Zelensky goes all-in while Biden fears nuclear escalation - reports

“American and Ukrainian priorities are diverging," the NYT has reported, citing sources within Biden’s administration.

The Kiev regime has nothing to lose and it is ready to escalate the situation, while the White House indeed fears nuclear conflict with Russia and still prefers to tread lightly.

That is why Biden’s decision to authorize the use of US weapons supplied to Ukraine against targets deep in Russian territory should be considered an exemption, made under pressure, according to the source, claiming that Washington allowed their weaponry to be used for "counter-fire purposes" only. The US still prohibits strikes deep into Russian territory with long-range missiles like ATACMS.

While Volodymyr Zelensky dismisses these “nuclear fears”, Biden is afraid of Russia’s “ultimate weapon”, his advisors admit in private conversations.

Earlier, the United States shifted its stance and allowed Kiev to use American weapons on Russian territories around the Kharkov region, while still banning LRMs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that NATO countries must understand “what they are playing with” by allowing Ukraine to use their weapons for strikes deep into Russia.

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🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry’s daily briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️The Russian Armed Forces hit Ukrainian personnel and equipment in 112 districts;

▪️Units of the Zapad Battlegroup occupied more advantageous positions. Ukrainian losses amounted to 400 soldiers in its area of responsibility;

▪️Units of the Vostok Battlegroup occupied more advantageous positions within 24 hours and destroyed up to 130 Ukrainian soldiers;

▪️Units of the Sever Battlegroup defeated five Ukrainian brigades and repelled three attacks. Ukrainian losses amounted to 105 soldiers;

▪️Russian air defenses shot down 18 HIMARS and Alder missiles and 41 Ukrainian drones in one day.

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NATO has drawn up a plan to transfer US troops to the eastern front line in the event of a possible conflict with Russia, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Several alternative land corridors are being created, which, if necessary, will replace the main one to get US soldiers to the east. The main corridor involves the landing of American troops in the Dutch port of Rotterdam and their transfer to Poland through the territory of the Netherlands and Germany by rail.

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SPIEF 2024: What will be on the forum’s radar?

More than 17,000 participants from 130 countries have confirmed their attendance at the 2024 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which will take place in Russia’s northern capital on June 5-8.

SPIEF has been held under the auspices of the president of the Russian Federation since 2005. This year, President Vladimir Putin will deliver a speech at the forum on June 7.

🔸 The forum’s main theme is The Foundations of a Multipolar World – the Formation of New Areas of Growth. Participants will discuss how government, business and society can work together to ensure countries' sustainable development in line with their national priorities.

🔸 The SPIEF 2024’s business program consists of four thematic tracks: "Transition to a Multipolar World Economy", "Goals and Objectives of Russia's New Economic Cycle", "Technologies for Leadership", and "A Healthy Society, Traditional Values, and Social Development: the Priority of the State".

🔸 The Sultanate of Oman will have an honorary guest status at the event.

🔸 Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik as well as Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar.

🔸 Bolivian leader Luis Arce and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa are due to attend the forum, as well as Central African Republic’s Prime Minister Felix Moloua.

🔸 The Taliban’s government delegation from Afghanistan will also take part in the event.

🔸 About 1,000 documents, including investment agreements and memorandums, are estimated to be signed. Last year, more than 900 agreements worth a total of $42.5 million were inked during the forum.

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The Swiss Parliament voted against the recognition of Palestine

The deputies of the Swiss National Council did not support the proposal to recognize the State of Palestine. Sixty-one votes were cast for its recognition and 131 against, the press service of the parliament reported.

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Russia legally cannot do anything due to the fact that the United States did not allow ex-intelligence officer Scott Ritter to attend the SPIEF, he is not a Russian citizen, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"This is just another example, in addition to numerous examples, that confirm that the United States, which calls itself the leader of democracy around the world, has long been a police state," Lavrov added.

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The German Prosecutor General's Office does not comment on an additional request from Russian colleagues in connection with the terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream Pipelines, a representative of the department's press service told Sputnik.

"I ask you to understand that we will not respond to your request," said a representative of the German Prosecutor General's Office when asked whether they received an appeal from Russia and whether the agency intends to send a response.

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❗️Biden did not rule out that Ukraine will remain outside NATO, but the United States will continue to supply it with weapons.

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NATO cobbling together scheme to move troops from US to Europe – reports

The US-led military bloc is preparing land corridors that would enable US troops to rush to the frontlines in the event of a European war, the Telegraph reported. The move seeks to stave off a potential “Russian attack.”

In theory, US soldiers could arrive at one of five designated ports and then be transported along predetermined logistics routes on the continent. According to the plans, American forces would land in the Netherlands and then be taken to Poland via Germany by train. Other potential options include utilizing ports in the Balkans, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Greece, and Turkiye.

“In these corridors, national militaries will not be restricted by local regulations and will be free to transport consignments without normal restrictions,” the report said.

The notion of a war with Russia in Europe appears to be fueled by militaristic hysteria. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that Moscow has no intention of attacking NATO nations, and the alliance has stated that it would not deploy its forces in Ukraine.

