The Trump-Putin upcoming meeting. Whither now the UK and the EU?

Gideon Rachman (left) neatly sums up both the historical precedents and the current implications for Ukraine of the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska … on US soil.

As he writes,

"The Munich agreement of 1938 is often cited as a vague shorthand for a failure to stand up to dictators. The Trump-Putin summit planned for this Friday in Alaska resembles Munich in one precise respect. The Czech government was not represented at the negotiating table, as Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini and Daladier agreed a deal that carved up their country.

As things stand, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine will not be present as the Russian and American leaders discuss the fate and borders of his country. And, as the saying goes: “If you are not at the table, you’re on the menu.”

Donald Trump’s loose talk of “land swaps” has also set off alarm bells in Ukraine and across Europe. The fear is that a vain and vague Trump will be easily manipulated by Putin — a steely, detail-oriented dictator." (The Financial Times: 11 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Even more disconcerting, Michael McFaul (left with Jen Psaki) , in an interview with Jen Psaki (9 August 2025: ('TACO' Trump appears to surrender to Putin in advance; replaces ultimatum with concession meeting), raises red flags about the proposed Trump-Putin meeting.

Jen Psaki: What are the other things that will be flags for you .. I guess... as we watch this meeting next Friday.

Michael McFaul: Well ... the first flag is this is the exact opposite of how usual Presidential summits, with leaders from other countries, are organized. Usually we get the agreements all done at lower levels .... and the end game is the summit. President Trump's turning that around. So that already makes me nervous. 

Second, I do not want any one-on-one time. He needs to be there with the Secretary of State (Marco Rubio), also the National Security advisor (Marco Rubio again) because he [Trump] just does not know all the facts. And the worst thing that would happen is that Putin says, "Oh! This is what we should do ... You Know ... Donbas ... Just give us Donbas and Crimea. We already have them". 

And he [Trump] would say, "Oh yes. That is a good idea" ..... Then they have a press conference. And when the President of the United States says something, it is very hard to unravel that. That becomes policy." (MSNBC: 9 August 2025) ( my emphasis) 

 

MSNBC: 9 August 2025

Let us also remind ourselves that,

" When he [Trump] met Putin for his first summit in Helsinki in July 2018, he did so for more than two hours with only a US translator in the room with him and the Russian delegation. He snatched away the translator’s notes after the meeting." ( Sam Kiley: (left) (cf.also: blog entry 12/07/2018)

Then we have Vice-President J.D.Vance (left) parroting Trump's statements about Ukraine giving Putin the land of Ukraine that he has stolen from Ukraine in his current war with Ukraine, as well giving Putin Ukraine's Crimea, which he stole in 2014, stating that,

"... he warned that America is “done with the funding of the war”. 

 Mr Vance, in a wide-ranging interview on Fox News, went on to dismiss European leaders’ calls to allow the Ukrainian president to attend the upcoming summit between the US and Russian leaders, insisting that it would not be “productive” at this point.

On Saturday, European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer jointly welcomed the meeting, which is planned for Friday in Alaska. However, they warned that any talks should see Ukraine represented and not permit any land to be ceded to Russia." (Tara Cobham (right): The Independent on MSN: 10 August 2025) (my emphasis)

 

The Independent on MSN: 10 August 2025 

Let us remind ourselves that J.D. Vance's mentor, and his largest financial backer ($15 million) for a seat in the US Senate, Peter Thiel (left), was born in Germany and raised in Swakopmund in the then 'apartheid' South West Africa and who is, co-incidentally, also a bosom buddy of  'apartheid' reared Elon Musk since their PayPal days together.

But unfortunately for BOTH Trump and Vance, Ukraine's President, Volodomyr Zelensky (right), as reported by France 24,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed Saturday to reject any peace plan that involves ceding land to Russia just hours after Washington and Moscow announced a summit aimed at ending the war. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska to discuss a possible peace deal." (France 24:  09 August 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Sky News Australia: 10 August 2025: YouTube

Furthermore, as reported by Olena Harmash and Suban Abdulla (left),
 
"We share the conviction that a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine's and Europe's vital security interests," they said.

