Russia is going to war with Ukraine, and the consequences for the stability of the Russian epoch of war: A warning from the Kremlin
Kortunov suggests that Putin can declare victory and get out on his own terms. But for this he needs a significant achievement on the ground. It’s fine if Russia does not get to where it was on the 24 February of this year. Our mission has been accomplished. There should be something that the public thinks is a victory.
He called on Ukraine to “cease fire” immediately and “sit down at the negotiating table,” but added: “We will not negotiate the choice of the people. It has been made. Russia will not betray it.”
Andrey Kortunov, who runs the Kremlin-backed Russian International Affairs Council in Moscow, sees it, too. He told CNN that President Putin wants to end it as quickly as possible.
Putin’s recent heavy-handed conscription drive for 300,000 troops won’t reverse his battlefield losses any time soon, and is backfiring at home, running him up a dangerous political tab.
The total exodus was put higher by independent Russian media. They say that since they were drafted, more military age men have fled the country than have fought in the war.
Western analysts noted that Russia has complained about these deliveries for a long time, but was not aggressive in its response to the crossing of red lines.
Kortunov says he doesn’t know what goes on in the Kremlin but that he understands the public mood over the huge costs and loss of life in the war. Many people would start asking questions, why did we get into this mess? We lost a lot of people.
He used the same playbook annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and now, like then, threatens potential nuclear strikes should Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, try to take the annexed territories back.
Western leaders are in a battle of brinksmanship with Putin. Jake Sullivan told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Washington would respond “decisively” if Moscow deployed nuclear weapons against Ukraine and made it clear to Moscow that it would face catastrophic consequences.
The First Detonations in Ukraine: Putin’s War in a Corner and the Kremlin’s Coming to an End
The first and second detonations took place at around 2 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
Within hours, patches of the sea were discovered, Danes and Germans sent warships to secure the area, and Norway increased security around its oil and gas facilities.
Russia denies it is responsible and says it has begun its own investigation. But former CIA chief John Brennan said Russia has the expertise to inflict this type of damage “all the signs point to some type of sabotage that these pipelines are only in about 200 feet or so of water and Russia does have an undersea capability to that will easily lay explosive devices by those pipelines.”
Brennan thinks that Russia is the most likely culprit for the sabotage, and thatPutin is trying to send a signal to Europe that Russia can reach beyond its borders. So who knows what he might be planning next.”
The 2nd and 1st ofNord Stream were halted by Putin as Europe rushed to replenish gas reserves in time for the winter, while curtailing Russian demands for supplies and searching for replacements.
The war in Ukraine may have entered a new phase, and Putin may have his back against the wall, but an end to the conflict could still be a very long way off.
Putin will attempt to split Western allies over terms of peace as a way to test Western resolve having failed in the face of military unity.
It is expected that Putin will plead for France and Germany to use their influence to end the war and force the Ukrainians to give up their weapons.
Putin knows he is in a corner, but doesn’t seem to realize how small a space he has, and that of course is what’s most worrying – would he really make good on his nuclear threats?
The large-scale Russian attack on the country almost simultaneously caused the conflict to spiral into a new phase and left much of the country back to normal.
Moscow fired at least 84 cruise missiles toward Ukraine on Monday, the Ukrainian military said, 43 of which were neutralized by missile defense systems. The Russian attack drones were used in the fight, as well as 13 that were destroyed.
Two days after an eruption damaged a crucial bridge, it was announced that an attack on the Kremlin was imminent. The explosion that Putin blamed on Ukrainians and described as an act of terror put him under intense pressure to respond with force because he had already seen many Russian losses on the battlefield.
Putin made the statement on television on Monday, saying it was impossible to leave such crimes unanswered. If attempts to carry out terrorist attacks on our territory continues, our response from Russia will be tough and will correspond in scale to the level of threats to the Russian Federation.
Kiev KIEV MISLIKE STREAKS: Putin’s response to the Bridge Explosions, Ukraine’s security council and the United Nations secretary-general
The underground stations in the subway system were suspended for several hours on Monday. But the air raid alert in the city was lifted at midday, as rescue workers sought to pull people from the rubble caused by the strikes.
Demys Shmygal said Monday that as of 11 a.m. there had been 11 critical infrastructure facilities damaged in eight regions.
The Ukrainian State Emergency Services said that the electricity supply had been cut in several places. Electricity was mostly disrupted in the rest of the country.
On Monday, Putin chaired a Security Council meeting, a day after he described the bridge explosions as a terrorist attack and said they were carried out by Ukrainian special services.
The Russian-appointed head of annexed Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, said he had “good news” Monday, claiming that Russia’s approaches to what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine “have changed.”
He said that if such actions to destroy the enemy’s infrastructure had been taken every day, they would have been able to defeat the Kyiv regime in May.
“They are trying to annihilate us and wipe us off the face of the earth,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram on Monday as the scale of the attacks became clear. That’s all, in a nutshell. They are trying to slaughter our people who are sleeping in their homes in Zaporizhzhia. They are trying to kill people who are on their way to work in Dnipro and Kyiv.”
