Ukraine: US Lies, Provocation, Broken Promises, Fake News

[Anthea]

Former EU foreign policy chief resigns
amid expanding corruption probe

Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has resigned from the College of Europe after being charged in a deepening EPPO corruption probe into alleged manipulation of a €1 million diplomatic academy tender, a case now sparking major political fallout across Brussels

Former EU High Representative Federica Mogherini has abruptly left her position at the College of Europe after prosecutors formally charged her in a widening corruption case that is now drawing intense political scrutiny across Brussels.

Mogherini, who was questioned by investigators earlier this week, is accused by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) of a series of offences linked to the creation of an EU-backed diplomatic training academy. The charges include procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and violations of professional secrecy.

The former European Commission vice president, who has led the College of Europe in Bruges since 2020, confirmed her departure in a public statement on Thursday. She said she was stepping aside “in line with the utmost rigor and fairness with which I always carried out my duties.”

Mogherini also announced she would relinquish her responsibilities as director of the EU Diplomatic Academy, the institution at the heart of the investigation.

Alleged irregularities in academy tender

The case follows a series of coordinated searches carried out earlier this month by Belgian police, acting on EPPO’s instructions and with support from OLAF, the EU’s anti-fraud office, at the College of Europe, the headquarters of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and several private residences. The raids were authorized after EPPO secured the lifting of immunity for certain EU officials implicated in the probe.

EPPO prosecutors are examining whether the tender process for the academy, conducted in 2021-22, was manipulated to favour the College of Europe. According to the office, investigators have “strong suspicions” that confidential documents were passed to one bidder, providing an advantage in securing the contract for the program, which launched in 2023 with a budget close to €1 million. All three suspects were detained for questioning before being released, with investigators stating they were not considered flight risks, though the charges remain active.

Mogherini is one of three individuals charged. Among the others is senior EU diplomat Stefano Sannino, who previously served as secretary-general of the European External Action Service and now works at the European Commission.

He announced on Wednesday that he would retire at the end of the month. A third suspect has not been publicly identified, in line with EPPO practice, but prosecutors confirmed that the investigation concerns both EU officials and staff linked to the College.

Mogherini’s legal team has dismissed the accusations. Her lawyer told reporters that she denies any wrongdoing and is fully cooperating with the authorities.

Political repercussions

EU observers quoted by Politico have warned that the affair could develop into one of the most damaging governance crises to hit Brussels in years, particularly at a moment when the bloc is pressuring partner countries to tighten their own anti-corruption standards. The outlet reported that the episode has also reignited political efforts to unseat Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The case is already being compared by analysts to the Qatargate scandal that engulfed the European Parliament, with some warning that the proximity of this investigation to the EU’s diplomatic machinery makes it even more politically sensitive. The fact that investigators are scrutinizing a flagship training project for future EU diplomats has also deepened concerns about institutional oversight and procurement integrity.

The controversy is already being seized upon by critics inside the EU. Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto argued that the episode exposes a double standard in Brussels, saying the EU avoids acknowledging rampant corruption in Ukraine because doing so would risk shedding light on similar problems within its own institutions.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ing-corrup

[Anthea]

Greece rocked by EU farm subsidy
scandal as dozens arrested

Greek authorities face mounting pressure after an EU probe uncovers fake subsidy claims, corruption, and misuse of millions meant for struggling farmers

Dozens of people were detained across Greece on Wednesday as part of a sweeping investigation into a multimillion-euro EU farm subsidy scandal that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned could seriously damage the country’s agricultural sector. Police confirmed the arrest of 37 suspects in coordinated operations across Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete, and other regions.

The crackdown followed an October 13 raid by the European Union’s anti-fraud agency, OLAF, on the offices of OPEKEPE, the state body responsible for distributing EU agricultural funds.

The EU probe uncovered widespread misuse of subsidies administered by OPEKEPE, which manages over €3 billion ($3.5 billion) in annual support for around 680,000 farmers. Investigators found striking examples of abuse, including false claims for pastures in archaeological zones, olive trees on a military airfield, and even banana farms on Mount Olympus.

The revelations have placed Mitsotakis under intense pressure, particularly given his family’s long-standing political influence in Crete, the region believed to have received much of the fraudulent funding.

He has vowed to ensure that those responsible face prison and that the embezzled money is recovered. On Wednesday, the prime minister cautioned that there was a “great danger” that Greece’s EU agricultural funds could be “placed in doubt” if the scandal is not resolved swiftly.

“It is clear that criminal investigations were involved here, taking advantage of state failings to claim money they were not entitled to,” he told Skai Radio. State auditors have already confiscated €22 million from more than 1,000 fraudulent tax accounts, “Whatever the political cost, I am not backing down,” Mitsotakis declared.

Wider context

Analysts and Greek media have attributed the affair to deep-rooted corruption and a patronage system long entrenched in public administration. The fraudulent claims largely stemmed from false declarations of farmland and livestock ownership.

The scheme took shape after a 2014 reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, which shifted subsidy criteria from livestock numbers to land area. Because Greece lacked a comprehensive land registry at the time, property ownership was often uncertain.

