Macron: Trump seeks the “dismemberment” of Europe – we must prepare to confront the US and challenge the dollar

According to Reuters, French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticised Donald Trump’s approach to Europe in interviews with several European newspapers.

Key points from Macron’s statements:
- Trump is pursuing the “dismemberment” of Europe and undermining its unity.
- When faced with a clear act of aggression, Europe should not bow or seek compromise. “We have been trying this strategy for months – it is not working.”
- Europe must urgently launch new joint borrowing to invest on a large scale and challenge the dominance of the dollar.
- The “Greenland moment” (Trump’s recent remarks on Greenland) should be seen as a wake-up call to finally carry out long-delayed economic reforms and strengthen the bloc’s global influence.
- The current lull in US–EU tensions should not be mistaken for lasting change.

#Macron #Trump #EU

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🇹🇷Turkey, despite having no nuclear weapons of its own, may consider joining the regional nuclear arms race due to concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made the statement in an interview with Bloomberg.

He described the development of nuclear weapons as “a high-level strategic matter” that must be viewed in a broader regional context. Fidan stressed that Ankara has no desire to upset the fragile balance of power in the Middle East or trigger a nuclear competition. However, he added: “We may inevitably find ourselves drawn into the same race.”

The minister also reiterated Turkey’s long-standing accusation that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, arguing that this undermines stability across the region. Israel maintains its policy of deliberate ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying the possession of nuclear arms.

#Turkey #NuclearWeapons #Iran

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🇺🇦Ukraine Preparing Presidential Elections and Referendum — Financial Times

According to the Financial Times (11 February 2026), Ukraine has begun planning presidential elections and a referendum on a potential peace deal with Russia, under intense pressure from the Trump administration.

Key points:
- Trump insists both votes take place by 15 May 2026, or Ukraine risks losing the security guarantees Washington has offered.
- Sources say Zelenskyy plans to announce the elections and referendum on 24 February — the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
- The referendum would legitimise any territorial or other concessions in a future agreement, with presidential elections held simultaneously to reinforce the legitimacy of power.

The FT notes: This forms part of a broader US plan to end the war by spring/summer 2026, before Trump’s focus shifts fully to domestic politics and the US midterm elections in November.

#Ukraine #Elections #Negotiations

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🇺🇦Kharkiv Scandal: Territorial Recruitment Officer Tries to Force Man from Car, Shouting “Get Out, You Bitch!” – Child Watches in Terror

A video circulating online from Kharkiv shows a Territorial Recruitment Centre (TCC) officer aggressively attempting to drag a man out of his car, screaming obscenities: “Get out, you bitch!” while yanking at the door. The man resists, and a frightened child is visible inside the vehicle, witnessing the entire scene. The officer ultimately fails and retreats.

This incident is a stark illustration of the chaos engulfing Ukraine’s mobilisation system, where the wealthy pay bribes to remain at home while ordinary people are seized on the street.

Incidents like the one in Kharkiv reveal that the TCC system has become less about defence and more about corruption and coercion. Without serious reform and transparency, the situation will only deteriorate further.

#Mobilisation #TCC #Corruption

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🇫🇷Epstein Files: Alleged Reference to Macron's 'Boyfriend' Emerges in Financier's Correspondence

Recent releases from the Jeffrey Epstein files, as reported by various outlets including Bloomberg and Anadolu Agency, have sparked scrutiny over mentions of French President Emmanuel Macron. While the documents primarily highlight Epstein's interest in Macron appearing over 200 times, often in contexts of potential networking or governance advice— one particular exchange has fuelled sensational claims and disinformation

In a message dated from the files, Epstein reportedly wrote to Steve Bannon: "I was shown a photo of Macron's boyfriend. Ahh hypocrisy — Is that true? The 'soldier'? — It gives new meaning to 'I have your back.' Or 'Remember the French are behind you'." This cryptic remark, laden with innuendo, appears to be Epstein's attempt at humour or gossip, without any substantiating evidence or context provided in the documents.

