US sanctions International Criminal Court judges
The United States has announced sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges over what it described as 'illegitimate and baseless actions' against the US and Israel.
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Russia Today
an hour ago
- Russia Today
Kiev sends the living to die, but won't accept its dead
It is sad, but peace remains elusive in the war between, on one side, Ukraine and – through Ukraine – the West and, on the other, Russia. Recently, the US has at least admitted that Moscow has plausible and important interests at stake and that the West has been using Ukraine to fight a proxy war against Russia. While very late and still incomplete, such truthfulness could help fashion the kind of realistic compromise needed to end this war. Yet Washington's European vassals have chosen this moment to discover their usually terminally atrophied capacity for talking back to the US: They clearly want the war to continue, even though that means Ukraine – about which they pretend to care – will lose even more people and territory. Against this backdrop, it was no wonder that the latest round of the renewed Istanbul talks between Russia and Ukraine produced no breakthrough, little progress, and only very modest concrete results. Also, on the eve of the talks, the Zelensky regime launched terror attacks on civilian trains in western Russia and a series of sneak drone strikes throughout the country that – in the most generous reading – involved the war crime of perfidy: That, obviously, did not help find a way forward either. Indeed, by now it is clear that Kiev's sneak drone attacks in particular have only further undermined the Zelensky regime's already fragile standing in Washington: US President Donald Trump has been explicit that he accepts Russia's right to massively retaliate, or, in the original Trumpese, 'bomb the hell' out of Ukraine. Luckily for Ukraine, Moscow is generally more restrained than America would be in a similar situation, and it should stay so. Yet the fact remains, Kiev's sneak drones have made no substantial military difference in its favor, but they have done significant political damage – to Kiev, that is. Regarding the Istanbul talks, it is likely that these assaults were meant to torpedo them. Yet Moscow did not fall for that rather transparent play. Its delegation turned up; so the Ukrainian one had to do the same. In addition, Russia ended this round of the negotiations with several good-will gestures, including an agreement to exchange POWs who are particularly young or in bad health and the offer to hand over the frozen (a common practice in war) bodies of 6,000 fallen Ukrainians. Both initiatives have run into trouble. To be precise, both are being impeded by the Ukrainian leadership. The POW swap has been delayed, and Ukrainian officials have failed to show up at the border to receive the first 1,212 of their deceased soldiers. Regarding both, Kiev has blamed Russia. Yet, remarkably, the Ukrainian statements, in reality, prove that it is indeed Kiev that is – at the very least – slowing these processes down. For what Ukrainian officials are really accusing Russia of is moving faster. The reasons for this obstructionism are unclear. The Ukrainian authorities have not shared them with the public. But there are some plausible guesses. One very likely reason why Kiev is reluctant to accept the 6,000 bodies of its own fallen soldiers is that the 'preponderant majority' of them, according to a Ukrainian member of parliament, were killed specifically during Ukraine's insane and predictably catastrophic incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Started on August 6 of last year, the operation was initially hyped by Ukrainian propagandists and their accomplices and useful idiots in the West. For the clear-eyed, it was obvious from the beginning that this was a mass kamikaze mission, wasting Ukrainian lives for no military or political advantage. Was the Zelensky regime trying to create a territorial 'bargaining chip'? Or once more 'shift the narrative,' as if wars are won by rewriting a movie script? Influence last year's US elections? Prepare for a possible victory by then presidential candidate Donald Trump? All of the above? We don't know. What we do know is that nothing Kiev may have fantasized about has worked. Indeed, by now the Kursk fiasco has only made Kiev's situation worse. Russia has retaken the territory in Kursk Region that Ukraine had seized and is advancing on the Ukrainian side of the border, taking settlements at an accelerating pace and getting close to the major regional city of Sumy. Clearly, those fallen during that particular suicide mission are evidence of Kiev's recklessness, hypocrisy, and incompetence. No wonder they seem to be less than welcome at home. A second reason for Kiev's reluctance may be even more sordid. There is speculation, for instance on social media, that it is financial. More importantly, a Russian diplomat, Sergei Ordzhonikidze, has made the same claim on the Telegram channel of the Izvestiia newspaper. For according to Ukrainian legislation, the families of the fallen soldiers are entitled to substantial compensation. Painful as it may be to acknowledge it, the Zelensky regime is not incapable of such a massive lack of piety. Whatever the precise reasons for Kiev's odd refusal to take back its prisoners and dead, they are certain to be base. This may jar with the West's well-organized and stubbornly delusional Zelensky fan club. But the best they could do for 'ordinary' Ukrainians is to put pressure on their worn-out idol to accept the prisoners and the fallen. And, of course to finally end the war.
