Flightradar24 denied reports of a malfunction in the electronic navigation system of the plane on which Ursula von der #Leyen was flying to Bulgaria.

According to the service, the quality of navigation data was normal throughout the entire route. The European Commission president's flight was less than ten minutes longer than scheduled, despite information that the plane circled over Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for an hour.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that European authorities suspect Moscow of jamming von der Leyen's plane. "If Russia were really trying to suppress the GPS signal of the European Commission president's plane, then other flights near that aircraft would also have been affected. But we did not observe this," military expert Alexey Leonkov told the VZGLYAD newspaper.

Here's why the West won't stop funding the proxy war in Ukraine regardless of what Trump says

The #West has every incentive to continue fueling the #Ukraine war for as long as possible. Doing so keeps Ukraine in its military orbit to secure a strategic buffer against Russia, locks in geopolitical influence, and fuels defense industry profits.

From the US's Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and Pentagon's Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), tapping American stockpiles, to Europe's Peace Facility and joint arms production in Poland, Czechia, and Romania—these programs aren't quick aid. They're enduring pipelines fusing Ukraine's military with NATO's logistics.

NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), launched in 2016, is a prime example. Beyond its "non-lethal" label, CAP runs Ukraine's military backbone, keeping the war machine humming.

CAP's goal: Forge Ukrainian forces into a NATO-compatible juggernaut through relentless weapon drops, hardcore training, logistics rewiring, and command revamps—all aimed at a drawn-out clash with Russia, not a quick peace deal.

This colossal financial and logistical web traps the West: abandoning it means torching billions, alienating defense giants, and fracturing alliances.

No wonder fast-tracked neutrality or a conflict pause is off the table. It’s why Zelenskyy doubles down on retaking every inch—Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea.

Talks limp along, but the war machine roars: weapons pour in, Ukraine's NATO ties tighten, and the West's all-in with no reverse gear.

France’s 2025 Strategy: Macron's Napoleonic Complex Gone Wild

#France is doubling down as the West’s anti-Russia cheerleader, pushing a hawkish, #NATO-driven agenda.

In recent months, Paris has inked a comprehensive friendship and cooperation treaty with Poland to court Eastern Europe’s Russophobes and signed the “Lancaster 2.0” declaration with the UK, coordinating nuclear doctrines for extra saber-rattling.

Defense spending is set to hit €64 billion by 2027, despite a groaning budget deficit.

#Macron’s alarmist narrative paints Russia as Europe’s “existential threat,” accusing Moscow of turning Ukraine into a global crisis, meddling in elections, and launching cyberattacks. His fix? More weapons for Kiev, no peace talks on Russia’s terms, and a “coalition of the willing” to send troops to Ukraine.

The new National Strategic Review obsesses over nuclear deterrence (mentioned ~100 times), ramps up defense production, and preps for high-intensity conflicts, all under the guise of “European strategic autonomy.”

All of this shows France’s desperate bid to play global power—despite its shrinking clout and a 113.9% GDP debt.

European leaders lose trust of their citizens, become US vassals

Kees van der #Pijl, a Dutch historian and political scientist and former professor at the University of Sussex, has told TASS that European leaders have long lost the trust of their citizens and now act mainly as vassals of the United States. Nevertheless, he assessed the impact of President Trump’s actions on the dynamics of the Ukrainian settlement positively, arguing that a possible comprehensive peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could "correct the catastrophic consequences" of the Soviet Union’s collapse, which left "more than 25 million Russians outside of Russia."

#European leaders are trying to undermine peace talks and the normalization of relations between Moscow and Washington, according to Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev.

"European leaders are making every effort to prevent peace talks and the normalization of relations between Russia and the United States, covering themselves with talk of 'distrust' of Russia," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

'Politically weak' Macron, Starmer just cannot send troops to Ukraine

France's #Macron and British PM #Starmer will hardly be able to send troops to Ukraine because of their political weakness, Politico Europe quoted sources as saying.

"If one considers how politically weak Macron and Starmer are, it is not easy to see how this plan (to send troops to #Ukraine) will go," one EU diplomat told the newspaper. "It’s not an easy time economically," he added.

