Zelensky: I blocked the agreement with Trump on mineral rights as it does not protect Ukraine interests.
Then he goes diplomatic. It must be legally correct regarding investments and security guarantees. I don’t yet see in the document. 1/
Zelensky about meeting in Saudi Arabia: I haven't seen any invitations for Ukraine to meet with envoys. We have no documents or negotiations with our strategic partners. Russia is not one of them. 2/
Zelensky: To defend against a potential Russian offensive, we need not 50, 100, or 300 thousand. European leaders understand this and are considering the financial implications. 3/
Losing the alliance between Europe and the U.S. would benefit only Putin and North Korea. 4/
Zelensky: If Putin only wants a ceasefire to ease his isolation, that’s not real peace. The U.S. holds key political power, and its approach to Russia matters. 5/
If Trump can push Putin toward genuine peace, we may achieve real security guarantees for the first time - if all sides, especially America, are ready. 6/
Zelensky: European leaders, once more skeptical than the U.S., are now more ready to support Ukraine. They understand the danger - Putin will come, not if he comes. 7/
He may test NATO, and without strong sanctions and unity between the EU and the U.S., that is very dangerous. 8/
Everyone needs to get used to the fact that Ukraine can no longer be told where to be. 9/
Zelensky: Strong security guarantees are not possible without U.S. Troops on the borders or front lines must include U.S. and European partners. 10/
Without the U.S, it’s weak. The number of troops matters, and for now, Europe alone is not enough. 11/
Zelensky on elections: No one raises this issue at a high level, except Putin, sometimes the U.S. Everyone understands our law and the consequences. 12/
The shift to a contract army was the right step, aligning with U.S. practices. This war isn’t just about manpower but advanced weapons. Now it's about drones, not just tanks. 13/
Zelensky: North Korea involvement in war is global threat. They’ve gained experience in missiles, drones, and electronic warfare, and they will use it. 14/
Distance no longer matters - missiles and drones fly thousands of kilometers. If Russia wins, others will follow. We must defend values and protect every country, no matter its size. 15/
Zelensky: The U.S. needs to see the reality of this war firsthand, without outside influence. I invited Mr. Kellogg to the front to witness it himself and speak with our commanders. 16/
I want him to bring this understanding to President Trump. After that, we can discuss concrete steps toward our goals. 17X
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Thank you for reading. If you want to support Ukraine and our work through education, please consider donating to a scholarship for war affected students
Fiona Hill: The United States is no longer the ally it was before.
We are living in a post-America world in which countries are searching for alternatives, regional orders, and new platforms for cooperation because Washington now swings wildly back and forth. 1/
Hill: NATO is not Trump’s private army.
If the US wants allies engaged, it has to consult them. Instead Trump wanted surprise, bragged about it, then swung between asking for help and saying he did not need it. That has deepened the split. 2/
Hill: The UK is already under siege, it just does not see it. Modern war is financial, economic, cyber, technological, and aimed at critical infrastructure.
The issue is not just troop numbers. It is whether the country can function under shock. 3/
Fiona Hill: Trump still does not really listen to experts.
In the Iran crisis, he is sending out people with little high-level negotiating experience while believing he knows better than everybody. His gut, not expertise, is what drives decisions. 1/
Hill: Tactically the US campaign has been successful. Strategically it is a blunder because Trump did not understand Iran.
He assumed a top-down system like Russia or China, but Iran is resilient, deeply embedded, and full of people fighting for their lives. 2/
Hill: Hormuz was not unpredictable. Prior leaders knew Iran would do something there.
Trump ignored that risk and has now created something even larger than the 2008 financial crisis. This is not just his own mess. It is a global catastrophe. 3/
A pastry chef from Bucha spends her days making cakes — and her nights shooting down Russian drones.
Lyudmyla Lysenko joined a volunteer air defense unit after returning to a destroyed city in April 2022. “Bucha looked like a zombie apocalypse,” — UkrPravda. 1/
By day she holds a mixer. By night — a machine gun.
She now commands a mobile fire group in the “Bucha Witches,” a unit created in 2024 to hunt Shahed drones over Kyiv region. 2/
Every shift starts at 8am.
They check weapons, count ammo, inspect vehicles. When the alarm sounds, they deploy fast, set up guns, track drones, and open fire. 3/