Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #15

[LovesPeace2]

US officials object to European push to buy weapons locally​

WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. officials have told European allies they want them to keep buying American-made arms, amid recent moves by the European Union to limit U.S. manufacturers' participation in weapons tenders, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The messages delivered by Washington in recent weeks come as the EU takes steps to boost Europe's weapons industry, while potentially limiting purchases of certain types of U.S. arms.

The Trump administration's early foreign policy steps, including briefly cutting military aid for Ukraine and easing pressure on Moscow, have deeply unnerved European allies, prompting many to ask if the United States is a reliable partner.

In mid-March, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, proposed boosting military spending and pooling resources on joint defense projects, as Europe girds for decreased U.S. military engagement under President Donald Trump.

Some of the proposed measures could mean a smaller role for non-EU companies, including those based in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, experts say.

In a March 25 meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that the United States wants to continue participating in EU countries' defense procurements, the sources told Reuters.

According to two of the sources, Rubio said any exclusion of U.S. companies from European tenders would be seen negatively by Washington, which those two sources interpreted as a reference to the proposed EU rules.

[...]

Rubio plans to discuss expectations that EU countries keep buying U.S. weapons during his visit to Brussels this week, where he will attend the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, said a senior State Department official.

[...]

US officials object to European push to buy weapons locally

U.S. officials have told European allies they want them to keep buying American-made arms, amid recent moves by the European Union to limit U.S. manufacturers' participation in weapons tenders, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The messages delivered by Washington in recent...

www.yahoo.com

Why would those countries buy from the USA after everything going on. Why buy weapons from a country that supports a country Russia . Rubio is delulu the EU UK Australia Canada Greenland need to work together to stop those two countries war machines .jmvho

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Why does the US think they can dictate to the whole world what and where they buy anything from.
I must be missing something ?

 

[iamshadow21]

Why does the US think they can dictate to the whole world what and where they buy anything from.
I must be missing something ?

It's like a spoiled young child who thinks they can dictate who will play with them and how, like a tyrant of a director on a play or film set. Most of us grow out of that by double digits.

MOO

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 3, 2024

US imposes new tariffs: 20% on EU goods, 10% on Ukrainian goods, but excludes Russia - Euromaidan Press

The White House announced sweeping new import tariffs Wednesday evening that will affect virtually all US trading partners except Russia and Belarus, whose goods are already absent from American markets.

euromaidanpress.com

Ukraine faces the baseline 10% tariff rate, while new tariffs were not imposed on Russia and Belarus.

Trump previously stated publicly that “the world has been robbing the US for 40 years.”

“The world has been robbing the United States for the last 40 years and more. And all we’re doing is showing fairness, and honestly, I’m showing great generosity,” he said.

Trump administration admits Ukraine ceasefire goal will not be met by Easter - Euromaidan Press

President Trump's administration has conceded that its Easter deadline for a Ukraine ceasefire is unattainable

euromaidanpress.com

White House officials have acknowledged that President Donald Trump will not achieve his goal of securing a ceasefire in Ukraine by Easter, 20 April, The Telegraph reported on 2 April.

During Trump’s presidential run, he repeatedly pledged to end the war within 24 hours and styled himself as a “peacemaker and unifier.” The period of the war resolution extended later to 100 days.

Bessent: Ukrainian delegation may visit US this week or next to go over proposed mineral deal - Euromaidan Press

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that a Ukrainian delegation is expected to arrive in the United States either…

euromaidanpress.com

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that a Ukrainian delegation is expected to arrive in the United States either later this week or early next week to discuss a proposed economic cooperation agreement between the two countries.