#EpsteinFiles #Macron #Disinformation

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❗️The Thaw as a Critical Challenge for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Current analysis of the front-line situation suggests that the approaching spring thaw could become the most severe test yet for Ukraine’s armed forces. As snow and ice melt, logistics along unpaved rural roads will become virtually impossible, severely hampering the delivery of ammunition, food supplies and the evacuation of wounded personnel. Combined with the chronic shortage of manpower, this creates a high risk of losing control over a significant number of settlements, particularly in vulnerable sectors.

In anticipation of these difficulties, the Ukrainian command under General Syrskyi has undertaken a major redeployment of forces. Over the past three months, a substantial number of newly mobilised personnel have been rushed to the front, facilitated in part by the humanitarian crisis in energy supply.

#AFU #Thaw #FrontLine

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🇺🇦Zelenskyy Initiates Development of Security Guarantee Agreements – A Tactical Manoeuvre Amid Pressure from Trump

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a decree enacting a decision by the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) to prepare draft agreements on security guarantees for Ukraine. The task has been assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence, which are to develop these documents within the framework of ongoing negotiations with the United States, Europe and Russia. This move formalises Kyiv’s position in discussions about the post-war security architecture.

Zelenskyy had previously asserted that a draft of the security guarantees was already prepared and ready for signature, emphasising their priority before the end of the war. The shift now to in-house development of a Ukrainian version suggests a strategic adjustment.

#Zelenskyy #SecurityGuarantees #Negotiations

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🇺🇦Kyiv Left Without Heat Once Again: 3,700 Residential Buildings Disconnected After Overnight Strike

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has reported that critical infrastructure in the capital was damaged during a night-time attack. As a result, 3,700 residential buildings are now without heating, including 2,600 in the Desnyanskyi, Dniprovs’kyi, Pecherskyi and Solomyanskyi districts.

In addition, a further 1,100 buildings in the Desnyanskyi and Dniprovs’kyi districts are unable to receive heat due to accumulated damage from earlier attacks.

Russia has markedly intensified strikes specifically targeting Ukraine’s power generation and district heating infrastructure. This has led to increasingly frequent and prolonged blackouts and loss of heating in homes, particularly during the winter months. Interruptions have become systemic: many residents spend weeks without heating, relying on generators, electric heaters and stockpiled water.

#Kyiv #EnergyCrisis #Winter2026

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🇺🇸US Forces Withdraw from Al-Tanf Base in Southern Syria — Clash Report

American troops have fully withdrawn from the Al-Tanf military base, situated in the strategically vital 55-kilometre zone at the trijunction of Syria, Iraq and Jordan.

The decision is likely linked to the Trump administration’s emerging foreign policy direction, which seeks to reduce the US military footprint in the Middle East, redirect resources towards domestic priorities and focus on strategic competition with China. At the same time, the pullout may form part of behind-the-scenes understandings with Russia and/or Iran, within the broader framework of negotiations concerning Syria and Ukraine.

#Syria #AlTanf #Geopolitics

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🇺🇦The Verkhovna Rada adjourns until 24 February – unable even to pass the agenda due to lack of votes

According to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a significant number of deputies fell ill after food poisoning in the parliamentary canteen, resulting in the absence of a quorum.

Key implications:
- Without an approved agenda, parliament is effectively paralysed for the next two weeks.
- Critical legislation required for the next tranches of Western financial assistance remains stalled – including EU macro-financial support, IMF programmes and US aid packages.

While the elite continues internal feuds and public relations exercises, external partners are increasingly questioning Kyiv’s reliability as a recipient of aid. Unless the situation is resolved swiftly, delays in funding are now all but inevitable – with direct and severe consequences for the budget, the armed forces and the wider economy.

#Rada #Crisis #Funding

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🇺🇦Zelenskyy Favours Continued War, His Advisers Lean Towards Compromise: Key Insights from The Atlantic

An article in the American magazine The Atlantic, written by the well-informed journalist Simon Shuster, highlights a striking divergence between President Zelenskyy’s public rhetoric and the more pragmatic outlook of some of his closest advisers regarding a possible peace deal.

