20 Mar, 2025 13:57

More African states quit French union

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger claim the International Organization of Francophone Nations is a tool for “political manipulation”

Burkina Faso and Mali have withdrawn from the International Organization of Francophone Nations (OIF), following the example of their West African neighbor Niger, which had earlier announced its departure from the Paris-based group.

The Burkinabe government claimed that the OIF has deviated from its original mission of promoting cultural and technical cooperation and had become a biased tool of “political manipulation,” according to an official statement dated Tuesday, state-owned broadcaster AIB reported on Wednesday.

“Burkina Faso cannot continue its cooperation with an institution that no longer meets its legitimate expectations in terms of justice, equality, and fairness,” it read.

Earlier this week, Niamey said it “has independently decided to withdraw Niger from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie,” without stating the rationale for the move. The Sahel country had previously suspended all cooperation with the OIF following its July 2023 coup, accusing it of being a political tool for defending French interests.

Late on Tuesday, Mali, which currently holds the presidency of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – a new group formed by Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey – issued a statement announcing the decision to withdraw the “member states of the AES confederation” from the Francophone union.

The OIF’s proclaimed mission is to promote the French language, support peace and democracy, and foster education and developmentin Francophone countries worldwide, many of which were once French colonies.

The Permanent Council of the 88-member grouping suspended Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following military coups in the three former French colonies, which were among the first members of the OIF when it was founded in Niamey on March 20, 1970.

“Since the advent of the transition in Mali, Burkina Faso, and then Niger, the OIF … has distinguished itself in the selective application of sanctions … and disregard for their sovereignty,” according to a joint statement released by Mali’s foreign ministry.

The transitional leaders of the three Sahel states have decided to leave the group as part of efforts to defend the “legitimate interests” of their countries, the ministry added.

Relations between Bamako, Niamey, Ouagadougou and Paris have deteriorated in the aftermath of the military takeovers. The three military governments have all terminated defense cooperation with Paris over allegations ofmeddling and the failure by French forces to put down a deadly jihadist insurgency in the Sahel region. The AES states have also withdrawn from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS after claiming it poses a threat to their sovereignty by serving as a tool for foreign powers, particularly France.

IOF spokeswoman Oria Vande Weghe told French public broadcaster TV5 Monde on Monday evening that the exit of the AES states is regrettable but must be respected. “The OIF considers itself to be collateral damage in a geopolitical situation that is beyond its control,” Le Monde also quoted Weghe as saying.

https://www.rt.com/africa/614537-burkina-faso-mali-international-organization-francophone-nations/

Is that a Pepe there?

20 Mar, 2025 16:25

Putin approves new rules for Ukrainians in Russia

Citizens of Ukraine will need to legalize their presence or leave, according to a new presidential decree

Ukrainians living in Russiawithout valid residence documentshave less than six months to legalize theirstay or leave the country, according to a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

Ukrainian citizens who register with the Russian Interior Ministry via mandatory medical registration, photographing, and fingerprinting will not be liable for violating the rules of stay in Russia until September 10, according to the order.

Among thelegitimate grounds for residencyare legal employment or enrollment in a Russian education program. The decree came into force with immediate effect.

The Russian Health Ministry has been tasked with providing undocumented migrants from Ukraine with a medical examination and registration before the cutoff date. The standard Russian visa processrequires a medical testto prove the absence of illegal drug use and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV.

In addition, the decisionapplies to all foreign citizens and stateless peoplein the Zaporozhye Region, Kherson Region, and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, which joined Russia in the fall of 2022. All such people must undergo medical tests to confirm the absence of illegal drug use and HIV before June 10, the decree states.

Employersin the new Russian regions may continue to hire foreign citizens, but are required to register their workers via the Interior Ministry, the document says. Any visas and temporary residence permits for such workers are extended by the length of their existing labor contracts, but no later than the end of this year, it says.

https://www.rt.com/russia/614547-putin-new-rules-ukrainians/

20 Mar, 2025 16:38

Russia has ‘very valuable earth’ – Trump

The US President has once again advocated for restoring economic ties with Moscow

Russia's scale and enormous mineral resources provide a reason for restoring economic ties with Moscow, US President Donald Trump has told Breitbart.

Trump's remark followed Tuesday’s phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, in which the two leaders focused on bilateral relations and the Ukraine conflict.

Improved ties between the US and Russia would have a “huge upside,” both agreed, leading to “enormous economic deals” once peace has been achieved, according to the White House.

In the interview,Trump said that the US “should be dealing with Russia.”

“They have the largest piece of land by far, bigger than China. They have 11 time zones. You can fly through 11 time zones from one side to the other. They have very valuable earth,” Trump said.