Kyiv has expressed a cautious stance on the lattest version of minerals deal proposed by the US, emphasizing the need for a mutually acceptable agreement that does not jeopardize Ukraine’s integration with the European Union.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has been pushing for the agreement, warning of potential consequences if Ukraine does not comply.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 3, 2025

Denmark unveils new aid for Ukraine worth almost $1 billion

The Danish government approved the 25th package of military assistance to Ukraine, worth 6.7 billion Danish kroner ($970 million), which will support Ukraine from 2025 until 2027.

kyivindependent.com

The Danish government approved its 25th package of military assistance to Ukraine worth 6.7 billion Danish kroner ($970 million), which will provide support to Ukraine from 2025 until 2027, the Danish Defense Ministry announced on April 3.

The package, funded through the Danish Ukraine Fund, includes air defense equipment, artillery, and financial assistance to the Ukrainian Air Force.

EU members have already pledged half of $5.5 billion ammunition package for Ukraine, Kallas says

Kallas's statement comes after EU leaders decided at a summit in Brussels on March 20 to help cover Ukraine's ammunition needs through aid packages announced by individual countries over the past month.

kyivindependent.com

European countries have already committed more than 50% of the 5-billion-euro ($5.5 billion) package for 2 million ammunition rounds requested by Ukraine, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said on April 3 in comments reported by Reuters.

Kallas's statement comes after EU leaders decided at a summit in Brussels on March 20 to help cover Ukraine's ammunition needs through aid packages announced by individual countries over the past month.

"I'm glad to see that we already have different proposals or different countries are coming with their input to this, so we have already over 50% of what is needed," she added.

Russian negotiator Dmitriev confirms talks in Washington between April 2-3

"Restoring dialog is a difficult and gradual process. But every meeting, every frank conversation allows us to move forward," Kirill Dmitriev said.

kyivindependent.com

Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev confirmed that he had arrived in Washington to meet with U.S. officials on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin between April 2 and 3.

Dmitriev, who heads the state-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund, played a role in backchannel diplomacy between Moscow and U.S. President Donald Trump when he was first elected in 2016.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 3, 2025

US defense secretary to skip Ramstein summit for the first time, media reports

U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth will not take part in the Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's partners next week, Defense News magazine reported on April 2, citing undisclosed official sources.

kyivindependent.com

U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth will not take part in the Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's partners next week, Defense News magazine reported on April 2, citing undisclosed official sources.

This would make the April 11 summit in Brussels, co-chaired by the U.K. and Germany, the first instance when the Pentagon's chief will be absent since the format's founding in 2022.

Russia declares Elton John AIDS Foundation 'undesirable'

The non-profit, based in the U.S. and the U.K. and launched in 1992, says it works in over 90 countries "to increase access to health care, tackle LGBTQ+ stigma, and end AIDS."

kyivindependent.com

Russia has placed British musician Elton John's charity that focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and awareness on its list of "undesirable organizations" over what it called "promotion of non-traditional sexual relations," the Russian Prosecutor General's Office said on April 3.

The Kremlin's offensive on gay rights intensified following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Russia passed legislation banning the public expression of LGBT identity in Russia in December 2022.

Russia spends nearly $220 million to rig Moldova's election, EU referendum in 2024, Chisinau says

Earlier, the U.K. imposed sanctions on the pro-Russian NGO "Eurasia," which is allegedly responsible for attempts to rig the referendum in Moldova.

kyivindependent.com

"The Kremlin's agents launched a mass vote-buying campaign, spending about 200 million euros — almost 1% of Moldova's GDP — to destabilize our country," Recean said.

Voters were almost evenly divided on Oct. 21 on a referendum to enshrine the country's path to European Union accession in the Moldovan Constitution. Pro-EU voters won by a razor-thin margin, securing 50.35% of the vote against 49.65%.

 

[Izzylizzy]

APR 3, 2025

US defense secretary to skip Ramstein summit for the first time, media reports

U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth will not take part in the Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's partners next week, Defense News magazine reported on April 2, citing undisclosed official sources.

kyivindependent.com

U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth will not take part in the Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's partners next week, Defense News magazine reported on April 2, citing undisclosed official sources.