Additionally, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has poured cold water on the aggressive suggestions made by French President Emmanuel Macron, indicating that there will be “no boots on the ground” in Ukraine.

The conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerability of Kiev's logistics bases to Russia’s pinpoint strikes.

According to Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, Commander of NATO's Joint Support and Enabling Command (JSEC), larger bases, like those seen in Afghanistan or Iraq, are no longer feasible as they can be targeted and destroyed with ease.

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❗️Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov shared details about the foreign participants of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that starts on Wednesday:

▪️Participation of representatives from 136 countries has been confirmed;

▪️Oman received honorary status of a guest country; a representative delegation will arrive, headed by the minister of industry and trade;

▪️The presidents of Bolivia, Zimbabwe and Abkhazia will come to the forum;

▪️On June 5, Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet with the heads of international news agencies at the SPIEF;

▪️On June 6, Putin will meet with the leaders of Bolivia and Zimbabwe;

▪️Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart from the Republika Srpska of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik will discuss the UN General Assembly resolution on Srebrenica at a meeting on June 6;

▪️Putin will share his vision of the situation in the global economy and politics at the SPIEF's plenary session (June 7), and will assess the Russian economy in the conditions of the special military operation;

▪️After the plenary session on June 7, Putin will meet with representatives of the Women in Business organization.

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Will Asia-Pacific nations yield to Zelensky’s demands on more Ukraine aid?

“Yankee vassals South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Australia will get terrific pressure from Washington” to keep the Zelensky regime supplied with weapons," China expert Jeff J. Brown tells Sputnik, commenting on Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent surprise visit to the Shangri-la Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

“Singapore sits on the fence. All the other Asian countries will smile at Uncle Sam and ignore the begging,” Brown, who is also the author of The China Trilogy and founder of Seek Truth From Facts Foundation, says.

He adds that “comparatively weak” Asia-Pacific nations “have to suck up to Washington” because otherwise, the US will use “its imperial toolbox to keep them subordinated: assassinations, blackmail, bribery, extortion, fake news and false flags – on top of blockades, boycotts, sanctions and tariffs.”

According to Brown, although those nations prefer cooperating with such countries as China and Russia, “Uncle Globocop is always there to apply muscle.”

“Thus, multipolar Asia-Pacific countries will show that they are listening to Ukraine, play along and then likely do little to nothing to help,” the expert concludes.

During the visit to the Shangri-la Dialogue forum, Zelensky met Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and heads of Asia-Pacific countries to discuss further assistance to Ukraine and support for the so-called “peace summit” in Switzerland slated for mid-June.

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No man's war: Australia struggles to recruit soldiers, ready to hire foreigners

Australian authorities are loosening recruitment criteria and will even allow foreigners to join the ranks of the military to address personnel shortages, according to a report by Bloomberg. Permanent residents who have lived in Australia for 12 months will be allowed to enlist.

Currently, Australian defense forces are experiencing a shortfall of 4,400 troops, while the government plans to have 80,000 military personnel on full-time service by 2040, adding more than a quarter.

It seems that military service is not very popular in Australia - but why?

The most obvious answer is an extremely competitive job market - why bother enlisting when there is an opportunity to earn a higher salary in a friendlier environment.

This notion is supported by the fact that after the temporary negative impact of the COVID pandemic on employment figures, Australians were more eager to join the military ranks. However, after the economic recovery began, experienced specialists quickly left the armed forces.

The Australian government plans to strengthen its military in the wake of the alleged "China threat". In September 2021, the UK and US persuaded Australia to form the AUKUS trilateral security network and convinced its government to buy a batch of nuclear-powered submarines armed with conventional weapons (which caused a diplomatic conflict between Canberra and Paris, as Australia had to forgo the French submarines).

Commenting on the establishment of the pact, experts stressed that Washington is using Australia to maintain American hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region, virtually dragging the whole continent into the conflict it has nothing to do with.

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Houthis’ new ballistic rocket strike on Israel ‘largely demonstrative in nature’ – analyst

The Houthis are increasing their capabilities in rocket science, but they are very far from the heights of technological progress, while launches against Israel are more of a demonstrative nature, Igor Korotchenko, a Russian military analyst, tells Sputnik.

Yemen-based Houthi fighters said on Tuesday they had used the 'Palestine' rocket for the first time in an attack on the port city of Eilat in southern Israel.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree insisted that the rocket had “successfully achieved it objective,” despite the Israel Defense Forces claiming they had intercepted “a missile in the skies over the Red Sea.”

The Palestine rocket is a ballistic surface-to-surface missile that the Houthis had made on their own, Xinhua has reported. It uses projectile motion to deliver its warhead on a target and is powered only during relatively brief periods of the flight.

The rocket is “obviously better [in terms of combat capabilities] than the [unsophisticated] Qassam shells that the Palestinians are firing at Israel,” Korotchenko points out.

The Houthis have achieved certain success and continue to demonstrate their abilities to block the passage for merchant vessels of particular countries through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, the military analyst argues. However, their rocket attacks on Israel are more kind of a "foreign policy operation, propaganda, and forceful demonstration," he concludes.

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