The EU Foreign Policy Chief stated that additional military support from the EU was on it’s way after the strikes.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte claimed that Putin was causing problems for innocent civilians in Ukrainian cities. “[The Netherlands] condemns these heinous acts. Putin does not seem to understand that the will of the Ukrainian people is unbreakable.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the attacks “another unacceptable escalation of the war and, as always, civilians are paying the highest price.”
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/10/europe/ukraine-kyiv-missile-strikes-russia-intl/index.html
The Attacks on Kyiv’s Energy Infrastructure and the Return of Business Confidence During the Second Day of the Second World War
The G7 will hold an emergency meeting via teleconference on Tuesday and Zelensky will address it, according to the German Chancellor’s office.
Editor’s Note: Michael Bociurkiw (@WorldAffairsPro) is a global affairs analyst. He is currently the Atlantic Council’s senior fellow and a former spokesman for Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He is a regular contributor to CNN Opinion. His opinions are not reflected in this commentary. CNN has more opinion.
The significance of the strikes on central Kyiv, and close to the government quarter, cannot be overstated. Western governments should see it as a red line being crossed on this 229th day of the war.
The area around my office in Odesa remained quiet as air raid sirens wailed, with reports of missiles and drones being shot down. (Normally at this time of the day, nearby restaurants would be heaving with customers, and chatter of plans for upcoming weddings and parties).
Monday’s attacks also came just a few hours after Zaporizhzhia, a southeastern city close to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, was hit by multiple strikes on apartment buildings, mostly while people slept. Many people are dead and many are injured.
In a video that was filmed outside his office on Monday, Zelensky said that many of the missile strikes across the country were aimed at the country’s energy infrastructure. The Prime Minister said that 11 infrastructure facilities, including the capital, have been damaged.
In scenes reminiscent of the early days of the war when Russian forces neared the capital, some Kyiv media outlets temporarily moved their operations to underground bomb shelters. In one metro station serving as a shelter, large numbers of people took cover on platforms as a small group sang patriotic Ukrainian songs.
Indeed, millions of people in cities across Ukraine will be spending most of the day in bomb shelters, at the urging of officials, while businesses have been asked to shift work online as much as possible.
As many regions of Ukrainians began to roar back to life, the attacks risked causing another blow to business confidence, with many asylum seekers returning home.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/10/opinions/putin-russia-war-ukraine-strikes-crimea-bridge-bociurkiw/index.html
Putin’s first attack on Russia: confronting Putin with a new weapon in order to preserve his legacy and protect his country’s assets
Hardwiring newly claimed territory with expensive, record-breaking infrastructure projects seems to be a penchant of dictators. Putin personally opened the Kerch bridge, Europe’s longest, in his own way. One of the things that China did after they reclaimed Macau and Hong Kong was to connect the former British and Portuguese territories with a sea crossing bridge. Two years of delays resulted in the opening of the road bridge.
The reaction among Ukrainians to the explosion was instantaneous: humorous memes lit up social media channels like a Christmas tree. Many shared their sense of jubilation via text messages.
For Putin, consumed by pride and self-interest, sitting still was never an option. He responded in the only way he knows how, by unleashing more death and destruction, with the force that probably comes natural to a former KGB operative.
Putin has been placed on thin ice because of the increased criticism at home and on state-controlled television.
In the first days and weeks of the Russian full-scale invasion, a Russian attack intended to take advantage of the leader’s absence might have stirred confusion in the Ukrainian military. But 10 months into the war, no prominent military analyst has recently questioned Ukrainian command and control in the military.
What is crucially important now is for Washington and other allies to use urgent telephone diplomacy to urge China and India – which presumably still have some leverage over Putin – to resist the urge to use even more deadly weapons.
Against a man who probes for weakness and tends to exploit divisions, the most important thing for the West right now is to show unity and resolve. Western governments also need to realize that rhetoric and sanctions have little if no impact on Putin’s actions. They need to continue to arm Ukrainians and provide urgent training, even if it means sending military experts closer to the battlefield to speed up the integration of high technology weapons.
There are high tech defense systems needed to protect important energy infrastructure in the country. The heating systems need to be protected with winter just around the corner.
Zelensky’s Implications for the U.S. and Ukraine: a Consistent Drumbeat from the Biden Administration
It is time for the West to furtherisolated Russia by trade and travel restrictions, but Turkey and Gulf states which receive many Russian tourists need to be pressured to come on board.
Biden invited Zelensky to Washington this week because he believes the war in Ukraine is entering a “new phase,” officials said ahead of the visit. As winter sets in and Russia continues targeting civilian infrastructure, the moment seemed ripe for Zelensky to make a dramatic public appeal for continued international support.
