Volker: Trump wants a deal on Ukraine more than he cares about what the deal says. That’s why he zigzags, applying pressure in different directions.
But this will not change Putin. He wants to eliminate Ukraine as a sovereign country and will not stop unless stopped. 1/
Volker: Russia’s global position is being severely diminished. Trump sees this.
It may mean he feels he has more military options to support Ukraine and push Russia back because Putin is in a weaker position than at any time since the full-scale invasion. 2/
Volker: Sometimes the US buys Putin’s line that Russian victory is inevitable. Other times, Washington is impressed by Ukraine’s resilience — from Kupiansk to long-range strikes inside Russia.
The US is testing options before concluding that pressure on Putin must increase. 3/
Putin: NATO moved toward Russia’s borders and broke public promises. They ignored Russia’s interests and built threats to our security. That push sparked the Ukraine crisis.
[Russia has broken more treaties than promises, yet still blames NATO on "broken promises".]
1/
Putin: We proposed a fair security system and offered terms to everyone. We should return to real talks now and reach Ukraine settlement as soon as possible.
[Russia talks about peace while its strikes leave thousands of Ukrainians without power, heat, and water]
2/
Putin: Not everyone is ready for peace—Kyiv and its backers resist.
We hope they will come around. Until then, Russia will keep pushing its goals.
[Russia’s goals are clear: bomb Ukraine and destroy our nation.]
Sen. Kelly: I never expected that I would have to protect the rule of law against a Secretary of Defense.
Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my 25 years of military service. He doesn't like what I said. And so he is trying to censure and demote me. 1/
Kelly: Pete Hegseth unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military.
If you speak out and say something that the President and Secretary of Defense doesn't like, you will be censured, threatened or even prosecuted. 2/
Kelly: If Hegseth succeeds in silencing me, then he and every other secretary of defense who comes after him will have license to punish any retired veteran of any political persuasion for the things that they say.
Denys Storozhuk refused to surrender from Azovstal in 2022, lived under occupation for a year posing as a civilian, and passed information to the Ukrainian military.
Denys: I lived in a sewer manhole for the first three weeks. I had food, water, and a chair.
1/
Denys: What stayed with me most was the constant storm of artillery and airstrikes at Azovstal.
Buildings vanished within minutes, concrete shaking like wood.
Near the end, an airstrike buried my commander and brothers — we couldn’t reach them in time. Most suffocated from dust
2/
Denys: When first arrested, Russians beat and strangled me. I lost consciousness.
In the detention center, Russians could have their own stuff, and talk with others. Ukrainians were stripped and beaten again.