💬 Pepe Escobar: Putin sent Trump a direct message that Russia’s door is open for talks

Vladimir Putin’s remarks that Russia’s door is open to restoring relations with the US can be interpreted as a “direct message” to President-elect Donald Trump, Pepe Escobar told Sputnik.

The Russian president said clearly at the Valdai Club meeting that the ball is in the US’ court, he noted.

The Brazilian geopolitical analyst also seized upon Putin’s comments that the formation of a new world order would bring with it a “moment of truth.” The recent BRICS Summit, he stressed, was a “living, breathing testimony” to the truth of Putin’s words that the old order is “irrevocably disappearing.”

Speaking on the Ukraine crisis, the president clarified “in a nutshell” that Moscow was ready for negotiations only “based on facts on the battlefield and what was agreed upon in Istanbul in April 2022,” the journalist added.

Escobar shared his personal impression that Putin’s plenary session performance “felt like a high-speed train on cruise control.”

“No political leader anywhere – recent past and present – would even come close to delivering what amounts to an extensive, detailed worldview deeply matured over a quarter of a century at the highest geopolitical level,” he said.

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📑Ukraine gets nearly $100 billion in foreign financial aid

The United States, Canada, the EU, the United Kingdom, Japan, as well as international organizations continue pouring billions of dollars in military equipment, training, and economic assistance to the Kiev regime.

Russia has stated that arms deliveries to Ukraine impede a settlement process, involve NATO countries in the conflict, and lead to unintended consequences.

👉 Check out Sputnik's infographics to see how the West sponsors its proxy war in Ukraine.

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🚜 Knockout blow for Europe’s farmers? Why EU’s food producers fear Latin America trade pact

European farmers are up in arms over the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, which could compound their losses and further undermine competitiveness. Here’s what to know about the controversial pact:

🔸 The pact proposes slashing over 90% of existing trade barriers, and “preferential” duties for what remains.

🔸 If approved, Mercosur members (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) would enjoy favored access to Europe’s agricultural market.

🔸 Reeling from spikes in fuel and fertilizer prices caused by their politicians’ restrictions against Russia, and battered by Brussels’ ‘green agenda’ of stringent carbon emission standards, Europe’s farmers fear the trade agreement could be a death blow.

🔸 Besides competition, opponents have cited the pact’s imbalance, with Mercosur producers not facing the same food safety, GMO, health and environmental standards.

What's EU member's stance?

🔸 France has sought to join forces with Poland, Austria, Hungary and Ireland to stop the pact. To succeed, four EU members representing 35%+ of the bloc’s population must be opposed.

🔸 Chancellor Scholz of Germany, presently mired in a political crisis at home, has been one of the trade pact’s top proponents, citing its “major geostrategic role.” Berlin also stands to gain economically, as its vehicles, chemicals and machinery would enjoy preferential access to the Mercosur market.

Europe’s farmers have proven able to stand up for their interests in the past. In 2022 and 2023, as cheap Ukrainian-sourced grain flooded into Europe, farmers held mass protests, forcing the European Commission to reintroduce tariffs, saving domestic producers and costing Ukrainian latifundistas $355 mln per year.

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💬 Trump’s return terrifies a Europe already wracked by self-inflicted economic calamity

“The return of the ‘tariff war’ is one of the pillars of Trump's economic policy,” EU policy analyst Massimiliano Bonne told Sputnik, commenting on the implications and prospects for Europe of the business mogul’s looming return to the White House.

In addition to riling up fierce economic competition with China, Bonne expects Trump’s approach, which includes threats of cross-the-board tariff increases of 10-20%, to have “direct consequences for Europe, both economically and strategically, so that the frictions in the US-EU-China trade ‘triangle’ will push Europe to accelerate integration processes, especially to defend its autonomy.”

“In particular, the EU will face pressure from Washington to align with US policies, which could limit European strategic autonomy. At the same time, China will see Europe as a potentially more open partner than the US, strengthening its economic and diplomatic influence on the continent,” the observer said.

German wildcard

Highlighting the “critical phase of deindustrialization” facing Europe’s big two economies – Germany and France, Bonne believes the situation in Germany, including the political crisis that began this week, makes it a wildcard, with falling output, the crisis of the automotive sector, budget deficits and the growing burden of supporting the EU banking and fiscal union could prompt voters to “push a future government to reconsider Germany’s role within the EU.”

“This would allow for greater flexibility in setting trade policies to defend local industry, including key sectors such as vehicle and machinery manufacturing, and Germany might choose to consider a more fluid policy with China. The growing political instability in Germany could therefore significantly affect the future of the EU…with potential consequences for the balance and cohesion of the European project,” Bonne said.

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Who is spitballed for top Trump cabinet posts?

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped his senior campaign adviser Susan Wiles to serve as his White House chief of staff when he takes office in January.

🔸 Wiles currently serves as Trump’s campaign co-chair alongside Chris LaCivita.

🔸 She led Trump’s Florida operations during his 2016 presidential campaign.

🔸 Wiles worked with Ron DeSantis (R) on his gubernatorial campaign in Florida; was campaign manager for Senator Rick Scott (R) during his bid for governor in 2010; and worked on the presidential bids of Jon Huntsman, Jr. and Mitt Romney.

Who else could be in Trump’s Cabinet?

Secretary of State:

🔸 Richard Grenell is seen as a top contender for the post of either secretary of state or national security advisor. He served as the US ambassador to Germany, and then as acting director of national intelligence. Grenell is believed to share Trump's desire to immediately end the Ukraine conflict by pushing Kiev to make territorial concessions.

🔸 Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty (R) served as Trump’s ambassador to Japan before running for Senate in 2020. He was among the group of senators who voted against the national security aid package passed earlier this year with increased funding for Ukraine.

🔸 Robert O’Brien, Trump's fourth (and final) national security advisor during his first term, is seen as a big supporter of NATO and Ukraine military aid.

🔸 Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), US Army veteran and strident China hawk, has supported aid to Ukraine, albeit seeking to boost oversight of taxpayer funding for Kiev. Waltz is also considered a possible candidate for the post of defense secretary.

Defense Secretary:

🔸 Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, advised Trump during his first presidency. He has been a supporter of continued US aid for Ukraine.

🔸 Mike Pompeo, Trump’s former head of the CIA and later secretary of state, has the reputation of being a strong supporter of Israel and hardliner on Iran.

A post for Elon Musk:

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of the social media platform X, is among the most famous backers of Donald Trump’s campaign for the US presidency.

Earlier this year, Trump suggested that Musk could lead a new ‘Department of Government Efficiency’, or DOGE – also the name of a cryptocurrency promoted by the tech tycoon – aimed at saving tax dollars and cutting red tape.

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