Farmers were therefore allowed to declare land elsewhere in the country, a loophole that opportunists, including politically connected non-farmers, quickly exploited for profit. Estimates suggest that genuine farmers were losing about €70 million annually as a result of the scheme.

During a visit to Athens earlier this month, European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi described OPEKEPE as “the acronym for corruption, nepotism and clientelism.”

She told reporters: “For years, criminals, helped by civil servants and high officials, were stealing European money. This money was supposed to help honest, hardworking farmers and their families to cultivate this beautiful land. Not to pay for villas, sports cars, and God knows what else.”

According to OPEKEPE data, roughly 80 percent of pasture-related subsidies distributed between 2017 and 2020 ended up in Crete. Mitsotakis has emphasized that the fraudulent practices, estimated by Greek authorities to total at least €23 million, began in 2016, before he took office in 2019.

The government “has nothing to hide or to fear from such checks,” he said last month, defending the integrity of his administration. He has also maintained that two agriculture ministers appointed under his leadership, both currently under investigation, bear no criminal responsibility.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/Eco ... s-arrested

[Anthea]

Putin open to ending Ukraine war

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his special envoy Steven Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to resolving the war in Ukraine, following their meeting at the Kremlin

The meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow was constructive, practical, and highly useful, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov stated after the talks, which lasted at least 5 hours.

Russia has stated that while specific formulations were not discussed, the talks focused on the essence of the US proposal. Ushakov also noted that Russia agrees with some of the US proposals but finds others unacceptable.

“Their [Witkoff and Kushner’s] impression was that he [Putin] would like to see the war ended. I think he'd like to get back to dealing with a more normal life. I think he'd like to be trading with the United States of America,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump noted that the meeting in Moscow between Witkoff, Kushner, and the Russian president was "very good," but added that it's still unclear what the outcome will be. "I don't know what the Kremlin is doing," he noted, adding, "We'll see what happens."

Trump also criticized Ukraine’s handling of the conflict, saying the country missed its chance to negotiate a settlement. He claimed to have advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House meeting that Kiev lacked leverage.

“When I was in this office, and I talked [with Zelensky] about ‘no cards,’ I said, ‘You have no cards.’ That was the time to settle. I thought that would have been a much better time to settle, but they [Ukraine], in their wisdom, decided not to do that. They have a lot of things against them right now."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... kraine-war

[Anthea]

Turkey summons Russia, Ukraine
envoys over Black Sea attacks

Turkey has summoned both Russian and Ukrainian diplomats to express concern over a recent series of attacks on Russia-linked vessels within its exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. The development comes amid heightened regional tensions linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine

Deputy Foreign Minister Berris Ekinci confirmed the move on Thursday while speaking to parliament’s foreign affairs commission.

“We are witnessing a very serious escalation in recent weeks in the Russia-Ukraine war with reciprocal attacks. And lastly, there were certain attacks in the Black Sea within our exclusive economic zone as well,” Ekinci said.

“Yesterday and today, we summoned Russia's acting charges d'affaires and Ukraine's ambassador to convey our concerns,” she added.

Ankara concerned over exclusive economic zone violations

The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not disclose details about the specific incidents or vessels involved, but Ankara has repeatedly emphasized its interest in maintaining stability in the Black Sea and safeguarding the integrity of its maritime zones.

The summoning of diplomats from both sides reflects Ankara’s broader policy of balancing its relationships with Moscow and Kiev while seeking to prevent the regional fallout of the conflict from directly impacting Turkish territory or interests.

Earlier in December, Turkey warned that the recent naval-drone strikes in the Black Sea, which targeted two oil tankers near the Turkish shoreline, reflect a concerning escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Since the beginning of Russia's operation against Ukraine, following years of Ukrainian provocations, the Black Sea has been a strategically critical and increasingly tense area

The tensions raised serious security concerns for Ankara, which essentially sought to be a neutral player in the conflict, having diplomatic and economic connections with both sides.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ea-attacks

[Anthea]

Investigation into EU continues

The Anti-corruption squad of the Belgium police have, taken into custody or are investigating some of the biggest, most famous people in EU politics due to alleged fraud of many millions of pounds

Could involve kick-backs, bribes from Zelensky to send him more funding

NO IDEA what is happening but this is big VERY BIG

[Anthea]

US officials support territorial compromise

US authorities continue to view a territorial compromise as a potential component of a future Ukraine settlement, according to Axios, which cited sources familiar with the ongoing negotiations

The report comes as US and Ukrainian negotiators prepare to continue discussions on Saturday, following a series of meetings held on Friday in Miami.

United States and Ukrainian officials entered their second day of negotiations in Miami to discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan to resolve the ongoing Ukraine war.

Talks began Thursday evening and lasted approximately two hours. The Trump peace plan, initially drafted as a 28-point proposal, is reportedly at the center of the dialogue between the two delegations.

The Ukrainian delegation is led by National Security Adviser and Chief Negotiator Rustem Umerov, along with Ukrainian Military Chief of Staff Gen. Andrii Hnatov. Representing the United States are US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law.

