OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap · January 22

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Donald Trump is in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, where he said he will meet with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding that he believes both the Ukrainian leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin want to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine and that a deal is now “reasonably close”.

President Trump also told reporters in Davos that he had invited Putin to his Gaza “peace board” because he wants to see powerful people join the initiative, according to the TASS news agency.

Putin said on Wednesday that Russia’s foreign minister was studying Trump’s invitation to join the board and would reply in due course.

Putin, quoted by Russian news agencies at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, said he believed the proposed “board of peace” was primarily designed to deal with a Middle East peace settlement and that Russia was prepared to provide $1bn – the amount proposed by Trump for long-term membership of the board – from Russian assets that had been frozen in the US, due to its war on Ukraine.

Ukrainian negotiator ‍Rustem Umerov said on Telegram that he met with two of Trump’s top envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared ‍Kushner, in Davos.

Witkoff and Kushner also met with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Davos on Wednesday, according to TASS, with Witkoff calling the meeting “very positive”."

lousubcap · January 23

Friday Greenland update:

"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today that “the commission will soon put forward a substantive package of investments” for Greenland, adding that it also intends to “deepen cooperation with the United States” on the topic of Arctic security. Leyen also said that the European Union should pivot to implementing its trade deal with the United States now that Trump has withdrawn the threat of tariffs. These announcements followed yesterday’s emergency summit of European leaders in Brussels. It had been called in response to President Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, before he announced a framework deal with NATO. Jeanna Smialek reports for the New York Times. "

lousubcap · January 23

Friday Middle East update:

"After a signing ceremony for Trump’s “Board of Peace” in Davos, Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, presented development plans for “New Gaza,”including residential towers, data centers, and seaside resorts. The plans suggested that redevelopment would begin in Rafah, an area under Israeli military control. Kushner did not say who would fund the development, adding that a conference will be held in Washington in the coming weeks, where contributions from the private sector will be announced. Steve Holland, Rami Ayyub, and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters.

Trump’s signing event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. There was no confirmation of that from Israel, which said only that it would consider the matter. Josh Boak, Aamer Madhani, and Will Weissert report for AP News.

Trump yesterday rescinded his invitation to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to join the “Board of Peace.” Trump did not explain why he was rescinding the invitation, though it seems he was reacting to Carney’s remarks in Davos this week. Carney did not mention Trump or the United States directly, but described a “rupture” from the U.S.-led global order. Chris Cameron and Matina Stevis-Gridneff report for the New York Times.

Moscow is willing to contribute $1 billion to the “Board of Peace” for Gaza, but that would require unfreezing Russian assets in the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday. In a meeting at the Kremlin with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Putin said that if money blocked during the Biden administration were released, it could be used to support the Palestinian people. Putin said he planned to discuss this with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Valerie Hopkins reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap · January 23

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators will hold talks in the United Arab Emirates today. The Kremlin confirmed that Russian officials would attend the talks following a meeting yesterday between Putin, Witkoff, and Kushner. Russia described the talks as “useful in every respect,” but reiterated that a peace deal could not be reached until territorial issues had been resolved. Following his meeting with Trump in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “It’s all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet.” Zelensky also confirmed that Ukrainian officials will attend the meeting in Abu Dhabi. Yang Tian reports for BBC News.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian negotiators are on their way to the United Arab Emirates for talks with Russian and United States negotiating teams.

“Our team is now heading to the Emirates for meetings with both the American and Russian sides,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram after a day of talks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. “We are waiting to see how it goes and will decide on the next steps.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin began a meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Josh Gruenbaum late on Thursday to discuss a plan to end the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

US President Donald Trump again said that both Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy would like to make a deal to end the nearly four-year-old war, after meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the WEF in Davos.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday he “obviously” had concerns about Putin being on Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” in an interview with Channel 4 News. “He is waging war on a European country. They’re raining down bombs on Ukraine,” Starmer said."

lousubcap · January 24

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine and Russia ended a second day of United States-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi without an agreement, but with the warring sides saying they were open to further dialogue, as Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure continued.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X on Saturday that bilateral discussions focused on the “parameters for ending the war, as well as the security conditions required to achieve this”, and that further talks could take place as early as next week.

