Latest news with #Kremlin-connected
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US will no longer ‘fly around the world' to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war
Washington is sounding increasingly pessimistic about the prospects of reaching a peace deal in Ukraine, saying that it is up to Kyiv and Moscow to end the conflict as the US considers stepping away from negotiations. American officials will no longer 'fly around the world' to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Thursday. In an interview with Fox News, Vice President JD Vance said that the war was 'not going to end any time soon,' stressing that it would be up to Moscow and Kyiv to come up with an agreement to stop the conflict. With US officials warning that they are preparing to back away from negotiations, the future of Washington's engagement with Kyiv and Moscow remains unclear. The US has said sanctions on Russia will remain in place and administration officials have reportedly prepared a set of options for ratcheting up economic pressure on Russia. Some officials have long believed that successfully negotiating a minerals deal with Ukraine would provide them with the political cover to increase support for Kyiv, a person familiar with the matter told Semafor. But uncertainty persists about what options US President Donald Trump will ultimately choose, and White House officials remain divided about the path forwards, Politico reported. In Moscow, fears are growing that the minerals deal signed earlier this week — as well as a successful sitdown between Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican — will spur improving ties between Kyiv and Washington. The deal 'worsens the situation for Russia,' a Kremlin-connected political analyst told The Washington Post: 'A key reason for tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy has been removed.' The Kremlin still has 'a residual concern that Trump might actually at some point turn against them,' Russia expert Keir Giles told Times Radio. To keep courting Trump, Russian officials have reportedly floated ideas ranging from a rare earths deal to assisting Washington's diplomatic efforts with Iran, and even a possible Trump Tower in Moscow, The Moscow Times reported. Both Russia and Ukraine have floated the prospects of direct negotiations, raising the prospects that peace talks could continue even if Washington walks away. 'America is trying to mediate,' a Kremlin spokesperson said, but 'a peace agreement should be signed with Ukraine, not with America.' Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has said he is willing to negotiate directly with the Kremlin if Russia agrees to a full ceasefire, a significant shift in tone by the Ukrainian leader. 'Kyiv and Moscow can do things like prisoner exchanges,' Kurt Volker, former US envoy to Ukraine told Semafor, 'but not an actual peace agreement, because [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants to win, and there's nothing Ukrainians can do to negotiate Putin away from that position. Putin actually has to feel pressure economically and on the battlefield.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Launches New Southern Assault
Russian forces have launched what could be the vanguard of a new offensive in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast, according to the Ukrainian and Russian militaries. While the success of this operation is in dispute, it marks an expansion of Moscow's effort to stretch out Kyiv's already-besieged forces. The attack was launched Wednesday evening local time by 'assault groups from several regiments of the 58th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District,' the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine (DFSU) claimed on Telegram. It involved 'at least 320 personnel, 40 units of armored combat vehicles, three tanks and about a dozen buggies.' The fighting was centered around frontline areas near the settlements of Pyatikhatki, Stepove, Lobkove, Mala Tokmachka and Mali Shcherbaky, DFSU stated. After Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance detected the advance, the Russian forces were attacked by drones and artillery, according to DFSU. During the ensuing 150-minute battle, Ukraine claims it destroyed a large number of Russian vehicles, killed scores of troops and thwarted the advance. On April 16, on the Zaporizhzhia front, Russians launched an assault that involved at least 320 soldiers, 40 units of armored vehicles, three tanks, and around ten aerial reconnaissance detected the enemy's movement in advance; drone and artillery strikes were… — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 17, 2025 Russian sources offer a different take. 'The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depths of the enemy's defence [and] inflicted losses on manpower and hardware…in Gulay Pole, and Chervonoye,' the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Telegram. The Kremlin-connected Rybar Telegram channel offered its account. Russian forces have made a small advance toward Malaya Tokmachka, though the situation there 'remains shrouded in the 'fog of war' as a result of which it is currently unknown whether Russian fighters have managed to gain a foothold in the village itself.' Malaya Tokmachka is a tactically important village, on the edge of what has largely been a static front line. It sits astride the T0815 highway, which runs toward Zaporizhzhia, a large city about 36 miles to the northeast. Of note, it was the area where Ukraine lost its first U.S.