🇷🇺🗣 Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, made several statements during a Security Council meeting:

▪️Ukraine has permanently lost the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

▪️The future of Ukraine must be a demilitarized state, not aligned with any bloc.

▪️The implementation of new agreements regarding Ukraine must be handled by a government in Kiev that results from democratic elections.

▪️EU countries and the UK are completely unreliable for negotiations and cannot be parties to any future agreements on Ukraine.

▪️Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for any provocations as long as the conflict continues, resulting in the deaths of his fellow citizens.

▪️A ceasefire or freezing the conflict along the contact line does not guarantee a resolution.

The diplomat also promised that the new terms for ending the Ukrainian conflict would be far worse for Kiev than the Minsk agreements.

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🥲 SUMMIT OF LOSERS: Europe’s 'paper army' can’t ensure security without the US

Europe has relied on US defense and funding for nearly 70 years and is incapable of handling this burden alone, Mikael Valtersson, a former Swedish Armed Forces and Air Defense officer, tells Sputnik, commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron’s urgent security meeting.

"Europe would have to spend 10 % for a couple of decades to reach the same level of defense that they have with US protection," Valtersson says.

He argues that Europe's fears of a US military withdrawal from the continent are well-founded, as the Trump administration is expected to prioritize China and its own regional interests. "For the Trump administration, Europe is seen as just a burden," he adds.

While European leaders applauded Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for a united European army, the continent’s military remains fragmented and lacks its own nuclear deterrent, Valtersson notes.

"Europe would want to create some kind of European NATO, but the countries are very split in their position, both towards Russia and the US," he says, predicting that rising Euroskeptic parties will further widen internal divisions through regional elections.

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❗️Zelensky’s drone strike: A tactical move to undermine Trump’s oil price goals?

Ukraine's drone attack on the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station in Russia last night could be considered a CALCULATED BLOW to US business interests and a PERSONAL INSULT to US President Donald Trump.

The station’s owner, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, is not subject to any US sanctions and a significant portion of the company’s stock is owned by American shareholders.

The attack also runs in the face of Trump's efforts to lower oil prices to the benefit both of the United States and the American people. This drone attack, along with other strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure, may help maintain oil prices at their current level or even push them higher by decreasing supply.

Could Volodymyr Zelensky be trying to lash out against Trump to make it look like Ukraine has leverage on the United States by threatening American business interests?

It seems Kiev's gratitude for the billions of dollars’ worth of US aid evaporated the moment Trump did something that Zelensky did not like.

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⚡️WATCH: Russian delegation arrives in Saudi Arabia for bilateral talks with US colleagues

"The main goal is to start real normalization of relations between us and Washington," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.

He clarified that the talks are strictly bilateral, dismissing rumors of a Ukrainian delegation being present.

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🤝 West needs quick resolution to Ukraine conflict more than Russia

"The United States must regain Russia’s trust at these talks because a quick resolution to this crisis is more necessary for the West than for Russia, due to the economic situation in the US and political challenges in European countries," Russia expert Faez Hawala tells Sputnik, commenting on the upcoming Russia-US summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"NATO countries are suffering because of the prolonged Ukrainian crisis, which has drained Europe’s weapons and financial reserves. There has also been a decline in the prestige and global dominance of the US, as a direct result of Washington’s failure to deliver a strategic defeat to Moscow," he adds.

"The West lacks a unified stance on this conflict because each country is pursuing its own interests. [US President Donald] Trump openly discussed this when mentioning Ukraine’s valuable minerals, which he wants to acquire."

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📹 The DC crowd is scared of Elon Musk because his DOGE caught them stealing from the American people, claims Tim Burchett, a Republican congressman from Tennessee.

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⚡️ At least 8 people injured after a plane overturns in Toronto, according to local media.

All arrivals and departures at the airport are suspended.

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Starmer will offer Trump his views on peace in Ukraine

The British prime minister plans to speak with Trump, Zelensky and European leaders next week to share his vision of "key elements of a lasting peace," he told the press after an emergency meeting in Paris.

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US-Ukraine resource deal exceeds Germany's WWI reparations — Telegraph

Washington is demanding near-total control of Ukraine's resource economy, the paper reports, providing details of the draft deal:

💰 50% revenue cut: The US wants 50% of revenues from resource extraction (minerals, oil, gas) and 50% of new licenses sold to third countries.

⚖️ Control of Critical Sectors: Full control over infrastructure, energy and strategic minerals.

🛑 First Refusal Rights: US gets priority to buy exported minerals before global markets.

💸 New front of US "economic warfare": Joint fund to block "hostile actors" from profiting from Ukraine's reconstruction.

Germany’s WWI reparations totaled ~400B over 66 years. Ukraine’s deal could cost ~15B annually indefinitely —surpassing Germany’s total burden in just 27 years.

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🥴 Deranged protesters attack Trump and Musk with... disturbing singing?

With USAID money dry out, they cannot hire a better singer?

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❗️🇱🇧 Lebanese army enters Israeli-occupied following IDF withdrawal

Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation confirms IDF pulled back from southern Lebanon, retaining 5 bases opposite every Israeli town along the border with Lebanon.

📹 Footage taken from social media

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💬 Elon Musk about Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia: "This is what competent leadership looks like."

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🚨 Lindsey Graham Urges Trump to Strike Iran

US Senator said he would prefer a "military way" to deal with Iran's nuclear program.

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❗️ India considers producing Russian Su-57 on its ground — reports

Following the furor over Russia's 5-gen fighter jet at the IDEX 2025, India weighs local manufacturing per Russian proposal, Russian media reported, citing the head of Russia's military-technical cooperation service.

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🗣 'Yes, dummy' — JD Vance schools critic on free speech

VP Vance fired back after critics linked Trump’s AP access limits to authoritarianism.

Trump's team previously revoked AP's "unfettered access" to the Oval Office/Air Force One after they decided to use "Gulf of Mexico" instead of "Gulf of America."

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