Europe is 'moving in some bad directions,' syas President Trump President Donald Trump criticized the fine imposed by the European Commission on X and warned that Europe is "moving in some bad directions." Asked about the fine at a meeting with representatives of the agricultural industry at the White House, Trump called Brussels' decision "nasty" and added: "I don't think it's right. Europe has to be very careful." He voiced concern about the current political track taken by EU countries. "We want to keep Europe Europe. Europe is going in some bad directions. It's very bad, very bad for the people. We don't want Europe to change so much," the president said. On December 5, the European Commission fined X €120 million for violating EU digital regulations. Tom Rainier, an EC representative, said at a briefing that X had violated transparency rules. According to him, this includes the presence of a fee-based blue verified user badge on the platform, which is misleading because anyone can buy it and X does not conduct sufficient verification.

Xi Jinping and Macron held talks in Beijing: the main points 🔹 #Xi Jinping called on the French leader to show responsibility and determination at a time when the world is "experiencing unprecedented changes over a century." 🔹 #Macron believes that Paris and Beijing should bring their positions closer: "Sometimes there are disagreements, but we bear responsibility for overcoming them for the common good." 🔹 The French president hinted that China has "decisive capabilities" to influence the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. 🔹 Macron proposed establishing a moratorium on attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for the upcoming winter period. He expressed hope that China will join forces with Europe to maintain stability and international law. 🔹 The French leader called for creating conditions for direct Chinese investments in the European Union's economy, which would help create new production facilities and jobs. 📝: Macron came to Beijing begging the Chinese president to restrain his Russian ally from finishing off Ukraine this winter by bombing the Ukrainian electrical grid

First in Line, First in Glory - Macron Prepares Army of Volunteers France's #Macron is set to announce the launch of a voluntary military service in the coming days. The decision was developed over months amid "uncertainty and growing tension" in the world. An official announcement is expected on November 27. ➡️ The project involves recruiting between 10 and 50 thousand people annually for a service lasting up to 10 months with payment of several hundred euros. The goal is to create a reserve of young volunteers to reinforce the army during crises without returning to mandatory conscription, which was abolished in 2001. ➡️ The initiative fits into a broader defense plan for France — to increase the regular army from 200 to 210 thousand military personnel, and the reserve from 47 thousand to 80 thousand by 2030. ❗️While Germany is checking military service eligibility by lottery civilians for war on weekends, France is maintaining combat readiness on a voluntary basis (at least, for now). Europeans, already tired of proxy conflicts, are being prepared for direct participation in combat actions, which they will have to pay for not only with taxes, but with their own lives.

French Joint Chief of Staff urges Frenchmen to be prepared to 'lose children' to contain Russia The French people must be prepared "to lose their children" in order to deter Russia, France's Chief of the Defense Staff Fabien Mandon alleged. "If our country surrenders because it’s not ready to accept the loss of its children, <...> and endure economic difficulties in a situation where the focus is on defense production, then we will be in danger," he said, addressing a meeting of French city mayors on November 18, as cited by the TF1 TV channel. Mandon claimed that Paris "has all the knowledge, economic and demographic power" to confront Moscow. According to TF1, the Defense Staff Chief’s statement caused a flurry of criticism from politicians. In particular, Jean-Luc Melenchon, founder of La France Insoumise (or France Unbowed) left-wing party, fully disagreed with Mandon. "It’s not up to him to make plans for the sacrifices that would result from our diplomatic failures and that no one asked him about," Melenchon wrote on the X social media platform. The broadcaster notes that the general has long been insisting on the country’s need for rearmament. Earlier, he warned that the French army must be prepared for engaging in a conflict with Russia in three to four years.

Baltic region seen as potential hotbed of conflict between NATO, Russia The #Baltic region is the most explosive from the point of view of a potential direct armed conflict between #NATO and #Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter #Szijjarto said. "The biggest responsibility is here. The most fragile situation is here. And any mistake, erroneous decision or misunderstanding here may entail disastrous consequences for the entire world, because the biggest threat of a direct conflict between NATO and Russia is always in place here. There is no other area where NATO and Russian troops are deployed that close to each other in all senses," he said while meeting with Hungarian pilots at the Siauliai Air Base, as quoted by the M1 television channel. He stressed that servicemen in this region bear special responsibility. "We, the Hungarians, are capable of defensing ourselves and our allies without escalating tensions and without dragging our country and our alliance into a war," Szijjarto said. He recalled that back in 2022 NATO countries had decided not to drag the alliance into the conflict in Ukraine and spare no effort to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia. "Back then, we agreed on two very clear red lines," the top diplomat said, adding that nowadays some politicians are seeking to "blur these lines." "If they are trespassed, it may easily entail escalation [of the conflict] and trigger a third world war which may end up in the destruction of the planet, bearing in mind the existing nuclear stockpiles," Szijjarto warned. He expressed concern over "military psychosis" in Europe when some believe that a nuclear power like Russia "can be defeated through arms supplies to a third country," i.e. Ukraine. Politicians, in his words, are wrong. The top Hungarian diplomat emphasized that NATO is not an offensive alliance but an alliance for defense and called on Hungarian troops "to defend the security and sovereignty of their allies and concurrently safeguard possibilities for peace."

