Mike Johnson recounts how Biden did not remember his own EO on natural gas just weeks after he'd signed it
Johnson explained that during the conversation, he realized Biden was not lying to him but genuinely did not know what he had signed.
House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed that President Joe Biden signed an executive order to pause liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports but was unaware of doing so when questioned about it during a meeting.
In January 2024, Johnson met with Biden and several of the president’s national security advisors and cabinet officials in the Oval Office to discuss the latest aid package for Ukraine. Johnson also attended the meeting to speak directly with Biden about his decision to pause new permits for exporting American LNG to European allies. When the two spoke one-on-one, it was then revealed that Biden was unaware of the order he had signed.
…
Johnson recounted the conversation to The Free Press, which was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal based on anonymous sources.
“Can I ask you a question? I cannot answer this from my constituents in Louisiana,” Johnson recalled speaking to Biden. “Sir, why did you pause LNG exports to Europe? Liquefied natural gas is in great demand by our allies. Why would you do that? Cause you understand we just talked about Ukraine, you understand you are fueling Vladimir Putin’s war machine, because they gotta get their gas from him.”
Biden was reportedly stunned and denied signing such an order, responding, “I didn’t do that.” Johnson pressed further, saying, “Mr. President, yes you did. It was an executive order like three weeks ago.” At that point, Johnson suggested that Biden’s secretary print out the executive order to confirm its contents.
Biden then reportedly recalled signing the order but contested that it was merely for a study on the effects of LNG. Johnson, whose home state of Louisiana is a major hub for LNG exports, continued to emphasize what the executive order has done.
“Sir, you paused it, I know. I have the export terminals in my state. I talked to those people in my state, I’ve talked to those people this morning, this is doing massive damage to our economy, national security,” Johnson told Biden.
Johnson explained that during the conversation, he realized Biden was not lying to him but genuinely did not know what he had signed.
“I walked out of that meeting with fear and loathing because I thought, ‘We are in serious trouble—who is running the country?’ Like, I don't know who put the paper in front of him, but he didn’t know,” Johnson explained.
Средний возраст сенаторов США близок к среднему возрасту членов политбюро ЦК КПСС и Байден явно не первый пенсионер, кто мог так перепугать Джонсона.
Реальная власть США давно испытывает коллективную деменцию и немощь и это не могло быть откровением для спикера Палаты представителей.
Так о чём на самом деле его пост?
Тот кто встретил 1991 год в зрелом возрасте и имел хоть какое ни будь отношение к власти помнит, что до самого последнего дня, часа, минуты, секунды государство СССР все ещё довольно исправно выполняло свои повседневные обязанности, но внутри этой государственной системной программной оболочки не было уже ничего.
США в 2025, как и СССР в 1991, с виду суровы и грозны, как всегда, но внутри там почти ничего не шевелится.
Иначе, то, что они сочли не оргазмом, а астмой, оказалось агонией.
_________________
С пониманием и отраслевыми пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Примечательная статья на примечательную Политическую Рекламу Дональда Туска:
Цитата:
Polskie konsulaty w USA szykują się na deportacje. "Musimy być przygotowani"
Premier Donald Tusk poinformował, że zwrócił się do szefa MSZ Radosława Sikorskiego, aby polskie konsulaty w Stanach Zjednoczonych były przygotowane na ewentualne deportacje Polaków z terenu USA w związku z zapowiedziami prezydenta Donalda Trumpa.
•
Nasze konsulaty muszą być przygotowane do ewentualnych konsekwencji decyzji Donalda Trumpa, w odniesieniu do Polaków pracujących, mieszkających na terenie Stanów Zjednoczonych z różnym statusem i poziomem legalności - powiedział premier.
• Nie otrzymaliśmy informacji, czy ta operacja może być dotkliwa dla obywateli polskich przebywających na terenie Stanów Zjednoczonych - powiedział Donald Tusk.
• Musimy być przygotowani, dlatego nasze placówki w Stanach będą docierały tak szybko, jak to możliwe, do naszych obywateli, którzy będą się czuli zaniepokojeni tą sytuacją - zadeklarował premier.
Polacy mieszkający w USA będą mogli liczyć na pomoc konsularną
"Po pierwszych zapowiedziach dotyczących możliwych deportacji nielegalnych imigrantów z terenu Stanów Zjednoczonych zwróciłem się do ministra spraw zagranicznych, by przygotować nasze konsulaty, placówki, służby na terenie Stanów Zjednoczonych, by były przygotowane do ewentualnych konsekwencji tych decyzji w odniesieniu do Polaków pracujących, mieszkających na terenie Stanów Zjednoczonych z różnym statusem i poziomem legalności" - powiedział premier przed wtorkowym posiedzeniem rządu.
Dodał, że
administracja amerykańska nie poinformowała jeszcze o szczegółach "akcji deportacji"
zapowiedzianej przez prezydenta Trumpa.
"Nie otrzymaliśmy informacji, czy ta operacja może być dotkliwa dla obywateli polskich przebywających na terenie Stanów Zjednoczonych. Tak czy inaczej, musimy być przygotowani, dlatego nasze placówki w Stanach będą docierały tak szybko, jak to możliwe, do naszych obywateli, którzy będą się czuli zaniepokojeni tą sytuacją" - zadeklarował premier.