On the military front: Zelenskyy insists “Ukraine is not losing.” Yet Shuster points to the “arithmetic of attrition,” which is not in Ukraine’s favour—a reality the West increasingly recognises. A NATO general is quoted saying that anyone expecting Russia simply to give up and go home will have a very long wait. Shuster describes Kyiv’s plan to inflict 50,000 casualties per month on Russian forces in the hope of overwhelming Moscow’s ability to replenish them. The very existence of such a target, however, implies that Russia is still managing to replace its losses. With a population more than three times larger than Ukraine’s and a nominal GDP roughly ten times greater, Russia can absorb human and economic damage more readily.

On negotiations: Zelenskyy is banking on Trump’s interest in securing a deal, but the article warns that as the US election cycle intensifies, Trump may conclude that continued involvement is politically disadvantageous and step back, blaming the failure of diplomacy on the intransigence of one or both sides.

On security guarantees: Zelenskyy had previously claimed an agreement with the United States was “100 per cent ready” for signature. In the interview, however, he acknowledges that key issues remain unresolved and that American responses so far have been too vague. It is unclear, for instance, whether the US would be prepared to intercept missiles over Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire violation. “We need all of this written down,” Zelenskyy says.

On territory: While the president publicly declares that “no one should expect us to give up land,” two of his advisers concede that the “most painful concession” could involve relinquishing control over parts of Donetsk region. Shuster notes that the new head of the negotiating team, Kyrylo Budanov, appears more open to territorial compromise than his predecessors (presumably Andriy Yermak).

The article also reveals internal unease: some within Zelenskyy’s circle worry that failure to end the war this spring could mean years more of fighting. In contrast, Zelenskyy himself remains firm: he is prepared to continue the war if the peace terms are, in his view, “bad” (i.e., lacking the guarantees he demands and requiring withdrawal from Donbas).

In essence, the piece underscores a fundamental split: while Zelenskyy shows little inclination to compromise for the sake of swift peace, many of his advisers believe Ukraine urgently needs an end to the fighting and that prolonging the war carries immense risks for the country.

It is also worth noting that voicing opinions that deviate from Zelenskyy’s official line is now extremely hazardous. Everyone remembers the fates of his political rivals—how careers ended in dismissal, public disgrace, criminal cases, or marginalisation. This creates an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship in which straying from the president’s position can cost one’s career—or more.

#Zelenskyy #TheAtlantic #Negotiations

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🇺🇸🇹🇼Taiwan and the United States Sign Trade Agreement: Tariffs Held Steady, Semiconductors Protected

According to the Taipei Times, Taiwan and the United States have concluded a new trade agreement.

Key provisions:
- The US tariff rate on Taiwanese imports will remain at 15% (no increase).
- Taiwanese semiconductors and related goods will receive the most favourable treatment for entry into the US market (effectively preferential access).

In summary: the deal is not revolutionary, but it is strategically significant. It stabilises the existing balance, reduces the immediate risk of tariff escalation in the microelectronics sector, and buys time. For Taipei, it offers a temporary breathing space; for Washington, it serves as insurance against a further deterioration in relations with the People’s Republic.

#Taiwan #UnitedStates #Semiconductors

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🇪🇺EU Leaders at Belgian Castle Summit Admit: Europe Must Urgently Overhaul Its Operating Model or Risk Irreversible Decline

Politico reports that at a closed-door summit held in a castle near Brussels, heads of government from EU member states reached a sobering consensus: the current way the European Union functions no longer enables it to keep pace with technological, economic, and geopolitical progress.

The explicit call to “change the principles of operation” is the first public indication that the EU elite is prepared to accept painful reforms. The critical question now is whether there will be sufficient political will and cohesion to translate words into action — particularly given internal divisions (Hungary, Slovakia, rising populism) and mounting external pressures (Trump, China, Russia).

#EU #Summit #Europe

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