6 Jul, 2025 10:30

NATO chief ‘on magic mushrooms’ – Medvedev

The former Russian president has mocked Mark Rutte over his claim that China might ask Russia to attack the bloc’s European territory

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has mocked NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for suggesting that Beijing might ask Moscow to attack NATO territory in Europe as a diversion if China decides to make a move on Taiwan.

Rutte, speaking to the New York Times on Saturday, said Chinese President Xi Jinping may tell his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin: “I’m going to do this, and I need you to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.” He also urged stronger NATO defenses, warning that “if we don’t, we’ll have to learn Russian.”

“SG Rutte has clearly gorged on too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch,”Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on X on Saturday. “He sees collusion between China & Russia over Taiwan, and then a Russian attack on Europe.But he’s right about one thing: he should learn Russian. It might come in handy in a Siberian camp,” Medvedev joked, hinting at the harsh conditions at the region’s remote prison camps.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan its own territory under its One China policy, has repeatedly demanded that the US and its allies stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. Washington, however, continues to supply weapons to Taiwan.

Russia supports the Chinese position, condemning Western arms sales and diplomatic visits to the island. Moscow has also repeatedly dismissed claims that it plans to attack NATO, calling such statements baseless and part of Western scaremongering.

The Kremlin has maintainedthat “these are simply attempts to create an artificial external enemy in order to justify such a militaristic line to militarize Europe.”Russian officials have also argued that EuropeanNATO countries are using the supposed Russia threat to deflect from their own domestic problems. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the “old horror story about the Russian bear” an easy excuse in light of economic stagnation and falling standards of living in Europe.

At its recent summit, NATO members discussed increasing defense spending targets to 5% of GDP, though no formal agreement was reached. Some European nations expressed concern that such a level would be a heavy financial burden, potentially straining domestic budgets and public support for defense policies.

(Didn’t Q say, “learn to speak Russian”?)

https://www.rt.com/russia/621059-nato-chief-on-magic-mushrooms/

6 Jul, 2025 09:57

Moscow outlines why Zelensky wants to meet with Putin

The Ukrainian leader seeks to portray himself as legitimate, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky is seeking a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putinto defend his claims to legitimacy and resist Western attempts to push him out of power, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said. Zelensky’s presidential term expired last year, and Moscow views him as illegitimate.

In an interview with First Sevastopol TV released on Saturday, Zakharova was asked why she believes the Ukrainian leader is so insistent on meeting with Putin.“Because he needs to reaffirm his legitimacy, not through legal procedures, but by any other means to prove that he is in power,”she stated.

Zelensky’s five-year presidential term ended in May 2024, but he refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. Moscow has declared him illegitimate, insisting that under Ukrainian law, legal authority now rests with the parliament.

According to Zakharova, Zelensky alsoseeks a meeting with Putin because he is driven by “a monstrous fear of being consigned to oblivion.”

“He is insanely afraid of being forgotten, of becoming unnecessary for the West. That somehow the West will sideline him. And you can see he doesn’t step away from the microphones. I think he already sleeps with a webcam,” she said.

Zelensky has on numerous occasions insisted that he wants to meet with Putin,describing this as a prerequisite for peace.(He just wants to do his actor thing and to start yelling at Putin so he can be seen in charge and more powerful)

In May, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that a meeting between Putin and Zelensky could be possible,but only after negotiations between Moscow and Kiev reach “specific arrangements” on various diplomatic tracks. This year, Russia and Ukraine held two rounds of direct talks, which did not result in a breakthrough with regard to ending the conflict, but led to several prisoner exchanges.

In June, Putin said he was open to meeting with Zelensky, but suggested that the Ukrainian leader lacks legitimacy for signing binding agreements. “I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky. That’s not the issue – if the Ukrainian state trusts someone to conduct negotiations, by all means, let it be Zelensky.The question is different: Who will sign the documents?”

In autumn 2022, Zelensky signed a presidential decree banning talks with the current Russian leadership, after the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye voted in referendums to join Russia. Though Zelensky has not canceled the decree, he has since insisted that it only applies to other Ukrainian politicians, not to himself.