"We agree that these vital interests include the need for robust and credible security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement said, adding: "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine." (Reuters: 10 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Neither Trump nor Vance are quite aware that, and to quote Max Boot (right), 

"As most Europeans realize by now, [supporting and defending Ukraine] is not an act of charity but simple self-defense: If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, he could threaten Finland, the Baltic Republics, and Poland next." (ibid Max Boot)  

For the US to walk away from UK and EU concerns about Putin's long-term and 'demented' goal to resuscitate the collapsed Soviet Union, thus threatening the freed EU countries of the former Soviet eastern bloc, as J.D. Vance suggests,  will 'supercharge' Putin in his dangerous and 'demented' aims to re-create Novorossiya and the former Soviet Union.

The upcoming Trump-Putin meeting about Putin's war with Ukraine, and the demand by Putin of the full capitulation of Ukraine to his war aims, will lay Putin's ground for war with the UK and EU NATO members. 

Putin and Trump now stand at the brink of extending Putin's war in Ukraine to Putin's war with the UK and EU countries.

Whither now the UK and the EU? 

UPDATE : 12 August 2025 : GMT 07:13

James Waterhouse (left) reported 9 hours ago that,

"Brace ourselves for some pretty outrageous Russian demands," warns Lord Simon McDonald (right: with wife), a former head of the UK Foreign Office.

"It will be theatrical," he adds. "Putin is going to ask for things that
nobody else would concede - with the possible exception of Donald Trump."
… 
President Zelensky has said he won't agree to the giving up of any land, or even freezing the conflict along the current front lines.
… 
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has secured a remote sit down between European leaders, as well as Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump, this Wednesday.

They hope to be consulted on America's plan to end Russia's invasion, but ex-UK Foreign Office head Lord McDonald would be surprised to see a last-minute European invite for Friday.

"The end will be as protracted as the war has been long," he warned." (BBC News: 11 August 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Kaja Kallas on BBC News: 11 August 2025

 

As Gideon Rachman wrote, 

 

"The Munich agreement of 1938 is often cited as a vague shorthand for a failure to stand up to dictators. The Trump-Putin summit planned for this Friday in Alaska resembles Munich in one precise respect. The Czech government was not represented at the negotiating table, as Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini and Daladier agreed a deal that carved up their country." (ibid Gideon Rachman) 

 

And now, as the days count down for the Trump-Putin meeting this coming Friday, the question, 

 

"Whither now the UK and the EU?" 

 

takes on an urgency for the UK and the EU, whose decisions and actions regarding Putin's war with Ukraine will either lead to a JUST PEACE for Ukraine on Friday, or precipitate the start of a possible war between Putin, the UK, and NATO members of the EU.   

 

 

 

(to be continued)

The touchpaper of WW3 is on the brink of being lit at the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting

And so the passionate 'bromance' between Trump and Putin, which many thought had broken down has, once again, erupted into a 'volcanic and passionate flame'.

As the ether of the world is now 'buzzing' with the proposal of an upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin, Sam Kiley (left) reports that,

"A Trump-Putin summit will be as useful to Ukraine and democracy as Agent Orange is for gardening" (remember Vietnam?) (The Independent on MSN: 7 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Sam Kiley goes on to report that,

"A long-overdue summit between the presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation to discuss peace in Ukraine, where nuclear war has been threatened, must be seen as a historic moment for optimism.

Except that from London to Langley, Berlin, Canberra and Tokyo, intelligence chiefs will be on tenterhooks wondering whether this is another occasion resembling the meeting between an agent and his handler." (ibid Sam Kiley)

Sam Kiley goes on to report that,

"Putin is obsessed with returning Ukraine to the former Russian (or Soviet) empire i.e.[ Novorossiya ] He has never hidden his ambition to do so and consistently denies that Ukraine is an independent entity at all.
…
When he met Putin for his first summit in Helsinki in July 2018, he did so for more than two hours with only a US translator in the room with him and the Russian delegation. He snatched away the translator’s notes after the meeting." (ibid Sam Kiley) (cf: blog entry 12/07/2018)

 

 (ibid blog entry 12/07/2018)

 

(ibid blog entry 12/07/2018)

As Ivor Bennett (left) reported earlier in May 2025,

"But now, Trump is casting a one-on-one with Putin as the keystone to peace. There will be no movement towards peace without it, he said on Thursday.