Zapewnił, że Polacy przebywający w Stanach Zjednoczonych będą mogli liczyć na pomoc ze strony urzędników konsularnych i polskiego rządu.
"Nie ma być może żadnych powodów do niepokoju, ale Polska będzie dobrze przygotowana do każdej sytuacji
. Każdy Polak i każda Polka będą serdecznie witani w kraju. Każdy znajdzie miejsce w swojej ojczyźnie. Tutaj każdy znajdzie swoją Amerykę. Dużo się zmieniło w ostatnich latach. Każdy, kto chce pracować, kto wierzy we własną przyszłość, własne siły, w Polsce znajdzie odpowiednie miejsce. Wszystkich bez wyjątku powitamy z otwartymi ramionami" - zaznaczył szef rządu.
…
Казалось бы, ничего удивительного, премьер страны заботится о своих граждан, которых Трамп может изгнать из США…
Вот только Трамп европейцев, и в том числе поляков, из США пока не гонит. Возможно ещё вспомнит когда ни будь после, но пока, Дональда Фредовича больше занимают граждане латиноамериканских стран.
Так о чем тогда «беспокоится» Туск?
О чем угодно, но точно не о грядущих бездомных поляках, которые могут быть изгнаны с территории США.
Скорее всего, Туск опасается за сиюминутный уровень доверия со стороны граждан своей страны.
И вроде бы, ничего нового, ни в первый раз.
Проблема в том, что уровень политической культуры в Европе упал до катастрофически низкого уровня так, что опус Туска уже не воспринимается, как исключение, но скорей, как печальное правило.
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С сожалением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
20.46.24.01.2025.
Путин присвоил Тиграну Кеосаяну почетное звание заслуженного артиста России.
Цитата:
16.03.19.01.2025.
Сегодня Крещение, и я хочу сказать спасибо всем, кто молится в эти дни за Тиграна - а это огромное множество людей.
Знаю, что многие переживают, не получая новостей о его состоянии, спрашивают, пишут мне - знакомые и незнакомые. К сожалению, мне нечего сообщить. Состояние прежнее.
Наш любимый спит, а мы с детьми и обеими нашими мамами ждем. И будем ждать столько, сколько понадобится.
Цитата:
23.50.08.01.2025.
До последнего не хотела, но, поскольку уже начали звонить репортеры, напишу сама. Мой муж, Тигран Кеосаян, пережил клиническую смерть и находится в коме. У него, как многие знают, давным-давно очень больное сердце.
Я не умею записывать кружочки в реанимации и делать селфи своих рыданий, поэтому прошу простить меня, что не пишу в соцсети.
Тиграна мама, как и моя, живут с нами. Описывать состояние женщины, которая два года назад потеряла старшего сына, а теперь из последних сил ждет, что Господь смилостивится над младшим, невозможно.
Тех, кто любит Тиграна, осмелюсь попросить молиться за него.
_________________
С уважением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Colombian president hits Trump with astounding insult as he issues blistering statement on US tariff threat
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused Donald Trump of being a 'white slaveholder' who is on track to 'wipe out the human species' after being humiliated by the US president in a dsipute over migrants.
It is the latest salvo in a bitter dispute that began when Petro blocked two US migrant deportation flights entering his country. But within hours, Trump threatened to hit Colombia with huge import traiffs and stop visa processing.
Petro immediately backed down on migrant flights, and even offered to use his own plane to fly deported migrants from the US to Colombia.
After the climbdown, Petro said: 'You don't like our freedom, okay. I don't shake hands with white slavers.'
'Overthrow me, President, and the Americas and humanity will respond... You can try to carry out a coup with your economic strength and your arrogance.'
…
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has accused Donald Trump of being a 'white slaveholder' who is on track to 'wipe out the human species' in a blistering takedown
Not even two hours after Trump announced his retaliatory efforts against Colombia, Petro offered his presidential plane to 'facilitate the dignified return of the compatriots who were to arrive in the country this morning from deportation flights'
...
Цитата:
Между схемой распределения рабов на корабле и фото высылаемых мигрантов в транспортном самолёте ВВС США, общего больше, чем разного.
Во-первых,
промышленный масштаб
.
Мигрантов вывозят, как привозили. Не индивидуально, каждого в отдельности, а большими группами, ограничиваемыми только вместимостью транспортных бортов. Сейчас, в начале, их рассаживают в четыре ряда кресел, а позже, когда эти акции станут массовыми, их начнут рассаживать на полу, как когда то раскладывали на палубах.
Во-вторых,
способ утилизации
.
Страны Латинской Америки не завозили этих людей в США. США сами создали условия, привлекшие этих людей на их территорию. И США их не только сами впустили, но и превратили в преступников созданными для них условиями жизни. А теперь, когда уровень криминальности этих этнических групп стал опасен для самих США, США их просто отправляют в страны, из которых они когда-то прибыли.
США не желают нести ответственность за свою рабовладельческую природу и свое колониальное содержание.
Фактически, речь идет о промышленной утилизации не ископаемых социально-токсичных отходов, которые вместо глубокой переработки и дальнейшего общественного применения, просто отправляются к местам их добычи, с целью их последующего незаконного захоронения.