-donated Bradley Fighting Vehicle as well as a Polish-donated Leopard 2A6 tank and one BMR-2 Mine-Clearing vehicle during the failed summer counteroffensive in June 2023. The village was on the edge of Ukraine's furthest advance in Zaporizhzhia during that campaign. Capturing Mala Tomachka and the surrounding villages could give Russian forces greater maneuver room as they seek to force Ukraine to commit precious resources to the southern front. 'The offensive of Russian troops is developing in the Zaporizhzhya direction,' Rybar suggested. 'The eastern section of the front remained static for a long time, but since March of this year, units of the Russian Armed Forces have begun to move here.' '…the very fact of the attack and subsequent advance once again confirms that the vector of attention of the Russian command is gradually beginning to shift to the Zaporizhzhia operational direction, noticeably increasing the intensity of military clashes on the once 'frozen' section of the front.' While it remains unclear if Russia has the resources to exploit any gains it could make here, the situation may prove more desperate for Ukraine. Kyiv is still trying to fend off Russian advances in the east, defend against a new incursion in the Sumy area and maintain a small presence in the Russian regions of Kursk and Belgorod. Though large-scale maneuvers by both sides have been limited by the omnipresence of drones, a Russian breakthrough now would have ripple effects across the 600 miles of frontlines. It could also give Moscow another chip to bargain in any peace negotiations. Elsewhere on the battlefield, Russian forces are making incremental gains in several areas of Ukraine's east, with several sources saying Russia launched a new push toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. Here are the key takeaways from the latest Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessment: Kursk: Russian forces continued efforts to push Ukrainian forces out of their limited remaining positions in Kursk Oblast on April 16 but did not advance. Belgorod: Fighting continued in northwesternmost Belgorod Oblast on April 16, but Russian forces did not make confirmed advances. Sumy: Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Sumy direction on April 16 but did not make confirmed advances. Kharkiv: Russian forces did not conduct offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast on April 16. Luhansk: Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Borova, Lyman and Kupyansk directions on April 16 but did not make confirmed advances. Donetsk: Russian forces recently advanced in the Kurakhovem, Velyka Novosilka, Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions but gained no ground toward Chasiv Yar, Novopavlivka or Siversk. Kherson: Russian forces conducted limited offensive operations around the Dnipro River on April 16 but did not advance. 1/ Multiple Ukrainian sources confirm that the Russians attempted a "massive" offensive today in the #Prokrovskyi District of Donetsk. AFU defenders from the 14th Assault Brigade "Chervona Kalyna" defeated the assault in piecemeal.#OSINT — OSINT Intuit (@UKikaski) April 17, 2025 NEW: The White House reiterated that the United States will not engage in economic agreements with Russia until Russia agrees to a ceasefire, amid continued Russian efforts to deflect blame onto Ukraine for the Kremlin's rejection of such a ceasefire. (1/3) — Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) April 16, 2025 A U.S.-Ukrainian mineral deal could be signed as early as next week, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later 'clarified that White House officials were 'still working on the details' of where and when the signing would take place, but that they were 'shooting for' around April 26,' The Hill reported. 'It's substantially what we agreed on previously, the president was here, we had a memorandum of understanding, we went straight to the big deal … and I think it's an 80-page agreement, and that's what will be signed,' Bessent said of the contents of the deal. The White House update came after Zelensky reportedly said Kyiv and Washington could sign a memorandum of intent related to the deal as soon as today, The Hill noted. The Trump administration has lowered the payback for the provided aid it seeks under a minerals agreement with Ukraine from $300 billion to $100 billion, Bloomberg reported on April 16, citing undisclosed sources. The minerals deal with Ukraine will be signed next Thursday – President Trump."We have a minerals deal which I guess is gonna be signed next Thursday." — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 17, 2025 China is supplying Russia with gunpowder and artillery shells, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Thursday. 'I think we will be able to say in detail next week that we believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on the territory of Russia,' he added. Earlier this month, 'two Chinese citizens were captured by Ukrainian soldiers while fighting in the Russian army ranks against Ukraine in Donetsk Oblast,' the Kyiv Independent noted. Later, Zelensky said that at least 'several hundred' Chinese nationals are fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine. Zelensky's statement on Thursday marks Kyiv's first confirmation that Beijing supports Russia's war effort by providing weapons, the publication noted. As we have previously reported, Iran and North Korea also supply Russia with weapons and, in the case of the latter, troops as well. Zelensky: We weren't surprised to learn that China is supplying weapons, gunpowder, and artillery to Russia. Chinese representatives are involved in manufacturing some weapons on Russian territory. 