(This is true because Zelensky tried to do the same thing with President Trump at NATO, and Trump refused to discuss the Russia situation there. Zelensky just wanted to stage a meeting for photographs with Trump, just like Macron and him set up in the Vatican; so he would be considered a powerful leader that’s respected, for his people that don’t believe he’s powerful. The EU created a fake image that he’s equal to them, to give him more money to keep the war going. Zelensky’s fake power image is lost and Kiev politicians are not happy with him.NATO leaders knew to keep Zelensky as far away from Trump because that would cause problems,he was basically snubbed that’s why he looked so pissed in the Family Picture at the event. He’s always angry if he’s not the center of attention.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/621064-moscow-outlines-why-zelensky-wants-putin-meeting/

6 Jul, 2025 11:24

Putin touts historic ‘very friendly’ Russia-US ties

The president noted that Russia once backed US independence from the UK and supported the Union in the Civil War

Russia has had long periods of amicable relations with the US and supported America at key junctures in its history, President Vladimir Putin has said.

In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, a clip of which was released on Sunday,Putin offered an upbeat take on Russia’s longstanding ties with the US despite the recent tensions over the Ukraine conflict.

“By the way, as for the Americans, we have had…over a very long period of time, very friendly and special relations with the United States,” Putin said.

Putin pointed to Russia’s support for the US push to break from British rule during the AmericanRevolutionary War from 1775 to 1783. “We really supplied them, even supplied weapons, helped with money, and so on.”

He also referenced Russia’s alignment with the Union during the 1861-1865 American Civil War. “Later we supported the North during the war between North and South,”Putin said, adding, “And in this sense, we found something that united us.”

The comments come as US President Donald Trump has been seeking to broker an end to the Ukraine conflict. Moscow and Washington have been exploring ways to repair relations that hit historic lows under the previous US administration.

Despite major periods of rivalry,the history between Russia and the US is dotted with notable moments of partnership. Apart from the instances mentioned by Putin,the two countries engaged in bustling economic cooperation in the 1930s,which helped the Soviet Union to industrialize while aiding US businesses reeling from the Great Depression.

The two nations thenbecame wartime allies in World War II, fighting Nazi Germanyand coordinating under the Lend-Lease program, which saw Washington make large shipments of arms and supplies to Moscow.

While the Cold War ushered in decades of tension, which climaxed during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis,the US and Soviet Union still managed to negotiate landmark arms control dealsaimed at reducing the threat of nuclear war.

https://www.rt.com/russia/621069-putin-touts-historic-friendly-us-ties/

>>23283475

Maybe due to that centuries of friendly relationships the DS /CIA had to create the Russia Hoax

6 Jul, 2025 00:59

No weapons for Kiev over church persecution – US congresswoman

Washington is not Kiev’s “piggy bank,” Representative Anna Paulina Luna has said

Kiev’s persecution of Ukraine’s largest church is reason enough for Washington to halt military aid to the country, US Representative Anna Paulina Luna has said, pledging to oppose any future weapons shipments.

The Florida Republican accused Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky of banning the Orthodox Church in a post on X on Friday, apparently referring to ongoing actions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) – the largest religious organization in the country.

“I can promise there will be no weapons funding for you,” Luna, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote.

“We are not your piggy bank,” she added, urging Zelensky to “negotiate for peace” instead.

Kiev has accused the UOC of maintaining ties with Moscow to justify its crackdown, even though the church declared independence from the Russian Orthodox Church in May 2022. Responding to criticism in the comments under her post, Luna added, “The Ukraine bots are big mad about this one.”

All of a sudden these pro-war shills are religion experts and also telepathic, as they are CERTAIN not one Christian went to those churches to worship God. Imagine if we did that in the States. Hypocrites,” she said.

According to Ukraine Oversight, an official US government portal tracking aid disbursements, Washington allocated a total of $182.8 billion in assistance to Ukraine from 2022 to the end of 2024.=

In May, US President Donald Trump expressed concern over what he described as billions of dollars being wasted on Ukraine aid. He said Congress was “very upset about it” and that lawmakers were demanding answers about how the money was being spent.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon reportedly halted shipments of certain weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, citing the need to review remaining stockpiles as part of Trump’s ‘America First’ policy.