_________________
С сожалением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Инициатива Владимира Михайловича не нова и понятна, как не новы и понятны опасения Ростислава Владимировича:
Цитата:
Цитата:
Патриарх Кирилл предложил преподавать религию в школах со 2-го по 10-й класс
…
«Разве можно серьезно говорить не только о результатах образования, но и о профессиональной подготовке педагогов применительно к курсу, который длится только один учебный год, всего 34 учебных часа?» — отметил патриарх. Он подчеркнул, что еще одной проблемой является ограниченное финансирование преподавания «Основ религиозной культуры и светской этики».
...
Для того, что бы ясно сформулировать то, что не удалось выразить Ростиславу Владимировичу, обратимся к Теории Рекламы и вспомним, что Религия располагается между Человеком и образующими его Природами (а Наука, между Человеком и Природами, которые образует он сам).
Вспомним так же, что любая и всякая Религия, вне зависимости от её вида, всегда состоит из Содержания - набора практических технологий и Формы - набора ритуальных Процедур, отражающих, выражающих и приземляющих суверенные свойства Середы Обитания её сторонников.
Вспомнили…
Очевидно, что начитывать курс, описывающий множества обобщенных формализованных ритуальных Процедур разных религий разных народов России бессмысленно и беспощадно.
Единственно, что можно здесь относительно безопасно прочитать, так это формализованный курс по их Содержанию.
Но, вот проблема.
Форма Религии не просто суверенная Процедура, но Услуга – упаковка, защищающая этот вид Религии со всеми её традициями, обычаями и обрядами от других ей подобных Религий.
Иначе, без изучения Форм свойственной их народу Религии, ученик не сможет выработать адекватный персональный Язык для её прочтения, не сможет сформулировать Критерии преобразования для своего культурного Опыта.
Кроме того, ученик в совершенстве знающий Содержания Религий, без понимания её уникальных Форм, окажется совершенно не упакованным, не защищённым перед агрессией Форм и Содержаний других, прежде всего либеральных религиозных традиций.
Значит нужна «золотая середина», а лучше сочетание Теории и Практики, когда изучив то или иное Содержание, ученик сможет познакомится с локализацией этой социально-религиозной Процедуры в своей Среде Обитания.
Но, для воплощение такой модели нужен социально-религиозный компромисс, в том числе, например, добровольный отказ всех концессий России от взаимного пассивного прозелитизма.
_________________
С пониманием и отраслевыми пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Читая англосаксонскую прессу, невольно приходишь к выводу, что для Европы, грядущий мирный договор между Россией и США - позорный «Версальский мир», а 5% Трампа - контрибуция с Европы, в счёт её скорой неизбежной большой войны с Россией.
Цитата:
Цитата:
Defence Secretary John Healey STILL won't say when UK's military spending will rise to 2.5% of GDP - despite Trump demanding 5% and planning to abandon European allies
John Healey has repeatedly refused to say when the UK will increase its defence spending, despite Donald Trump's US planning to abandon its allies in Europe.
The Defence Secretary was asked seven times if he would set out a timeline to Britain hitting a baseline of 2.5 per cent of GDP or more, but declined to do so, in an interview with Sky News.
It came after Trump's new US defense secretary Pete Hegseth told Nato allies that his country could not be relied upon to come to their aid in a war with Russia.
The president himself went further last night and announced plans to hold talks with Vladimir Putin about peace in Ukraine, raising fears he is about to sell Kyiv down the river.
Trump has demanded that Nato states spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence, even though the US itself does not spend that much.
But Mr Healey was cagey on when the UK would even hit half that rate.
Ahead of a meeting in Brussels today he old Sky News: 'Everyone accepts that we need to spend more on defence.
'We are a government that was elected just last year with a commitment to increase UK defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP - that's a level we have not spent in the UK since 2010 when Labour was last in government.'
The Defence Secretary was asked seven times if he would set out a timeline to Britain hitting a baseline of 2.5 per cent of GDP, but declined to do so, in an interview with Sky News.
Labour has promised a timetable for boosting defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP will be revealed in the strategic defence review in the spring.
Trump said he had agreed with Russia's leader to 'work together, very closely' on bringing the three-year conflict to an end in a phone conversation on Wednesday.
The US has suggested that as part of a peace deal Ukraine must accept it will have to give up some territory to Russia and Nato membership is not a realistic prospect.
But Nato's official position – endorsed by Sir Keir Starmer's Government in the UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership – is that Kyiv is on an 'irreversible' path to joining the alliance.
Trump's call with the Russian president came just hours after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned 'Putin is not preparing for peace' and called for unity from Ukraine's allies.
The Associated Press reported that Trump said he spent more than an hour on the phone with Mr Putin and 'I think we're on the way to getting peace'.
The US president later spoke to Mr Zelensky but he was non-committal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US negotiations with Russia.
'I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelensky wants peace and I want peace,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'I just want to see people stop being killed.'
Mr Hegseth indicated that Washington is intent on getting Europe to take on most of the financial and military burden of defending Ukraine, including a possible peacekeeping force that would not include US soldiers.