It's exactly the position Moscow craves - carving up Ukraine without Kyiv at the table." (Sky News: 16 May 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Sky News: 16 May 2025

As Max Boot (left) also wrote in May 2025,

"But rather than trying to pressure Putin into a ceasefire agreement and forcing him to moderate his demands, Trump appears to be getting ready to wash his hands of the entire conflict. Talking to reporters later on Monday in the Oval Office, Trump said, “Big egos involved, but I think something’s going to happen. And if it doesn’t—just going to have to back away and keep going.” (Council on Foreign Relations: 20 May 2025) (my emphasis)

Max Boot went on to write that,

"If the United States cuts off Ukraine, the Europeans can and should keep that embattled nation going by making the investments that will allow Ukrainians to defend themselves with Ukrainian-made weapons. As most Europeans realize by now, this is not an act of charity but simple self-defense: If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, he could threaten Finland, the Baltic Republics, and Poland next." (ibid Max Boot) 

And now, Ivor Bennett reports that (from video below),

"... The next meeting [between Trump and Putin] could be in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
 ...
[Vladimir Putin] said it would be a suitable location .. which sounded like a very strong hint.
...
Crucially for Russia it [the UAE] is not a member of the ICC [International Criminal Court] so Vladimir Putin does not have to worry about being arrested ..." (Sky  News: 8 August 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Sky  News: 8 August 2025

In contrast to Trump's upcoming meeting with Putin in, possibly, the UAE, Charlotte Van Campenhout reports that,

"French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday reaffirmed France's full support for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the launch of talks aimed at reaching a lasting and solid peace, following a "long discussion" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other European leaders." (Reuters: 7 August 2025) (my emphasis) 

Let us recall that,

"…..[Witkoff]  was tasked with negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine War, and he met with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on several occasions. Witkoff’s proposed peace plans have featured several Russian demands, including the ownership of five regions in Ukraine. That point was rejected by Ukraine."(Britannica)

As Franco Ordonez (right) also wrote in April 2025,

"Witkoff and the president have been friends for almost 40 years. Trump calls Witkoff "a special guy" and "my pal." Their friendship dates back to a chance encounter at a New York Deli at 3 a.m
…
Witkoff said in an interview with Tucker Carlson that he learned the real estate business from Trump. 
…
Once in office, Trump picked his old friend as his envoy to the Middle East. It was the same position that Trump — in his first term — had given to another person whose loyalty was unquestioned: his son-in-law, Jared Kushner." (WUSF (NPR): 25 April 2025) (my emphasis)

One can assume that Trump, in his possible upcoming meeting with Putin in the UAE, will take into account the report to Trump, by Witkoff, of  his recent meeting with Putin, bearing in mind that,

"Witkoff’s [previous] proposed peace plans [to end the war in Ukraine have] featured several Russian demands, including the ownership of five regions in Ukraine." (Britannica) 

As Sam Kiley writes, 

"The Trump-Putin summit will be as useful to Ukraine and democracy as Agent Orange is for gardening."  

 Is Trump about to sell out Ukraine to Putin? 

URGENT UPDATE : 9 August 2025: GMT 05:10  

At the beginning of this blog I wrote yesterday that,

"And so the 'bromance' between Trump and Putin, which many thought had broken down has, once again, erupted into a 'volcanic and passionate flame'."

And just two hours ago BBC News reported that,

"US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska next Friday to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine.
…
..it was later confirmed by a Kremlin spokesperson, who said the location was "quite logical" given Alaska's relative proximity to Russia.
…
Russian demands include:=

•  Ukraine becoming a neutral state, 
• dramatically reducing its military
•  and abandoning its Nato aspirations, 
• as well as the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Russia.

Moscow also wants :-

• Kyiv to withdraw its military from the four regions which Russia partially occupies in south-east Ukraine,
• and to demobilise its soldiers. (Courtney Subramanian and Ali Abbas Ahmadi: BBC News: 9 August 2025) (my emphasis)

As Andrew Stanton and Barney Henderson of Newsweek also reports,

"The United States and Russia are aiming to secure a peace deal that would lock in Russia's gains in Ukraine following its invasion three and a half years ago, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The deal would mean Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky giving up the entire eastern Donbas, Crimea and parts of Luhansk and Donetsk, where fighting is still raging, unnamed sources told Bloomberg." (Newsweek: 8 August 2025) (my emphasis)

To say that, "Trump is about to sell out Ukraine to Putin", is an understatement. 

