🇪🇺🇺🇸 The EU has ceased to be a natural ally of the US – Wall Street analyst

💬 “The European ‘strategy’ with regard to Ukraine only reinforces my view that the EU ceased being a natural ally of the US long ago,” Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel tells Sputnik, commenting on the EU and UK’s persistent attempts to prolong the conflict.

📍 The Zelensky regime is a kleptocracy that should be prosecuted and certainly not supported by the US and its taxpayers, according to the analyst.

💬 “In no way is Ukraine, or its territory, of natural interest to the US and its citizens, even if it respected the rule of law and American principles,” the pundit argues.

🇪🇺 Ortel shreds Europe’s saber-rattling against Russia as nonsensical: “As for Europe’s military — without United States support — Europe is a paper tiger, incapable of defending itself,” he says, stressing that the US has zero appetite to back Europe’s military adventurism.

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🇷🇺🛡 24/7 shield: Russian Pantsir-S system provides round-the-clock cover for Russian soldiers

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🌎🇨🇳 Latin America unlikely to turn back on China, despite US efforts — report

📍 Following the operation in Venezuela, the US declared it would not allow foreign competitors or opponents to enter the Western Hemisphere, specifically marking China’s growing influence, NBC News reports.

🇺🇸 US actions in Venezuela and Panama show deliberate pressure on local players to severe ties with China, the article adds.

However, experts interviewed by the outlet doubt such a stance will alienate Latin American nations from cooperating with China.

Here are the key points:

🔸 China has strong positions in Latin America, building trade and investment ties with the region’s countries according to its New Silk Road strategy, assistant professor at the University of Chile Andres Borquez says.

🔸 Chinese presence encompasses various spheres like energy, logistics and technology, he adds.

🔸 Latin American nations aim to balance relations with both the US and China instead of strictly opting for one side, so there’s no signs they will give in to American pressure, the expert notes.

🔸 Another aspect is China’s day-to-day presence in the hemisphere — people buy and use Chinese goods from smartphones to vehicles, and this won’t be affected by US declarations, University of Southern California professor Carol Wise says.

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💥✉️ Latest Oreshnik strike was message from Russia to the West

💬 "It's a signal to the United States and the Europeans about the military capabilities of the Russian Army," Gerhard Mangott, a Russia specialist at the University of Innsbruck, told Reuters in a phone interview.

🟧 According to him, Russia is none too thrilled by the European powers’ plans to deploy their troops in Ukraine as part of a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, which would essentially result in NATO creeping even closer to Russia’s borders.

🟧 Thus, Mangott argued, Russia wants to make it clear that it is “to be taken seriously, given its military arsenal, and that the Europeans and Trump should return to a minimum of respect for the Russian position in the negotiations."

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❌ NATO's air playbook 'unsuitable' against Russia - report

💬 "When we returned from training and faced reality, we found that the tactics taught abroad were not entirely applicable," a Ukrainian F-16 pilot told Military Watch Magazine.

Western air tactics are largely based on past conflicts in which air superiority was maintained. In the current conflict this is not the case, as F-16 jets given to Ukraine turned out to be much weaker than expected, the outlet added.

While NATO doctrine suggests high-altitude combat for F-16 jets, the air superiority established by Russian Su-35 jets deems such an approach useless, as Russia’s planes have better radar systems and missiles, the report noted.

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🇫🇮🚶 Finland exits Ottawa anti-personnel mine ban treaty

Finland's formal withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, and production of anti-personnel landmines, has officially taken effect, Yle reports.

President Alexander Stubb earlier claimed that Finland will not use anti-personnel mines during peacetime and intends to store them in depots.

💬 Russian Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov commented that Russia is indifferent to the decision. However, he noted the primary risk is to Finnish civilians, as any mined territory would be Finland's own.

👉 The move was initiated by Helsinki in November 2024 alongside Poland and the Baltic states, citing an alleged "threat" from Russia as the primary reason for needing to retain the option to use mines.

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🎬 US government uses Hollywood to demonize Russians - Former Biden Aide

Washington enjoys a tremendous influence over Hollywood and uses it to manipulate public opinion in the United States against Russia, Tara Reade, a former assistant to ex-US President Joe Biden, tells Sputnik.