Allies had been waiting to hear how much continued support the White House plans to provide to the country under Donald Trump’s new administration.
Mr Hegseth also suggested the troops should be deployed as a non-Nato mission without Article Five protections, which say that an armed attack on one member of the military bloc is considered an attack on all.
Цитата:
Now Putin is poised to invade Europe as Trump casts Ukraine aside: Spy chiefs warn Russia is preparing for large-scale war by 2030 - with president's 'peace talks' compared to Chamberlain appeasing Hitler
Donald Trump's concessions on Ukraine have played into the hands of Vladimir Putin, experts have warned, at a time when intelligence chiefs say Moscow is preparing its military for a major war in Europe.
US defence chief Pete Hegseth told European counterparts on Wednesday that Ukraine's dream of returning to its pre-2014 borders was an 'illusionary goal' and that Kyiv's wish for NATO membership was 'not realistic'.
His statements are widely seen as a major victory for Putin and a devastating blow to Kyiv, which as a result could be forced to cede vast swathes of territory without the prospect of a security guarantee.
'I tell you they're drinking vodka straight out of the bottle in the Kremlin tonight,' Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton told CNN. 'It was a great day for Moscow.'
Analysts have warned that appeasing Putin could result in history repeating itself, with former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt accusing Trump of an historical sell-out of Ukraine.
'It's certainly an innovative approach to a negotiation to make very major concessions even before they have started,' he said. 'Not even Chamberlain went that low in 1938. That Munich ended very bad anyhow.'
Bildt is among a number of experts who have drawn comparisons between Trump's statements and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's 'peace for our time' declaration.
The Allies' concessions to Adolf Hitler, which included the annexation of territory, came a year before Hitler invaded Poland, triggering World War II.
The deal was known as the Munich Agreement - and now discussions over the fate of Ukraine are set to be held at a security conference in the German city on Friday.
Experts who have drawn comparisons between Trump's statements and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's 'peace for our time' declaration
It comes as a report from Denmark's intelligence service (FE) published yesterday warned that if the war in Ukraine ends or is frozen, Moscow could redirect significant military resources, posing a direct threat to NATO.
'[This] is consistent with ISW's assessments about Russian efforts to restructure and prepare its military and society for a future conflict with NATO in the medium to long-term,' the ISW think tank wrote on X.
'Let's not forget, Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine,' UK Defence Secretary John Healey said this morning, adding that the UK and its allies 'want to see a durable peace and no return to conflict and aggression.'
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that 'peace in Europe is at stake' in the talks, adding that it was paramount that Kyiv was involved in them.
The Kremlin today declared that it not only wanted negotiations on Ukraine with the US, but also on European security and the 'concerns' of Moscow, which in 2021 demanded that NATO roll back to its 1997 borders.
'Certainly, all issues related to security on the European continent, especially in those aspects that concern our country, the Russian Federation, should be discussed comprehensively, and we expect that to be the case,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
The Kremlin Press Secretary went on to say that a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin needed to be organised 'promptly'.
'There is definitely a need to organise such a meeting quite promptly, the heads of state have a lot to talk about,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Trump said Wednesday he expected to meet Putin in Saudi Arabia.
As fears grow over Putin's expansionist ambitions in Europe and plans for Ukraine, former defence secretary Ben Wallace told Times Radio today: 'I don't trust Putin an inch.
He went on: 'Without any form of mechanism or indeed guarantees, he'll be back. He will rearm and he will be back.
'His stated aim is that Ukraine doesn't really exist. He believes it's part of greater Russia. So he will be back.'
Hegseth hit back at criticism of Washington's position, insisting today that Trump's peace plan was 'certainly not a betrayal' of Ukraine.
'There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace, a negotiated peace, as President Trump has said, stopping the killing. And so that will require both sides recognising things they don't want to,' said Hegseth.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office yesterday, Trump said: 'I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelensky wants peace and I want peace.'
Describing his call with Putin, Trump said: 'People didn't really know what President Putin's thoughts were. But I think I can say with great confidence, he wants to see it ended also, so that's good – and we're going to work toward getting it ended and as fast as possible.'
He added that they had agreed to 'work together very closely, including visiting each other's Nations' and to 'have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.'
He added that the pair would 'probably' meet in person in the near term, suggesting that a meeting could take place in Saudi Arabia.
Kyiv-based journalist and charity worker Paul Niland responded to Trump's comments that Putin is seeking peace by saying: 'Anyone who thinks Putin wants peace overlooks his history of warring.
'Nothing in his record indicates that he has ever wanted peace. You're also missing the brainwashed population hooked on war. And you're missing the fact that the Russian economy is based on war now.'
Danish conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov also criticised the President on X, writing: 'Trump is the first president to surrender to America's arch enemy. Russia.'
Defence analyst and historian Paul Beaver has also warned issued a warning about appeasing Putin, telling the Sun: 'Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize but all he is doing is signalling weakness.
'Ukraine has had many bad days and this is worse than others because their greatest ally appears to have sold them out.
'Putin will be celebrating the success of his aggression. I fear history is repeating itself with potentially terrifying consequences,' he said.