Trump is about to :-

•  lock in Russia's gains in Ukraine following its invasion of Crimea in 2014
•  walk away from UK and EU concerns about Putin's long-term and 'demented' goal to resuscitate the   collapsed Soviet Union, thus threatening the freed EU countries of the former Soviet eastern bloc,
• upend UN rules about the inviolability of international borders,
• and walk away from NATO 

And to cap it all, in Alaska Putin is safe from arrest by the ICC [International Criminal Court] because former US President Clinton (right) argued that,

"The United States should have the chance to observe and assess the functioning of the [ICC] court, over time, before choosing to become subject to its jurisdiction." (Wikipedia)

notwithstanding, 

"Former U.S. State Department Legal Advisor Monroe Leigh has said:

The list of due process rights guaranteed by the Rome Statute are, if anything, more detailed and comprehensive than those in the U.S. Bill of Rights. ... I can think of no right guaranteed to military personnel by the U.S. Constitution that is not also guaranteed in the Treaty of Rome." (Wikipedia)  

The touchpaper of WW3 is on the brink of being lit at the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting.

And all thanks to Trump, the 'myopic' and 'failed' so-called 'deal maker (Michael Hiltzik: Los Angeles Times on Yahoo Finance: 18 May, 2022) sitting in the White House and being blackmailed by Putin, fondling his 'voluminous KGB folder of the 'kompromat' he collected about Trump during his former visits to Moscow. (cf "The Steele Dossier")

Whither now the UK and the EU? 

 

Konstantin Samoilov:  Inside Russia: 7 August 2025: YouTube 

 

 

 

(to be continued)

The 'time-bomb' in Putin's hands is now ticking!

 In a sobering interview-analysis of the current state of Putin's war with Ukraine, former British Army Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon (right) has pointed out that,

"Interviewer Maddie Hale (left) : [Trump] threatened a 25% tariff on imported goods, an undisclosed penalty to India for buying a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop killing in Ukraine ... If Trump actually follows though with his threat, what impact would that have on Russia.

 Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon: Well, hopefully, it would really have a significant impact. We know that the Russian war-machine is, ostensibly being fueled by the hard foreign currency that Putin is getting from his oil. .... (Times Radio: 2 August 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Times Radio: 2 August 2025: YouTube 

Fast forward to today and, as reported by Anastasia Stognei (left),

"Steve Witkoff (right), Donald Trump’s special envoy, landed in Moscow early on Wednesday for talks over the Russian war in Ukraine, as Washington presses the Kremlin to agree to a deal to stop fighting before the US president’s Friday deadline or face new sanctions. 
…
The visit comes amid Trump’s growing frustration over the lack of progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, with his criticism of Moscow’s repeated drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities becoming increasingly pointed." (Financial Times: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)

As also reported by the Associated Press (AP),

"Putin shows no signs of making concessions.

The diplomatic atmosphere has become more heated as Trump’s deadline approaches.

Separately, one of Putin’s top lieutenants warned that the Ukraine war could nudge Russia and the U.S. into armed conflict.

Putin has repeated the same message throughout the war: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met." (AP on MSN: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Putin is 'thumping his puny chest' at Trump's threat of secondary sanctions against India, Arpan Rai (left) reports that,

"A top aide to Donald Trump [Mr Miller] accused India of aiding Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine by purchasing Russian oil as tensions between New Delhi and Washington soared over ties with Moscow.

India is lately facing relentless American pressure over its relations with Russia, a longstanding defence and trade partner.
…
And despite Mr Trump’s threats, Indian officials said the country would keep purchasing oil from Russia. " (The Independent on MSN: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)

 

The Independent on MSN: 5 August 2025

As Adrian Blomfield (right) also reports,

"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.
…
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.
…
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..." (The Telegraph: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, and notwithstanding Putin's threat to keep fighting until his '2014 Novorossiya' terms of absorbing Ukraine into the Russian federation is met, Agence France-Presse reports that,

"The Netherlands will buy 500 million euros ($577 million) of US weapons for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO member to fund a full package under a new scheme to speed deliveries from American stockpiles, the defence ministry said.
...
The Dutch package includes US Patriot missile parts and other systems tailored to Ukraine's front-line requirements, according to the defence ministry." (Agence France-Presse: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Coupled to the immediate supply of weaponry from the Netherlands to Ukraine, Ismail Shakil reports that,

"The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of repair and sustainment support for M777 howitzer artillery guns and transportation and consolidation services to Ukraine for an estimated total of $203.5 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday." (Reuters: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Which rather puts into perspective the 'panicked and demented' idea of Putin that the Russian economy can sustain his 'fantasy' of  'accepting a settlement of his war with Ukraine,  only on his 2014  Novorossiya  terms, and will keep fighting until they’re met.'