6/ — Tymofiy Mylovanov (@Mylovanov) April 17, 2025 U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff were in Paris to discuss the future of efforts to end the war in Ukraine. There they met with French President Emmanuel Macron and top Ukrainian and European officials. The two U.S. officials were having lunch discussions with Macron and 'talks with European counterparts to advance President Trump's goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop the bloodshed,' State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. 'The meetings come as concerns grow about U.S. President Donald Trump's readiness to draw closer to Russia, and after weeks of U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine,' The Associated Press reported. 'There is also frustration over the Trump administration's other moves, from tariffs on some of its closest partners to rhetoric about NATO and Greenland.' Witkoff met Thursday with Ukrainian presidential adviser Andrii Yermak and top officials from France, Britain and Germany. Rubio was expected to meet later with the French foreign minister. Ukraine was holding 'a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with representatives of the states of the coalition of the willing that are able to guarantee security,″ Yermak said. He was referring to a group of about 30 nations, led by the U.K. and France, discussing 'a possible coalition to police any future peace agreement with Russia,' the AP explained. 'The success of the coalition's operation hinges on U.S. backup with airpower or other military assistance, but the Trump administration has made no public commitment to provide support.' So far, the Trump administration has been unwilling to commit to such an effort. Top U.S. Officials in Paris for Talks on Ukraine, IranU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff are meeting now with French President Emmanuel Macron and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris at the Elysee… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 17, 2025 In the wake of the deadly Russian Palm Sunday attack on Sumy, Bruce told reporters that there would be no discussion with Russia of sanctions relief 'until after the carnage has stopped.' US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce:"What I can say is a reminder that what was clear from the beginning: there would be no negotiations, no decisions, no arrangements [with Russia] until after the carnage has after Palm Sunday, it's clearly a dynamic… — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 16, 2025 In a recent piece examining Trump's flagging ceasefire effort, The Economist reported his administration's objection to continuing the flow of international aid to Ukraine. 'Pentagon figures recently questioned one ally about why it was still supplying weapons to Ukraine—a challenge that was ignored. Diplomats in Washington also report that some Trump aides say privately that they are 'fed up' with Europe's effort to strengthen Ukraine,' the publication stated. 'As always with such a chaotic administration, it is hard to distinguish the true signal from the noise.' Also noted in the story is the lack of new U.S. support for Ukraine. 'Notably absent from Mr Trump's discourse is any notion of additional military aid for Ukraine,' The Economist posited. 'Indeed, America's support is dwindling. The flow of weapons approved by Joe Biden will run out in the coming months, and Mr Trump has not authorized any more. Another budget allocation to support Ukraine looks unlikely.' The Economist: Trump's aides "fed up" with Europe's efforts to strengthen UkraineTrump's attempt to secure a ceasefire within 100 days is faltering, with Russia ignoring US proposals, stepping up attacks, and Trump shifting blame to — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) April 17, 2025 Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan offered up several reasons behind the very slow provision U.S.-donated Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missiles to Ukraine. Speaking Tuesday at the Institute of Politics Harvard Kennedy School, Sullivan said lack of supply, not fear of drawing Vladimir Putin's ire, was the driving factor. 'The reason why we didn't provide them originally is because the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. military told [President Joe Biden] that the United States did not have enough of these in our inventory to meet our basic determinants needs for the United States and said, essentially, we do not recommend or advise that these be given to another country,' Sullivan explained. 'Over time, over the course of two years, we produced more. We produced enough to be able to supply Ukraine with …several hundred ATACMS.' However, concerns about escalating U.S. tensions with Russia were not inconsequential, Sullivan noted. '…in those early months, in the period of April, May of 2022, the question of escalation was different than it was in 2024,' he suggested. '… Did we learn and were we willing to do things later in the war than we weren't earlier in the war? And the answer to that question was yes, because we were prepared to take on more risk as this went along.' Regardless, despite Ukrainian tactical successes of using these weapons beginning in October 2023, Sullivan said they were not game-changers. 