New US administration recognizes Russia's military successes in Ukraine, says American Analyst The current US administration has recognized #Russia's military #successes in #Ukraine, which is reflected in "new realism in American foreign policy," Theodore A. Postol, Professor Emeritus of Science, Technology, and National Security Policy Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told TASS. He was commenting on the telephone conversation between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir #Putin and Donald #Trump, as well as the speech on February 12 by Pentagon Chief Piet #Hegseth in Brussels. "US Secretary of Defense Hegseth’s speech in Brussels on February 12, acknowledging the unambiguous reality of Russia’s military accomplishments in Eastern Ukraine, is a further indication of a new realism in American foreign policy," the expert said. "Anyone who looks at the war in Ukraine should now know that Russia has won, and the priority for everyone involved should now be to stop the unnecessary loss of Russian and Ukrainian lives. The objective should now be to quickly agree to and implement a new European security structure that accommodates the national security interests of all European powers," Postol stressed. "President Trump’s public comments following his more than one-hour phone conversation with President Putin indicated that the discussion between them went very well. In particular, President Trump’s acknowledgment that Russia has a right to a solid-binding agreement about NATO not expanding into Ukraine is extremely important. It is also an implicit acknowledgment of the damage to Russian-US relations caused by the undeniable history of US past withdrawals from treaties and improper reinterpretations [by Washington] of treaty agreements over the past more than 20 years," Postol said.

Plot to assassinate Putin is direct path to nuclear war, says State Duma speaker A plot to #assassinate Russian President Vladimir #Putin and discussions on the subject constitute a crime and a serious threat to global security, said Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma (the Russian parliament’s lower chamber). "The plot to assassinate Putin, mere discussions of it is a crime, a serious threat to global security, a direct path to nuclear war. All international institutions should view it as a basis for an investigation," Volodin wrote on Telegram. He believes that amid the current tough confrontation, the Russian society needs to "understand the level of challenges and threats that we are facing, and, therefore, understand their own responsibility." According to Tucker #Carlson, the Joe #Biden administration considered assassinating Putin. The US journalist said that, in general, the US authorities intended to engage in a suicidal confrontation with Moscow. In particular, former US Secretary of State Antony #Blinken was "pushing so hard for a real war" between the US and Russia in his last two months in office.

Jan. 22 - President Trump Statement on US/Russia Relationship "I’m not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin - and this despite the Radical Left’s Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process. All of that being said, I’m going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don’t make a “deal,” and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Let’s get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way - and the easy way is always better. It’s time to “MAKE A DEAL.” NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!"

President Trump declares desire to meet with Putin 'very quickly' President #Trump would like to hold a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir #Putin as soon as possible, he told the Newsmax TV channel in an interview. "I know he wants to meet and I’m going to meet [him] very quickly. I would’ve done it sooner but... you have to get into the office. For some of the things, you do have to be there," Trump said. Meanwhile, Trump's incoming national security advisor Mike Waltz told ABC News that phone conversations between the Russian leader and the US president-elect may take place in the near future. Trump has previously said that he would like to meet with Putin in the first six months of his presidency and is ready for such contacts. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, said that Putin was open to dialogue with his new US counterpart without any preconditions, adding that "there are no specifics yet.".

President Trump announced preparations for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "He wants to meet, and we are setting it up," #Trump told reporters, according to Fox News. "He has said that even publicly and we have to get that [#Ukrainian conflict] over with." There are also efforts to arrange a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said. Trump earlier said he would like to hold talks with #Putin and suggested that this could happen within six months after he took office. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry #Peskov said the US had not formally requested a meeting yet. Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with new US leader Donald Trump without any preconditions, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news briefing, commenting on Trump’s plans to meet with Putin. "President Putin has consistently stated his openness to engagement with international leaders, including the US president, including Donald Trump," the Kremlin official said. "No special conditions are needed for this. What is required is the mutual intent and political will to hold a dialogue and address existing issues through dialogue," Peskov explained. "There have been no specific details yet," Putin’s press secretary commented on media reports about the potential date of the meeting. "We are proceeding from the mutual readiness for the meeting," he added. "By all appearances, after Mr. Trump enters the Oval Office, there will be some progress," Peskov said.