Putin is 'frantically' gambling with the fate of the economic survival of the Russia economy and, consequently, with the economic fate of the people of Russia.

Konstantin Samoilov (left) presents us with the most significant up-to-date (6 August 2025) analysis of the accelerating 'implosion' of Putin's Russian economy, together with the disastrous way it is affecting the ordinary Russian consumer. Please watch the video below. 

  

Inside Russia: 6 August 2025: YouTube

 The 'time-bomb' in Putin's hand is now ticking!  

 UPDATE: 6 August 2025: GMT 15:16 

In Witkoff's biographical details on Britannica, we read that,

"…..[Witkoff]  was tasked with negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine War, and he met with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on several occasions. Witkoff’s proposed peace plans have featured several Russian demands, including the ownership of five regions in Ukraine. That point was rejected by Ukraine. 

 As now reported by Sam Kiley (left),

"Witkoff, a former property tycoon, was appointed Trump’s Middle East envoy and has since enjoyed a role as the president’s international diplomatic Mr Fixit. But he’s failed to bring any peace to the Middle East and failed to deliver on Trump’s boast to end the war in Ukraine in “24 hours”.

Steve Witkoff may wonder what he’s there for. To threaten? Reassure?

Or repeat the cooing craven performances he’s shown Vladimir Putin in the past  (The Independent: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis) 

 

CBS News: 6 August 2025: YouTube 

 We now await the outcome of this meeting given, 

• Witkoff's "cooing craven performances he’s shown Vladimir Putin in the past" (ibid Sam Kiley), 
• his former peace plan proposals to end Putin's invasion of Ukraine, which included giving in to Putin's 'Novorossiya ' dream terms, and which included giving Putin the ownership of five regions in Ukraine. (ibid Britannica)  

Interestingly, as reported by AP (Associated Press),

"Earlier, Witkoff met with Kirill Dmitriev (left), the Russian president's envoy for investment and economic co-operation .."
...
Dmitriev played a key role in three rounds of direct talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in recent months.
...
Those negotiations have led to exchanges of war prisoners but not progress on curtailing the three-year war following Russia's invasion of its neighbour [Ukraine]." (AP: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)

As Sam Kiley wonders, "What is Witkoff really for in Moscow"? 

To "threaten" Putin?

Or to "re-assure" Putin"! 

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Will Trump implement his 'threatened' secondary sanctions against China and India?

In 1943 the 'doodlebug', or the V-1 flying bomb (German: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1"), 

" ... was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry (RLM) name was Fieseler Fi 103 and its suggestive name was Höllenhund (hellhound).[3] It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug and Maikäfer (maybug).[4][b]

The V-1 was the first of the Vergeltungswaffen (V-weapons) deployed for the terror bombing of London." (Wikipedia).

Fast forward to 2025, and the 'doodlebug' of 1943 has morphed into Putin's 'Shaheed' drones and his 'missiles', which he is now raining down upon the civilians of Ukraine.

As in the case of the deployment of Hitler's "doodlebugs" against the civilians of London during WW2, and as  reported by Al Jazeera,

"An overnight Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least 18 people, including a six-year-old boy, as well as wounding 159 others, according to Ukrainian officials, prompting United States President Donald Trump to slam Moscow’s actions as “disgusting.”

The Russian barrage caused damage at 27 locations across four districts of Kyiv, city military administrator Tymur Tkachenko said on Thursday. Rescue teams were searching for people trapped under the rubble." (Al Jazeera: 31 July 2025) (my emphasis)

 

CNN: 31 July 2025: YouTube 

Putin's 'frantic and pathological' indiscriminate bombing of Ukraine's civilians will, he calculates, leave Zelensky no other alternative but to fully capitulate to his demand of Ukraine's total capitulation ... to his demented idea of re-creating "Novorossiya". 

But as Putin escalates his pathological bombing of the civilians of Ukraine Trump, having finally come to his senses about Putin's demented actions, 

"United States President Donald Trump has threatened new sanctions while slamming Russia’s military actions in Ukraine as “disgusting”.