Kiev’s persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church has received limited attention from US politicians and public figures. In late May, American journalist Tucker Carlson raised the issue in an interview with former Ukrainian MP Vadim Novinsky.

“I think very few Americans understand the degree to which the Ukrainian government under Zelensky has persecuted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” Carlson said during the broadcast.

Years of state pressure on the church have included the arrests of clergymen and raids on monasteries, including a high-profile incident at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where religious relics are kept.

Last year, Zelensky signed legislation allowing the government to ban religious organizations deemed affiliated with ‘aggressor’ states, effectively targeting the UOC.

Earlier this week, he alsostripped the church’s senior bishop, Metropolitan Onufry, of his citizenship, citing his previously acquired Russian passport.

(What’s worse is many countries in Europe are trying to ban Russian Orthodox churches now. Zelensky made this acceptable. Finally this evil issue is being acknowledged by US Congress. They all knew it since 2023 but ignored it, especially Lindsey Graham)

https://www.rt.com/news/621054-no-weapons-ukraine-christian-persecution/

5 Jul, 2025 23:20

German MPs demand more money for Ukraine – Bild

Green Party lawmakers reportedly want to spend at least €8.5 billion on weapons for Kiev

A group of German lawmakers from the Green Party has called onChancellor Friedrich Merzto urgently increase military aid to Ukraine, sayingBerlin must contribute more in light of a slowdown in US arms deliveries, according to a letter obtained by Bild.

The letter, signed by Bundestag deputies Robin Wagener, Sara Nanni, Sebastian Schafer, and Anton Hofreiter,criticized the federal government’s recently announced increasein military assistance from €7.1 billion to €8.3 billionas insufficient.

The lawmakers pointed to the US decision to pause certain weapons shipments to Kiev as a critical factor, arguing that Berlin should raise the figure to at least €8.5 billion and commit to maintaining that level through 2029.

The Green MPs, who have been among Kiev’s most vocal supportersin the Bundestag, reportedly said the government still has room to maneuver within the approved budget framework, and argued that the constitutional limits on debt spending could be sidestepped through special exemptions. (The Greens must be the hippie party)

Berlin has already sent Kiev almost €16 billion, including €11.2 billion in direct weapons suppliessince the escalation of the conflict in 2022, making it the largest single state donor after the US and UK, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute.

The US reportedly paused deliveries of various critical munitions, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets and 155mm artillery shells. The exact scale of the wind-down remains unclear, as President Donald Trump has insisted that the US is still sending weapons to Kiev – while ensuring America retains enough stockpiles to defend itself and its allies.

Merz recently announced plans to increase Germany’s overall military budget to €153 billion by 2029, up from €86 billion this year, and pledged to allocate 3.5% of GDP to defense under a new NATO framework to counter what he called a direct threat from Russia.

The Kremlin has condemned the EU’s militarization efforts and weapons transfers to Kiev, describing the conflict as a NATO-led proxy war. President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western concerns about Russian aggression as “nonsense,” accusing NATO of using fear to justify increasing military budgets.

Critics of the German government’s policies warn that continued spending onweapons could strain the national budget and further damage German industry, which is already suffering from rising energy costs, the fallout from the sanctions on Russia, and the tariff standoff with the US.

The Alternative for Germany party – which came in second in the elections in February but was excluded from forming a coalition – has called for-an immediate halt to weapons shipments to Kiev and a resumption of energy cooperation with Russia.

On Friday,party leaders urged Merz to initiate direct talks with Putin and pursue a negotiated settlementto the Ukraine conflict to safeguard Germany’s long-term national interests.

The Kremlin has said it remains open to dialogue with Berlin, but stressedthat it is up to the German leadership to take the first step, having previously cut ties. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron – who previously supported deploying French troops to Ukraine but recently softened his stance – held a phone discussion with Putin, their first direct contact in nearly three years.

