Why Did Zelenskiy Go After Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Agencies?
Zelenskiy rapidly reversed course when he realized the scale of outrage among ordinary Ukrainians and the Western governments bankrolling his government. But the damage to his image as the principled leader of a nation under siege was already done.
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Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's Ukraine peace plan now runs straight through an old friend
After championing Vladimir Putin indefatigably for months, Donald Trump is poised this week to punish Russia's invasion of Ukraine for the first time. But it is India, not Russia, that appears likely to bear the brunt. Facing a self-imposed deadline – shortened from 50 to 12 days – the US president has until Friday to unveil measures aimed at forcing Putin to consider a ceasefire. With bipartisan support in Congress for tough sanctions, Mr Trump has threatened to throttle Russia's war economy by imposing 100 per cent tariffs on any country buying its oil. Such a move would have a significant impact, says Timothy Ash, associate fellow at Chatham House, an international affairs think tank: 'Russia's exports would slow to a trickle. Its fiscal revenues would stop almost completely. We would see major runs on banks and the currency come under severe pressure.' Focus on Moscow's oil exports But, he adds, while the impact on Moscow would be severe, it would also unleash turmoil on world markets, send oil prices sky-rocketing and chill the global economy. So outlandish did the threat seem that investors initially dismissed it as bluster from a president long open about his warm relations with Putin. But in recent days, he has begun shaping a more modest sanctions package targeting states whose purchases of Russian oil help fund the war. So far his focus has been selective. He has avoided threatening China – Russia's biggest energy customer – and Turkey, the third largest. Instead, he has singled out India, the second-largest buyer. Last week, Mr Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 25 per cent, above the rate applied to Asian competitors, and promised an additional penalty for Delhi's oil purchases from Russia. 'They're fuelling the war machine, and if they're going to do that, then I'm not happy,' he told CNBC on Tuesday, saying he would unveil the new tariff within 24 hours. India's role in sustaining Russia's economy is clear. Before the 2022 invasion, Russian oil accounted for just 0.2 per cent of India's imports; today it is 45 percent – around two million barrels a day – bringing £41bn in revenue last year, according to Delhi's Global Trade Research Initiative. Even so, China buys more – 47 per cent of Russia's oil, compared with India's 37 per cent. Mr Trump's circumspection as far as Beijing is concerned probably reflects geopolitical caution: Washington and Beijing only recently stabilised relations after a damaging trade war and Mr Trump is hoping to stage a triumphant summit with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, before the end of the year. That he feels freer to confront India suggests ulterior motives. Despite the president's warm personal ties with Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, US relations with the country he leads have soured. Trade negotiations have stalled, frustrating Mr Trump. He was also reportedly incensed when Pakistan, not India, praised his mediation and even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize after the India-Pakistan clashes in May. Mr Modi, by contrast, played down Mr Trump's role and has paid the price for his perceived ingratitude. In June, Mr Trump invited Asim Munir, Pakistan's powerful army chief, to lunch at the White House, pledged to improve relations with India's chief enemy and announced plans to help develop its oil reserves. Scepticism over Mr Trump's sudden concern about Indian oil imports is heightened by his previous reluctance to impose new sanctions on Russia – or even uphold the old ones. Enforcement of existing restrictions has significantly weakened since he returned to the White House, critics say. Not only did he decline to appoint a new head of the State Department's Office of Sanctions Co-ordination, he has also proved reluctant to coordinate with the EU on sanctions enforcement, European officials complain. 'He feels played and he's angry' Front companies helping Moscow evade restrictions have proliferated, critics say – a claim the White House denies. Some analysts believe Mr Trump has had a genuine change of heart, after concluding that only meaningful pressure on Putin – who believes he has the battlefield advantage – will bring him to the negotiating table. With some experts warning a Russian victory is no longer unthinkable, the president seems determined to act. 'I think Trump has come around to the realisation that convincing Putin to back away from his maximalist war aims will take more than nice conversations,' said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent US think tank. 'I think in many respects you're looking at an American president who feels played by Putin, and he's angry. And now that he has pivoted, he does not want to go down in history as the American president who lost Ukraine.' Whether focusing on India alone will work is doubtful, particularly as Mr Modi shows no sign of yielding. Mr Trump insists that secondary tariffs could cut Russian oil revenues enough to force Putin to rethink his strategy. 'If energy goes down enough, Putin is going to stop killing people,' he said last week. 'If you get energy down, another $10 a barrel, he's going to have no choice because his economy stinks.' But experts warn that tariffs and sanctions alone may not be enough, certainly if they are imposed on India alone. As Mr Kupchan notes: 'Increasing economic pressure is necessary, but it's only one plank of a set of policies. The more important element is getting arms to Ukraine and helping it build its own military-industrial base. 'I don't think we can strangle the Russian economy. Ultimately, Ukraine needs the capability to stop Putin.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Nawrocki: nationalist historian becomes Poland's president
Nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki, who is set to be inaugurated as Poland's new president on Wednesday, is a former amateur boxer with a particular interest in the criminal underworld. The 42-year-old Nawrocki won a June 1 election with the support of the populist right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. Nawrocki campaigned under the slogan "Poland first, Poles first". While he has pledged to continue Poland's support for neighbouring Ukraine against Russia's invasion, he has denounced the benefits given to war refugees. He said in a campaign video in April that "social benefits will be above all for Poles" and that "in queues for doctors and clinics, Polish citizens must have priority". In May, he claimed Ukraine "has not shown gratitude for what Poles have done" and accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of "insolence". He opposes Ukraine's bid to join NATO. After speaking with Nawrocki last week, Zelensky said he looked forward to working together with the Polish leader. - Photos with Trump - Nawrocki is an admirer of Donald Trump and has said Poland should focus on shaping and leading Europe's relations with the US president. He met Trump at the White House in May and claimed Trump had told him: "You will win". The two were shown giving a thumbs up in photos released by the White House. Some lawmakers from the governing coalition at the time accused Trump of election interference. Nawrocki has called for controls on the border with Germany to keep out migrants, and would like Berlin to pay wartime reparations to Poland. While wooing voters during the campaign, Nawrocki signed an eight-point pledge prepared by far-right leader Slawomir Mentzen. The election campaign also saw Nawrocki embroiled in a series of scandals. While arguing against a property tax, he claimed to own one flat only. Later it was revealed he had acquired a second one through a convoluted deal with an elderly man. A bombshell news report also alleged he had arranged prostitutes for guests while working as a hotel security guard. Nawrocki called the accusations "a bunch of lies" and said he would sue the news site. Born in the Baltic port city of Gdansk, Nawrocki boxed and played football in his youth before earning a PhD in history and an MBA. He served as the director of the World War II museum in Gdansk from 2017 to 2021. Since then, he has led the Institute of National Remembrance, which investigates Nazi and communist-era crimes. His research focused on Poland's anti-communist opposition, organised crime during the communist era and sports history. Last year, Russia added Nawrocki to its wanted list for his alleged efforts to remove Soviet-era monuments in Poland. Nawrocki said he had obtained a gun licence and firearm after winding up in Russia's crosshairs. - Dual identity - Nawrocki has written several books, including one under a pen name that landed him in an unusual controversy. In 2018, he secretly published a book about the communist-era gangster Nikodem Skotarczak using the pseudonym "Tadeusz Batyr". That same year, a blurred and voice-altered Batyr appeared on state television claiming Nawrocki had inspired the book. Nawrocki later wrote on social media that Batyr had sought his advice and "thanked me with an interesting book, which I recommend". But Polish media recently uncovered that Batyr and Nawrocki were one and the same. Political opponents seized on the revelation. Nawrocki has also faced accusations of ties to gangsters and neo-Nazis, which he has rejected as "deep manipulation", insisting his contacts were for professional purposes. "No one has ever heard a good word from me about Nazism," he said. Nawrocki speaks English and still boxes in his spare time. He has said Poland needs "a strong president for tough times". He lives with his wife, Marta, and has two children and an adult stepson. amj/dt/sbk
Bloomberg
35 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Trump Envoy Arrives in Moscow in US Gamble to End War in Ukraine
The White House is racing to beat another self-imposed deadline to resolve Russia's war in Ukraine, with President Donald Trump leaning hard on his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to get Moscow to halt the fighting. Witkoff arrived in the Russian capital for talks with officials on Wednesday, just two days before an Aug. 8 deadline Trump set for Russia to reach a truce or face potential sanctions. While Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he won't abandon his campaign in Ukraine, people familiar with the situation said the Kremlin might offer the US concessions that could include halting airstrikes in a bid to avert new economic penalties.
