Good morning from Ukraine. I live in Kyiv and travel the country often and spend most of my time engaging Ukrainians and I am also learning Ukrainian langauge and pay attention to Ukrainian social media and news sites to practice my language skills.

Here's what I can tell you: Most Ukrainians, even those who do not like him and want him gone, are standing in support of him. Let me show you an example.

Thread 1. Yanina Sokolova, a popular political commentator with more than 1 million followers on YouTube, is very critical of Zelenskyy. But if you read the comments on her YouTube channel under videos of her reporting of the White House meeting, you will see that most of her followers are supporting Zelenskyy.

Link: youtube.com/live/vEVi00S2X…

Greetings from Akhaltsixe, one of the more conservative parts of the country where Georgia Dream arguably has the tightest grip. Sorry for the lack of social media posts, but I've been reporting nonstop for the past week.

Here are my thoughts about the upcoming elections, after being here on the ground and talking to people for a week. (1) First off, talking to people OUTSIDE OF TBILISI is vastly different than talking to folks in the regions. Here in the regions, people say GD controls so many aspects of their lives. For example, people who work in government jobs are pressured to support the party or face termination. I get that a lot. (2)

I have an announcement:

With mainstream media dropping the ball on Gaza coverage and foreign affairs in general, I have a great foreign affairs newsletter called Black Diplomats that I’m asking you all to support. I’m providing original reporting and analysis from a Black perspective. Most importantly, I'm building a global community. Let me explain.

Newsletter  link: BlackDiplomats.news Most of you started following me for my work in Ukraine. I still live and report from there. But I want to expand my coverage to report on other underreported peoples of the world with an unapologetic Black voice. Palestinians in Gaza, people in Sudan and elsewhere need my compassionate reporting as well.

My newsletter will provide you access to them.

Please sign up to help me do just that: BlackDiplomats.news

I see a lot of Black folks are offended by activists interrupting Biden’s speech at Mother Emanuel AME Church with calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

My opinion: it was the perfect place, albeit a very complicated one. Let me explain.

https://twitter.com/ifnotnoworg/status/1744428998187503820

First, you have to understand the genesis of why Biden picked Mother Emanuel, the location where white supremacist Dylann Roof killed 9 Black people dead and injured one.

It was at the time the deadliest mass shooting at a place of worship in U.S. history and is the deadliest mass shooting in South Carolina history.

As a Ukraine supporter, I'm happy Steve Scalise will be the GOP nominee for House Speaker because he has great politics.

As a Black man, I cannot be happy that a white nationalist who calls himself "David Duke without the baggage" will become one of the most important politicians in my country.

I'm sharing this with you to show what it means to advocate for Ukraine, but know that I have to accept that an extreme racist that rightly advocates for a foreign land undermines everything that empowers me be a full citizen of my country.

Such is the duality of being a Black/POC foreign policy professional.

Steve Scalise, if he is consistent with his voting record, will back Ukraine aid--and he should.

But this is the same man who has spoken out against granting Washington DC statehood, using racist talking points.

nymag.com/intelligencer/…

I never thought I'd be engaging a CODEPINK tweet about Ukraine, but I can't help it. So much of what these people say is so factually inaccurate or lacking any regional expertise that I can no longer help but respond.

Let's unpack this tweet.

🧵

https://twitter.com/codepink/status/1709351852926488775

1. Do you all notice that @codepink rarely, if ever, platforms UKRAINIANS when they talk about Ukraine? They claim to care about peace but never share the stage with Ukrainians to achieve that goal. And I also notice that they never come here.

I wonder why?

Morning, Tymofiy. As a Black American reporter who has covered uprisings (“riots”) in the US and lives in Ukraine covering the war, I think I can help. We're supposed to meet in person (hope you can make time this week), but your tweet requires a thoughtful response, my friend🧵

https://twitter.com/Mylovanov/status/1675603456185311238

My response is less about you directly and more about the huge disconnect between Ukrainians who insist that we understand Russian colonialism yet exercise little intellectual curiosity about white supremacy against POC globally.

Thanks for this question, @jemelehill. I am here in Ukraine and provide a geopolitical analysis that should address the heart of your question.

First. This is a very complicated question. But in short, it depends if the U.S. could benefit.

I will explain in a short 🧵

https://twitter.com/jemelehill/status/1672646446414434305

For one, because this is a fluid situation, everything depends on how far Prighozin and his men will get towards Moscow. News reports suggest that he is calling off his march towards the Kremlin. This could change.

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1672658401271115779

Good afternoon from Ukraine, everyone.

I'd like to respond to @stephenwertheim's well-argued piece arguing that NATO should not accept Ukraine into its ranks. I disagree with his conclusions, but some of his points are legitimate. I'll explain.
🧵
nytimes.com/2023/06/16/opi… I like that Wertheim moves away from the simplistic, singular arguments that NATO is nothing more than a Western imperial tool used to antagonize Moscow. He rightfully argues Moscow’s aims in Ukraine are imperial and NATO would get in the way of those aims.

