Putin's hold over Trump is fast slipping out of his hands.

In my blog entry of 17 May 2017 I reported that,

"On January 10, 2017, the media reported on the existence of a private intelligence dossier containing unverified allegations of misconduct and ties between Donald Trump, then President-elect, and the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the period preceding the election. The dossier was written by a former British MI6 intelligence officer, Christopher Steele (left), who went into hiding after the release of the dossier, but reappeared on March 7, 2017" (Wikipedia)

Fast forward to 17 July 2025, and  we now have what is known as the "Epstein files", a collection of files about the activities and connections of  the paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein (right), which are held by the US Department of Justice, and which Trump's MAGA base is screaming to be released.

 Trump, however, is claiming that,

"President Donald Trump is now comparing the Jeffrey Epstein files to the [hoaxed] Russia investigation and other past inquiries that disrupted his first term." (W. James Antle III (left) : Wasington Examiner: 17 July 2025) (my emphasis)

James Antle further reports that,

"Trump’s obvious irritation with his supporters’, or “PAST supporters” as he put it in a social media post on Wednesday, fascination with Epstein, is stepping on his instruction to Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “credible” information on the matter. 
...
“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats’ work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!” Trump wrote.  (ibid W. James Antle III )

 

Wasington Examiner: 17 July 2025 

 

Brandy Zadrozny on The Beat With Ari: MSNBC: 17 July 2025 

In the Steele Dossier of 2017 it is alleged that,

"However there were other aspects to Trump's engagement with the Russian authorities. One that had borne fruit for them was to exploit Trump's personal obsessions and sexual perversions  in order to obtain suitable 'kompromat' on him." (cf: Steele Dossier) 

 Throughout Trump's fist presidency, and his now current presidency, puzzzlement about his 'bromance' with Putin has caused many political heads to be scratched.

Why is Trump always so accomodating of Putin, especially in the current war between Putin and Ukraine? 

As Rachel Maddow (left) recently reported,

"In January President Trump said, "If Russia did not end the war in Ukraine, he would hit them with new sanctions, and also tariffs. Vladimir Putin ignored him and then Trump did nothing in response" (MSNBC: 15 July 2025) (my emphasis)

She goes on to outline that Putin continued to ignore Trump's subsequent, and similar, threats. 

She further continues,

"And that brings us to today, and can you guess how it went? Trump threatens 'very severe sanctions ... very severe tariffs ... against Russia" (ibid Rachel Maddow)

But, more importantly, she points out that,

"No Ukraine deal within 50 days. So Putin gets to keep doing whatever he wants to do in Ukraine for ANOTHER 50 DAYS .." (ibid Rachel Maddow)

And now that Trump is comparing, "the Jeffrey Epstein files to the [hoaxed] Russia investigation ", one is left with the feeling that, like the contents of the Steele Dossier, the Jeffrey Epstein files may similarly contain rather 'salacious' details about Trump's personal obsessions and sexual perversions. 

Even Elon Musk (right) has hinted that,

"Billionaire Elon Musk alleged that President Trump has ties to convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein as the part of his growing feud with the president, a fight that boiled over and turned personal on Thursday.

“Time to drop the really big bomb,” Musk wrote on X, the social platform he owns. “[Trump] is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.”

Minutes later, he followed up: “Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.”" (Dominick Mastrangelo: The Hill: 5 June 2025) (my emphasis) (cf. also: Leigh Kimmins: The Daily Beast on Yahoo News: 17 July 2025)

Is it any wonder that, as Steve Benen points out,

"As part of his response, the Republican president eventually got around to saying the story is “no different than Russia, Russia, Russia.”
…
If the president is of the opinion that the Russia scandal and the Epstein scandal are of equal validity, then the White House should prepare for the ongoing controversy to become even more dramatic." (Maddow Blog: MSNBC: 17 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

 Melissa Murray: MSNBC: 17 July 2025

Trump's power over his MAGA supporters is beginning to fade.

And with the Russian economy fast imploding (John Varga), and the accelerating clamour for Trump to "fully" reveal the contents of the 'Epstein' files, not only is Putin's Russian world collapsing, but his hold over Trump is fast slipping out of his hands.   

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Is Putin now a 'dead man walking'?