(How does Russia ever get over what all these countries wanted to do them, and NATO still does. They will only talk to Putin and others if it benefits them. Germany’s country is decimated from their bad decisions, but they continue to do arrogant things, like giving weapons to a Nazi government in Kiev)

https://www.rt.com/news/621055-germany-more-weapons-ukraine/

6 Jul, 2025 09:32

Israel dismisses ‘unacceptable’ Hamas ceasefire demands

The Palestinian group reportedly wants guarantees that a truce will lead to a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza

Israel has rejected Hamas’ proposed changes to a Gaza ceasefire deal but agreed to continue indirect talks in Doha, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday, as cited by Israeli media.

A negotiating team is expected to travel to Qatar on Sunday for the next round of negotiations with the Palestinian militant group.

US President DonaldTrump announced a “final proposal” for a 60-day Gaza ceasefire last week, sayinghe expected positive replies from both sides within hours.

Hamas responded on Friday “in a positive spirit,” saying it is “fully prepared”to immediately begin a new round of talksto implement the ceasefire framework. The group, however, proposed amendments. A source involved in the mediation efforts said Hamas wants talks on a permanent truce to continue during the 60-day pause, full restoration of UN aid instead of the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to pre-March positions.

“The changesthat Hamas is seeking to make to the Qatari proposal were delivered to us last night andare unacceptable to Israel,Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. It did not specify which demands were rejected. Nevertheless, Netanyahu has instructed his team to attend further talks in Qatar, the statement said.

The prime minister is also expected to travel to Washington on Monday for a meeting with Trump on Gaza, Iran, and other regional matters.

On Friday,Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he is “optimistic” a deal can be reached. The current draft includes a provision that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is to travel to the region to finalize the agreement.

West Jerusalem has repeatedly refused to accept any deal that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza. A previous hostage-truce deal reached in January included a three-phase process ending with a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal,but it collapsed in March after Israel refused to begin talks on ending the war.

Netanyahu reiterated his conditions last week: Hamas must surrender, disarm, and leave Gaza – terms the group continues to reject.

The conflict began with Hamas’ October 2023 assault on southern Israel, in which around 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 250 were taken hostage. Of those, 50 remain in Gaza, with fewer than half still alive. Israel’s military response has killed at least 57,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, over the past 21 months, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

On Saturday, thefamilies of the hostages held protests across Israel, urging the government to finalize a ceasefire. Videos on social media show crowds marching in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Be’er Sheva, calling for an end to the war and the return of the hostages.

(This was predicted by many Middle East and political analyst leaders. That BiBi will drag the U.S. in further and further. President Trump should cut him off and tell him do it, or you get no more arms from the U.S. Why do we even give the billions annually? I’m sure he knows Bibi was involved in the stealing of the 2020 elections and was perfectly happy having a dementia ridden patient, as President.)

https://www.rt.com/news/621060-israel-hamas-changes-unacceptable/

6 Jul, 2025 07:19

Carlson teases interview with Iranian president

Americans have the right to know the viewpoint of a country they fought just ten days ago, the journalist has said

Conservative American journalist Tucker Carlson has announced that he will air an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying Americans deserve to hear directly from the leader of the country their military has recently fought.

The interview comes on the heels of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, as well as US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

In a short video on X, Carlson said the conversation, which was conducted remotely through a translator, will be released “in a day or two.”He acknowledged that he will be criticized for the interview, saying: “Why did we do it anyway? Well, we did it because we were just at war with Iran 10 days ago and maybe again.”

He argued that Americans have “the constitutional right and the God-given right to all the information they can gather about matters that affect them,” including hearing the views of adversaries.

Carlson added that not everything Pezeshkian says can be trusted, but “the point is you should be able to decide for yourself whether you believe it or not.”

Regarding the contents of the interview, the former Fox News host said he avoided questions that were almost certain to yield evasions, such as whether the US strikes crippled Iran’s nuclear program. “There’s no chance he’s going to answer that question. Honestly, I didn’t bother to ask it,” he said.Instead, he focused on broader questions like whether Iran is seeking war with the US and Israel.

