have a 'home' port or two in Iran and have naval ships escort tankers to China just to dissuade anyone from interfering.
Bill