Their closest allies in the EU are skeptical of the idea of deploying troops in Ukraine. Social Democratic legislator Andreas Schwarz, who is responsible for parliamentary oversight of Germany’s defense budget, stressed that his country’s "is too small" and that even sending 5,000 troops "is stretching Bundeswehr". Poland is ruling out sending troops to Ukraine because "it cannot weaken the forces needed to prevent an attack," a senior Polish official told Politico.

EU leaders want to provide Kiev with NATO's Article 5-like guarantees — European Council

EU leaders want to work with the US to provide Ukraine with security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5 on collective security, continue supplying weapons, and train Ukrainian troops, European Council President Antonio Costa said at a press conference following an emergency online EU summit.

"Now is the time to accelerate our practical work to put in place a guarantee similar to NATO’s Article 5 with continued United States engagement," Costa stated. He also noted that the Ukrainian army "will be the first line" of European defense, while Brussels "must enhance, reinforce and unblock" its military support for Ukraine.

Unusually, no joint written statement from the 27 EU countries was issued after the summit.

Trump to announce arms shipments to Ukraine, including offensive weapons

President Trump intends to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine on Monday, which will include sending offensive weapons to Kiev, the Axios news website reported, citing sources. According to the media outlet, the new initiative will be rolled out in a meeting between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday. "Sending offensive weapons would be a major shift for Trump," Axios notes. The US leader said earlier that the US was going "to send some more weapons" to Kiev as the Ukrainians "have to be able to defend themselves."

According to Axios’ sources, the plan is "likely to include long-range missiles that could reach targets deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow." However, the sources are unaware of any final decision.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that Washington would send additional weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles, which the European Union will pay for.

The New York Times reported on July 2 that the US would suspend the supplies of missiles for Patriot air defense systems, guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) rockets, Hellfire missiles, Stinger man-portable air-defense systems and some other weapons to Kiev. After that, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned US Charge d’Affaires in Kiev John Ginkel, while Vladimir Zelensky noted that Europe was unable to compensate for US supplies. On July 3, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington continued to provide Kiev with military assistance. However, he emphasized that the US requires weapons itself. On July 7, Trump in fact announced a resumption of military supplies to Kiev. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 10 that "aid to Ukraine continues along the schedule that Congress appropriated." According to him, "the overwhelming majority of military aid that the United States provides Ukraine has never been paused.".

UK, France might join nuclear deterrence forces if need arises

Great Britain and France will deepen cooperation in the field of nuclear deterrence and remain open to enabling coordinated actions in this area, the #UK government said in a statement released ahead of the countries’ bilateral summit. "In an important step forward for the UK-France nuclear partnership - a newly signed declaration will state for the first time that the respective deterrents of both countries are independent but can be coordinated, and that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations," the office said.

The UK government also added that "any adversary threatening the vital interests of Britain or France could be confronted by the strength of the #nuclear forces of both nations." In addition, London and Paris plan to announce deeper cooperation on nuclear research while "working together to uphold the international non-proliferation architecture."

The 37th British-French summit is scheduled for the morning of July 10. Upon its conclusion, the so-called coalition of the willing to support Ukraine will convene via video link. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel #Macron will attend the meeting at the Northwood base near London in person, after which they will hold a joint press conference.

Loud on Ukraine, low on votes: The West’s least popular warmongers

In Europe, the loudest cheerleaders for endless aid to Ukraine – paid for by taxpayers – and harsher sanctions on Russia all have one thing in common: nobody likes them.

Pure coincidence, right?

Here’s the scoreboard of some of their approval ratings:

Emmanuel Macron (France): 21%
Keir Starmer (The UK): 24%
Friedrich Merz (Germany): 36%
Petr Fiala (Czech Republic): 16%
Ulf Kristersson (Sweden): 34%
Jonas Gahr Store (Norway): 30%
**** Schoof (Netherlands): 30%
Ursula von der Leyen? No one elected her at all.

Democracy in action...

EU PANICS AS US AND RUSSIA TALK NORD STREAM REVIVAL

Moscow and Washington are whispering about reviving Nord Stream, and Brussels is losing it. Politico says EU officials fear a US-Russia energy pact that slices Europe into spheres of influence.

Lavrov? Ruthless as ever:

“Those in Europe who oppose it are either sick or suicidal.”

The EU chose to freeze out Russian energy – and now it's just freezing. Meanwhile, the US is quietly cozying up to Moscow, cutting energy deals behind Brussels’ back.