As I reported in my last blog post (11 July 2025),

" Mallory Moench (left) and Paul Adams (right) have just reported that,

"US President Donald Trump has said he will send weapons, including Patriot air defence systems, for Ukraine via Nato.

Trump told NBC News that in a new deal, "we're going to be sending Patriots to Nato, and then Nato will distribute that", adding that Nato would pay for the weapons. (BBC News: 11 July 2025) (my emphasis) "

 The 'internet ether' has since been inundated with with Trump 'ostensibly' standing up to Putin's 'demented' drone and missile onslaught against the civilians of Ukraine.

As RTE News reported,

"US President Donald Trump has told Russia to resolve its Ukraine war within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions as he laid out plans for new infusions of weaponry for Kyiv.

"We're very, very unhappy" with Russia, Mr Trump told reporters as he met with NATO chief Mark Rutte in the White House." (RTE: 15 July 2025) (my emphasis) 

 

RTE: 15 July 2025

But as Rachel Maddow (left) informs us,

"In January President Trump said, "If Russia did not end the war in Ukraine, he would hit them with new sanctions, and also tariffs. Vladimir Putin ignored him and then Trump did nothing in response" (MSNBC: 15 July 2025) (my emphasis)

She goes on to outline that Putin continued to ignore Trump's subsequent, and similar, threats. 

She continues,

"And that brings us to today, and can you guess how it went? Trump threatens 'very severe sanctions ... very severe tariffs ... against Russia" (ibid Rachel Maddow)

But, more importantly, she points out that,

"No Ukraine deal within 50 days. So Putin gets to keep doing whatever he wants to do in Ukraine for ANOTHER 50 DAYS .." (ibid Rachel Maddow)

 

MSNBC: 15 July 2025   

As the AP News also reports, when interviewing Russians about Trump's new tariff threats, a Moscow resident stated that,

"I don't see anything new here. We shouldn't attach too much importance to what he [Trump] says. We need to understand what we need to do and do it" (AP : 14 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

AP : 14 July 2025     

 Similarly, as Bill Browder (left) points out in an interview on Radio Times,

"A lot of people are jumping up and saying, "Trump has changed his tune. It's not exactly changing his tune. ... [He's really saying to Putin] "Sorry pal. I'm still going to sell weapons to my allies ...  and what they do with those weapons is really not up to me ...." (Radio Times: 14 July 2024: YouTube) (my emphasis) 

 

 Radio Times: 14 July 2024: YouTube

More importantly, however, Konstantin Samoilov (left) reports that, 

"The rules of the [vertical of power] games in Russia] was changed on July 7th.

[Roman] Starovoit (right) was on the way out of his minister job [Minister of Transport in Russia] .....

Russian president Vladimir Putin fired the Minister of Transportation, Roman Starovoit, and four hours later, Starovoit's body was found in a car near his house. 

Right from the moment Starovoit's death was announced, oddities started appearing all over.  

Since July 7th two deaths, one after another. And there will be others. ....

There are still a lot of open questions about these two mysterious deaths ...

The top man [Staravoit], one of Putin's favourites ...  and he's dead now. 

Now every single member of the 'vertical of power' is not so sure of their immunity. 

If death can happen to Staravoit then it certainly can happen to everyone.

We just saw [the foundation of the] vertical of power crack.

We are seeing this crack because the Russian state has run out of money!  (Inside Russia: 15 July 2025: YouTube) (my emphasis)

 

Inside Russia: 15 July 2025: YouTube 

With members of Putin's 'siloviki' now realising that what happened to Staravoit can also happen to them, and NATO now being supplied with US weapons, which will then be transferred to Ukraine, Putin's Russia is fast crumbling at his feet.  

If before Putin's 'demented' frame-of-mind was turning into a state of absolute paranoia, his mental state has now become overwhelmed by his 'fear' of being deposed and, possibly, assasinated.

We now have to ask ourselves, "Is Putin now a 'dead man walking' "?  

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin has nowhere else to go but to live in the 'fantasy' world of the past Soviet Union.

In my last blog entry (9 July 2025) I wrote that,

"Putin and his 'siloviki' have nowhere to run to.

His current demented bombing of Ukraine's civilians signifies his Russian world crumbling around him.

He now stands quivering at the cusp of lighting the 'nuclear' fuse for WW3." (blog entry: 9 July 2025)

This is exemplified by  Rebecca Robinson (left) reporting that,

"Ukraine has warned that Russia has ramped up drone production so significantly that it could launch 1,000 in just one night.

