Tag Archives: Ukraine

Sen. Rand Paul Filibusters Against Ukraine Aid Bill

The Guardian reports: Rand Paul has launched a talking filibuster in protest of the $95bn foreign aid package making its way through the Senate, $60bn of which would be sent to Ukraine and $14bn of which would be directed to Israel. In a rambling speech, Paul addressed disparate topics like Covid-19 vaccinations and immigration. On the topic of foreign aid, …

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Senate Advances Bill On Aid To Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

NBC News reports: The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to proceed to a stripped-down bill that would provide aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, one day after Republicans in the chamber rejected a bipartisan border security and foreign aid bill. The vote of 67-32 means the Senate can begin consideration of the $95 billion package, although the next steps are uncertain …

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Hungary’s Orban Caves On $54B In EU Aid To Ukraine

The Associated Press reports: The leaders of the 27 European Union countries sealed a deal Thursday to provide Ukraine with a new 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) support package for its war-ravaged economy despite weeks of threats from Hungary to veto the move. That Hungary lifted its veto, and so quickly, came as a surprise. On the eve of the summit, Hungarian …

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Hungarian Far-Right Lays Claim To Section Of Ukraine

Reuters reports: Hungary’s far-right Our Homeland party would lay claim to a western region of Ukraine that is home to about 150,000 ethnic Hungarians if Ukraine loses its statehood due to Russia’s invasion, the party’s leader said late on Saturday. Our Homeland leader Laszlo Toroczkai made the remarks at a conference where the party, which has six lawmakers in the …

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EU Threatens To Suspend Hungary’s Voting Rights

Politico Europe reports: There’s a Hungarian saying for when things are not going well: “It is under the frog’s ass.” And things sure won’t go well for Hungary if it attempts to thwart European leaders when they meet next week to approve a vital €50 billion lifeline to Ukraine as it enters a third year of war with Russia. After …

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Russian Lawmaker Dies In Mysterious Fall From Window

The Daily Beast reports: A Russian lawmaker from Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party has been found dead under mysterious circumstances at the age of 46. Russian state media confirmed his death. Vladimir Yegorov, a deputy of the Tobolsk City Duma in the Tyumen region, was found lifeless Wednesday in a courtyard in Tobolsk, according to Baza. Bizarrely, Baza reported that …

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Ukraine Report Claims Russia Has Lost 356,670 Troops

The Kyiv Independent reports: Russia has lost 356,670 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Dec. 28. This number includes 920 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day. According to the report, Russia has also lost 5,940 tanks, 11,015 armored fighting …

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Putin Vowed To Continue Ukraine War For Five Years

Nikkei Asia reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Russia “will fight for [at least] five years” in Ukraine, sources have revealed. This was apparently Putin’s way of summarizing a situation that at the time was not favorable to Russia and assuring Xi that Russia would emerge victorious in the end. The likely implication was …

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Ukraine Claims Destruction Of Prized Russian Warship

The New York Times reports: A Ukrainian attack hit a Russian warship moored in Crimea early on Tuesday, in what appeared to be one of the most significant strikes against Moscow’s prized Black Sea Fleet in months. The Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement that it had destroyed the Novocherkassk, a large landing ship, in the southeastern Crimean port …

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NYT: Putin Is Signaling Openness To Ukraine Ceasefire

The New York Times reports: Mr. Putin has been signaling through intermediaries since at least September that he is open to a cease-fire that freezes the fighting along the current lines, far short of his ambitions to dominate Ukraine, two former senior Russian officials close to the Kremlin and American and international officials who have received the message from Mr. …

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Three-Time Putin Challenger Won’t Run In 2024 Race

Bloomberg News reports: Veteran Russian pro-democracy politician Grigory Yavlinsky decided against running in the upcoming presidential race in which Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to secure a crushing victory. Yavlinsky, 71, the three-time candidate, won’t take part in the election, his press service said Saturday. He would only consider running if he got 10 million signatures to support his …

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Hungary Blocks $52 Billion In EU Funding For Ukraine

The New York Times reports: Hungary on Friday blocked the European Union from approving a financial aid package for Ukraine, though E.U. leaders agreed to officially open accession negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc, an important breakthrough for Kyiv as it tries to bolster support from its allies. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said that all …

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EU Agrees To Open Membership Talks With Ukraine

The BBC reports: European leaders have decided to open EU membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the decision, made at a summit in Brussels, as “a victory” for his country and Europe. A spokesperson for Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said that agreement was unanimous. …

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LIVE VIDEO: Biden And Zelensky Hold Joint Presser

CBS News reports: President Biden is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday before the two hold a joint news conference at the White House, with the pair making a renewed push for Congress to approve more aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia before the end of the year. At the top of his meeting with Zelenskyy, …

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TODAY: Zelensky Pleads For More Aid In DC Meetings

Reuters reports: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday plans a last-ditch plea to U.S. lawmakers to keep military support flowing as he battles Russia, in visits to the White House and Capitol Hill. Heading into winter, with tens of thousands of Ukrainians dead, a yawning budget deficit and Russian advances in the east, Zelenskiy is scheduled to press U.S. lawmakers …

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Zelensky To Meet With Senators And Mike Johnson

Axios reports: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet in person with senators in both parties and House Speaker Mike Johnson during a visit to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. The Ukrainian president’s visit to Congress comes as lawmakers remain at an impasse over an emergency national security spending package that includes roughly $60 billion for Ukraine. Congress has just one week …

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Vladimir Putin Confirms He’ll Seek Reelection In 2024

CNBC reports: Incumbent Russian leader Vladimir Putin has confirmed he will run in the national presidential elections of 2024, state news agency Tass reported, according to a Google translation. Putin has run Russia for roughly 24 years, alternatively serving as prime minister and president since 1999. Securing another presidential mandate in 2024 would see him remain at the helm of …

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Senate Republicans Block Ukraine Aid Spending Bill

The New York Times reports: Republicans on Wednesday blocked an emergency spending bill to fund the war in Ukraine, demanding strict new border restrictions in exchange and severely jeopardizing President Biden’s push to replenish the war chests of American allies before the end of the year. The failed vote highlighted waning support in the United States for continuing to fund …

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US Charges Four Russians With Torturing American

The Messenger reports: The Department of Justice on Wednesday filed its first official war-crimes charges against four Russian men accused of torturing an American in Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion of the country. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the charges at a press conference that was described as an event to announce “significant humans rights actions.” It also featured …

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Classified Ukraine Briefing Turns Into Shouting Match

CNN reports: A classified briefing Tuesday on Ukraine devolved into a shouting match about border security as senators described a tense meeting that did little to break the Senate’s stalemate over whether to include tighter immigration policies in the aid package. Chuck Schumer gave his description of what unfolded and said the fight over the border erupted when Mitch McConnell …

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