“Constructive discussions were held on advancing a credible pathway toward a durable and just peace in Ukraine,” the statement said.

The talks are set to resume on Saturday, according to US officials.
US-Russia discussions briefed to Kiev delegation

The State Department also noted that the results of US talks with Russian officials were shared with the Ukrainian delegation during Friday’s session.

"The participants discussed the results of recent meeting of the American side with the Russians and steps that could lead to ending this war," the statement added.

The delegations agreed on a framework of security arrangements, discussing the deterrence capabilities necessary to sustain a lasting peace. Both sides reportedly emphasized the importance of establishing long-term stability through diplomatic and defense channels.

Trump administration pushes revised peace proposal

Since mid-November, the Trump administration has been promoting a renewed push for peace in Ukraine.

The original 28-point proposal was reduced to 19 points following a round of US, Ukrainian, and European negotiations held in Geneva on November 23. The revised version is currently under review during the Miami peace talks.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... aine-peace

[Anthea]

The UN International Court of Justice

On the UN International Court of Justice’s acceptance for hearing of the matter of Ukraine’s responsibility for genocide and related crimes

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has upheld the Russian Federation’s position and accepted its counter-claims against Ukraine for hearing under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

All objections raised by Kiev regarding the alleged inadmissibility of Russia’s counter-claims have been dismissed in their entirety, and the Russian Federation’s submissions have been accepted by the Court in full.

The ICJ’s ruling, rendered on December 5, marks a logical development following Ukraine’s futile attempts to hold Russia accountable for initiating the special military operation. This litigation was instigated by the Kiev regime and its Western sponsors as far back as February 2022. At that time, Kiev, backed by 33 Western-aligned states, lodged a claim with the ICJ alleging that Russia had violated the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

On February 1, 2024, the ICJ issued a judgement that wholly rejected all of Ukraine’s accusations against Russia. The sole remaining matter before the Court was whether Ukraine itself had committed genocide.

On November 18, 2024, the Russian side submitted to the Court a substantial body of evidence, exceeding 10,000 pages, which substantiates the criminal Kiev regime’s perpetration of genocide against the Russian and Russian-speaking population of #Donbass.

The evidentiary materials included documentation of over 140 incidents of deliberate targeting of civilians in Donbass, corroborated by testimonies from more than 300 witnesses and victims, as well as expert analyses and investigations.

The West-backed Ukrainian government, driven by genocidal intent, employed a broad arsenal of war crimes and other violations of international law against civilians: mass murders, torture, indiscriminate bombardments, and shelling.

Across Ukraine, a policy of forcibly erasing Russian ethnic identity has been implemented — banning the Russian language and culture, persecuting the Russian-speaking Orthodox Church, while simultaneously glorifying collaborators of the Third Reich and obliterating the memory of the Victory over Nazism.

Moscow demanded that Kiev answer for these atrocities, advancing counter-claims not only concerning the Ukrainian authorities’ state-sponsored genocide but also numerous other breaches of the Convention – complicity in genocide, incitement to genocide, and failure to take measures to prevent and punish genocide.

By affirming today the legal admissibility of Russia’s claims, the ICJ has signalled its readiness to assess the full scope of crimes committed by the Kiev regime and its accomplices.

The West’s hopes of wielding “legal weaponry” against Russia have once again been dashed. On the contrary, this weapon is now turned against Kiev’s “plaintiffs.” Against this backdrop, Western support for Kiev has already begun to dwindle sharply: a third of the states previously aligned with Ukraine in this process have hastily withdrawn, evidently recognising the futility — and even the risks — of continued participation.

Other Western nations should likewise cease shielding this criminal neo-Nazi regime and exerting pressure on the ICJ

The Russian Federation, in upholding international law, maintains that the impartiality and objectivity of international judicial bodies are critical to the peaceful resolution of international disputes.

Moscow hopes that the UN International Court of Justice will continue to demonstrate balance and impartiality in its future judgments

[Anthea]

US peace plan for Ukraine
nearing completion

A peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine appears close to being finalized, with the negotiations described as being in the “final stretch” of a battlefield advance, Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump’s special representative for Ukraine, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Dec. 7

Speaking at the Ronald Reagan National Defense Forum in California on December 6, Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, said, “The last 10 meters to the goal are always the most difficult,” referring to ongoing talks over control of Donetsk Oblast and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Kellogg has consistently expressed optimism about the Trump administration’s peace initiative. In a Nov. 23 interview with Fox News, he said, “We are about the last two meters away” from ending the war.

The comments come as Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner lead efforts to promote a revised 28-point US peace plan to both Kiev and Moscow.

Axios reported that territorial concessions and security guarantees for Ukraine remain among the most sensitive issues, with Moscow still insisting that Kiev withdraw from parts of Donetsk Oblast while US negotiators explore alternative proposals.

Zelensky confirms call with Witkoff, Kushner

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that he held a phone conversation with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to US President Donald Trump, to discuss potential proposals for a peace settlement in Ukraine.