While Mr. Biden vowed to continue his support for as long as possible, Republicans in Congress are looking to take control of the House in January. Just hours before news of Mr. Zelensky’s visit broke, Republican leaders in that chamber had instructed rank-and-file lawmakers to oppose a roughly $1.7 trillion spending bill that includes the Ukraine aid.
The new announcement will add to the nearly $20 billion in US security assistance provided to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began, and will come at the same moment US lawmakers are considering a sweeping government spending measure that includes an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance to the country.
The Department of Defense told us that NASAMS was still not in the hands of the US. At the time, Brig. The Gen said two systems would be delivered in the next two months, and the other six would arrive at an unknown date.
All this adds up to a complex path ahead for the Zelensky administration, especially if liberating Crimea from Russia is part of the definition of victory envisioned by most Ukrainians. The tough guy from the district shows no sign that he will back down.
Yes. There is an enormous $45 billion aid package in the works, and while not all military, it is part of a consistent drumbeat from the Biden administration. The message is simple: Ukraine is receiving as much aid as Washington can provide, short of boots on the ground, and that aid will not stop.
The Kremlin and the War in Ukraine: Comment on the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Mark Milley, in a White House on Wednesday
Kirby said that it is clear that he is feeling the pressure at home and overseas, and he can only speak about how he reacts to that.
Biden warned last week about the dangers of Putin’s nuclear threat, as well as the possibility of Armageddon. Multiple US officials said the comment was not based on any new intel about Putin or changes in Russia’s nuclear posture.
During internal conversations about the war in Ukraine, America’s top general, Chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, has in the last few weeks led a push to seek a diplomatic solution.
The result is a debate about whether the recent gains on the battlefield will prompt a renewed effort to seek an end to the fighting, according to officials.
In the past few days, Milley has been pushing for peace, just as Kherson is being reclaimed by the Ukranian. In a speech to the Economic Club of New York on Wednesday, Milley said that an overt military victory is out of reach for the Ukrainian army.
The comments left the administration officials unsurprised, but also raised concerns that the administration was being seen as a divided group in the eyes of the Kremlin.
A senior administration official said that Mr. Biden would not come to the meeting on Wednesday “with a message that is about pushing or prodding or poking Zelensky in any way” toward finding a diplomatic end to the war with Russia. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the trip had not been formally announced, said Russia had given no indication it was willing to engage in good-faith talks about ending the war.
Milley wanted to make it clear that he was not urging a capitulation, but that he believed it was an optimal time to drive toward an end to the war, so that more death and destruction could be avoided.
That view is not shared across the administration. The State Department is not on the same side of the pole as Milley. There is a situation where military brass are more in favor of diplomacy than US diplomats.
Milley’s position comes as the US military has dug deep into US weapons stockpiles to support the Ukrainians and is currently scouring the globe for materials to support Ukraine heading into winter – such as heaters and generators – which has raised concerns about how long this war can be sustained, officials said.
The US intends to buy 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition from South Korean arms manufacturers to provide to Ukraine, a US official said, part of a broader effort to find available weaponry for the high-intensity battles unfolding in Ukraine. As part of the deal, the US will purchase 100,000 rounds of 155mm howitzer ammunition, which will then be transferred to Ukraine through the US.
The Ukrainian president has declared independence and life in the West Bank of the Kherson region. It is a celebration of freedom, democracy, independence, democracy and sovereignty
State Department spokesperson Ned Price would not say Thursday whether the State Department agrees with Milley’s position. Instead, Price deflected to a position that US officials have often made in recent months: the US sides with Zelensky who has said that a diplomatic solution is needed.
Russia will continue doing what it does, and we will do what we do. And that is to not be deterred from our support for Ukraine, and for us and Zelensky to not be deterred to travel as he sees fit to advance his people’s interests,” the official said.
The Ukrainian President said Friday was a historic day because Russia decided to withdraw from the west bank of the Kherson region.
The Ukrainian president was in an effort to convince the American people to stick with his country. The battles of American soldiers against the Nazis in 1944 are what he invoked. The attacks by Russia left a large portion of the country without power, heat and running water, so Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas by candle rather than flowers. He doesn’t complain or compare who has it harder. The country wants to continue the fight until it gets the help it needs.
As Zelensky pleaded for continuing and growing support, he wouldn’t be so brazen, so blunt to phrase it directly, but we should know the truth: He may be saying thank you, but it is the free world that should be thanking Ukraine. Ukrainians are trying to get freedom, democracy and the notion of national sovereignty.
The threat of mines would lead to stabilization measures. mines and explosives were left at vital facilities by the occupiers. He said they would be clearing them.
Our defenders are followed by police and power engineers. Social services are returning. Is this true? Life is returning,” he said.
The Resurrection of Life in the Freed Regions of Mykolaiv and the Implications for the Biden-Xi Summit
Officials also on Friday warned displaced residents to hold off on returning to their homes in the newly retaken areas of Kherson, saying, “It’s too dangerous here now.”