Some experts fear that a US-brokered peace deal with Russia could encourage more invasions in the future, for example of neighbouring Moldova, where breakaway Transnistria last year appealed to Russia for protection.
'That echoed similar 'appeals' from inside Ukraine which set in motion the illegal Russian annexations of its territories: the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in 2022,' according to experts from think tank Chatham House.
Any peace deal is expected to include Russia keeping territory it has annexed since 2014, including the Crimean peninsula – a huge blow to Kyiv after three years of fighting for freedom.
Downing Street has long declared that Russia should not be rewarded for its illegal invasion by being permitted to retain territories it has taken – a move UK officials fear could persuade Putin to use force again in the future.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy this morning reiterated that the UK stands ready to support Ukraine as part of an alliance of European nations.
The so-called Weimar+ statement by the UK, France, Germany and other allies stated: 'We are ready to enhance our support for Ukraine. We commit to its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's war of aggression.
'We share the goal to keep supporting Ukraine until a just, comprehensive and lasting peace is reached. A peace that guarantees the interest of Ukraine and our own.'
It added that the governments would continue to work towards this with their American allies, and that their 'shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength.'
Amid concerns that a unfavourable peace settlement for Ukraine could help Russia to prepare for a future conflict in Europe, defence officials have sounded the alarm that NATO nations are underprepared for a large-scale war.
France's Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said today that NATO faces a moment of reckoning on its future, adding that NATO allies needed to think long-term and beef up their defence industries as Washington demands that Europe take security into its own hands.
'It's a crucial moment of truth,' Lecornu told reporters ahead of a NATO meeting in Brussels.
'People call it the most important, the strongest military alliance in history. That's historically true - but the question is, will it still be true 10 or 15 years from now.'
Previously, Admiral Rob Bauer, the chairman of NATO's Military Committee, has warned the alliance must brace itself for an all-out war with Russia in the next two decades, while Norway's defence minister said it should be ready in two or three years.
Lecornu is a staunch loyalist of French President Emmanuel Macron, a fierce proponent of a more militarily independent Europe who once described NATO as brain dead during Trump's first term and is pushing for EU countries to buy European when it comes to defence.
Conveying European fears that Trump could force Ukraine into a bad peace deal, he warned that this could embolden Putin and other western rivals, including Iran, North Korea and China.
'Either we are within the parameters of a discussion that will genuinely bring peace through strength, or, on the contrary, it will be peace through weakness', he said adding the latter could lead to 'dramatic security situations' and a 'widening of the conflict'.
Taken as a whole, NATO is by far the world's most formidable military force.
The alliance's 31 countries have a combined military budget of over $1.1 trillion, over three million active personnel, 2.7 million reserve personnel and more than 700,000 troops in paramilitary forces.
On top of that, in the event of an all-out war, the alliance's members could collectively call up more than 206 million people for military service (based on their populations of military-aged civilians).
NATO countries also have over 14,000 tanks in their arsenals and tens of thousands more combat vehicles, 21,000 military aircraft and almost 2,000 naval vessels.
Three nuclear armed nations are also members: the US, the UK and France.
But if the US under Donald Trump and Canada are removed from this equation, the playing field between Russia and NATO's European members becomes more level.
European NATO states still lead Russia in almost all categories, aside from the number of armoured land vehicles.
But with Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Russia has demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice tens of thousands of soldiers for its imperialistic ambitions.
NATO has never been tested against such aggression, and doubts remain over whether its member nations would be willing or capable to do the same and replicate the Ukrainians' heroic and dogged defence of their homeland.
Ukrainian servicemen of the Skala battalion take part in a field military exercise in the Donetsk region on February 3, 2024, amid Russia's on-going invasion of Ukraine
A drone shot shows Britain's 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, also known as 'The Poachers', gathering for a photo during exercises in their role as the infantry core of NATO's Spearhead Battlegroup
While not a huge country, Ukraine still had a pre-war population of around 40 million people, and the existential nature of Putin's invasion meant thousands of Ukrainians rushed to serve their country's army.
Having already experienced a partial Russian-backed invasion in 2014, Ukraine has also bolstered its military into what turned out to be a formidable force.
Other countries that border Russia do not have the same numbers.
The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) - which all border either Russia or its Kaliningrad enclave and were all once under the Soviet Union's iron fist - have populations of 2.7 million, 1.8 million and 1.2 million respectively.
They have similarly small military budgets ($2.23bn, 1.09bn and 1.44bn) and active personnel (23,000, 17,250 and 7,700), and have no main battle tanks between them.
The three nations also have a small air force and navy. None have nuclear weapons.
Relative to their size, the Baltic states do boast an impressive military reserve, with Lithuania having 104,000 people in reserve - more than the UK and Germany.
Estonia, too, has more than 78,000 people in reserve, while Latvia has 36,000.
But even if they called on their reserves, all three would be heavily reliant on their NATO allies to come to their aid in the event of a Russian assault into the Baltics.
Further West, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 kicked Germany into gear, with the government vowing to inject 100 billion Euros into its military to rebuild it.
It was set to make the country the world's third biggest military spender.
However, this was largely done to keep up with NATO's 2 percent of GDP spending requirement, and since the announcement, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the government have been accused of falling short on its promise to modernise.