“Just now, together with Andrii Hnatov and Rustem Umerov, we had a long and substantive phone call with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner … Not everything can be discussed over the phone, so we will need to work through the details with our teams on the various ideas and proposals,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

He added that the conversation had quickly touched on a wide range of key topics, and he expected a detailed report once the Ukrainian delegation returned to Kiev.

United States and Ukrainian officials entered on December 5 their second day of negotiations in Miami to discuss Trump’s proposed peace plan to resolve the ongoing Ukraine war, according to a report by Axios citing US and Ukrainian sources.

Talks began Thursday evening and lasted approximately two hours. The discussions resumed Friday morning and are expected to continue through Saturday. The Trump peace plan, initially drafted as a 28-point proposal, is reportedly at the center of the dialogue between the two delegations.

The Ukrainian delegation is led by National Security Adviser and Chief Negotiator Rustem Umerov, along with Ukrainian Military Chief of Staff Gen. Andrii Hnatov. Representing the United States are US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... rump-envoy

[Anthea]

REMINDER:

2014 Referendum in Luhansk Oblast

Voters could select yes or no in response to the question: "Do you support the declaration of state independence of the Luhansk People's Republic?

Estimates said 94–98% of those who voted did so for separation. The final results were that 96.2% voted for separation.

Donetsk People's Republic – Chairman Denis Pushilin announced immediately after the referendum passed that the Ukrainian military must leave Donetsk. "All [Ukrainian] military troops on our territory after the official announcement of referendum results will be considered illegal and declared occupiers," Pushilin said. "It is necessary [for the Donetsk People's Republic] to form state bodies and military authorities as soon as possible."

Former President Viktor Yanukovych, who claims to be President-in-exile, acknowledged that an "absolute majority" of citizens of the Donbas region participated in the referendums and appealed to the interim Ukrainian government to withdraw its "mercenaries and troops" from the southeast of the country and to stop "waging war against [its] own people!"

[Anthea]

In a recent interview with Arsen Dmytryk, a lieutenant colonel of the neo-Nazi Azovs, the NAZI Wolfsangel symbol can be seen on his uniform

Azov’s idol Stepan Bandera was a Nazi collaborator, a terrorist and a convicted murderer?

He, together with his trusted lieutenants like Roman Shukhevych, were responsible for the mass extermination of Russians, Jews, Poles and even Ukrainians in the Soviet Union and Poland during World War II

Over the years since 2014, the Azov fighters have conducted punitive operations in Donbass, committing crimes against civilians, including murders and brutal tortures of women and children?

Why is it overlooked that the Azov militants have for years been recruiting Ukrainian children into nationalist formations and indoctrinating them with their racist ideology of hatred of everything Russian?

[Anthea]

Zelensky blocking peace with Russia

Donald Trump says Russia and Ukraine are close to a peace agreement and claims most Ukrainians support a deal, except President Zelensky

US President Donald Trump has claimed that both Russia and Ukraine are nearing an agreement to end the war, suggesting that most Ukrainians support the idea of peace, except Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump: Peace deal “Very close”

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump said, "I thought that we were very close with Russia to having a deal. I thought we were very close with Ukraine to having a deal."

He did not offer details about the framework or timeline of the proposed peace agreement, but emphasized that dialogue between the two sides has progressed.

US will offer security guarantees

Trump added that the United States would be willing to help Ukraine with security guarantees if a peace agreement is reached.

"Basically, we would help. We would help with security, because it's, I think, a necessary factor in getting it [the peace deal] done," he stated.

Regarding nuclear weapons, Trump asserted that he spoke to Russia and China about it, expressing "it would be something that we would not want to do and they would not like to do."

Zelensky accused of blocking peace efforts

In a pointed remark, Trump claimed that most Ukrainians support a deal with Russia, except for the country’s president.

"In fact, other than President Zelensky, people love the concept of the deal," he said.

The comments reflect Trump’s ongoing criticism of Zelensky and echo his past claims that the conflict could have been avoided or resolved earlier through direct negotiations—an approach that contrasts with the current US administration's military and financial backing of Kiev.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ith-russia

[Anthea]

Ceasefire Talks in Berlin

The United States and Ukraine will hold talks in Berlin over the weekend on a possible ceasefire in the war with Russia, ahead of a summit with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy scheduled for Monday, a German government official said

A US official said President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been leading negotiations related to a US peace proposal, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are traveling to Germany for discussions involving Ukrainian and European representatives. The decision to dispatch Witkoff appeared to signal that Washington believes there may be an opportunity for progress after nearly four years of fighting since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

“Talks on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine are taking place in Berlin this weekend between foreign policy advisers from, among others, the US and Ukraine,” a German government source said on Saturday.

On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to host Zelenskiy and several European leaders in Berlin, in a fresh display of European support for Kyiv as it faces growing pressure from Washington to accept elements of a peace plan that initially aligned with key Russian demands.

Britain, France and Germany have worked in recent weeks to refine US proposals that, according to a draft disclosed last month, would require Ukraine to cede additional territory, abandon its ambition to join NATO and accept restrictions on its armed forces.