In neighboring Mykolaiv region: The head of the regional military administration of Mykolaiv visited the small city of Snihurivka Friday to discuss “the restoration of life in the liberated territories of the region.”
Kim warned residents to be careful despite the fact that the services have begun moving mines in liberated territories.
Editor’s Note: Frida Ghitis, a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a weekly columnist for The Washington Post, a weekly columnist for CNN, and a columnist for World Politics Review. Her own views are expressed in this commentary. View more opinion on CNN.
The Biden-Xi summit came at a good time for the West and not a moment too soon. It is a threat to Taiwan and a key rival of the United States that China is a major violator of human rights. It’s vital to avoid a Cold War or an accidental conflict.
A well-functioning democratic process in the US is likely disappointing to Xi and other autocrats hoping that deep divisions not only continue to weaken the country from within but also prove that democracy is chaotic and ineffective, inferior to their autocratic systems, as they like to claim. The President was brought to his feet with a stronger hand.
This was the ideal moment for this meeting to happen because of the United States and democracy, and there is more to it than that.
The End of Vladimir Putin’s Adventure in Kherson and his Campaign for a Cold War: the Crucial Rebuke to China from the Security Council
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was emotional as he returned to Kherson, a city destroyed by Russian invaders.
Putin and Xi, the world’s leading autocrats, looked ascendant, unstoppable even. Meanwhile, Western democracies appeared unsettled, roiled by sometimes violent protests against Covid-19 restrictions. Putin was about to win in Ukraine. While hosting the Olympics, Xi was preparing to solidify his control of China, as he basked in attention.
Putin’s adventure had a disastrous end as the Ukrainians defended their country with unexpected determination and as Biden rallied allies in a push to support Ukraine.
In September, when Putin and XI met again, China had not done anything to support Russia in the way that they had done before. More recently, after the Russian President thinly threatened to use nuclear weapons, Xi rebuked him.
As he becomes a pariah on the world stage, Putin decided not to attend the G20 summit in Indonesia.
Zelensky and Putin: the first presidents of the European Union to shake hands with a bully or a bear: what did he do in Kiev?
Biden is not the only leader with a strong hand. China’s leader now has the power to rule for as long as he wants, after he secured a third term. He does not have to worry about elections, the press, or the opposition party. He is essentially the absolute ruler of a mighty country for many years to come.
And yet Xi faces a mountain of daunting problems. The economy has slowed down so much that China is reluctant to reveal economic data. China’s Covid-19 vaccine is disappointing. And partly because of that, China is imposing draconian lockdowns as the rest of the world gradually returns to normalcy after the pandemic.
It is important to show that democracy works, defeating efforts of autocratic countries such as China and Russia to undermine it, and proving that unprovoked wars of aggression, aimed at suppressing democracy and conquering territory, won’t succeed.
In Paris at the time, I witnessed how Zelensky pulled up to the Élysée Palace in a modest Renault, while Putin motored in with an ostentatious armored limousine. (The host, French President Emmanuel Macron, hugged Putin but chose only to shake hands with Zelensky).
Zelensky said after the summit that the prisoner swap with Russia was the beginning of the end of the conflict in eastern Ukraine which claimed the lives of over 15,000 people.
Zelensky the brand is beyond the man. Since the Ukrainian leader is wearing olive green t-shirts whenever he is pictured with everyone from Vogue journalists to military commanders, it is almost impossible for them to avoid him.
Zelensky, the Scrappy Kid who stood up to Putin, and the launching of the Ukrainian war-torsion campaign
It’s not unusual for Western backers to be worried if the battlefield isn’t demonstrated with billions of dollars worth of military kit. capitulation to Russia is a political death sentence.
Zelensky’s upbringing in the rough and tumble neighborhoods of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine shaped him into a scrappy kid who learned how to respond to bullies.
He knew what he needed to do after he got into a position of being bullied, according to Yhor Hlibovytsky, a former political journalist and founder of the think.
This, after all, is the leader who when offered evacuation by the US as Russia launched its full-scale invasion, quipped: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”
It is easy to forget that Zelensky was the only one who stood up to Donald Trump when the president was trying to bamboozle an inexperienced politician in a corruption scandal.
The campaign celebration in a converted Ukranian nightclub where Zelensky thanked his supporters for a resounding victory was a long way from now. He looked in disbelief as he stood on stage and saw the confetti that he had just defeated Petro Poroshenko.
In the weeks before the assault, around 45% of Ukrainians said they did not trust Zelensky to lead them into war. It was a rating likely influenced by him not keeping some of his campaign promises, especially failing to launch an effective fight against corruption in the judiciary.
A lot of people from his previous life are in his bubble. The press conference held on the platform of the metro station in Ukranian in the middle of war had perfect lighting and camera angles to emphasize a wartime setting.
As for his skills as comforter in chief, I remember well the solace his nightly televised addresses brought in the midst of air raid sirens and explosions in Lviv.