This would make the April 11 summit in Brussels, co-chaired by the U.K. and Germany, the first instance when the Pentagon's chief will be absent since the format's founding in 2022.

Russia declares Elton John AIDS Foundation 'undesirable'

The non-profit, based in the U.S. and the U.K. and launched in 1992, says it works in over 90 countries "to increase access to health care, tackle LGBTQ+ stigma, and end AIDS."

kyivindependent.com

Russia has placed British musician Elton John's charity that focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and awareness on its list of "undesirable organizations" over what it called "promotion of non-traditional sexual relations," the Russian Prosecutor General's Office said on April 3.

The Kremlin's offensive on gay rights intensified following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Russia passed legislation banning the public expression of LGBT identity in Russia in December 2022.

Russia spends nearly $220 million to rig Moldova's election, EU referendum in 2024, Chisinau says

Earlier, the U.K. imposed sanctions on the pro-Russian NGO "Eurasia," which is allegedly responsible for attempts to rig the referendum in Moldova.

kyivindependent.com

"The Kremlin's agents launched a mass vote-buying campaign, spending about 200 million euros — almost 1% of Moldova's GDP — to destabilize our country," Recean said.

Voters were almost evenly divided on Oct. 21 on a referendum to enshrine the country's path to European Union accession in the Moldovan Constitution. Pro-EU voters won by a razor-thin margin, securing 50.35% of the vote against 49.65%.

BBM:
IMO /s

It could be that PH is sending his wife or brother to represent the USA.

Hegseth makes the Pentagon a family affair as wife, brother brought into official business

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's younger brother is a Homeland Security liaison to the Pentagon. His wife reportedly joined sensitive meetings.

www.usatoday.com

 

[nhmemorymaker]

There is no way that Trump is "pissed" at Russia... They are just playing their own personal game.
His massive news coverage of tariffs today will be giving him time to work towards his personal gains of those minerals in Ukraine...and ultimately, coming back around to helping Russia.
We have to STAY ON TOP of Russia as everyone will be caught up in Tarrifmania.

moo
just My Own cynical Opinion.....

Donald Trump 'very angry' with Vladimir Putin over ceasefire negotiations

It marks the first time Trump has seriously threatened Russia for dragging its feet in Ukraine ceasefire negotiations.

www.bbc.com

Trump’s ‘anger’ at Putin over Ukraine peace deal delay is just play acting

America’s global power and reach are waning by the day as a consequence of Donald Trump’s assaults on the West and his slavish behaviour towards Moscow, says world affairs editor Sam Kiley

www.the-independent.com

 

[sds71]

The White House has fired at least three National Security Council staffers, three sources familiar with the move told CNN.

The three officials include Brian Walsh, a director for intelligence and a former top staffer for now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Senate Intelligence Committee; Thomas Boodry, a senior director for legislative affairs who previously served as Waltz’s legislative director in Congress; and David Feith, a senior director overseeing technology and national security who served in the State Department during Trump’s first administration.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/03/politics/nsc-firings-trump-laura-loomer-meeting/index.html

 

[Stunned]

Why would those countries buy from the USA after everything going on. Why buy weapons from a country that supports a country Russia . Rubio is delulu the EU UK Australia Canada Greenland need to work together to stop those two countries war machines .jmvho

Thank you, I thought it was me. IMO the US has lost their right to have a voice in matters of Ukraine. IMO

 

[Stunned]

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has been pushing for the agreement, warning of potential consequences if Ukraine does not comply.

Consequences for Ukraine? The country that was invaded? Get out of here!
SMH! IMO!

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Why does the US think they can dictate to the whole world what and where they buy anything from.
I must be missing something ?

Don’t disagree here @TootsieFootsie ….. although IMO it might be a bit more accurate to say that the current US president and administration ……

I am not certain, but believe IMO, that not all are supportive of many things happening. Myself included. MOO

 

[sds71]

Kyiv is now under Russian attack, with multiple blasts reported across the city, Kyiv Post correspondents report.Local authorities confirm Russian drones are targeting the capital, with air defences actively engaged.

