Applebaum: Putin has presented a fake image of Russia to the world. He talks about leading a traditional society
In reality, divorce is very high, abortion is common, very few Russians go to church and less than 5% have ever read a Bible. It's not a traditional culture at all 1/
Applebaum: Part of the European right and the American right have this imaginary Russia they use as a political symbol — not understanding it has no relationship to reality.
Most people who admire Russia haven't even been to Moscow or St. Petersburg, let alone the rest of the country. 2/
Applebaum: Putin went back into Soviet history books and re-imposed old plans.
The Soviet occupation of Ukraine in the 1930s and Czechoslovakia in the 1940s looks like Ukraine today — filtration camps, arrests of teachers, mayors, political leaders. It's the old playbook brought back. 3X
Applebaum: 90–95% of Ukraine's weapons are now either made in Europe or made in Ukraine. Ukrainians make most of their own drones — around 4 million last year and 7 million this year, maybe more.
They're becoming more and more self-sufficient in what they can produce. 1/
Applebaum: There's now a 20 km wide zone on the front line fully controlled by drones. Ukrainians can see every Russian person, tank, or vehicle that enters it.
Crossing is nearly impossible. That has effectively frozen the front — Russia is no longer able to move forward. 2/
Applebaum: Ukraine will soon be able to export its drone and defense technology. Right after the Iran conflict broke out, Zelenskyy was in the Middle East talking to Gulf state leaders.
Gulf states are sovereign countries — they can talk to whoever they want to talk to. 3X
Ex-Ukrainian FM, Kuleba: In Ukraine, there's not a single sane politician who builds their rating on anti-Polish slogans. Not one.
In Poland, many politicians build their rating on anti-Ukrainian slogans. That's the fundamental difference between our countries. 1/
Kuleba: The PiS party took the Volyn topic and weaponized it for decades. Films were made, historians wrote books, politicians talked about it nonstop.
You can't come out now and say 'let's forget it.' It's already living tissue of Polish society. It won't just go away. 2/
Kuleba: Poland became very strong and successful as a state — and that deserves recognition. But what does any strong state do?
It looks for where it can flex muscles, show it can bend others, and force concessions. That's exactly what's happening with Ukraine now. 3/
Prof. Michael Clarke: This [US-Iran deal] is not a peace deal. It is an exchange of memoranda, basically an agreement to keep talking for 60 days under a ceasefire.
Trump is selling it as a breakthrough, but it is only a pathway toward a possible deal. 1/
Clarke: Iran may not sign on Trump’s timetable. Tehran has every reason to delay, embarrass him, and show it is not playing to his agenda.
Iran has a long memory for humiliating U.S. presidents through timing. 2/
Clarke: The hard issues are still unresolved: Hormuz, enriched uranium, nuclear limits, frozen assets, sanctions relief and Lebanon.
The key fight will be sequencing — what Iran gives first, and what it gets in return. 3/
Rutte: Ukraine is killing or seriously wounding 30,000–35,000 Russians a month. The front line is stable, Russian advances halted.
Russia has growing problems refilling the gaps in its armed forces, not just to advance, but to maintain the fight in Ukraine. 1/
Rutte: These numbers are staggering. 30,000–35,000 a month means Russia loses in 3 weeks what it lost in Afghanistan in 10 years in the 1980s.
In 5 weeks, Russia loses what America lost in Vietnam in 15 years. That's what Ukraine is inflicting on Russia's military right now. 2/
Rutte: We all want this war done. Zelenskyy is willing to tango — willing to get to the negotiating table.
But you need two to tango. And Vladimir Putin so far is not. Ukraine didn't ask for this war — they have to defend themselves, and they are extremely successful at it. 3X