“Russia – I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think it’s disgusting,” Trump told reporters on Thursday, the same day Moscow’s attacks on Kyiv killed more than a dozen people.
...
Washington has given Moscow until the end of next week to cease hostilities in Ukraine, under threat of severe economic sanctions. 
...
“We’re going to put sanctions. I don’t know that sanctions bother him,” the US president said, referring to Putin." (Al Jazeera on MSN: 1 August 2025) (my emphasis)

However, as Ian Pannell (right: ABC News Video) states, 

"Interviewer: Ian, how significant are these threats of sanctions from the US? Is it now enough to get Russia to come to the table and make a deal with him [Trump]?"

Ian Pannell: "I think highly unlikely. I mean, the fifty-day deadline didn't really achieve anything in the sense of curbing Russia's bombings of Ukraine. 
...
Putting tariffs on people buying Russia energy. The main buyers of Russian energy are China and India. That could have a significant impact if it happens..." (ABC News Video on Yahoo News: 1 August 2025)

 

ABC News Video on Yahoo News: 1 August 2025

As per usual, Putin's 'glove puppet' Dmitry Medvedev (left), once again issued his 'apocalyptic' warning following Trump's threat of 'new sanctions' against the buyers of Russian oil e.g. China and India. 

As Danielle Wallace (right) reports,

"President Donald Trump hammered back at former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's warnings about war with the United States, telling the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council to "watch his words." 
...
In response to Trump's post, Medvedev (right) referenced Russia's "Dead Hand" –the Cold War-era automated nuclear retaliation system developed by the Soviet Union." (Fox News: 31 July 2025) (my emphasis)  

To defend Ukraine against Putin's demented bombing onslaught against the people of Ukraine, Miranda Murray (left) reports that,

"Germany said on Friday that it will deliver two Patriot systems to Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the U.S. that Berlin will be first in line to receive the latest systems in return.

The Bundeswehr army will initially deliver additional Patriot launchers to Ukraine in the coming days, followed by additional system components to be handed over in two or three months." (Reuters: 1 August 2025) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Patricia Zengerle (right) reports, 

"A powerful U.S. Senate committee approved a military spending bill on Thursday that includes about $1 billion to support Ukraine, despite President Donald Trump's administration having asked Congress to eliminate such funding in its budget request.
…
Separately, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, both members of the Appropriations committee, said on Thursday they introduced a bill that would provide $54.6 billion in aid to Ukraine over the next two years. " (Reuters: 31 July 2025) (my emphasis)

And Putin's Russian economy continues to implode.

He now has nowhere to turn to.

As Huileng Tan reports,

"Russia's wartime boom is faltering — and the International Monetary Fund is the latest to weigh in with a downgrade.
...
"While Moscow has managed to dodge economic collapse since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — in part by pouring cash into defense contracts — the wartime boom that once risked overheating now appears to be unraveling." (Business Insider: 30 July 2025) (my emphasis)

The days of Trump's 10-day leeway is winding down towards his implementation of devastating secondary sanctions against China and India, who are propping up Putin's economy with their Russian oil purchases.

But the $64 question is :

"Will Trump implement his 'threatened' secondary sanctions against China and India?"

UPDATE: 2 August 2025: GMT 07.47

Since the start of Putin's war with Ukraine, Dmitry Medvedev (right), Putin's 'glove-puppet', has regularly brandished Russia's nuclear arsenal against NATO, Ukraine, and the US, like a gorilla thumping at his puny chest.

And Putin's propaganda TV stars, the likes of Vladimir Solovyov and Margarita Simonyan (left),  have regularly 'threatened' to use Putin's 'SATAN nuclear missile' against the UK.

Their 'arrogant nuclear chest- thumping' bluff has now been called!

As reported by Jaroslav Lukiv (right),

"US President Donald Trump says he has ordered two nuclear submarines to "be positioned in the appropriate regions" in response to "highly provocative" comments by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
…
"I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia. And we're going to protect our people."
…
Medvedev - who was Russia's president from 2008 to 2012 - accused Trump of playing "the ultimatum game with Russia" earlier this week.
…
Trump also warned Medvedev to "watch his words", adding that "he's entering very dangerous territory!"" (BBC News: 1 August 2025) (my emphasis) 

 

BBC News: 1 August 2025

We now await the response of 'panicking' Putin!   

 

 

 

(to be continued)