Jaffa is quite a beautiful place I wish I had more time to see. It was merged into a single municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo in 1950. I’m keenly aware that the Gaza Strip is just 45 minutes away, where Palestinians are living in what is essentially an open air prison. I met a lot of great people in Tel Aviv, as you will see in the following photos. These are all Jewish Israelis whose work focuses on bringing about an equal society for all people. One where Arabs and Jews can live in peace. Loved meeting @dahliasc and @YaelBerda.

I've often been asked, "Do I know both sides?" when I post about what is happening in Palestine.

Yes, I do know both sides very well. I also know it is possible for one side to be right and the other to be wrong. Both sides don't need the benefit of the doubt. I also know that I can read 1000 books from the most conservative people on Israel and it'll never convince me that what Israel is doing to Palestinians is just and that my own eyes are deceiving me. I have a lot to learn but I doubt my mind will change on this.

Welcome to Hebron. I’m standing on a “sterile street” (that’s official language), where Palestinians cannot walk. Behind me are homes where remaining Palestinians’ doors are welded shut; they have to leave their homes via their roofs to walk unsterile streets. Here’s Ori from @BtSIsrael, an organisation of ex-IDF soldiers who are showing people the truth about what the Israeli government is doing to Palestinians via military occupation. Behind this locked door is the way to the Palestinian neighbourhoods. Pure racial segregation.

The democracy protests in Israel are generating lots of attention. But @MairavZ writes that, after 56 years of ongoing occupation of Palestinians, democracy never existed in Israel. There are plenty of gems in this piece that is essential reading. thedailybeast.com/israelis-are-t… .@MairavZ outlines that many democracy protesters see reforming the judiciary in Israel as a separate issue from Israeli occupation of Palestinians. Keep in mind that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah is on trial on 3 separate corruption charges. thedailybeast.com/israelis-are-t…

This is one of Black Ukrainian voices you should read on the subject of racism in Ukraine. Keep in mind different Black people have different views on racism, depending on their personality and position in society. Many I interview share Alice’s tone while some are more critical.

https://twitter.com/alicezhuravel/status/1637118384637657089

For example, some of the Black Ukrainians I’ve interviewed and whose stories I’ll publish in April tell me that Ukraine, like other countries (including the U.S.) have their own homegrown anti-Blackness and don’t feel part of society. It’s a complicated subject for many.

This is an intellectually honest piece by @stephenwertheim that explains why American's hypocrisy on Iraq is undermining our support for Ukraine. Please read the piece and Google my work in Ukraine before reflexively responding. theguardian.com/commentisfree/… This is great piece by @stephenmiller who says America has a very limited foreign policy that relies on violence and less on diplomacy. I pretty much agree with most of the points he makes in this piece. Please give it a read. inkstickmedia.com/a-progressive-…

Unless you are trained in addressing racism or have centered minority groups in your work, it will be very challenging to understand why Ukrainians and ethnic minorities have issues with Navalny. A lot of these folks aren't intellectually fit to address this topic at all. Unless you're trained to center indigenous/minority voices, Ukrainians will always be seen as a bunch of people who bitch and moan and feeding into Moscow propaganda.

Trust me, Black folk and other minorities are shouted down in a similar fashion when we speak up. Same playbook.

This is a very fair and good-faith article about the potential of the U.S. entering a “forever war” aiding Ukraine. It’s worth a read. My only concern is that we should be careful not to conflate Ukraine with Iraq and Afghanistan. And Russian, not the U.S., started this conflict.

https://twitter.com/mideastxmidwest/status/1629122021173985282

I’ll also add that while America is often the bad actor in world conflicts, it’s not in the case of Ukraine. The real question is are we willing to stop supporting Ukraine militarily at some point, knowing Russia will take advantage of it. I’d that’s the case, just say it.

I’m thinking about all of the Black refugees who fled Ukraine this time last year and whose stories I’ll share with you in an 8-part series in April on Black Diplomats Podcast. Here’s Tina, a Black Ukrainian, and her daughter Donna in South of France, where they’ve resettled. This is Ogi, a Black Polish activist who organized with other African and Polish activists to support Black refugees who faced racism as they fled the war in Ukraine. I’ll be sharing her story in my series in April as well.

We westerners would do well to listen to Ukrainians concerning western coverage of Azov. If Ukrainians say we’re doing something wrong, we’d be advised to listen. I don’t see enough of that. This is a far more complex subject than most of us acknowledge. I see a lot of west-plaining to Ukrainians about Navalny and a clear white-washing of his far-right views. People are excusing his racism and I think that is unforgivable. I’ve seen this type of white arrogance before with my own community and it’s happening to Ukrainians.

Unlimited PTO is the way to go.

Some folks think people will abuse it, but my last employer had unlimited PTO and that was not the case. Not only did people not abuse it, but folks were careful of still being perceived as not working hard enough. I used 6-8 weeks per year to travel to Ukraine and I always talked it through with my manager. It was never an issue. Also, people will not want to be away from a job for extended periods that they actually like; I loved mine until the executives turned it to shit, of course.

I am so disappointed in the Black men who push this "they arrested Andrew Tate, but y'all ain't going after the white men who do the same thing."

It is so frustrating. And I can see why Andrew Tate would go to Eastern Europe. There are major issues with sex trafficking in that part of the world. If he is guilty of what he's accused of, then his misogyny would find a home in places where his money could shield him from accountability.