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[Vern]

Don’t disagree here @TootsieFootsie ….. although IMO it might be a bit more accurate to say that the current US president and administration ……

I am not certain, but believe IMO, that not all are supportive of many things happening. Myself included. MOO

I agree. I have a great many American friends, mostly whom have/do serve in the military. Some Republican, some Democrat.

I am thankful every day for those from the above two groups who still recognize their oaths. I can tell you - based on them - that it is indeed possible to be Republican, to have voted for Trump, and to still disagree with the crapola he is pulling now that he did not platform on and that is Constitutional-contrary. Not a single one of them is "all in" for Trump regardless of what he is doing ... and that is where the sanity and the hope for the future lays. I guess I simply do not have any 'MAGA' friends.

If anyone is 'all in' for Trump, there's simply no fact nor deed nor rationale in the world that will stand in their way of supporting him. They tend to make themselves very obvious.

- IMO.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 3, 2025

Russians vaccinate Luhansk children with uncertified drugs - Euromaidan Press

Russian occupation authorities are conducting mass vaccination of children under six in Luhansk using uncertified vaccines of unknown origin.

euromaidanpress.com

In occupied Luhansk, Russian authorities have begun mass vaccination of children under six using unverified vaccines of unknown origin, Ukraine’s National Resistance Center reports.

... The region, already destabilized by years of war with Russian troops, has seen its infrastructure severely damaged, leading to shortages in essential services like healthcare and sanitation.

“While the civilized world develops safe vaccines, the occupiers are turning Luhansk’s children into test subjects,” the statement reads.

Frontline report: Russians suffer 3,000 casualties in failed 10-month assault on single Ukrainian village - Euromaidan Press

Ukrainian forces maintain fire control over Bilohorivka from advantageous high ground positions, forcing Russian commanders to deploy increasingly desperate infantry tactics while artillery and drone strikes decimate their advancing troops.

euromaidanpress.com

Recent reports indicate that Russian forces have sustained around 3,000 casualties in trying to take Bilohorivka in a period of just ten months, including 1,543 killed, 1,455 wounded, and 15 captured. However, as fighting over Bilohorivka has been ongoing for over 2 years, the total number of Russian losses is undoubtedly much higher. These staggering losses reflect the intensity of the combat and the high price the Russians paid for mere positional gains over the past 2 years.

Forbes: Russia's trophy pink motorcycle plays hide-and-seek with Ukrainian drones (until it's dead) - Euromaidan Press

With no replacements for 20,000 lost vehicles, Russia turns to civilian vehicles, a desperate measure that’s proving increasingly fatal.

euromaidanpress.com

This pink motorcycle, an ex-Ukrainian vehicle captured or stolen by Russian forces, is used to transport drone operators on reconnaissance missions near the front line. The operators likely launch short-range drones to gather intelligence or target Ukrainian positions. But what stands out is how far the Russian military has fallen, forced to rely on such makeshift vehicles after the loss of heavy combat equipment.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 3, 2025

Ukraine receives 5,000 more Starlink terminals from Poland, minister says

"Starlinks will help residents of the front-line territories to stay in touch: call relatives, call emergency services, read the news. Due to attacks and destruction of base stations in the de-occupied territories, regular communication is unavailable," Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo...

kyivindependent.com

Ukraine has received 5,000 additional Starlink terminals from Poland to support critical infrastructure and maintain communications in front-line cities, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on April 3.

"Starlinks will help residents of the front-line territories to stay in touch: call relatives, call emergency services, read the news. Due to attacks and destruction of base stations in the de-occupied territories, regular communication is unavailable," Fedorov wrote on Facebook.