The talks were attended by Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov and military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov, and Russian military intelligence and army representatives, according to Zelenskyy. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were also present.

A UAE government statement said talks were “constructive and positive”, tackling “outstanding elements” of Washington’s peace framework, with “direct engagement” between Ukraine and Russia, a rare event in the almost four-year-old war triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The initial US draft drew heavy criticism in Kyiv and Western Europe for hewing too closely to Moscow’s maximalist demands and territorial ambitions, while Russia rejected revised versions over proposals for stationing European peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Before the discussions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia had not dropped its insistence on Ukraine withdrawing from its eastern area of Donbas, the industrial heartland consisting of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

While Russia controls all of Luhansk, Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to surrender the remaining 20 percent it still holds in Donetsk."

lousubcap · January 25

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine and Russia ended their second day of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi without a peace deal, with more talks expected next weekend, amid the massive Russian strikes across Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X following the meeting that “the central focus” of the discussions was “the possible parameters for ending the war”, but he did not say if the negotiators were close to a deal.

More discussions are expected next Sunday in Abu Dhabi, according to a US official who spoke to reporters immediately after the talks. The official, who requested anonymity, said negotiators “saw a lot of respect” during the discussions, “because they were really looking to find solutions”.

The US official also voiced hopes for further talks, possibly in Moscow or Kyiv, beyond next week’s discussions in Abu Dhabi, adding that the next step would be a possible bilateral discussion between Putin and Zelenskyy, or a trilateral meeting that includes US President Donald Trump.

An unnamed UAE government spokesperson told the Reuters news agency that there was face-to-face engagement between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi – rare in the almost four-year-old war triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion – and said negotiators tackled “outstanding elements” of Trump’s peace framework.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also hinted at the prospects of additional talks with Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul after negotiations in Abu Dhabi, adding that Moscow remains open to a continuation of dialogue, the Russian state RIA news agency reported."

lousubcap · January 26

Monday Greenland update:

"China and Russia do not present a threat to U.S. interests in or near Greenland, according to current and former U.S officials, including intelligence analysts. “Let me be clear: As vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I’m closely tracking the facts, and there is no current military threat from Russia or China to Greenland,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) told the New York Times last week. Edward Wong reports."

Side comment: When you are told it's not about the minerals, it is about the minerals.

lousubcap · January 26

Monday Middle East update:

"U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff landed in Israel on Saturday evening for a meeting with Netanyahu that was expected to focus on the opening of the Rafah crossing, two sources said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Israel wants to restrict the number of Palestinians entering Gaza through the border crossing with Egypt to ensure that more are allowed out than in, three sources told Reuters. The sources said it was unclear how Israel planned to enforce limits on the number of Palestinians entering Gaza from Egypt, or what ratio of exits to entries it aimed to achieve. Alexander Cornwell reports."

lousubcap · January 26

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials will meet again next Sunday in Abu Dhabi for a new round of peace talks, U.S. officials said on Saturday. Last week’s trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi touched on economic and military issues, as well as discussions over territory, two officials said. One official told Axios, “It went as well as we could have expected. We feel good where we are now.” The talks took place as Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack against Kyiv and other cities overnight on Friday. Paul McLeary and Felicia Schwartz report for POLITICO; Barak Ravid reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that a U.S. security guarantees document for Ukraine is 100% ready, following two days of talks involving representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was waiting for its partners to set a signing date, after which the document would go to the U.S. Congress and Ukrainian parliament for ratification. AP News reports.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, after meeting Zelenskyy, said that Russia is avoiding committing to a lasting and just peace in Ukraine and is not accepting a ceasefire in the war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia will never discuss anything with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and so Moscow will simply wait for her to leave her post."

lousubcap · January 27

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday in an address to the Israeli parliament, “the next phase is disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip. The next phase is not reconstruction.” Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy report for AP News.