The US President went on to mention the rare earths deal with Ukraine which he had sought in order to compensate for the billions the previous administration had given Kiev in aid. Vladimir Zelensky visited the White House in late February to sign the agreement, but the talks became contentious, ending abruptly without the deal being finalized.

After the phone call with Putin on Tuesday, theWhite House said it has moved beyond “just the economic minerals deal framework” and was now focused on a long-term peace agreement.

Putin said in February that Moscow was prepared to collaborate with Washington on developing its own rare earth mineral deposits, with Trump indicating he was open to the idea.

Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of 17 metallic elements which are indispensablein modern technology due to their unique chemical and physical properties. They are used in the manufacturing of electronics, defense systems, and in renewable energy technology. They are seldom found in the planet’s crust in concentrated forms, makingtheir extraction both challenging and costly.

According to an estimate from Russia’s Federal Agency for Mineral Resources,the country accounts for over 20% of the world’s total stockpile of REEs. Despite the abundance, Russia’s current share of global REE production is less than 1%, indicating significant potential for development.

Forbes estimated in 2023 that 70% of Ukraine’s REE deposits are in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, which declared independence in 2014 following the Western-backed Maidan coup in Kiev. These territories came under Russian control after popular referendums in 2022.

https://www.rt.com/news/614549-trump-russia-valuable-earth/

(I bet the Kremlin has a Trump Research desk with 3-4 researchers, because he's always talking or doing something interesting. And probably vice versa with Putin.)

‘‘‘Reassurance, not peacekeeping: What Ukraine coalition force will and won't do’‘‘ James Landale Reporting from Kyiv

(Man this is stupid.Macron and Starmer Cosplaying heroes coming to the rescue, admit they can’t really do anything they promised. They are already changing everything they said, it won’t happen, but they want to be noticed.)

The potential Western troop deployment to Ukraine being discussed in London should be ‘‘‘described as a "reassurance force" rather than a "peacekeeping force"‘‘‘, defence and diplomatic sources say. Currently dubbed the Multinational Force Ukraine or MFU, it would be sent to the country to cement any ceasefire and encourage long-term confidence in the country. (Multinational means many nations, there are only two committed right now. What does long-term confidence mean, friends hanging out and boosting the friend's pride?)

The focus would be on providing Ukraine with air cover to keep its skies safe and a naval presence in the Black Sea to encourage trade. The deployment of ‘‘‘so-called "boots on the ground’‘‘" - probably about 20,000 strong - would in terms of size not be big enough to enforce any peace.

Instead, the troops - provided by a so-called "coalition of the willing" - would ‘‘‘most likely be deployed to protect cities’‘‘, ports and major energy infrastructure. One option being considered is that the ‘‘‘MFU might not operate in the east of Ukraine’‘‘ near the front line to try to reassure Russia it poses no offensive threat. (‘‘‘What’‘‘ that was supposed to be the point, intimidate Russia, like that was ever going to happen!)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have said repeatedly they would not agree any ceasefire if European and other forces were deployed to Ukraine. The sources say any multinational operation in Ukraine would ‘‘‘not be a "peacekeeping force" and should not be described as such’‘‘.

‘‘‘Peacekeeping forces’‘‘ - under the aegis of either the United Nations or Nato - traditionally ‘‘‘are impartial’‘‘, operate with the consent of both parties and use force only to defend themselves. The multinational force being discussed would very much be on Ukraine's side, there to help deter future Russian aggression. (How do they deter aggression when they are on the other side of Ukraine, not even close to the front? So NATO leader, Trump & Rutte NO)

At the moment, ‘‘‘it is not expected’‘‘ that the multinational force on the ground ‘‘‘would monitor any ceasefire’‘‘. That would be done by Ukrainian troops on the frontline and Western surveillance assets in the air and space.

The sources also say the coalition troops ‘‘‘would not be deployed to provide a so-called "tripwire force’‘‘" - meaning a force smaller than that of the opponent, designed to deter an attack without triggering escalation - if Russia resumed its invasion of Ukraine.

They say the ‘‘‘military impact’‘‘ of any allied deployment of about 20,000 troops ‘‘‘would be limited’‘‘ compared to the number of troops on either side of the front line. Ukraine has almost a million military personnel, Russia's army is even larger. (Why even go, to get attention?)

Much of the focus of Thursday's discussions is on how best any international force can provide Ukraine with assets it does not have, especially capability in the air. So, there will be discussions about ‘‘‘which countries can provide warplanes’‘‘ to keep Ukraine's skies safe during a ceasefire.