Ukraine has warned that Russia could unelash a staggering 1,000 drones in just one night after launching a record barrage overnight. Moscow has massively intensified its drone production since the war began over three years ago, putting Kyiv and neighbouring countries on high alert for future attacks." (Express: 9 July 2024) (my emphasis)

And the recent onslaught by Putin of swarms of drones dropping bombs on the civilians of Ukraine attests to the rather 'bloodthirsty' nature of Putin. (Remember the Holodomor (1932-1933) of Stalin that killed millions of Ukrainians)  

Putin, it would seem, simply CANNOT divest himself of the Soviet propaganda about Russia's so-called 'Great Patriotic War (WW2), which cast Russia as the 'sole' defeater of Nazism during WW2.

Putin is steeped in this Soviet propaganda about the Russian army being the "sole defeaters of the Nazis during WW2".

He has constantly used this Soviet propaganda to JUSTIFY AND TO AMPLIFY his war with Ukraine.

Even in a meeting with his Education Chiefs, Steve Rosenberg (right) (cf: video below) reports that, 

"Putin determined to press on despite threat of tougher sanctions.

It wasn't his war cabinet. Putin was meeting his education chiels. But like so many meetings now in the Kremlin, the war came up". (Video below: 9 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Steve Rosenberg: BBC News: 9 July 2025

Putin simply cannot contemplate ANY defeat in his war with Ukraine, even to the extent of practically tearing down the Russian economy.

 As John Varga (right) reports,

"Russian consumers have been hit with a hefty spike in inflation, caused primarily by an  increase in charges for utilities. Inflation jumped to a three year high in the first week of July, according to new data.

…

Russian shoppers have been particularly hit hard by spiralling food costs, which has seen prices for some staple items like potatoes skyrocket by a whopping 167%. The rising costs of food has forced the Kremlin to consider re-introducing price controls that were last used during the Soviet Union." (Express: 11 July 2025) (my emphasis)

But it is not only the failing Russian economy and the old Soviet propaganda that is still infecting his mind and his 'demented' actions in his war against Ukraine.

 As reported by CBS News,

"Ukraine secures over $12B in pledges from allies to help it rebuild

 During a recovery conference in Rome on Thursday, Global leaders pledged to help rebuild Ukraine. The renewed vows of support come as Kyiv faces a new wave of Russian attacks." (Chris Livesay and Caitlin Huey-Burns : CBS News on Yahoo: 11 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Chris Livesay and Caitlin Huey-Burns : CBS News on Yahoo: 11 July 2025

Furthermore, as reported by Ciaran McGrath,

"More than 5,000 British-made air defence missiles will be delivered to Ukraine as part of a landmark defence deal worth £283 million, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has announced. The agreement – described by ministers as the largest UK export credit agency-backed deal in Ukraine – will be formally signed at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC), with Ms Rayner accompanied by Minister for Exports Gareth Thomas." (Express: 10 July 2025) (my emphasis)

Added to which, as reported by Nicole Winfield (left),

"Countries prepared to provide troops for a post-ceasefire force in Ukraine agreed to set up a headquarters in Paris for a rapid deployment after hostilities end in Russia’s war on its neighbor. A U.S. delegation was present for the first time at a meeting of the group Thursday.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg (right), U.S. President Donald Trump’s special  envoy for Ukraine and Russia, was on hand for the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the fourth annual conference on Ukraine’s recovery held in Rome." (AP: 11 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

AP: 11 July 2025 

And now, as reported by Ciaran McGrath,

"Putin puppet claims Russian soldiers will march into Berlin 'nuclear wasteland'

Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyev offered no evidence for his accusations against Germany or the alleged plans for occupation.

Vladimir Solovyev, the Kremlin’s most notorious state TV host, issued a chilling threat to Germany during a recent broadcast, gloating that Russia would turn Berlin into a “nuclear wasteland” before establishing a permanent garrison there. Solovyev was speaking on Russian state television at a time when tensions with Germany are spiking, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday claiming all diplomatic avenues for a resolution to the Ukraine war have been “exhausted.” (Express: 9 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Express: 9 July 2025

Vladimir Solovyev is merely exposing the past and present nature of  Soviet propaganda, in much the same way as Putin constantly used past Soviet propaganda about WW2 to JUSTIFY AND TO AMPLIFY his war with Ukraine

As his Russian world crumbles around him, Putin has nowhere else to go but to live in the 'fantasy' world of the past Soviet Union.