Before the war, Germany had around 183,000 active military personnel and 29,000 in reserve, more than 300 tanks, 662 aircraft and a sizeable navy.
The country would be one of the major powers in Europe expected to help repel any invasion along NATO's eastern flank, along with the likes of the UK and France.
Of the three, France has the largest active arm, with over 200,000 personnel, and 141,000 in reserve. It also has the most tanks (more than 400) and more than 1,200 aircraft, as well as the largest navy.
Like Germany, French MPs approved a boost in military spending in the wake of the Ukraine war, approving a budget that would spend 413 billion euros on defence between 2024 and 2030 - also with an aim to modernise.
As for the UK, recent weeks have seen discussions over whether Britain would be able to fight effectively in a significant European conflict.
Michael Clarke, the former director-general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told MailOnline last year that the army must be better at driving recruitment and at least 'get over the 100,000 mark'.
British Army Challenger 2 tanks are seen at the training ground in Nowa Deba on September 21, 2022, in Nowa Deba, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland
A Germany army Leopard 2A6 tank takes part in the NATO military exercise 'Iron Wolf 2022-II' at a training range in Pabrade, Lithuania on Wednesday, October 26, 2022
The British Army is currently made up of around 74,000 soldiers, plummeting from 102,000 in 2006. General Sanders said boosting Army numbers in preparation for a potential conflict would need to be a 'whole-of-nation undertaking'.
MPs were told by the Commons Defenc Committee last year that the UK's ability to fight an all-out war has been marred by shortages and a recruitment crisis.
The Commons Defence Committee said the military is 'consistently overstretched', with the demands of operations personnel leaving little time for training in warfighting.
The committee's inquiry heard that the 'hollowing out' of the Armed Forces since 2010 had undermined the UK's warfighting resilience, and that their reduction in size meant they would exhaust their capabilities 'after the first couple of months of the engagement' in a peer-on-peer war.
Цитата:
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С сожалением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
What do key players want from Ukraine war talks? | BBC News
Переговоры Трампа с Путиным – «продолжение войны на Украине другими средствами» - такой смысл вкладывают в переговоры России и США, страны Европы и Островитяне.
Мол, Трампу за столом переговоров удаётся сделать то, что Украине & Со не удаётся достичь на фронте. При этом они разумеется понимают и согласны на то, что капитуляции России не будет, но искренне надеются на то, что их «мир» станет для России «позорным».
С одной стороны.
С другой, надежды Киева на безусловную победу в войне с Россией, строились на уверениях Европы в том, что она вступит в войну с Россией, если в этом возникнет необходимость, что в свою очередь, опиралось на трактовку устава НАТО и обещания предыдущей администрации президента США.
И вдруг, новая администрация США не только объявляет о желании прекратить войну и уведомляет своих союзников о своей готовности вступить в переговоры с Россией, но преступает к таким действиям практически.
Как понятно, во взаимных гарантиях Украины и НАТО наступает эффект «домино», в результате чего Европа и Островитяне становятся крайними.
Но, ни Европа, ни тем более Островитяне, самостоятельно, ни какую войну с Россией вести не в состоянии.
В то же время, и Европа и Островитяне, в массе своей(Орбан и Фицо не в счёт), настоящую власть в США ненавидят и презирают не меньше, чем руководство России и выражают это публично.
Соответственно, ни какие переговоры между Россией и США, с одной стороны, и Европы и Островитянами, с другой, уже практически невозможны, а всё, что действительно в этой ситуации может сделать Европа и Островитяне с Россией и США это подписать капитуляцию проиграв выборы.
_________________
С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Дональд Трамп предложил ООН принять резолюцию по «миру в Европе».
Формально, такая инициатива заслуживает всяческого поощрения.
А практически?
Обратимся к тексту документа:
Цитата:
The UN Must Act to Bring Peace to Europe
…
President Trump is committed to ending the Russia-Ukraine war and to a resolution that leads to a lasting peace, not just a temporary pause. This Monday, February 24, will mark three years of the Russia-Ukraine war. This war has now dragged on for far too long, and at far too terrible a cost to Ukraine and Russia.
The United States has proposed a simple, historic resolution in the United Nations that we urge all member states to support in order to chart a path to peace. This resolution is consistent with President Trump’s view that the UN must return to its founding purpose, as enshrined in the UN Charter, to maintain international peace and security, including through the peaceful settlement of disputes. If the United Nations is truly committed to its original purpose, we must acknowledge that while challenges may arise, the goal of lasting peace remains achievable. Through support of this resolution, we affirm that this conflict is awful, that the UN can help end it, and that peace is possible.
We strongly believe that this is the moment to commit to ending the war. This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace. We urge all UN member states to join the United States in this solemn pursuit.
Во-первых, война Украины и России началась с предложения России установить мир.
Помните? Перед тем, как начать СВО Россия предъявила США и Европе свои требования, даже частичное исполнение которых, могло предотвратить эту войну.
Как поступили США и Европа? Они эти требования отвергли.
Если Трамп действительно хочет прекратить войну ему достаточно их удовлетворить...
Во-вторых, мир в Европе у каждого свой:
1.