'We ended up providing Ukraine with a very significant number of these systems down to the level where, again, we basically have no more to give,' Sullivan surmised. 'And the idea that they made a major difference operationally in the war has not been borne out by the evidence. So I think a lot has been put on this ATACMS decision to suggest, 'Oh, if only you'd given ATACMS, the war would have turned out totally differently.' And yet, the experience of the use of ATACMs by Ukraine on the battlefield, I think, suggests that that is not, in fact, the case.' "The U.S. did not supply ATACMS missiles to Ukraine during Biden's presidency not out of fear of World War III, but due to a lack of stockpiles." – Jake Sullivan, former national security advisor to Biden. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) April 17, 2025 Russian drone strikes on Dnipro and Odesa killed at least three, injured dozens and caused widespread property damage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X. 'They targeted ordinary residential buildings, ordinary civilian infrastructure,' Zelensky explained. 'The rubble is still being cleared. Currently, 16 people are in city hospitals; in total, 28 people were injured, including 4 children. All of them are receiving assistance. Tragically, three people were killed by this Russian strike… In addition, three people were wounded in Odesa, Zelensky stated. 'Residential buildings, a pharmacy, and a church were damaged. The Sumy region came under aerial bomb attacks, while Kharkiv and Donetsk regions were hit by Russian ballistic missiles.' It was a difficult night in Dnipro—a Russian drone strike hit the city. They targeted ordinary residential buildings, ordinary civilian infrastructure. The rubble is still being cleared. Currently, 16 people are in city hospitals; in total, 28 people were injured, including 4… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 17, 2025 The attack on the city of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast hit homes and a school, injuring at least five children, officials stated. Last night, russia launched a combined attack on Izium in Kharkiv Obalst with missiles and drones, striking homes and a school. Five civilians, including a 7-year-old girl, were injured. Two more women suffered acute shock. — Iryna Voichuk (@IrynaVoichuk) April 17, 2025 Meanwhile in Kherson, Ukrainian officials displayed a photograph of what they say is a Ukrainian ambulance destroyed in a Russian airstrike. A Russian drone struck an ambulance in hometown Kherson early this morning. At 7 am! A 65-year-old paramedic and a 61-year-old driver were injured. My mom is a doctor, too. I just can't imagine! #RussianAggression — Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) April 17, 2025 A report released earlier this month 'cites leaked U.S. military documents that suggest a Russian system called Tobol — that was originally designed to protect Russian satellites from jamming — was used to disrupt Starlink commercial satellite signals over Ukrainian territory,' wrote. 'Those leaked documents suggest that Russia has used at least three Tobol installations to try and disrupt Starlink commercial satellite signals over Eastern Ukraine.' Russia 'appears to also be developing a newer, more sophisticated system called Kalinka, which is intended to detect and disrupt signals to and from Starlink satellites in order to interfere with Ukrainian drones and military communications,' added, citing the Secure World Foundation (SWF) report. 'Andrei Bezrukov, the director of the Russian Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies, which is developing the Kalinka system, told state media that the so-called 'Starlink killer' could also detect communication terminals connected to Starshield, the military version of Starlink that's designed with enhanced security features.' Starlink, developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, has provided a critical means of communication for Ukrainian forces. Starlink is now even on the verge/currently of being jammed. Technically any radio signal can be jammed/corrupted. They had the ideal control over the rocket with the original TOW system. Just needed the fiber optic upgrade. — CLS-JPS (@realswoopadoop1) April 14, 2025 The Ukrainian Defense Ministry (MoD) has approved the use of the new UNEX armored amphibious uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV). 'The self-propelled platform is built on a special chassis that provides exceptional mobility in the most difficult conditions. The platform easily moves on water, floodplains, swamps, quagmires, sand, difficult surfaces and ice,' the MoD claimed. 'The weight distribution between the axles and wide tires create pressure on the surface less than that of an infantryman's foot. Thanks to this, the platform does not activate mines designed to damage automobiles and armored vehicles.' Ukraine's army received UNEX UGV, a Ukrainian-made amphibious robot with exceptional mobility on water, swamps, and ice. Its low pressure prevents triggering vehicle mines. Resistant to EW, it can be armed or used for logistics, evacuation, and demining. — ArmyInform (@armyinformcomua) April 17, 2025 In another iteration of advances in uncrewed systems warfare, Russia unveiled an uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) carrying an electronic warfare (EW) pod. The specifications of this system are not publicly known. Russian UGV with an EW pod — Samuel Bendett (@sambendett) April 17, 2025 Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) received a donated Sikorsky S-76A twin-engine helicopter, the first of its kind to be used in the war-torn nation. The helicopter 'was transported from Canada as part of a charitable initiative by the Helijet International airline, the Maple Hope Foundation, and the Ukrainian World Congress,' GUR said on Telegram. 