The Rise and Fall of the Ukraine: A View from a Silicon Valley Viewpoint on the Rise of the Cold War in the 21st Century
Zelensky is projecting himself as a competent and confident young man in a modern way, by wearing T-shirts and hoodies, the youthful uniform of Silicon Valley rather than suits, according to a fashion historian.
She said that he is more comfortable on camera as an actor than Putin is. “I believe both of them want to come across as relatable, not aloof or untouchable, although Zelensky is definitely doing a better job balancing authority with accessibility.”
Journeying to where her husband can’t, Zelenska has shown herself to be an effective communicator in international fora – projecting empathy, style and smarts. Most recently, she met with King Charles during a visit to a refugee assistance center at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in London. Zelenska was not on the cover of TIME magazine, but a reference was given to her in the supporting text.
Zelensky has strong tailwinds at his back, but there are signs that his influence may be waning. For example, last week, in what analysts called a pivotal moment in geopolitics, the G7 imposed a $60 a barrel price cap on Russian crude – despite pleas from Zelensky that it should have been set at $30 in order to inflict more pain on the Kremlin.
Within Ukraine, the economy continues to stumble from the impact of war and persistent missile and drone attacks on critical power infrastructure – including at least 76 strikes on Friday. Millions of Ukrainians don’t have heat, electricity or water during the winter. If theUkrainians succeed in defeating Russia, they will endure hardship for two to five years. This is because of the resilience that theUkrainians have shown since the start of the war.
As Zelensky said in a recent nightly video address: “No matter what the aggressor intends to do, when the world is truly united, it is then the world, not the aggressor, determines how events develop.”
The Ukrainian soldiers presented Mr. Zelensky with a flag on his surprise visit to the ravaged city of Bakhmut on Tuesday. He promised to give it to President Biden, according to Ukrainian media who joined him on the trip. While no official comment was made by his office, the moment was captured on camera. It was not clear, however, that Mr. Zelensky was actually preparing to imminently leave the country for the first time since the war began.
The visit to the White House, which hasn’t been finalized and has remained tightly held due to security concerns, will include a meeting with Biden and top administration officials and is planned to coincide with the administration’s intent to send the country a new defense assistance package. A US official told CNN that Biden will announce an additional $2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, a boost in aid that will feature the missile systems.
He has made his case for more weaponry and funding at global summits. He has remained inside his country for the duration of the war, a reflection both of his desire to rally his besieged country and the precarious security situation he would face outside Ukraine.
Zelensky met with soldiers and handed out awards, according to his office. Video posted by state TV showed the president clad in fatigues and a flak vest presenting awards to troops. Bakhmut has seen some of the most ferocious fighting in the whole of the country since Russian forces launched their siege on the city in earnest in May, turning it into ruins.
Zelensky’s US Army Air Force Visit to the White House during the Special Session ”Democracy Wednesday Night”
The special session of the 116th Congress will end with legislation that makes progress for the American people as well as support for our democracy. Please be present for a very special focus on Democracy Wednesday night,” Ms. Pelosi wrote.
Though the visit might last only hours, the two are expected to convene a White House news conference before Zelensky addresses members of Congress on Capitol Hill in prime time.
Ukraine has been asking for the system for months but the logistical challenges of delivering it and operating it are immense. The senior administration official told CNN that the reality of what is happening on the ground led the administration to make the decision.
It’s not known how many missile guns will be sent but a typical defense system features a radar set, a control station, and up to eight missiles each with ready to fire missiles.
The official said US troops would train Ukrainians to use the system in a third country. CNN has previously reported the training would occur at a US Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
Larger air defense systems require many more people to operate, compared to thePatriot missile batteries. The United States normally takes more than a year to train for its missile batteries, but will now have to deal with daily aerial attacks from Russia.
The visit by the Ukrainian leader to Washington, expected to last only a matter of hours, nonetheless amounts to a remarkable moment 10 months since Russia’s war in Ukraine began.
Zelensky, the official said was very eager to visit the US, determined those parameters met his needs, and the US would work on executing them. The confirmation of the trip was made on Sunday.
US officials didn’t provide additional details about the security arrangements for Zelensky, including if he went on a military plane out of his country. It has been hard to transfer in and out of the country. Western leaders who have visited Kyiv over the past year have journeyed on a lengthy train ride from Poland.
Russia has missiles that can be fired at other nations, and a missile barrage timed for a visit by a president would be within Russia’s capabilities. Zelensky may think that the visit might hurt his political career if there’s a lot of chatter about Russia’s intentions to respond to Ukrainian ties.
Biden’s request for extra security and humanitarian aid as a blow to the Democrats in the House of Representative Pelosi’s confirmation campaign
The appearance would mark a potentially electrifying moment as Democratic control of the House — and Ms. Pelosi’s reign as speaker and a member of Democratic leadership — comes to a conclusion, with Republicans set to take over on Jan. 3.
In Washington, Republicans that will take control of Congress have made it clear they won’t rubberstamp each of Biden’s requests for assistance. Congress is on the verge of approving almost $50 billion in additional security and economic assistance.