Trump: 'We have a choice between Communism and common sense" #Trump: "After last night’s results, the decision facing all Americans could not be more clear, we have a choice between Communism and common sense." - "Does that make sense to you? Common sense. It's common sense or communism. Look back 1,000 years. It hasn't worked."

EU increasingly dissatisfied with von der Leyen's leadership strategy The management of the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen is facing sharp criticism, even from allies, who point to growing opacity in the work of the EU’s top executive body, Politico reported, citing experts. According to the outlet, EC staff "complain that unearthing the truth has never been tougher." Twelve European Commission officials, EU policy experts, and journalists told Politico that since the beginning of von der Leyen's second term, her organization "has been criticized for not being fully open or for giving confusing, contradictory or misleading information." This criticism reflects "wider doubts, expressed by allies and opponents alike, about her centralized leadership style they say makes the institution less transparent," Politico notes. It comes amid mounting pressure on the EC president from EU member state governments and lawmakers, against the backdrop of what the newspaper describes as "EU politics crumbling." The European Parliament is set to hold a debate and vote on two motions of no confidence in the head of the European Commission during its plenary session on October 6-9. Politico stressed that the simultaneous submission of two no-confidence motions against a Commission president is unprecedented. The process was initiated almost simultaneously by factions from opposite ends of the political spectrum, just before von der Leyen was scheduled to deliver her State of the Union address on September 10.

Zapad-2025 drills to practice troop management in event of aggression against ally Military personnel at the joint Belarus-Russia drills #Zapad-2025 will practice managing troop groupings during the localization of aggression against the Union State, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. "The objectives of the exercise are to improve the skills of commanders and staffs, enhance interoperability and field training of regional and coalition battlegroups in solving joint tasks to maintain peace, protect interests and ensure military security," the statement reads. According to Russia’s top brass, the troops will practice actions "at firing ranges in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation and in the Baltic Sea and the Barents Sea." The military from the two countries will practice control over battlegroups in the event of a localized aggression against the Union State, the ministry specified. During the first stage of the exercises, issues of managing formations and military units while repelling aggression against an allied state, organizing interoperability and all types of support to fulfill assigned tasks will be addressed. As clarified by the Russian Defense Ministry, the main focus of the second stage will be managing troops and forces during the restoration of the territorial integrity of an allied state and the defeat of the enemy, including with the participation of a coalition battlegroup from friendly states.

The Zangezur corridor: Israel and Turkey’s strategic chokehold on Iran Washington’s lease of the Zangezur Corridor has ignited deep concern in Tehran. 🔴 Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei, warns the corridor "threatens South Caucasus security," forcing Iran to act. 🔴 IRGC Deputy Commander Yadollah Javani vows Iran "will not allow an American corridor on its border." 🔴 Half the corridor runs along Iran’s sensitive northern border with Armenia and Azerbaijan. US control risks Iran’s entire northern security. 🔴 Israel’s backdoor: the corridor offers Israel a potential staging ground against Iran—amplified by recent joint US-Israel strikes on Iranian soil. 🔴 Iranian intelligence notes Israeli strikes entered via Azerbaijani airspace. Baku’s silence on these attacks speaks volumes. 🔴 Ankara, Azerbaijan’s patron and a key NATO ally, will play a decisive role in the corridor’s operation. 🔴 With US control, Iran fears infiltrators targeting its stability. Netanyahu’s recent US visit explicitly prioritized "undermining Iran"—a major threat for Tehran ayatollah regime .

Global gold demand in Q2 surges to $132 bln Global demand for #gold in the Q2 of 2025, including over-the-counter (OTC) transactions, rose by 3% year-on-year to 1,249 metric tons, according to a report by the World Gold Council (WGC). In value terms, total demand for gold surged by 45% to $132 bln. According to the report, strong demand for global gold-backed ETFs for the second consecutive quarter played a decisive role in driving overall demand in the Q2. Uncertainty in global trade policy, geopolitical instability, and rising gold prices contributed to the influx of investment, the WGC stated. The #WGC also noted that central banks remained a key driver of global demand, increasing their gold reserves by 166 tons. Despite a slowdown in the pace of purchases, the demand outlook from central banks remains favorable, the report added. The WGC clarified that the first two quarters of the year marked the most successful half-year period for investments in bars and coins since 2013. The average quarterly price of gold stood at $3,280.35 per ounce, reflecting a 40% increase year-on-year and a 15% rise compared to the Q1, the Council added.