Speaking at a party congress in Munich on Saturday, Merz warned that Europe must prepare for a fundamental shift in its relationship with Washington. “The decades of Pax Americana are largely over for us in Europe, and for us in Germany as well,” he said. “The Americans are now very, very aggressively pursuing their own interests. And that can only mean one thing: that we, too, must now pursue our own interests.”

The European Union has sought to strengthen Ukraine’s position by using proceeds from frozen Russian central bank assets to help fund Kyiv’s military and civilian budget. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to face pressure on the battlefield as Russian forces advance and carry out frequent strikes on energy and water infrastructure.

On Saturday, the southern port city of Odesa and surrounding areas suffered widespread blackouts after a large missile and drone attack on the electricity grid, leaving more than one million households without power, Ukrainian officials said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that “peace is not far away,” adding that he hoped to discuss a peace plan with Trump. Erdogan said a limited ceasefire focused on energy facilities and ports could be beneficial, warning that “the Black Sea should not be seen as a battleground.”

Despite the diplomatic push, Russia attacked two Ukrainian ports on Friday, damaging three Turkish-owned vessels, including a ship carrying food supplies, Ukrainian officials and a ship owner said, days after Moscow threatened to further restrict Ukraine’s access to the sea.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/901536

NOTE:

Russia did not invade, it was asked to come into the Donbass by the people living there

The Donbass has been under attack since 2014 when a violent coup removed the legally elected President

The coup installed a President who vowed to destroy the Russian language and culture of those living in the Donbass, this is actually illegal under international law

The people of Donbass held a referendum whereby 98% of the population voted against following the illegal Kiev government

The Minsk agreements called for a ceasefire and the Right of Donbass to self government

The NAZIs of Kiev did not take any notice of this and continued the attacks on Donbass

[Anthea]

Defeat of Western powers in Ukraine

New door is opening to a multi-polar world of cooperation and peace

Kiev is quietly preparing the public for defeat while selling a ceasefire as a pause before another war, as Western backers look for an exit that saves face.

In early December, Ukrainian officials began preparing their population ever so reluctantly for news of the possibility (inevitability) of military defeat at the hands of the Russian armed forces. But they are simultaneously talking up the necessity of a new war to eventually follow, and for this, they say, preparations are needed and must begin.

This is all related to the patient and steady advances of the Russian armed forces on all fronts combined with pressure from the US government (again, reluctantly if unsaid) to submit to an end to warmaking before the situation deteriorates to the point of collapse.

The Ukrainian online publication Strana wrote on December 2 that many Ukrainian military figures and analysts are now saying that the situation on the front lines is becoming catastrophic and that if “decisive measures” are not taken in the very near future to end Ukraine’s combat, the now reduced country will face strategic defeat.

Also on December 2, Taras Chmut, a volunteer raising money and support for Ukraine’s army who also speaks for the ‘Come Back Alive Foundation’, wrote on Telegram that a “strategic crisis” is brewing all along the front lines and that one of its consequences could be the loss of Ukrainian statehood. “There are no prospects for change,” he wrote, adding, “The main thing lacking along the front is people [that is, soldiers].”

The pressure from the US government for a ceasefire (which the Kiev regime's imperialist backers in Europe say they firmly oppose) is due to the fact that the Ukrainian army can no longer hope to hold back the advances of the Russian army.

Despite all the arms and funds supplied by the NATO countries, beginning with the violent, paramilitary coup d’etat in February 2014. That supply and funding accelerated beginning in February 2022, prompting Russia's decision to intervene militarily

The Kiev regime is now undisputedly recognized by serious observers at home and abroad as thoroughly and hopelessly corrupt. For the sake of public relations and selling an increasingly unpopular war effort at home,

Washington needs to distance itself from Kiev, at least temporarily, in order that the failures and setbacks of its proxy war do not also damage the military and political reputation of the US colossus nor appear, even indirectly, as a defeat of the NATO imperialist military alliance as a whole.

The fall from power of Kiev’s eminence

One manifestation of the extreme pressure operating on Washington is the investigations being conducted by the US and Europe-controlled ‘anti-corruption’ agencies of the regime. At the end of November, this resulted in the resignation of Andriy Yermak, now the former head of the office of ‘president’ Volodomyr Zelensky.

Zelensky’s electoral mandate and that of the Ukraine legislature [Rada] as a whole expired 20 months ago, in April 2024

Ever since his appointment by Zelensky in 2020, Yermak has been known and recognized as the eminence grise behind Zelensky’s throne, monopolizing power and influence. Given the role he played under Zelensky and the power he exercised, there is now talk in Ukraine of a collapse of the entire governing power structure in Kiev.

Legislator Yaroslav Zheleznyak explained in a video message on November 28 that Yermak effectively controlled Zelensky and shaped Zelensky’s inner circle. The Reuters news agency has reported, as reported by Strana on Telegram on November 28, that the resignation of Yermak is a sign that the corruption scandal is closing in on Zelensky himself.