Trump told Axios yesterday that Hamas had helped locate the remains of the last Israeli hostage, adding, “Now we have to disarm Hamas like they promised.” A senior U.S. official confirmed that in a briefing with reporters. “I will say Hamas was very cooperative in this. They fulfilled the obligation that they signed up for.” Barak Ravid reports."

lousubcap · January 27

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Trump administration has signalled to Ukraine that U.S. security guarantees depend on Kyiv agreeing to a peace deal that is likely to require ceding the Donbas region to Russia, according to eight sources. Washington has also suggested it would promise Ukraine more weaponry to bolster its peacetime army if it agreed to withdraw its forces from the parts of the eastern region it controls, two people said. The United States has yet to give its final approval to the security agreements, even though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that the text was “100 per cent ready.” Christopher Miller, Max Seddon, Henry Foy, and Amy Mackinnon report for the Financial Times.

Talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are expected to resume on February 1, Zelenskyy said in his regular evening address. He urged Ukraine’s allies not to weaken their pressure on Moscow in advance of the expected talks.

In a separate post on X, Zelenskyy said military issues were the primary topic of discussion at trilateral talks with the US and Russia over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, but that political issues were also discussed. He added that preparations are under way for new trilateral meetings.

The US-brokered trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were held in a “constructive spirit”, but there was still “significant work ahead”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow. The talks should be viewed positively despite these differences, he added.

The Kremlin also said that the issue of territory remained fundamental to Russia when it came to getting a deal to end the fighting, the Russian state’s TASS news agency reported. Moscow has insisted that for the war to end, Russia must take over all of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region."

lousubcap · January 28

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Hamas is seeking to incorporate its 10,000 police officers into a new U.S.-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, sources told Reuters. In a letter on Sunday, Gaza’s Hamas-run government urged its more than 40,000 civil servants and security personnel to cooperate with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), assuring them it was working to incorporate them into the new government. Hamas and NCAG Chair Ali Shaath have not yet met in person to discuss governance, a Hamas official said. Nidal al-Mughrabi reports.

Israel has cleared land in southern Gaza for the construction of a camp for Palestinians, potentially equipped with surveillance and facial recognition technology at its entrance, Brigadier-General Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general who advises the Israeli military, said yesterday. Avivi said the camp would be used to house Palestinians who wish to leave Gaza and cross into Egypt, as well as those who wish to stay, with entry and exit tracked by Israeli personnel. Pesha Magid reports for Reuters.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates signalled today that they will not allow their airspace to be used for any attack on Iran, following calls with Iranian officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who acknowledged the calls but offered few specifics on the discussion. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News."

lousubcap · January 28

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that very good things are happening in negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in comments to reporters as he left the White House, without providing details.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Ukraine’s Donbas region, currently under attack and occupation by Russian forces, was the path to peace. “Donbas withdrawal is the path to peace for Ukraine,” Dmitriev said on X.

An oil tanker under EU sanctions for carrying Russian oil is being escorted to the port of Tanger Med in Morocco by a Spanish rescue ship, Spain’s Merchant Marine said.

Finland’s prime minister, Petteri Orpo, told reporters in Beijing that China and its president, Xi Jinping, have the opportunity to bring about an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine by influencing Putin and reducing cooperation with Moscow."

lousubcap · January 29

Thursday Middle East update:

"The United States told the U.N. Security Council yesterday that demilitarization of Gaza will include decommissioning weapons through an agreed process “supported by an internationally funded buyback program.” This reflects point 13 of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. Two Hamas officials told Reuters that neither Washington nor the mediators had presented Hamas with any derailed or concrete disarmament proposal. Michelle Nichols reports.