Some Republicans in the House have repeatedly opposed previous packages that sent billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid, suggesting the money is wasteful or better spent in the United States. Just earlier on Tuesday, Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a far-right Republican, posted on Twitter scoffing at the release of the new aid.
The Times and the War Between the USA and Russia: What should we tell the world before sending it off? A critical warning on the American response to the Pearl Harbor attack
What we consider before using anonymous sources. The sources may know the information. What motivates them to tell us? Is they reliable in the past? Can we see that the information is true? The Times uses anonymous sources despite the questions being satisfied. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source.
Zelensky’s arrival will draw poignant echoes of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s arrival in Washington, 81 years ago on Thursday, days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Christmas visit would cement the alliance that would win World War II and build the post-war democratic world.
The US decision to fulfill a longstanding request from the Ukrainians shows how Washington is matching its aid to the shifting strategy of Russia. It has mounted an effective attempt to weaponize the bitter winter weather to break the will of Ukrainian civilians in order to counter Russia’s brutal missile attacks on cities and electricity installations.
Zelensky’s trip shows a critical moment when a war that can’t be won without upgraded US support may be decided before Russia regroups.
Kevin McCarthy, a potential speaker of the House, is aware of pressure from his right flank, and warnsUkraine not to expect a blank check from the new House. Even though Ukraine still has strong Republican support in the Senate, it’s this kind of shifting political dynamic that appears to inform Kremlin perceptions about how long US resolve will last in a conflict on which Putin’s political survival may well depend.
In March, for instance, Zelensky evoked Mount Rushmore and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream Speech” during a virtual address to Congress. He also referred to two days of infamy in modern history when Americans directly experienced the fear of aerial bombardment.
“Remember Pearl Harbor, terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Zelensky told them to just remember. “Remember September 11, a terrible day in 2001 when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories, into battlefields. When innocent people were attacked, attacked from air, just like nobody else expected it, you could not stop it. Our country experiences the same every day.”
The 11 Years of World War II Wartime Sailing: A Brief Report from Mr. Churchill to the U.S. Senate and Implications for a Trump-era Border Rule
The wartime British leader sailed to the United States aboard HMS Duke of York, dodging U-boats in the wintery Atlantic and took a plane from the coast of Virginia to Washington, where he was met on December 22, 1941, by President Franklin Roosevelt before their joint press conference the next day.
Over a number of days, the two leaders created a plan to beat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan and then drank champagne in the evening and had breakfast the next day.
Churchill, who had pined for US involvement in World War II for months and knew it was the key to defeating Adolf Hitler, said during his visit, “I spend this anniversary and festival far from my country, far from my family, and yet I cannot truthfully say that I feel far from home.”
The historical parallels are likely to be appreciated by the Ukrainian leader. He paraphrased one of Churchill’s most famous wartime speeches in an emotional address to British members of parliament in March.
The panel referred former President Donald Trump to the Justice Department on at least four criminal charges during its final public meeting on Monday.
The central cause of January 6th is one man and many others followed him, the committee writes in a summary of its final report. He was the person who made the events of January 6th happen.
Senate leaders are aiming Wednesday to take the procedural steps necessary to pass a year-long federal spending bill by Thursday and send it to the House, where it is expected to be adopted.
A controversial Trump-era border restriction known as Title 42 that was set to expire Wednesday will remain in place until the Supreme Court issues an order – which can come at any time, although the court has no deadline.
The Biden administration told the Supreme Court Tuesday that the justices should reject an emergency bid by a group of GOP-led states to keep the restriction in effect while legal challenges play out. The court was asked to delay the ending of Title 42 until December 27 because of an influx of migrants and the upcoming holiday weekend.
The rule has allowed border officials to immediately turn away migrants who have crossed the southern border illegally, all in the name of Covid-19 prevention. There have been nearly 2.5 million expulsions – mostly under the Biden administration, which has been bracing for an influx of arrivals if the authority lifts.
The hearing for Sam Bankman- Fried arrives in the U.S. from the Dominican Republic on Wednesday after he left the House of Representatives
The Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday asserted that the IRS failed to properly audit Trump’s taxes while he was in office. The former president claimed massive annual losses that helped reduce his tax burden, according to a report released by it.
The hearing for Sam Bankman- Fried will be held on Wednesday, according to the court administrator.
Grant confirmed the timing of Wednesday’s hearing shortly after Jerone Roberts, Bankman-Fried’s Bahamian attorney, spent several hours in the courthouse Tuesday afternoon and then left amid a swarm of unanswered questions from reporters.
Bankman- Fried was arrested at his house in the Dominican Republic a week ago, just before he was scheduled to testify before the House Financial Services Committee.
There are two key headline deliverables: first, the Patriot missile systems. Complex, accurate, and expensive, they have been described as the US’s “gold standard” of air defense. NATO guards them and they require their personnel to be properly trained if they want to operate them.