Carlson went on to say that he once again requested an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an effort to hear from both sides of the conflict.

The purpose of the Pezeshkian interview is “not to get to the absolute truth,” but rather “to add to the corpus of knowledge from which Americans can derive their own opinion,” he said. “Learn everything you can, and then you decide.”

The American journalist conducted a high-profile interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year, in which Putin explained the deep historical roots and national security concerns that led to the Ukraine conflict. Last month, he also interviewed US Senator Ted Cruz, pressing him on his hawkish stance on Iran, while suggesting that Cruz is calling for the overthrow of the Iranian government without having any knowledge of the country.

(Tucker said the CIA blocked him from interviewing Putin the first time, so Trump must know and perhaps approve what Tucker is doing.)

https://www.rt.com/news/621062-carlson-teases-interview-iranian-president/

When an Intransigent Resistance Meets an Immovable Object – EU Trade Team Accepting Baseline Tariffs

July 6, 2025 | Sundance |

The intransigent European Union are hitting a dead end with immovable Trump on the issue of tariffs. The resulting dynamic is what we would expect given 75 years of the Marshall Plan (European Recovery Plan) as part of the EU’s only point of reference.

In order for the EU to maintain their socialistic form of government,they need to continue the economic benefits from one-way tariffs that exploits the American consumer market. President Trump’s plan to force reciprocity is against their entire economic foundation.The EU simply cannot fathom life without the status quo.

In many ways the EU is in the same position as Canada.From their perspective, economic reciprocity is not sustainable; they would have to change their social compacts. This is the core of the conflict.

The EU trade delegation hit a brick wall in Washington DC, as the U.S. trade team reiterated the baseline tariffs are not something within the negotiation dynamic.

BRUSSELS — The European Union is weighing a provisional trade deal with the United States that would maintain a 10 percent tariff on most exports, the European Commission told EU ambassadors on Friday.

The EU executive reported back after a crucial round of talks in Washington on Thursday, in which Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič sought to head off a threat byPresident Donald Trump to impose a 50 percent tariff on all European goods from July 9 if no deal is reached.

In addition to the baseline tariff, conversations would continue on providing relief to specific industry sectors such as cars, two national officials cited top Commission officials as saying.

The outcome fell short of expectationsin European capitals after the Commission’s trade negotiating team had previously said the possibility of “up-front” tariff relief for some industries was under consideration.The U.S. levies 25 percent tariffs on cars and 50 percent on steel and aluminum. (read more)

As we highlighted in term-1, these ongoing negotiations with the EU on the issues of trade are extremely challenging.However, in term-2 President Trump’s position is much simpler; why keep arguing about the same problem only to end up in negotiations of intransigence?

Instead, if the EU is going to continue negotiations as a collective,President Trump is now favoring just sending the EU a letter informing them of the tariff rates applied to each of their industrial sectors. This is the most direct and impactful way to end the stalemate.

The EU cannot fathom the new level of ambivalence carried by President Trump, and by extension his trade team, toward the conversation. There is no level of countervailing tariffs the EU can announce that impacts the position of Trump. Even if the EU were to end all trade with the USA, that only feeds into the goals and objectives of the Trump administration.

The EU has no power in this dynamic beyond their purchasing power, and if the EU doesn’t want to level the purchasing – thereby maintaining a trade deficit,then Trump will equalize the financial imbalance with tariffs.

Canada is in the same position, hence their alignment with the EU.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/07/06/when-an-intransigent-resistance-meets-an-immovable-object-eu-trade-team-accepting-baseline-tariffs/

Trump has been working on how tariffs can work since the 1980’s, he got his first go at in the first term, and perfected their plan with his economic term even before he won the second time. It’s a wonder how these countries underestimate him.

>>23283721 KEK musk directed the bots to vote for his idea

>>23283714

Does Musk really believe that he is so powerful that he can win in his fight to blackmail Trump to give him more contracts, after all that’s what he is mad about. I think the devious things he might have done in DOGE was the reason his special gov employee was over