President Trump said yesterday that if Iran did not agree to the Trump administration’s set of demands, he would mount an attack “with speed and violence.” U.S. and European officials say that three demands have been put to the Iranians during talks: a permanent end to all enrichment of uranium and disposal of its current stockpiles, limits on the range and number of their ballistic missiles, and an end to all support for proxy groups in the Middle East. None of the demands addressed the protection of Iranian protestors. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday that Iran had not requested a meeting with the United States, and that he and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had not been in contact in recent days. Araghchi added that if the United States wants to hold negotiations, “it must abandon threats, excessive demands, and the raising of unreasonable issues.” David E. Sanger, Tyler Pager, and Farnaz Fassihi report for the New York Times; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Trump is weighing options against Iran, including targeted strikes on security forces and leaders to inspire protestors, creating the conditions for “regime change,” according to two sources. Trump is looking to hit institutions and commanders that Washington holds responsible for the violence against protestors this month, giving protestors the confidence that they could overrun government and security buildings, the sources said. Samia Nakhoul, Humeyra Pamuk, Rami Ayyub, and Parisa Hafezi report for Reuters."

lousubcap · January 29

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Vladislav Maslennikov, a top European Affairs official at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told TASS that restoring relations with the European Union will only be possible if European countries “cease their sanctions policy”, stop “pump[ing] weapons into the Kyiv regime, and sabotag[ing] the peace process around Ukraine.”

“France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the United Nations Charter,” said Macron, who has turned down an invitation for France to join Trump’s Board of Peace, which some critics say is an attempt to replace the United Nations.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that negotiations over Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which is part of the Donbas region that is now 90 percent occupied by Russian forces, are “still a bridge we have to cross” in talks between Russia and Ukraine.

“It’s still a gap, but at least we’ve been able to narrow down the issue set to one central one, and it will probably be a very difficult one,” Rubio said."

lousubcap · January 30

Friday Middle East update:

"President Trump has considered an expanded list of potential military options in Iran in recent days, aimed at doing further damage to nuclear and missile facilities or sparking regime change, U.S officials said. It is unclear whether the White House has sought a legal opinion for the Iran options that Trump is currently considering.

The Trump administration has met with senior defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia in Washington for talks on Iran this week. Israeli military intelligence chief Gen. Shlomi Binder came to Washington to share intelligence on possible targets inside Iran, officials said. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman was expected to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a diplomatic solution to the Iran issue. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. "

lousubcap · January 30

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump said yesterday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to his request to temporarily pause missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities because of the extreme cold in the country. Trump added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed not to fire on Kyiv for a week due to freezing winter conditions.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow has not yet seen the ceasefire document that Ukraine refers to as a 20-point plan, adding that he believes it has been “reworked” by Ukraine and its allies. “We still haven’t seen it in its entirety,” he said."

lousubcap · January 31

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Zelenskyy told reporters on Friday that he invited President Putin to Kyiv for talks, “if he dares”, adding that he was ready for any format for the meeting, but that he would not go to Moscow or Belarus.

Russian lawmakers want Moscow to use more powerful weapons to achieve its war goals in Ukraine, the speaker of parliament’s lower chamber, the State Duma, said on Friday.

Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin wrote on Telegram: “State Duma deputies insist on the use of more powerful weapons – ‘weapons of retribution’. And the achievement of the goals of the special military operation.”

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would use “all available means” to defend vessels sailing under Russian flags after a suspected Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker – “the Grinch” – was recently intercepted by the French navy at sea and taken to the Marseille-Fos port in the south of France.

The European Union has blacklisted Russia over the risk of money laundering, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters on Friday. “This will slow down and increase the costs of transactions with Russian banks,” she said."

lousubcap · February 2

Monday Middle East update:

"The U.S. State Department announced on Friday that it was planning to send Israel more than $6.5 billion of weapons, bypassing a congressional review process. The State Department is supposed to wait for approval from the top two members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before announcing the aid. It is the third time that the Trump administration has circumvented this part of the congressional process to send weapons to Israel. Edward Wong report for the New York Times.

Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said in a private briefing on Friday in Washington that if President Trump does not follow through on his threats against Iran, the regime will end up stronger, four sources told Axios. Saudi Arabia’s public posture, however, has been very cautious around potential U.S. strikes in Iran. Last week, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that Saudi Arabia would not allow the United States to use its airspace for an attack on Iran. Barak Ravid and Zachary Basau report.