UPDATE: 11 July 2025: 13:37 GMT

Mallory Moench (left) and Paul Adams (right) have just reported that,

"US President Donald Trump has said he will send weapons, including Patriot air defence systems, for Ukraine via Nato.

Trump told NBC News that in a new deal, "we're going to be sending Patriots to Nato, and then Nato will distribute that", adding that Nato would pay for the weapons.

His announcement came after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of having a "positive dialogue" with Trump on ensuring that arms arrived on time, particularly air defence systems." (BBC News: 11 July 2025) (my emphasis)

NATO is now becoming directly involved in Putin's war in Ukraine by paying for and sending Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine to defend itself against Putin's 'demented' and 'furious' assault against the citizens of Ukraine.

Furthermore, as reported by Nicole Winfield, Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick,

"The co-sponsors of a new bipartisan U.S. sanctions package targeting Russia briefed European allies and Ukraine on the legislation Thursday, in an effort to show continued resolve to help Kyiv and force Moscow to the negotiating table through what they describe as a “game-changer” bill.

The bill backed by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal calls for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports — targeting nations like China and India, which account for roughly 70% of Russia’s energy trade and bankroll much of its war effort." (AP: 11 July 2025) (my emphasis)

These developments  represent a body-blow to Putin as a result of his bombardment of Ukraine's civilians with hundreds of drones, and missiles.

Will Putin now finally crack and reach out for the 'nuclear' button?  

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin stands 'quivering' at the cusp of lighting the 'nuclear' fuse for WW3

The internet ether of the world is filled with Trump announcing that he is sending more weapons to Ukraine to defend themselves against Putin's manic onslaught of daily bombing Ukraine's civilians during the last few days.

Let us remind ourselves (blog entry:5 July 2025) that,

 Zac Anderson and Francesca Chambers (left) have just reported that,

"President Donald Trump said he was unhappy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would be sending Ukraine more defensive weapons, days after the Pentagon said it would halt some shipments as it conducted a review of U.S. military stockpiles.

"We're going to send some more weapons – we have to. They have to be able to defend themselves," Trump told reporters July 7 during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "They're getting hit very hard now. They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons – your defensive weapons, primarily."

The Trump administration has worked for months without success to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine." (USA Today: 8 July 2025) (my emphasis) 

 

NDTV on MSN: 7 July 2025

And yesterday (8 July 2025) we had Trump pronouncing that,

"Trump accused Putin of being disingenuous in his dealings with Washington, using an expletive that reflected his growing frustration.

"We get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin," Trump said at the White House on Tuesday. "He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."

"Putin is not treating human beings right. He's killing too many people," Trump continued, as he explained his decision.

On Monday, the US president said more weapons would be sent because the Ukrainians "have to be able to defend themselves."

"They're getting hit very hard now," he added. "We're going to have to send more weapons, defensive weapons, primarily," Trump said." (Kieran Burke, Richard Connor (with Reuters, dpa, AFP) (left): DW: 8 July 2025) (my emphasis)

So, from a "pause" in sending defensive weapons to Ukraine, to suddenly turning "about-face" and resuming US weapons for Ukraine, Trump now cannot go back on his "latest international" pronouncement about confronting Putin's "bullshit"!

That former Fox News anchor, Hesketh, elevated to Defence Secretary by Trump himself,   seems to have NOT informed either Trump, nor US SEcretary of Sate Marco Rubio, about his decision to pause sending "already paid for weapons by Ukraine" to Ukraine.

 

Times Radio: 8 July 2025: YouTube  

As reported by Natasha Bertrand and Zachary Cohen,

"Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (right) did not inform the White House before he authorized a pause on weapons shipments to Ukraine last week, according to five sources familiar with the matter, setting off a scramble inside the administration to understand why the halt was implemented and explain it to Congress and the Ukrainian government.

President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was not responsible for the move. 