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- Russia Today
Israeli cabinet minister tells banks to ignore EU sanctions
Israeli banks should provide services to settlers whom the European Union has slapped with sanctions, despite any potential repercussions, the country's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has insisted. He warned that those failing to comply could be made to pay out hefty compensations. Last July, the EU for the first time in its history imposed punitive measures on five Israeli settlers and three groups over 'serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians' in the occupied West Bank, which is considered part of Palestine under international law. Apart from an EU-wide entry ban and an asset freeze, the sanctions prohibit the 'provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly,' to the affected Israeli nationals. In a post on X on Wednesday, the official, who is known for his far-right views, said that he had sent a letter to the banking supervisor, Dani Khachiashvili, in which he demanded an end to 'the 'zero risk' policy on the part of banks, which leads to the abandonment of Israeli customers under the guise of compliance with foreign sanctions.' Smotrich accused Israeli financial institutions of 'small-mindedness' and unquestioning compliance with 'unjust' EU sanctions. He argued that banks in fact 'have a significant ability to act against' Brussels' punitive measures, by taking legal action and wielding their 'global economic connections.' The official threatened that if his call was not heeded, he would push for legislation that would force Israeli financial institutions to pay out sizable compensations to the affected individuals. The Israeli finance minister further wrote that he could also promote legislation that would require the Bank of Israel to 'open and manage bank accounts for citizens on whom sanctions are imposed.' Speaking to AFP last month, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said that Stockholm would 'push for EU sanctions against individual Israeli ministers' since there was no 'clear improvement for the civilians in Gaza.' At around the same time, her Slovenian colleague, Tanja Fajon, announced that her country was 'looking into the possibility of sanctions against Israel, alongside France and Ireland.' Also in May, the UK and Canada, which are not part of the EU, along with France, issued a joint statement condemning the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The document accused the Israeli government of denying 'essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population' of the Palestinian enclave. London, Ottawa and Paris threatened to 'take further concrete actions,' including 'targeted sanctions,' should 'egregious actions' on the part of Israel continue. The statement also demanded that Israel halt settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.
Russia Today
10 hours ago
- Russia Today
African state reciprocates US visa ban
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has announced the suspension of visa issuance to Americans in retaliation for Washington's decision to ban Chadian nationals from entering the United States. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday imposing a full entry ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. He cited a range of concerns, including the presence of terrorist organizations, lack of security cooperation, high rate of visa overstays, and the refusal of some governments to accept deported nationals. In a brief statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, Chad's leader said he had 'instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the granting of visas to citizens of the United States of America.' 'Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride,' Deby added. The new measures by the Trump administration, set to take effect on June 9, also target Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, and Yemen. Travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will face partial restrictions. Exceptions will apply to lawful permanent US residents, dual nationals, diplomats, athletes and their relatives attending major sporting events, and those with family or adoption immigrant visas. Congolese government spokesperson Thierry Moungalla said he believes the Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, was added to the US travel blacklist due to a 'misunderstanding.' 'Congo is not a terrorist country, is not home to any terrorist, and is not known to have a terrorist vocation. So, we think that this is a misunderstanding, and I believe that in the coming hours, the relevant diplomatic services of the government will contact the American authorities,' Moungalla said in response to a reporter's question during at a briefing in the capital, Brazzaville. Somali Ambassador to the US Dahir Hassan Abdi said that Mogadishu stood ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised. Sierra Leone, which faces partial restrictions, has also reportedly expressed willingness to cooperate with the White House.