Yulia Mendel, Zelensky's former press secretary, is cited by Strana on December 2 as saying that Yermak often misled the president and also sabotaged his orders. She says that she and many other officials regularly received calls from Yermak’s office requesting that they refrain from carrying out tasks specifically requested by Zelensky. “Now, as I say this, I am afraid. I understand that no one will believe me today, and every day I pray to God with thanks for keeping me alive. Andrei Yermak is a very dangerous man,” she underlines.

According to Mendel, in 2019, Yermak asked a political consultant in the US for guidance on “how he could become president". In early 2022, she says, Yermak convinced Zelensky that there would be no full-scale invasion of the country by Russia.

Strana writes in a lengthy message on Telegram on November 28, using unnamed politicians from Zelensky’s circle as sources, that even after his resignation, Yermak will certainly seek to maintain control over Zelensky’s office by having someone close to him appointed as his successor. The publication explains that Yermak’s resignation will inevitably trigger a process whereby Zelensky will gradually lose power.

As a result, it is possible that the system of power will completely fall apart and become unmanageable. One very bad result will be that no one will have the necessary authority to talk and negotiate with Russia for an end to the war. The message details how an unravelling of power may well take place.

Odessa anarchist Vyacheslav Azarov wrote on Telegram on November 28 that Yermak's rapid resignation clearly demonstrates how tight the stranglehold of the country's top officials is by Ukraine's main funder and provider of weapons, the US government. He writes, “I suspect that Yermak hopes to preserve an informal influence on the processes at Bankova [the seat of government in Kiev] because so far, an equally tough functionary who could replace him and clean up his lasting influence is nowhere in sight.”

Political crisis

The resignation of Yermak has caused a deep political crisis to settle over Kiev. Deputies and officials of the Rada are sensing the deep instability of the Kiev regime and worrying about their own fates. They are rushing to fill positions that previously were appointed by the man. The largest worries for them, by far, concern the distribution of funds in the Ukrainian state budget, the latest of which was approved by the Rada on December 3.

The budget for year 2026 projects revenues of UAH 2.9 trillion (US$69 billion) and expenditures of UAH 4.9 trillion. Much of the difference is to be covered by the Western powers, but they have yet to indicate their consent.

Maksym Buzhansky, a member of parliament from Zelensky’s ‘Servant of the People’ political machine, wrote on Telegram on December 1 (that is, prior to the December 3 budget vote in the Rada) that all the expenditures that Ukrainian legislators want and expect from their Western overlords should be included in the Ukrainian budget before the European Union approves its own budget, projected for December 18. “

For some strange reason, absolutely everyone, in the Rada and everywhere else, is completely ignoring the fact that the process of allocating European aid for financing Ukraine’s 2026 budget is hanging in the air. We need to adopt our budget before the Europeans choose their verdict. I am confident that our adoption of the budget will, to some extent, influence their verdict.” He urges that the budget be approved quickly in order that the EU be presented with a fait accompli, saying it would then ‘owe’ billions of euros to the Kiev regime.

Elected Ukrainian legislator Artem Dmitruk, a former world champion weightlifter, writes from London on December 3 that as part of the budget process, his Rada colleagues voted to triple their own salaries as of January 1, 2026. This was agreed so that the ‘servants’ would vote for the budget today.” In August 2024, he fled Ukraine, shortly after being the only deputy to speak on the floor of the Rada against a law that would ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, of which he is a deacon, because of its close theological ties to the Russian Orthodox Church

Ukrainian financial analyst Daniil Monin believes that Ukraine will have no problems financing a continued war thanks to the Kiev regime’s European overlords. They will find the necessary funds despite the high-profile corruption scandals corroding Kiev’s image and rule, he says. That’s because, he writes, “The war is also very beneficial for Europe’s leaders. At the cost of destroying the Ukrainian economy and losing the country’s best people to combat, European leaders will continue to lead comfortable lives,” he writes regretfully.

Who will start a new war?

Due to the fact that the exposes of corruption schemes could affect not only Zelensky's entourage but also Zelensky himself, Ukrainian politicians have begun discussing a likely successor who would continue the war or could start a new one following a suitable lapse for a ceasefire (which Russia continues to adamantly oppose, let us note).

To control the ‘changeover’ process in Kiev, London has rushed the former commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, ambassador to Britain since 2023, back to his homeland to help out. Before leaving London, he published a commentary in The Telegraph on November 29 calling for an eventual deployment of nuclear weapons on Ukrainian soil.

He is evidently uncaring or oblivious to the fact that this would guarantee a continuation of hostilities with Russia. The Russian Federation has made it crystal clear since 2022, if not earlier, that it would use military means if necessary to prevent any Ukrainian government and state from possessing nuclear weapons

Zaluzhny’s commentary said that any peace with Russia would be temporary. “We Ukrainians, of course, strive for complete victory and the collapse of the Russian Empire. But we cannot rule out the possibility of a long-term (years-long) end to the war, as this is an all-too-common way of ending wars. Short-term peace in anticipation of the next war offers a chance for political change, profound reforms, full-fledged recovery, economic growth, and the return of our citizens."