Asked on Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting whether he approved of the pause in shipments, Trump demurred, saying only that the US would continue to send defensive weapons to Ukraine. Pressed again on who authorized the pause, Trump replied, “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”" (CNN: 8 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

CNN: 9 July 2025: YouTube 

 Meanwhile, the "near breakdown" Putin sacked his Mininster for Transport, who was then found dead, apparently with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

As reported by Laura Gozzi (left),

"Russia's Investigative Committee says former Russian transport minister Roman Starovoit has been found dead, apparently with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

He was dismissed earlier on Monday by President Vladimir Putin.

No reason for Starovoit's dismissal was given and deputy transport minister Andrei Nikitin was announced as his replacement shortly after." (BBC News: 7 July 2025) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as reported by James Knuckey (right), 

"One of Vladimir Putin’s lapdogs has made a list of demands Russia wants to end its bloody war in Ukraine. Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov(right) has claimed a deal to end the fighting cannot be agreed unless the “root causes of the conflict” are “eliminated”.

... Russia has continued to use these two points in an attempt to justify its full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022." (Daily Express:  July 2025) (my emphasis)

Dredging up Putin's 'root-causes' and his delusions about "Novorossiya" in 2014, that laid the groundwork Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, that dyed-in-the-wool Soviet Foreign Minister Lavrov has underscored the rather 'bloodthirsty' nature of Putin. (Remember the Holodomor (1932-1933) of Stalin that killed millions of Ukrainians)  

 Meanwhile,

• Europe’s top human rights court is set to rule Wednesday (9 July 2025) on Russia's actions in the conflict in Ukraine, including human rights violations during the full-scale invasion and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. (Molly Quell: The Independent on MSN:  8 July 2025) (my emphasis) 

•  In March 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a sweeping plan to boost Europe’s defense capabilities, calling for nearly €800 billion in military spending. The initiative aims to not only increase long-term security across the continent but also strengthen support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. (Дем'ян Шевко: The New Voice of Ukraine on MSN: 8 July 2025) (my emphasis)
• Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has vowed to back Ukraine in its quest to join the European Union, as Denmark officially launched its six-month presidency of the world’s biggest trading bloc. (Lorne Cook: AP on Yahoo News: 3 July 2025) (my emphasis)

Putin and his 'siloviki' have nowhere to run to.

His current demented bombing of Ukraine's civilians signifies his Russian world crumbling around him.

He now stands quivering at the cusp of lighting the 'nuclear' fuse for WW3.

UPDATE: 10 July 2024: 06:58 GMT 

Jaroslav Lukiv (left) just reported that,

"Ukraine's capital Kyiv is again under a massive overnight Russian drone attack, local officials say, with at least two people reported killed and 13 injured, and fires burning across the city.

…

It comes after US President Donald Trump expressed growing frustration at the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth," Trump told reporters on Tuesday. "He's very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless." (BBC News: 10 July 2025) (my emphasis)

Yet, we also read that,

"Police have confirmed they are preparing for a potential visit by Donald Trump to Scotland later this month.

…

The Scottish government said it was working with the UK government to support Police Scotland, and that first minister John Swinney had been briefed on police preparations." (Mary McCool (right): BBC News: 9 July 2025) (my emphasis)

One is somewhat reminded of the historical fact of, "Nero fiddling whilst Rome burned", just as "Trump is opening HIS golf course in Scotland whilst Ukraine's civilians are being 'dementedly' bombed by Putin".

What, therefore, is one to make of the fact that,

"On Monday, the US president said more weapons would be sent because the Ukrainians "have to be able to defend themselves." (ibid (Kieran Burke, Richard Connor (with Reuters, dpa, AFP))

 

 

 

(to be continued)

With his back against the wall, will Putin now choose the 'nuclear' option?

In the 10 years of Russia's war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, from 1979 to 1989, the Russian casualty list was :-

Number of Russian soldiers killed - 14,500-15,000  

Number of Russian soldiers wounded - 35,000 

Number of Russian soldiers who served in the war - 620,000 (Shun Culture: 16 May 2024) (my emphasis) 

Yet, as Flora Drury (right) and Tabby Wilson reported yesterday (4 July 2025), 

"Russia has become the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, sparking outrage from opposition figures." (BBC News: 4 July 2025) (my emphasis) 

Fast foreward to today (5 July 2025), and the current casualties of Russian soldiers in Putin's war with Ukraine is estimated as,

“The Russian Armed Forces have likely sustained approximately 1,000,000 casualties (killed and wounded) since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Of these, it is likely around 250,000 Russian soldiers are killed or missing (presumed dead), Russia’s largest losses in an active conflict since the Second World War.” (George Allison (left): UK Defense Journal: 12 June 2025) (my emphasis)

Yet even in the face of these horrendous Russian losses, as the Ukrainain army continues with the defence of their land, Putin continues to acccellerate his brutal onslaught against the civilians of Ukraine.