Мир России
подразумевает разоружение и денацификацию Украины, отказ от принятия Украины в НАТО, прекращение поставок любого оружия, международное осуждение военных преступников Украины, Европы, США;
2.
Мир Европы
предполагает, смену политической власти, частичную оккупацию, полное разоружение, всеобщую конфискация с тотальной контрибуцией, коллективную вину, массовые репрессии и казни и в конечном счёте - окончательное решение «
российского вопроса
»;
3.
Мир США
не против превращения России в Америку №2, её населения в индейцев, а её национальных природных, промышленных, культурных и т.п. ресурсов в собственность США.
У каждой из сторон конфликта свое видение мира в Европе. О каком из трёх, собственно, идёт речь?
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С интересом и понятными ожиданиями, Dimitriy.
Trump teases personal profit in AI video touting Gaza takeover plan
President Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated video late Tuesday night depicting his vision of "the Riviera of the Middle East" if his plan to "take over the Gaza strip" comes to fruition.
Why it matters:
The video recasts the enclave that's been devastated by the Israel-Hamas war as an oasis of Trump's fantasy, complete with bellydancers, a golden statue of himself and Elon Musk dancing under a shower of money.
Driving the news:
The AI-generated video Trump posted on his Truth Social account opens with a shot of ruins labeled "Gaza 2025" and set to a dance track.
• The video then asks "what's next?" before segueing into idyllic visions of children running on a beach, skyscrapers, cruise ships and a rebuilt city — as what sounds like an AI-generated voice sings, "no more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here."
Zoom in:
The bizarre images in the video include:
• Bearded men belly dancing on a beach;
• Elon Musk eating what appears to be hummus on the beach, followed later of a shot of him dancing on the beach as U.S. dollars rain down;
• Trump, dancing with a scantily-clad woman in a club;
• A skyscraper emblazoned with "Trump Gaza" in golden letters;
• A toddler holding a large, golden balloon of Trump's head;
• A shot of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in swim trunks sipping drinks at a poolside resort.
The big picture:
Trump said earlier this month that his takeover plan would entail a "permanent occupation" of Gaza by the U.S. that would see Palestinians displaced with no right of return, a plan that would violate international law.
• The plan was rejected by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.
• Faced with backlash, Trump seemingly walked it back, stating that the U.S. would not pay for the rebuilding or send in troops. No one seems to have a clear idea of how the plan would actually work.
Between the lines:
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres lambasted Trump's proposal as "tantamount to ethnic cleansing."
• The UN lists forced relocation of populations as a crime against humanity.
Reality check:
Even members of the Trump administration admit that the president's rebuilding plan is unlikely to happen anytime soon, even without the geopolitical hurdles it would have to clear.
• White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios last month that rebuilding Gaza could take between 10 and 15 years.
The bottom line:
A vision of Gaza filled with luxury skyscrapers is unlikely to happen in Trump's lifetime, let alone his presidency.
Цитата:
Trump faces Truth Social backlash over AI video of Gaza with topless Netanyahu and bearded bellydancers.
Users of president’s own social media site criticise video showing reimagined Gaza featuring Trump and Israeli PM sipping cocktails.
Donald Trump is facing a backlash on his Truth Social platform after sharing an AI-created video of him sipping cocktails with a topless Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, in a future imagining of the Palestinian territory devastated by Israel’s war.
The video presented a computer-generated vision of Trump’s property development plan for Gaza, under which he said he wants to “clean out” the population of about 2 million people. Named the “Riviera of the Middle East” plan, the proposal has been criticised as a blueprint for ethnic cleansing.
Footage shows the strip transformed into a Dubai-style resort with skyscrapers and luxury yachts. Children play on the beach as money rains down and bearded bellydancers gyrate on the sand.
Trump, who says he wants the US to “own” Gaza, is presented as a revered icon in the footage. A boy walks along holding a golden balloon of the president’s head and a towering, dictator-style statue of Trump overlooks a city street.
Elon Musk, Trump’s billionaire backer, appears several times, eating flatbread and later dancing as dollar bills fall from the sky. Musk’s Tesla electric cars cruise through the glossy streets.
After the 78-year-old president shared the footage – which includes the caption “Gaza 2025 … what’s next?” – he faced a backlash on his social media platform.
One Truth Social user wrote: “I could not be a bigger supporter of President Trump but this particular video is in very poor taste. Very poor taste, indeed!” Another wrote: “I hate this. I love our president, but this is horrible.”
The video might have gone down particularly badly with Trump’s Christian supporters, with several comments referencing the idolatry of the golden statue, and others lamenting a scene showing Trump in a nightclub alone with a woman dressed as a bellydancer as a crowd looks on.
“Only one deserves the glory and the honor, Mr President,” wrote another user. “The statue is a symbol of the antichrist, please humble yourself to God. Jesus is king and only Him.” Other users described the video as “sick” and “filth”.
One account, with the name Kainoa P, wrote: “You’re doing great Mr President. But don’t let it get to your head. God put you in that position for His glory, not yours.”
It was not immediately clear who had made the video, although it had been shared online previously by other accounts unrelated to the White House. Trump shared it without comment.
What appeared to be AI-generated lyrics accompanied the images: “Donald’s coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see, no more tunnels, no more fear: Trump Gaza’s finally here.