The second are for the Ukrainian jets. Most of the weapons that are fired towards a target aredumb. More and more Western standards of precision weaponry have been provided to the country of Ukraine.
Guidance kits, which are used to shoot down missiles and bombs, are likely to be included in the new deal. The increase in accuracy will allow them to burn through more bullets. A lot of the $1.8 billion is expected to fund munitions replacements and stocks.
Zelensky’s historic speech to the White House: Bringing an end to the tyranny of Ukraine, and showing solidarity to the West
But Moscow is struggling to equip and rally its conventional forces, and, with the exception of its nuclear forces, appears to be running out of new cards to play. China and India have joined the West in stating their opposition to nuclear force, which has made that option less likely.
There is some doubt about how much assistance the US should be sending to the edges of eastern Europe.
Washington’s trillion-dollar defense budget makes it fairly light on the bill for defeating Russia in this long and dark conflict.
In one emotional standing ovation, members of the United States Congress almost drowned out the Ukrainian president when they rose to their feet. It was a great day, with an extraordinary culmination on the evening.
He told Congress that their money was not charity, and that they would soon have more sway over military and economic support. It is an investment in the global security and democracy and we handle it in the most responsible way.
The victory by the Ukrainians tells dictators that the old days of strong countries invading, and swallowing their neighbors are over. Everyone would be changed by the loss of Ukraine. This is not just their war, that’s clear.
Zelensky said at the White House press conference that they would win against the tyranny that is real life.
Underscoring the point, he said the soldiers fighting in the brutal battle for Bakhmut asked him to give their battle flag – a flag of Ukraine signed by its defenders – as a gift to the U.S. Congress. The House was a sad place.
She said Zelensky’s historic address “strengthened both Democrats and Republicans who understand what is at stake in this fight against Putin and Russian aggression and now with their ally, Iran, as well.”
It was said in the speech that the struggle for Ukrainian people is connected to our own revolution, to our own feelings that we want to be warm in our homes to celebrate Christmas, and to get us to think about all the families in Ukraine that will be huddled in the cold.
She was hopeful that they would send more than one. She noted there’s “been some reluctance in the past” by the US and NATO to provide advanced equipment, but added “We’ve seen with our own eyes how effective Ukrainian military is.”
Clinton, who previously met Russian President Vladimir Putin as US secretary of state, said the leader was “probably impossible to actually predict,” as the war turns in Ukraine’s favor and his popularity fades at home.
Clinton said that the bodies of Russian conscripts would be used in the fight against the Ukrainians.
What did Zelensky say in his visit to the White House during the 2008 World War II? A glimpse into the American War, and what he had to say
Shrouded in secrecy until the last minute, the historic visit was heavy with symbolism, from Zelensky’s drab green sweatshirt to President Joe Biden’s blue-and-yellow striped tie to the Ukrainian battle flag unfurled on the House floor.
Emerging from their talks, both men made clear they see the war entering a new phase. As Russia sends more troops to the frontlines and wages a brutal air campaign against civilian targets, fears of a stalemate are growing.
Zelensky left Washington for a long and risky return trip to the war-torn country, but it was not clear whether there was a path to ending the conflict.
“For me as a president, ‘just peace’ is no compromises,” he said, indicating he doesn’t see any road to peace that involves Ukraine giving up territory or sovereignty.
The 10-point peace formula that Zelensky said he had presented to Biden was the same plan he offered to world leaders at the G20 summit, according to US officials.
Biden said it was up to Zelensky to decide how he wanted the war to end.
Zelensky mentioned the important battles of American history during his address to the lawmakers, such as the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
He delivered his address in English, a purposeful choice he telegraphed ahead of the speech. His Army green shirt, cargo pants and boots were designed to remind his audience they were with a wartime leader.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/politics/takeaways-volodymyr-zelensky-visit-to-washington/index.html
On the role of the United States in the fight against Ukraine: The example of a country that is not so distant from its own: The story of Zelensky
Zelensky has demonstrated that he has an ability to appeal to his audience, be that national legislatures or the audience of the Grammys.
On Wednesday, he sought to harness Americans’ emotional response to his country’s suffering, evoking dark winter nights as Russia seeks to interrupt Ukraine’s power supply.
“We will celebrate Christmas, maybe candlelit. Not because it’s more romantic, no, but because there will be no electricity,” he said. The light of faith won’t be put out on Christmas if there is no electricity.
But he also seemed aware that many Americans – including some Republicans in Congress – have wondered aloud why billions of US dollars are needed for a conflict thousands of miles away. He wanted the cause to be more than his homeland.
Just beneath the surface, tensions can be seen. Zelensky has persistently pressed for more US support despite Biden directing tens of billions of dollars in military assistance to his country.
That has not always sat well with Biden or his team. But as he has with a host of other foreign leaders, Biden appeared intent Wednesday on translating physical proximity into a better understanding of his counterpart.