Meanwhile, amid the deep corruption scandal enveloping Kiev and the resignation of Yermak, former President Petro Poroshenko (2014 – 2019) is trying to sell Western sponsors on the idea of a ‘government of national unity’. As noted by legislator Alexander Dubinsky, behind such an idea lies a European plan for ‘peace’ consisting of a continuation of war with Russia under loud chants of ‘European solidarity’.

Poroshenko cites the peace agreements of September 2014 and February 2015 (‘Minsk 1’ and ‘Minsk 2’) as models to follow. Those agreements were reached during his time in office, and as subsequent events revealed, he never had any intention of implementing them, nor did his cunning European ‘partners’ in Berlin and Paris. Now he is proposing to use the same trick.

The Minsk 2 agreement (text here) was signed on February 12, 2015, between the regime in Kiev, then led by Poroshenko as ‘president’, and the pro-autonomy forces in the Donbass region. Russia, Germany, and France co-signed as guarantors.

The agreement was unanimously endorsed by no less than the UN Security Council five days later. One of its key measures was a process by which the populations of the Lugansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine (part of the historic region of Donbass) would be granted autonomy in political, economic, and cultural spheres

By their own later admissions, the governments in Germany and France viewed the agreement as something to ‘buy time’ for Ukraine to re-arm and prepare to re-launch civil war against the pro-autonomy forces in Donbass and against Crimea (whose population voted in March 2014 to secede from coup Ukraine and join the Russian Federation).

As the experience of the war against the Donbass republics by the Poroshenko-led regime showed, when the military situation becomes difficult for coup-Ukraine’s armed forces, Ukrainian leaders seek ‘ceasefire’ and ‘negotiations’. Once the military situation calms and arms supplies and funding from the West are replenished, the war against dissenters in Ukraine may renew.

The very fact that Trump and Ukrainian politicians feel compelled to once again mouth words of ‘peace’ speaks to the actual defeat staring them in the face.

Fedir Venislavsky, a member of the Rada from the Zelensky’s ‘Servant of the People’ machine, has stated recently (with regret) that the current war is coming to an end and he expects hostilities to cease by the end of March 2026. But he has also written, on December 2, that Ukraine should proceed to the total militarization of society, including conscription of women, once a peace agreement is reached.

Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Denis Yaroslavsky paints a picture of future conflict that will please Ukrainian ultra-nationalists. He told a podcaster in Spain that Russia can eventually be weakened, and this would allow coup Ukraine to recover whatever territory it may today be obliged to cede. “Ukraine now needs to fix its front lines and wait for an opportune moment to resume attacking Russia.” For now, he says, this is impossible because Ukraine lacks the resources and its allies in the West are unwilling to provide all the necessary funding and weaponry.

“When I talk to my friends from the front, we all agree on one thing, that we have lost this war. How do we know this? Because every day is worse than the previous one. When the military dynamics are worsening, it's called losing,” says the Ukrainian officer.

In light of such calls to prepare for future war with Russia, even though the current conflict is not yet over, Ukrainian commentators are asking themselves: is talk of ‘ceasefire’ simply a media tactic to ‘sell’ the idea to appease far-right, ultra-nationalists, or are Ukrainians really being prepared for a new war to follow a respite?

The analytical Telegram channel ‘Rubicon’ notes in a lengthy analysis on December 2 that Kiev's Western allies, who are pressing for a ceasefire ‘deal’, and Moscow are emphasizing different points of the 28-point, so-called Trump peace plan, which indicates a strategic misunderstanding between them.

“If you monitor the American press, you will easily notice that both liberal and conservative politicians and mass media in the USA emphasize the issue of territories… But the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, constantly mentions ensuring the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population of Ukraine, stopping the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, ‘denazification,’ and a number of other similar points.

Rubicon writes that the US political establishment appears to believe its own propaganda, saying that Russia’s main goal in the conflict is territorial expansion. But this is nonsensical. Russia has more than enough territory and more than enough social and economic issues to address there (not to speak of the looming environmental concerns threatening not just Russia but the entire planet).

It is difficult to believe that the US and European governments have not heard or not paid attention to the existential issues that Russia has bring strenuously drawing to the attention of the entire world beginning in late 2021 what it considers to be the fundamental issues at stake, namely NATO expansion bringing Ukraine into its membership, ambitions by the Kiev regime to acquire nuclear weapons, and the presence of neo-Nazi ideology and movement represented in the very center of power in Kiev.

“After all, if Ukraine is not ‘pro-NATO’ but simply ‘anti-Russia’, with its own (not Western-controlled) army and its own development of certain types of weapons using Western funds, this will also be a very big problem for Russia,”

Rubicon concludes

The Western media is trying to obscure all this and more with distractions on secondary matters, such as how many square kilometers of captured former Ukrainian territory will become part of Russia, what will be the future size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and whether forced military conscription will remain in place. The current war has not even ended, yet leaders of the Kiev regime are openly dreaming and speaking on a daily basis of exacting revenge in the form of a new war.