'The helicopter will rescue both our employees and [fighters] of the Special Operations Forces,' GUR commander Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov said. 'Now, thanks to your charitable organizations, it will be easier.' The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has received a unique medevac helicopter as part of a charitable initiative — the Sikorsky S-76A. The cost of such a medevac ranges from 1 to 2 million Canadian dollars. This is the first helicopter of its kind in Ukraine. The Sikorsky S-76A… — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) April 17, 2025 Ukraine increased production of its domestic cruise missiles by eight-fold last year, Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin said during a briefing marking Ukraine's Gunsmith Day last week. He highlighted the progress since 2022, when Ukraine was only able to manufacture a single type of cruise missile, the Neptune. 'Ukraine has also more than doubled its production of long-range drones in 2024 compared to the previous year, which is a 22-fold increase compared to 2022,' the Kyiv Independent reported. 'In total, 324 new types of weapons were developed in Ukraine by the end of 2024.' Ukraine has massively increased its domestic long-range missile production, reportedly over 700% in the last year, per Strategic Industries Minister missile production has increased 2100% since 2022, with new systems like the Neptune LACM entering service. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 16, 2025 Ukraine's Magyar Birds drone unit released a long video compilation of first-person view (FPV) attacks on some of its targets, which included among others a bridge and a Grad multiple launch rocket system (MLRS). Pretty wild update from Magyar "Jagga Jagga" – blowing up an already mined bridge, fully loaded Grad MLRS and everything in-between with FPV drones. — Kvist (@kvistp) April 16, 2025 You can see an isolated clip from that video showing the bridge attack below. Bridge blowup caused by Ukrainian fiber optic FPV drone hitting prepared charges. Work by " Birds of the Magyar". — MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) April 16, 2025 A Russian soldier shot a video of the so-called 'road of death' in Belgorod. It shows cars and trucks – likely destroyed by Ukrainian attacks – littering both sides of the road. A Russian soldier showed a "road of death" in Russia's Belgorod region. According to him, the number of burned vehicles on this road doubled in just one day. The car he was driving also burned down. — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 16, 2025 After broadcasting a video of a Russian soldier operating drones from a Moscow apartment, the Russian official RIA Novosti news outlet reportedly deleted it. The move was likely to maintain operational security, given the ability of the military and open-source trackers alike to geolocate the apartment. Russian media briefly published a video showing troops operating FPV drones from a Moscow City skyscraper — then quickly deleted it. — Clash Report (@clashreport) April 15, 2025 An FPV drone attack on 10 Russian soldiers riding on the back of a vehicle was likened in the following video to bowling pins being toppled by 'strike,' wherein the ball knocks down all 10 pins at once. Strike — Slava (@Heroiam_Slava) April 14, 2025 And finally, seeking shelter from an FPV drone, a Russian soldier flipped over a wagon and hid himself underneath. The wagon proved to be an insufficient method of avoiding these weapons. Russian is hiding in wheelbarrow — Slava (@Heroiam_Slava) April 16, 2025 That's it for now. Contact the author: howard@
The Guardian
31-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
With this damning of Le Pen, France can be the ‘anti-Trump'. It's a bold path others should follow
The French justice system chose courage over surrender. The law was clear, and so was the court in its sentencing: no special treatment for Marine Le Pen, no deference to the powerful, no using a candidacy for office as an excuse to break the law with impunity. For more than a decade, from 2004 to 2016, Le Pen's reactionary rightwing party – named the Front National until 2018, when it became the Rassemblement National (RN) – operated an organised scheme to embezzle public funds by creating fictitious parliamentary assistant jobs at the European parliament, and to break other financial rules, in effect using European public money to finance a debt-ridden party domestically. Under a French anti-corruption law passed in 2016, the guilty verdict rendered against Le Pen comes with a sentence of ineligibility to run for office. The ban is for the next five years, effective immediately, which means that the sentence will hold all the way through an appeals process and will almost certainly torpedo any chance of her running for president in 2027. Many will see parallels between the RN's response to this verdict and the way that Donald Trump rallied