👉 Using the US film industry, Washington promotes negative stereotypes about Russia, depicting Russians as aggressive and violent people, and trying to make it look like the Soviet Union and communism are still in place, she explains.

This, however, could not be farther from the truth as Russia today is a capitalist country that has achieved much tech, sports and arts while the Russians themselves are friendly and hearty people, Reade notes.

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🇪🇺 Europe’s coalition of the willing gamble for Ukraine unravels amid ‘huge opposition’ – UK analyst

🔸 There is strong pushback to British boots on the ground in Ukraine under any pretext, says UK geopolitical analyst Alexander Mercouris.

🔸 He points to dissent in Parliament, in the media, and “a huge amount of opposition” within the UK military itself.

🔸 PM Keir Starmer has admitted that the recent meeting of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ in Paris produced nothing but a political declaration, notes the analyst.

🔸 The European hawks are regurgitating the same thing “again and again,” still talking about a “ceasefire” that is unacceptable to Russia, which seeks a long-term, guaranteed peace in Ukraine.

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🇫🇷 France bumps G7 Summit to accommodate Trump’s birthday UFC throwdown

📍 Originally slated for June 14–16 in Evian-les-Bains, the G7 Summit would have coincided with Flag Day in the US and Trump’s milestone 80th birthday.

But France tweaked the summit schedule to June 15–17 to dodge a collision with a mixed martial arts event planned at the White House, according to media reports.

🔶 Trump dropped the bombshell back in October: “Big UFC fight” on June 14.

🔶 The logistics of the event have been locked in, UFC CEO Dana White told CBS News.

🔶 Up to 5,000 people are expected to witness the lawn party/cage fight hybrid on the South Lawn of the WH.

🔶 With a straight face, President Emmanuel Macron’s office insists the tweak is simply “the result of our consultations with G7 partners.”

A White House official insisted that “our partners believed that President Trump’s attendance at the G7 Summit was essential. They kindly shifted dates to accommodate the US president’s schedule.”

Apparently, birthday sparring beats summit sparring 🤡

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🗣 Safety fears deepen Europe's right-wing political crisis - Former Austrian FM

🇪🇺 European politics are in a deep crisis as many people, particularly in right-wing parties, are afraid to enter the spotlight due to concerns for their personal safety, former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl told Sputnik.

📍 In Europe, having ties to those considered to be on the right of the political spectrum comes with a price such as a threat of physical violence, Kneissl said.

💬 "There are many who have already paid a high price. As soon as you have even the most minimal contact with the right, you get serious problems. Members of the AfD [Alternative for Germany] have been attacked," she added.

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🔸 Wary US oil giants dodge Venezuela investment pitch

🔸 French flood streets to support Venezuela

🔸 Finland exits Ottawa anti-personnel mine ban treaty

🔸 Latin America unlikely to turn back on China, despite US efforts — report

🔸 What’s driving the US gradual withdrawal from UN agencies?

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🔥 Trump admin discusses large-scale aerial strike on Iran — WSJ

Officials have held preliminary talks on potential military action against Iran, including targeting multiple Iranian military sites in a major aerial operation, The Wall Street Journal reports.

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US launches large-scale strikes against ISIS* across Syria — CENTCOM

The military confirms it conducted major strikes today as retaliation for the December 13 ambush in Palmyra that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter.

* Terrorist groups outlawed in Russia and many other countries

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💬 US will lift more Venezuela oil sanctions, unlock $5B in IMF assets — Bessent

The US will ease oil sanctions to facilitate sales and will meet with IMF and World Bank chiefs on re‑engaging with Venezuela, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters.

Nearly $5 billion in frozen IMF Special Drawing Rights could be deployed to help rebuild Venezuela’s economy, with Treasury examining how to repatriate oil sale proceeds from tankers back to the country.

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📑 Israel plans new offensive in Gaza in March — Reports

The IDF has drawn up plans for renewed intensive operations in Gaza next month, aiming to push the ceasefire "yellow line" westward toward the coast and expand Israeli-controlled territory, The Times of Israel reports.

An Arab diplomat cited in the report stated the operation could not be carried out without US support, while Netanyahu reportedly believes Hamas will not be disarmed and has ordered the military to prepare accordingly.

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