Last chance for Western imperialism

For the West, a respite in the Ukrainian conflict is now crucial because its very military credibility is being exposed each day, risking its hopes for continued economic expansion and plunder. And this is not to speak of the danger of economic collapse from the crushing weight of rising debt burdens.

In this regard, the recent acknowledgment of Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, a supporter of Zelensky and an admirer of Trump, is noteworthy. A commentary by him published in Foreign Affairs on December 2 writes of a “last chance” for the West to retain its dominance as countries in the Global South gain more economic power and influence.

“The liberal, rules-based order that emerged after World War II is dying... Great-power competition is returning... Emerging middle powers, including Brazil, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Turkey, are becoming game-changers.”

Western imperialism is staring at its inevitable demise. The world is rapidly evolving and changing under its feet, for the good. The countries of the Global South are increasingly asserting their rights and actually achieving improvements in how economic and trade rules are decided and practiced. It appears the days of uncontrolled plunder of the Global South are well and truly drawing to a close.

Ukrainian economist Alexei Kushch wrote in Telegram on December 2, on the occasion of the separate visits to Moscow that day by Trump's special envoy Steve Whitcoff and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, that the war in Ukraine has become a pivotal junction between two world systems (echoing Immanuel Wallerstein's world-systems theory). This is accelerating the advent of a multi-polar world and catalyzing processes of global transformation.

“I am sometimes asked why in my articles I define the new Rubicon of world history as being one of peace, opened in 2020 by the global pandemic. A new stage has opened in world history, which I define as peace-seeking wars taking place in an evolving, multi-polar world.”

“The war in Ukraine has become a critical juncture of two world systems: accelerating the advance of the multipolar world and catalyzing a transformation of the world as a whole. The defeat of Russia in this war could push back the date of the onset of the multi-polar system of peace for a long time.

Whereas a strengthening of the Russian Federation coming out of the war will accelerate the advance of the multi-polar world and the collapse of the uni-polar one. That is, the war in Ukraine is the first world-systemic war of the new era of a multi-polar world, and is likely far from the last."

According to Kusch, Russia’s victory opens up paths and opportunities for a normal and progressive development of those countries and parts of the world hitherto forced into a subordinate status. What is not to welcome in that?

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles ... -to-coming

[Anthea]

NOTE:

Crimea.Mar 17, 2014

Splitting from Ukraine:

97 percent of Crimeans voted to join Russia

The head of Crimea's Election Commission confirms 97 percent of voters support joining Russia.

The referendum was not recognized by the United States and the European Union, as they prepared sanctions against Russia. CBS News'

[Anthea]

Ukraine’s NATO non-alignment
cornerstone issue: Kremlin

The Kremlin says guarantees of Ukraine’s non-alignment with NATO are a cornerstone of any settlement, as Moscow signals openness to serious peace talks

The Kremlin has reiterated that guarantees ensuring Ukraine’s non-alignment with NATO remain one of the central and non-negotiable elements in any prospective settlement of the conflict, stressing that the issue requires “special discussion.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that the question of Ukraine’s relationship with the NATO alliance is among the most important aspects of the negotiations. "Naturally, this issue is one of the most important and, of course, it is subject to special discussion compared to the others," Peskov said.

His remarks come a day after Ukrainian Dictator Volodymyr Zelensky signaled readiness to abandon Kiev’s bid for NATO membership in exchange for security guarantees from individual states, including the United States

Peskov also stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains open to a genuine and lasting peace, while firmly rejecting what Moscow views as attempts to buy time through temporary arrangements. "We can only speak for the Russian side, for President Putin," Peskov explained, adding, "He is open to peace, to serious peace, to serious decisions, and he is absolutely not open to any tricks aimed at stalling for time and creating artificial respites," the Kremlin spokesperson said.

He added that Moscow does not intend to conduct what he described as “megaphone negotiations,” signaling Russia’s preference for closed-door diplomacy over public exchanges.

Moscow welcomes Trump’s mediation efforts

The Kremlin spokesperson said Russia positively assesses US President Donald Trump's efforts and his administration to broker a settlement, describing Washington’s engagement as sincere. "Trump is sincerely working on a settlement, and he wants a Ukrainian settlement; he wants a settlement of this conflict. And he makes efforts, and his whole team makes efforts. We highly appreciate these efforts," Peskov said.

Trump hopes to reach an agreement on Ukraine by Christmas

Peskov said Russia expects Washington to present its vision for a peaceful settlement after completing discussions with European partners and Ukraine. His comments followed lengthy talks held in Berlin on Sunday involving US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Zelensky, which reportedly lasted five hours.

According to Peskov, Witkoff later spoke of progress on a 20-point settlement plan, though Moscow has not been briefed in real time on the proposals discussed with Kiev and European capitals. "Once they complete their part of the work, we will expect that we will receive from our American interlocutors the vision that is being discussed today in Berlin," he said.

When asked whether an agreement could be reached by December 25, as reportedly envisioned by Trump, Peskov declined to speculate, saying that discussing timelines at this stage would be premature.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... e--kremlin