the anger of his base last summer, after a court in New York found him guilty of a criminal hush-money scheme during the 2016 election. Indeed, Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old likely successor to Le Pen (who led RN during the summer's unanticipated legislative elections), is already playing the victim card, declaring that French democracy has been 'killed.' There are a number of important differences, though. First, this is a much more serious case and conviction than the one against Trump: a hush-money payment might seem salacious, but this involved more than a decade of systematically defrauding the public of millions of euros and had real implications for French politics. During the time that the embezzlement was under way, the FN/RN was heavily indebted to a Kremlin-connected Russian bank. Paying off the debt helped the party claim it no longer maintained inappropriate links to Vladimir Putin's power circle – would it have been able to do so without the misused funds? And would it have been as competitive in the elections it contested without the unfair advantage of fraudulent finances? Second, with Le Pen herself ineligible to run in 2027, an angry base will have to transfer its support to Bardella or another potential challenger. As might be expected, many on the right are decrying the immediacy of the ineligibility sentence – but so is Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who broke from the rest of the left by declaring that the 'impeachment' of a politician should be 'left up to the people'. The Communist party, Greens and Socialists have, in various statements, underlined the importance of the rule of law and judicial independence. We will never know what would have happened if the US justice system had not totally failed at protecting the rule of law against an attempted coup d'etat. On the other hand, we know the consequences of not acting: the destruction of the rule of law and state capacity, the creation of a parallel system of prerogative and privilege from proximity to political power, and a slide towards outright fascism. But the law cannot be a substitute for politics, and the next judgment must be political. The far right has to be made to face its contradictions. It tells voters that the government is full of corrupt elites, or that immigrants are stealing social benefits – yet here are Le Pen and 24 other members of RN, convicted of the massive fraudulent use of public funds. It demands harsher sentencing from courts, and then plays the victim when it is handed harsh sentences. It superficially speaks the language of power, but what it really offers is weakness and submission – to Putin, to Trump. It doesn't seem like this verdict will substantially change the far right's message, or strategy; it was always going to claim victimhood at the hands of 'the elites'. But it is here, in this third contradiction – what the parties really are and what their vision is to remake society – that there is the greatest opportunity to beat it politically. The RN makes no secret about which company it keeps and attracts. The French court's verdict was decried by such paragons of the rule of law as the Kremlin ('a violation of democratic norms'), Elon Musk (of course), who denounced an 'abuse' of the judicial system, and Viktor Orbán, who posted: 'Je suis Marine!' Exactly. Orbán is Marine; Putin is Marine; Trump is Marine. By trying to link their illiberal behaviour across borders, leaders of the reactionary right have given defenders of liberal democracy a playbook to follow. It strikes me as odd that, so far, few European politicians have seen the explosive benefit to be had in positioning themselves as a kind of 'anti-Trump', as the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has done to such effect, despite his country being far more vulnerable to US aggression than most of Europe is. Perhaps, in fact, that vulnerability has allowed him to see the stakes more clearly – or at least, to be more honest about them with the Canadian public. In polling from February, a worrying 48% of French people said 'nothing moves in democracy, there should be less democracy and more effectiveness'. I don't think people actually want less democracy, though; I think they want to feel like someone is standing up and fighting for them, and it's well past time that liberal democracy became as vociferous in defence of itself as its critics are against it. Trumpism is the perfect foil, in part because it's so deeply unpopular with European voters, who see it in action and who in response support the EU more than ever before, including broad popular support (even in the UK) for a European defence union. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion When it comes to the RN, submission is tied up with the name of the party itself. In 1936, a journalist asked Philippe Pétain, the French general and hero of the battle of Verdun, what the nation needed. 'Rassemblement national,' (a national rally) replied Pétain, who, only four years later, would surrender his country to the Nazis and lead its collaborationist Vichy government. In the US, the legal system submitted to the idea that the pursuit of justice and defence of the rule of law would disturb 'unity'. In France, it has not. I think we'll find that courage will pay off in the end. Alexander Hurst is a Guardian Europe columnist
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US attorneys for a Russian woman seeking to recover a megayacht target Antigua