“Trump Gaza’s shining bright, golden future, a brand new life. Feast and dance the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one.”
Israel is fighting allegations of genocide in Gaza, where it has killed nearly 50,000 people, mostly civilians, in the war that began with an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023. The international criminal court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas’s military leader, Mohammed Deif, on allegations of war crimes. Netanyahu denies war crimes, while Deif may already be dead.
Previous economic plans for Gaza failed after they were stifled by Israel, which blockaded the strip for years, and Hamas militants, who were widely accused of corruption.
Palestinian leaders were not consulted on Trump’s latest plan, while influential Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, have rejected it outright.
Цитата:
Trump posts madcap Gaza ‘Riviera’ AI video featuring sunbathing Netanyahu
The clip features a song with the lyrics: “Donald Trump will set you free, bringing the life for all to see, no more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here.”
U.S. President Donald Trump posted a late-night video on social media with an AI-generated vision for the future of Gaza.
The bizarre, 30-second clip starts with scenes of destruction in the coastal enclave, where the Israeli military waged a 15-month retaliatory assault to try to root out Hamas militants in response to the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. The opening scene is superimposed with the text “Gaza 2025.”
The video then asks “What next?”
Skyscrapers and children running on a beach appear, followed by, in order:
— Teslas driving through the streets, someone with a striking resemblance to Elon Musk eating bread dipped in what appears to be hummus;
— Hamas militants with full beards dancing flirtatiously in bikinis and sheer belly-dancing skirts;
— A child holding a giant, gold Trump balloon;
— Trump dancing with a scantily clad woman in a nightclub;
— Musk showering people with cash;
— A “Trump Gaza” building; golden Trump merch including statues of the U.S. president;
— A gigantic golden Trump statue;
— Plus Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lounging topless poolside while enjoying cocktails.
It’s all set to a boppy dance track featuring the lyrics: “Donald Trump will set you free, bringing the life for all to see, no more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here.”
Trump recently outlined the concepts of a plan for the U.S. taking ownership of the Gaza Strip and turning it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
That proposal met with huge backlash from key Western countries and Arab leaders in the region.
Цитата:
Trump posts AI vision for Gaza with sunbathing Netanyahu | Jeremy Vine.
Цитата:
Donald Trump shares AI-generated video of Gaza vision.
Цитата:
Donald Trump shares bizarre AI-generated video of 'Trump Gaza'.
_________________
С сожалением и понятными пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
Уровень доступа: Вы не можете начинать темы, Вы не можете отвечать на сообщения, Вы не можете редактировать свои сообщения, Вы не можете удалять свои сообщения, Вы не можете голосовать в опросах
Владимир Нерюев, заместитель генерального директора коммуникационного агентства Аура поделился мнением, какие изменения произошли или произойдут в профессии PR-специалиста.
Генеральный директор агентства мобильного маркетинга Mobisharks (входит в ГК Kokoc Group) — об эффективном мобильном маркетинге и примерах успешных стратегий.
За последние пару лет реклама банков изменилась. Появились новые сюжеты и герои. Реклама по-прежнему — не только инструмент продвижения услуг, но и способ формирования доверия к финансовым организациям. Главный тренд, который отмечают эксперты,— переход от сухого перечисления выгод к эмоционально окрашенным коммуникациям.
Антитрендами наружной рекламы в текущем году стали прямолинейность и чрезмерная перегруженность сообщений. Наружная реклама продолжает показывать рост: число рекламных конструкций за последний год увеличилось более чем на 2 тысячи.
В компании Sellty спрогнозировали развитие рынка электронной коммерции в сегменте СМБ на ближайший год. По оценке основателя Sellty Марии Бар-Бирюковой, число собственных интернет-магазинов среднего, малого и микробизнеса продолжит расти и увеличится минимум на 40% до конца 2025 года. Компании будут и дальше развиваться на маркетплейсах, но станут чаще комбинировать несколько каналов продаж.
Чего не хватает радио, чтобы увеличить свою долю на рекламном рынке? Аудиопиратство: угроза или возможности для отрасли? Каковы первые результаты общероссийской кампании по продвижению индустриального радиоплеера? Эти и другие вопросы были рассмотрены на конференции «Радио в глобальной медиаконкуренции», спикерами и участниками которой стали эксперты ГПМ Радио.
Деловая программа 28-й международной специализированной выставки технологий и услуг для производителей и заказчиков рекламы «Реклама-2021» открылась десятым юбилейным форумом «Матрица рекламы». Его организовали КВК «Империя» и «Экспоцентр».
28 марта в Центральном доме художника состоялась 25-ая выставка маркетинговых коммуникаций «Дизайн и реклама NEXT». Одним из самых ярких её событий стал День социальной рекламы, который организовала Ассоциация директоров по коммуникациям и корпоративным медиа России (АКМР) совместно с АНО «Лаборатория социальной рекламы» и оргкомитетом LIME.
На VII Международном форуме «Матрица рекламы», прошедшем в ЦВК «Экспоцентр» в рамках международной выставки «Реклама-2018», большой интерес у профессиональной аудитории вызвала VI Конференция «Интернет-реклама».
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