There will also be discussions about how to make the Black Sea safe for shipping. That may involve two components: how best to keep shipping lanes clear of mines and what kind of naval task force could provide a security presence in the sea. ‘‘‘The key uncertainty is whether the United States would provide’‘‘ any air, satellite or intelligence cover for any European force on the ground. (not uncertain, the US will not) ‘‘‘The US has thus far said’‘‘ it would ‘‘‘not be willing’‘‘ to provide any military "backstop".

The European strategy ‘‘‘for now’‘‘ is to stop asking the US and instead organise the best force and capability it can to ensure the security of Ukraine in the future. Once the details are agreed, then the UK, France and others would see if the European offer ‘‘‘was substantial enough for the US to have a change of heart and agree to play some kind of role’‘‘. **

What all this planning depends on, of course, is some kind of ceasefire being agreed in Ukraine. While the US remains optimistic, many in Ukraine remain sceptical that Russia even wants to end the fighting.

**The answer has always been NO, they know this, you cannot draw US troops into Ukraine ever. These fuckers have no plan, and are praying the US will participate, so they keep talking about their stupid, idiotic plan. ‘‘‘They will never go’‘‘ to be an “assurance force or peacekeepers”, none of the two countries have enough soldiers. ‘‘‘But they keep on talking about this bullshit.’‘‘

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgz8jlxlk3o

Exclusive: Intelligence shared with White House shows Ukrainians not 'encircled' in Kursk

By Erin Banco March 20, 20256:10 AM EDT Updated 8 hours ago

Reuters Desperate to prove Putin Wrong, they provide NO PROOF, just hearsay

NEW YORK, March 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk have lost ground in recent days but are not encircled by Russian forces, contrary to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to three U.S. and European officials familiar with their governments' intelligence assessments.

U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, have shared that assessmentwith the White House over the past week, a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter said. However, Trump has continued to claim that Ukrainian troops are surrounded in western Russia's Kursk region.

The U.S. and European intelligence assessments show that Ukrainian troops have faced intense pressure from Russian forces but they are not completely surrounded, the officials said.

Trump has said he hopes to bring a quick end to Russia's war in Ukraine. Experts described a claim by Putin on March 13 that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were cut off and would ultimately need to “surrender or die” as misinformation intended to show that Russia is offering concessions by saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, giving Putin leverage in ceasefire negotiations.

In a social media post on March 14, Trump said he had asked the Russian president to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainians who he said were "completely surrounded" and vulnerable. Putin said that he would do so if they surrendered.

Trump repeated the claim about "encircled" Ukrainian forces during a speech at Washington's Kennedy Center on Monday and in a Fox News interview on Tuesday.

The U.S. National Security Council did not respond directly to questions about the intelligence assessments but referred Reuters to a joint statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz that mentioned Trump's call with Zelenskiy on Wednesday and how the two leaders agreed to continue to share intelligence on Kursk.

The White House, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence all declined to comment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has denied that Ukrainian forces are surrounded and said Putin was lying about the reality on the ground. The Ukrainian leader acknowledged his military is in a difficult position in Kursk and that he expects continued attacks from Russia as it attempts to push Ukrainian forces out of the region.

Zelenskiy's office and the Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Since August, when Ukrainian soldiers smashed their way across Russia's western border in Kursk, Kyiv has lost almost all of the territory it gained. It once held close to 500 square miles of land but now only holds between 20 and 30 square miles, according to open source reports.

Trump spoke with Putin on Tuesday. During that call, the Russian leader said he would halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days, a promise that fell short of the full 30-day ceasefire Trump has called for and that Zelenskiy has said Ukraine would be prepared to accept.

"This is likely part of Putin's effort to make the point that they are winning the war and that resistance is useless and that it is inevitable that Russia's greater strength will bring victory. That resonates with Trump," saidMark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Both sides are maneuvering to get into a better position for the negotiations."

Although Russian forces appear to be making incremental advances in Kursk, the officials who spoke to Reuters and experts who study the battlefield said Putin's March 13 statement was not accurate.

The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based conflict monitor, said on March 14 that it had "observed no geolocated evidence to indicate that Russian forces have encircled a significant number of Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast or elsewhere along the frontline in Ukraine."

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/intelligence-shared-with-white-house-shows-ukrainians-not-encircled-kursk-2025-03-20/

>>22794517

Excellent KEK

Trump War Room

@TrumpWarRoom

MIC DROP from @VP🔥

When asked how he is doing things differently than Kamala Harris he replied:

"Well, I don't have four shots of vodka before every meeting… I would need the help of a lot of alcohol to answer a question the way that Kamala Harris answered questions.”

10:38 AM · Mar 20, 2025

·70.7K

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https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1902731526057361570