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Attorneys for the daughter of a U.S.-sanctioned Russian billionaire asked a U.S. federal court Tuesday for access to the financial records of officials including the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, whose administration is under scrutiny for seizing and selling the family's 265-foot (81-meter) megayacht and not releasing documents related to the sale. The filing is the latest development in a global legal saga involving the Alfa Nero megayacht, which remained anchored off the eastern Caribbean island of Antigua for more than two years and whose potential buyers included former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The megayacht, abandoned by Andrey Guryev, a Russian businessman who founded a fertilizer company, is being sought by his daughter, Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, who claims she is the rightful owner. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. As part of the effort to recover the megayacht, her attorneys stated in the filing that they seek documents and information related to wire transfers and other transactions involving seven people and 12 entities in the past five years. 'The disappearance of millions from the sale of the Alfa Nero is just the beginning," said Martin De Luca, with Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, adding that the discovery seeks to uncover whether any alleged backroom deals for personal enrichment took place. The people targeted include Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne, his wife, their son and Antigua's general accountant and its port manager. The entities include West Indies Oil Company Ltd., an Antigua-based petroleum storage and distribution company of which the government is a majority shareholder, and Fancy Bridge Ltd., a Hong Kong-based investment firm that owns shares in the oil company, as does Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., known as PDVSA. A megayacht sanctioned, then auctioned Alfa Nero was anchored off Antigua when the war in Ukraine began in February 2022. The vessel was not sanctioned by the U.S. government at the time, but officials in Antigua prohibited the megayacht from departing for months, according to the filing. In August 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Guryev, saying he was part of a group of 'Kremlin-connected elites' and 'a known close associate' of Russian President Vladimir Putin, having previously served in his government. The department also designated Guryev's superyacht as 'blocked property,' and said its location tracking was turned off 'to avoid seizure.' 'As innocent people suffer from Russia's illegal war of aggression, Putin's allies have enriched themselves and funded opulent lifestyles,' said then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. In June 2023, the superyacht was removed from the sanctions list so Antigua could liquidate it. By then, the island's government had amended a local act to allow officials to declare vessels as abandoned and sell them at auction, a measure they took with Alfa Nero. Schmidt, Google's former CEO, won the highest bid at $67 million but later dropped out, as did other bidders. In July 2024, the government of Antigua and Barbuda sold it to an anonymous buyer for a reported $40 million, according to the filing, which noted that the vessel originally was valued at an estimated $120 million. It noted that private investigators later identified the buyers as Robert Yildirim and Ali Riza Yildirim of the Yildirim Group, a Turkish construction and shipping conglomerate. The conglomerate did not immediately return a message seeking comment. 'No longer available' Following the sale, Antigua's prime minister came under fire by opposition party members who demanded details of how the proceeds were spent. They have yet to receive any information. 'The prime minister does not give information except what he wants people to know,' said D. Gisele Isaac, chairperson of the opposition United Progressive Party. 'Up to now, he has never disclosed to us the name of the person who bought Alfa Nero.' Isaac noted that while Antigua and Barbuda has a Freedom of Information Act, an information commissioner appointed last year has no physical office. 'There is nowhere to request information even if they were inclined to give it,' she said of the current administration, adding that she believes proceeds from the yacht sale should go to helping rebuild Ukraine. Browne's wife, Maria Browne, Antigua's Minister of Housing, told The Antigua Observer newspaper in July 2024 that the proceeds were used to pay off government debt. Days before the report was published, the prime minister had said his administration was considering using the money to build a resort. The filing noted that nearly $10 million remains unaccounted for and that investigators in the case were told the sale documents 'were no longer available because they had apparently gone missing.' Gaston Browne did not immediately return a message for comment. Legal cases related to Alfa Nero also are ongoing in Russia and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. One case alleges that the seizure and sale of the megayacht is unconstitutional, with Browne previously claiming that the lawsuit before the regional court filed by Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov was 'frivolous.' ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
Associated Press