Looking in the eye is all that matters. I think it’s sincere. I don’t think there is any substitute for sitting down face to face with a friend or a foe and looking them in the eye,” he said.
Zelensky’s Wartime Heroes: Bringing the War to the House of Representatives and vice-President Kamala Harris
This story was adapted from the December 22 edition of CNN’s Meanwhile in America, the daily email about US politics for global readers. You can read past editions by clicking here.
The comic actor-turned-wartime hero effectively put the fate of millions of Ukrainians in the hands of American lawmakers, taxpayers and families at a time when there is growing skepticism among the incoming Republican House majority about the cost of US involvement.
At an emotional peak of his speech in the House chamber, Zelensky handed Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris a Ukrainian flag he retrieved from the hottest battle front at Bakhmut on Tuesday.
“Our heroes … asked me to bring this flag to you, to the US Congress, to members of the House of Representatives and senators whose decisions can save millions of people,” he said.
His message was that Ukraine’s fight wasn’t just a flash point over a grudge on the fringes of the old Soviet empire. It was that his fight is America’s and everyone’s – to hold back tyranny and save global democracy.
Zelensky’s rhetoric and heroic bearing couldn’t mask the uncertainties and risks of a war that the US is now fighting a proxy battle with Russia.
Zelensky thanked Americans for giving him tens of billions of dollars in weapons and aid. He argued that they couldn’t abandon the independence hero without also suppressing something of their own patriotism.
— To the incoming House Republican majority, some of whose members want to halt aid, the Ukrainian leader’s hero’s welcome in the chamber suggested they would be shamed if they choose to forsake him.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/22/world/volodymyr-zelensky-grit-defiance/index.html
Zelensky: Why do we need to stay with Ukraine? When Putin and Russia fought for the United States in a Cold War
Zelensky shows that the West is united and that Biden means it when he said Wednesday that the conflict between Russia and the West should end on Putin’s terms.
Zelensky argued that despite the US’s largesse, the nation was still being outgunned despite the arrival of high-tech weapons.
The president has limited the potency of the weapons he sends into the battle, balancing the need to defend a European democracy with the desire not to trigger a disastrous direct clash with Russia and to avoid crossing often invisible red lines whose locations are known only to Putin.
Why don’t we just give everything there is to give to the Ukranians? Biden explained to the White House that pushing force into Ukrainian would break the consensus needed to support the war.
Even though there will be turmoil in Washington next year, America’s lawmakers may not be able to fund their own government.
Several Republican members who have expressed reservations about aid to Ukraine did not applaud when Zelensky was introduced.
On Wednesday evening, President Zelensky went to the ornate US House floor in his trademark green military clothing to shore up his supply line.
Zelensky stood on the dais, dressed in a warrior outfit, and used confident English to claim that he and Russia had defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world.
The speech was a direct plea to Republican legislators to stay with Ukraine, even though it did not mention the elephant in the room.
His remarks came as Congress had been planning to vote this week on a year-long spending bill that includes roughly $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies.
Wednesday’s White House reception could not have been the one Zelensky envisioned years ago when he faced then-President Donald Trump’s call for him to investigate Biden in exchange for military aid. Zelensky thanked Americans in the chamber where Trump was impeached three years ago, for their help against Russia.
Zelensky’s remarks on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the fight against Putin’s forces: Implications for the relations between the United States and Ukraine
He said that during World War II, US soldiers were trapped in the snow after gaining a foothold in Europe.
Zelensky said that the brave Ukrainian soldiers were fighting back against Putin’s forces just like the brave American soldiers did against Hitler’s forces during the Christmas of 1944.
He pointed out that they will do the fighting for us, but then said that we should give them the tools and they would finish the job. When Anderson Cooper asked, on Wednesday evening, “That’s what the man said,” Kearns Goodwin said, “That’s what the man said.”
Ukrainians are not an official member of NATO, which Putin fears, and that is an important perception for the US. One of the reasons the US didn’t give more direct aid to Ukraine was concern that Putin would attack NATO.
The best platform for a foreign president to speak in the US is an address to Congress. It’s in contrast to Vladimir Putin, who canceled his annual year-end press conference.
But at the same time, it’s clear to Zelensky, and also to Biden, that this is the time to re-engage the US public as Russia’s war drags toward its one-year marker with no indication there is an end to fighting on the way.
Petraeus added it was substantive because of the new money pledged to Ukraine both at the White House and in a larger $1.7 trillion spending bill lawmakers need to pass before Friday.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/22/politics/zelensky-speech-house-republicans-analysis/index.html
U.K. aid to the Ukraine and the U.S. Sen. Markovian senator Kevin McCarthy meets with Zelensky and the other three top congressional leaders
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who wants to be House speaker and needs votes from Ukraine-skeptical Republicans to get there next month, did meet with Zelensky and the other three top congressional leaders.
Some of the aid to the Ukraine has prompted skepticism from the only Ukrainian-born member of Congress.