The US wants Ukraine's minerals. The deal is worse than you think - Euromaidan Press

It's not just about extracting lithium and titanium – it's about capturing the entire decision-making machinery of a sovereign state.

euromaidanpress.com

If accurate, the new proposal transforms reconstruction from partnership into transaction. Instead of offering investment in exchange for shared security, it ties support to the sale of Ukraine’s natural resources on terms set by Washington. What’s being constructed isn’t just a fund – it’s a system of control that can bypass Ukraine’s own laws, sideline its parliament, and hand decision-making power to foreign officials.

This agreement abandons the usual model of postwar support. Instead of following established patterns like the Marshall Plan, it creates an entirely new system designed to give long-term control to the outside power that builds it. By embedding inequality into the structure of the fund, the deal threatens to transform Ukraine’s recovery from a joint effort into a form of managed dependence.

Ukraine Business Roundup — The Black Sea ceasefire deal Ukraine doesn't need

The following is the April 1, 2025 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. Washington proudly announced on March 25 that it had brokered an agreement between Russia and Ukraine...

kyivindependent.com

Here comes the controversial part, which puts Russia as the real winner of the deal. The U.S. said it would help “restore” Russia’s access to the global market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower expensive maritime insurance costs, and increase access to ports “and payment systems for such transactions.”

Yet Ukraine wanted clear security guarantees for its three operational seaports, which are under relentless Russian attacks, and for its Mykolaiv port to be unblocked. The agreement doesn’t guarantee either of those.

“This is definitely not what Ukraine needs,” Serhiy Vovk, director of the Center for Transportation Strategies, a consultancy in Kyiv, told me last week.

 

[keek]

p has to be convincing t that Z needs to be out of the way, go right in, raze the country, p himself, t gets nothing but an endearing smile and thanks bro. now watch yourself, love, p. He will get help to do it as he seems to be now.

 

[PommyMommy]

Today I am in the Chernihiv region. I came to support the people of Yahidne and their efforts to preserve the memory of what happened here during the Russian occupation.

I visited the school where the Russians held all the villagers for nearly a month. This was one of the most cynical Russian crimes of this war—a crime specifically aimed at people and everything human and humane.

Much has now been rebuilt and restored in Yahidne. Efforts are also ongoing to memorialize what the people tragically had to endure. None of us will ever forget or forgive Russia for what it did.

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Our warriors, our defense.

I was briefed on the course of the Kursk operation – our active operations in designated areas on enemy territory.

We continue to defend the Sumy and Kharkiv regions by destroying the occupiers on the approaches to our land.

I’m grateful to all the units for their resilience, for months of endurance, and for one of Ukraine’s most important achievements during this war – the Kursk operation.

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[PommyMommy]

Today, I was in Sumy region – one of the directions where a lot is at stake. I personally thanked our warriors and everyone carrying out missions in the Kursk region, defending our state and our Sumy region from the Russians’ unrelenting desire to advance into Ukraine from these directions. I am grateful to all our soldiers and sergeants, to every officer fighting with absolute heroism in these areas.

Since August of last year, our units have been fighting on enemy territory—one of Ukraine’s most significant achievements in this war. It is entirely fair to bring the war back to where it came from.

We spoke with the commanders of our units in this area – discussed key needs, additional support, equipment supply, drones, operational issues. We are working to defend our positions. We know what the enemy is counting on. In any case, we will defend our state, our independence and our people.

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Our defenders in the Sumy region are the true shield of northern Ukraine. Since August, they have been holding back Russian and North Korean forces and disrupting their plans.

Their actions have forced Russia to divert significant forces from other directions, weakening the pressure there.

I thank all the warriors who soldier on, hold the northern line and endure. Your strength, resilience, and precision are deeply appreciated.

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[Betty P]

Why does the US think they can dictate to the whole world what and where they buy anything from.
I must be missing something ?

It’s not the US trying to wrongly dictate to the rest of the world. It’s just the morons and criminals working on Pennsylvania Avenue in DC.