11-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
US attorneys for a Russian woman seeking to recover a megayacht target Antigua
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Attorneys for the daughter of a U.S.-sanctioned Russian billionaire asked a U.S. federal court Tuesday for access to the financial records of officials including the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, whose administration is under scrutiny for seizing and selling the family's 265-foot (81-meter) megayacht and not releasing documents related to the sale. The filing is the latest development in a global legal saga involving the Alfa Nero megayacht, which remained anchored off the eastern Caribbean island of Antigua for more than two years and whose potential buyers included former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The megayacht, abandoned by Andrey Guryev, a Russian businessman who founded a fertilizer company, is being sought by his daughter, Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, who claims she is the rightful owner. As part of the effort to recover the megayacht, her attorneys stated in the filing that they seek documents and information related to wire transfers and other transactions involving seven people and 12 entities in the past five years. 'The disappearance of millions from the sale of the Alfa Nero is just the beginning,' said Martin De Luca, with Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, adding that the discovery seeks to uncover whether any alleged backroom deals for personal enrichment took place. The people targeted include Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne, his wife, their son and Antigua's general accountant and its port manager. The entities include West Indies Oil Company Ltd., an Antigua-based petroleum storage and distribution company of which the government is a majority shareholder, and Fancy Bridge Ltd., a Hong Kong-based investment firm that owns shares in the oil company, as does Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., known as PDVSA. A megayacht sanctioned, then auctioned Alfa Nero was anchored off Antigua when the war in Ukraine began in February 2022. The vessel was not sanctioned by the U.S. government at the time, but officials in Antigua prohibited the megayacht from departing for months, according to the filing. In August 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Guryev, saying he was part of a group of 'Kremlin-connected elites' and 'a known close associate' of Russian President Vladimir Putin, having previously served in his government. The department also designated Guryev's superyacht as 'blocked property,' and said its location tracking was turned off 'to avoid seizure.' 'As innocent people suffer from Russia's illegal war of aggression, Putin's allies have enriched themselves and funded opulent lifestyles,' said then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. In June 2023, the superyacht was removed from the sanctions list so Antigua could liquidate it. By then, the island's government had amended a local act to allow officials to declare vessels as abandoned and sell them at auction, a measure they took with Alfa Nero. Schmidt, Google's former CEO, won the highest bid at $67 million but later dropped out, as did other bidders. In July 2024, the government of Antigua and Barbuda sold it to an anonymous buyer for a reported $40 million, according to the filing, which noted that the vessel originally was valued at an estimated $120 million. It noted that private investigators later identified the buyers as Robert Yildirim and Ali Riza Yildirim of the Yildirim Group, a Turkish construction and shipping conglomerate. The conglomerate did not immediately return a message seeking comment. 'No longer available' Following the sale, Antigua's prime minister came under fire by opposition party members who demanded details of how the proceeds were spent. They have yet to receive any information. 'The prime minister does not give information except what he wants people to know,' said D. Gisele Isaac, chairperson of the opposition United Progressive Party. 'Up to now, he has never disclosed to us the name of the person who bought Alfa Nero.' Isaac noted that while Antigua and Barbuda has a Freedom of Information Act, an information commissioner appointed last year has no physical office. 'There is nowhere to request information even if they were inclined to give it,' she said of the current administration, adding that she believes proceeds from the yacht sale should go to helping rebuild Ukraine. Browne's wife, Maria Browne, Antigua's Minister of Housing, told The Antigua Observer newspaper in July 2024 that the proceeds were used to pay off government debt. Days before the report was published, the prime minister had said his administration was considering using the money to build a resort. The filing noted that nearly $10 million remains unaccounted for and that investigators in the case were told the sale documents 'were no longer available because they had apparently gone missing.' Gaston Browne did not immediately return a message for comment. Legal cases related to Alfa Nero also are ongoing in Russia and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. One case alleges that the seizure and sale of the megayacht is unconstitutional, with Browne previously claiming that the lawsuit before the regional court filed by Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov was 'frivolous.'