 As Iona Cleave (right) reports,

"Vladimir Putin ordered the largest-ever bombardment of Ukraine hours after coming off the phone to Donald Trump.

More than 550 drones and missiles were launched at Ukraine overnight, with Kyiv bearing the brunt of the seven-hour barrage. It left one dead, 23 injured and the capital choked by explosions, smoke and fires." (The Telegraph on Yahoo News: 4 July 2025) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Paul Adams and Jessica Rawnsley (left), 

"One person has been killed and 26 others were injured after a night of intensive Russian strikes on almost every district in Kyiv, officials say.
…
The strikes came hours after a call between US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin, after which Trump said he was "disappointed" that Putin was not ready to end the war against Ukraine.

Moscow says the war will continue for as long as it is necessary to reach its objectives." (BBC: 4 July 2025) (my emphasis) 

Futhermore, as also reported by Sky News on the call between Trump and Putin on 3rd July 2025,

"In response [to Trump], Mr Putin said "Russia will not back down" from its aims [in Ukraine] there, which include "the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs," Mr Ushakov said.
…
Mr Trump later addressed the call while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, where he said he "didn't make any progress with [Putin] today". (Sky News: 3 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Sky News on MSN: 3 July 2025

In his subsequent call with Zelenbsky, Trump stated that,

"U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukraine would need Patriot missiles for its defenses, after speaking with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, and voiced frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin's failure to end the fighting." (Andrea Shalal and Max Hunder: Reuters on Yahoo News:  July  2025) (my emphasis)

However, in an interview at Times Radio, Bill Browder (right)  warned that, 

"And given all the rhetoric around 'America First' "Why are we spending money on Ukraine when we have our own problems ... etc ... etc", it's hard, or almost impossible to imagine, that a new 'military aid package' for Ukraine will be approved ..." (Times Radio: 4 July 2025: YouTube)

 

 Times Radio: 4 July 2025: YouTube

With all his 'bravado' in front of the Russian public, Putin desperately met in Novo-Ogaryovo on 4th Luly 2025 with the permanent members of his Security Council (read: 'siloviki') viz. :-

"Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov."

His 'failing' war in Ukraine, exemplified by his 'manic and desperate bombing' of the civilians of Ukraine, was the main topic of conversation.

 

The Military Show: 2 July 2025: YouTube 

This was followed by the accelerating effects on the declining living standards of the Russian people as the Russian economy continues to melt down

 

The Military Show: 4 July 2025 : YouTube

With his back now against the wall, will Putin choose the 'nuclear' option? 

 

UPDATE: 8 July 2025: 08.39 GMT

 

Zac Anderson and Francesca Chambers (left) have just reported that,

"President Donald Trump said he was unhappy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would be sending Ukraine more defensive weapons, days after the Pentagon said it would halt some shipments as it conducted a review of U.S. military stockpiles.

"We're going to send some more weapons – we have to. They have to be able to defend themselves," Trump told reporters July 7 during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "They're getting hit very hard now. They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons – your defensive weapons, primarily."

The Trump administration has worked for months without success to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine." (USA Today: 8 July 2025) (my emphasis) 

 

NDTV on MSN: 7 July 2025

 

In light of  " ... the Pentagon [saying] it would halt some shipments as it conducted a review of U.S. military stockpiles" (ibid Zac Anderson and Francesca Chambers) but a few days ago, and as Bill Browder said in a recent interview that,

"And given all the rhetoric around 'America First' "Why are we spending money on Ukraine when we have our own problems ... etc ... etc", it's hard, or almost impossible to imagine, that a new 'military aid package' for Ukraine will be approved ..." (Times Radio: 4 July 2025: YouTube),

we will wait and see IF, and more importantly, "WHEN", supplying defensive weapons for Ukraine will be resumed by the Pentagon. 

 

 

 

(to be continued)