Russian forces evacuating from Syria A special #Russian air force flight from the Khmeimim air base in #Syria has evacuated some of the Russian diplomatic personnel in #Damascus as well as Belarusian and North Korean diplomats, the Russian foreign ministry says. “The work of the Russian Embassy in Damascus continues,” the crisis situation department of the Russian foreign ministry says on its Telegram channel. Russia’s RIA state news agency reports, citing the Belarusian foreign ministry, that all Belarusian diplomats have been evacuated from Syria. In an other Hand, the serial production of the Oreshnik intermediate-range missile will begin shortly, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. "As you know, the #Oreshnik intermediate-range missile system has become Russia’s newest powerful weapon. It was successfully used in November in response to the strikes on our country’s territory - a ballistic missile with a non-nuclear hypersonic payload was used," the Russian leader said, speaking at the Russian Defense Ministry’s board meeting. "The serial production of such systems is supposed to be established in shortly in order ensure the security of Russia and its allies."

Scholz-Putin talk should be welcomed, as it is right step --- Bundestag #Bundestag member of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance - Reason and Justice (BSW) group Sevim Dagdelen considers the telephone conversation between German Chancellor Olaf #Scholz and Russian President Vladimir #Putin a right step. "Even if it is a maneuver designed to present oneself as Chancellor of the Peace in the upcoming election battle, it should be welcomed that Olaf Scholz has finally reached the point of having a direct conversation with Russian President Putin," she wrote on her X page. "The statement made by his predecessor Helmut Schmidt that it is better to negotiate for 100 hours about nothing than to shoot for one minute was and still is correct," Dagdelen noted. The lawmaker emphasized that politicians who are "intoxicated by war" and advocate for an imposed peace or the continuation of the conflict "until Kiev's victory" are only contributing to further loss of life. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, marking their first phone conversation since December 2022. According to the Kremlin, the leaders discussed Ukraine, the Middle East crisis, and bilateral relations between Moscow and Berlin. They agreed that their aides would maintain communication. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Scholz’s decision to call Putin demonstrates political will to understand Moscow's position firsthand.

President Trump 'demonstrates affinity' for Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports The Hill President #Trump "demonstrates affinity" for Russian President Vladimir #Putin, while "harboring deep disdain" for #Zelensky, The Hill reported, saying that this state of affairs could significantly change the US foreign policy. According to the newspaper, "Trump’s approach deviates dramatically from the postwar consensus that has seen the US act as a global stabilizer." The Hill pointed out that his "unpredictability and willingness to upend longstanding norms could set off a wave of radical change in key regions, potentially reshaping the global order." Former Trump advisers have already backed his idea of cutting aid to Ukraine to force Kiev into talks with Russia, according to The Hill. #TRUMP2024

Trump, Putin speak over phone President #Trump has already spoken over the phone with Russian President Vladimir #Putin, The Washington Post said, citing its sources. However, neither Washington not Moscow have officially confirmed this information. According to The Washington Post, Trump and Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine and "the goal of peace on the European continent and Trump expressed an interest in follow-up conversations to discuss ‘the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon,’ several of the people said." However, the newspaper noted, Trump’s calls with world leaders are not backed by the Department of State and US administration interpreters, since Trump and his aides "are distrustful of career government officials following the leaked transcripts of presidential calls during his first term." "They are just calling [Trump] directly," it cited one of the people familiar with the calls. Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the Russian president is open to dialogue with Trump, however, in his words, nothing concrete could be said about it as of yet. Speaking at Thursday’s plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin congratulated Trump on winning the presidential election, adding that he saw nothing wrong with calling Trump. The latter, however, told NBC that he had not yet spoken with the Russian leader but believed such a call was highly likely. #TRUMP2024

Russia may achieve all its goals in Ukraine in 2025 Russia may achieve all its goals in Ukraine next year, if the situation remains that "grim" for Ukrainian servicemen, The Washington Post said. According to the newspaper, the Ukrainian troops "are desperately trying to hold the line in the country’s east but are losing ground." - "Visions of an absolute victory are fading. Western support is also sagging," the Washington Post emphasized. In this regard, "the prospect of Ukraine settling for a compromise with Russia <…> is getting easier to envision," the newspaper pointed out. On June 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with the Foreign Ministry set out the country’s conditions for settling the situation in Ukraine. Among them are the withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces from Donbass and Novorossiya and Kiev’s refusal to join NATO. In addition, Russia wants all Western sanctions against it lifted and demands that Ukraine commit to a non-aligned and nuclear-free status.