"Contrary to the artificially manufactured media war narrative, the formation of a framework for negotiations [with the U.S.] is progressing,"the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, said on Saturday. Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey have been talking to U.S. and Iranian officials and coordinating their efforts, sources said. Larijani met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Saturday to discuss de-escalating tensions in the region, Qatar’s foreign ministry said. The Trump administration has told Iran through multiple channels that it is open to negotiation, a senior U.S.official told Axios.Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Reuters reports. "

lousubcap · February 2

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that U.S.-led trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia will go ahead in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4 and 5. Reuters reports.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, praised US President Donald Trump’s “brash” style as “effective” in seeking peace, but added that Moscow had seen no trace of nuclear submarines that Trump claimed he had moved to Russian shores.

Medvedev added in his interview with the Reuters and TASS news agencies that Trump “wants to go down in history as a peacemaker – and he is really trying”, which explains “why contacts with Americans have become much more productive”.

Medvedev also said that European powers had failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine, but had inflicted severe economic harm on themselves by trying to do so.

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu held talks with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi in Beijing, with China’s top diplomat saying that bilateral relations between the two countries could “break new ground” this year.

Wang also told Shoigu that China and Russia must work together to uphold multilateralism in a time of “turmoil”, and “advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world”.

The US and Russia’s New START pact, the final treaty in the world that restricted nuclear weapon deployment, is set to expire on Thursday, and with it, restrictions on the two top nuclear powers. Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested in September a one-year extension of New START, but little has been heard from Trump since he indicated last year that an extension “sounds like a good idea”."

lousubcap · February 3

Tuesday Middle East update:

"U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday in Istanbul with representatives from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Pakistan to discuss a possible nuclear deal, according to three sources. A U.S. official said the summit will focus on trying to put together a package deal that prevents war, adding that the Trump administration hopes Iran will come to the meeting ready to make the needed compromises. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said today that he has instructed Abbas Araghchi to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.

Witkoff is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of the Mossad intelligence service, and the Israeli military’s chief of staff in Israel today, according to two officials. Israel is expected to ask that any agreement with Iran include removing enriched uranium from the country, stopping the enrichment of uranium, limiting the creation of ballistic missiles, and ending support for Tehran’s proxies. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.

Iran’s leaders fear that a U.S. strike could break its grip on power by reigniting anti-government protests, according to six current and former Iranian officials. Officials told Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that public anger following last month’s crackdown has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent, four officials said. "An attack combined with demonstrations by angry people could lead to a collapse [of the ruling system]. That is the main concern among the top officials, and that is what our enemies want," said an official. Parisa Hafezi reports for Reuters. "

lousubcap · February 3

Tuesday Southern Command update:

"Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodriguez and U.S. envoy Laura Dogu met yesterday in Caracas. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said that the conversation covered the “common agenda” between the two countries, especially energy, trade, political, and economic issues. He added that Felix Plasencia, a prior foreign minister who also served as the country's ambassador to China, will travel to Washington in the coming days to serve as Venezuela's “diplomatic representative.” The U.S. embassy in Venezuela said on social media that Dogu met with Venezuelan officials to “reiterate the three phases that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had outlined for Venezuela: stabilization, economic recovery and reconciliation, and transition.” Reuters reports.

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio told Reutersyesterday that the U.S. government was aware that Cuba was “ready to have a serious, meaningful and responsible dialogue.” De Cossio added, “We have had exchange of messages, we have embassies, we have had communications, but we can not say we have had a table of dialogue” with the United States. Trump on Sunday said the United States had begun talks with “the highest people in Cuba.” Dave Sherwood reports."

lousubcap · February 3

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia overnight fired around 450 long-range drones and 70 missiles at Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today, adding that the bombardment of at least five regions in Ukraine aimed specifically at the power grid. The attacks ended an informal, short-lived “energy cease-fire” between Russia and Ukraine that officials had called a confidence-building gesture for peace negotiations. “Taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorize people is more important to Russia than diplomacy,” Zelenskyy said ahead of U.S.-led trilateral meetings in Abu Dhabi this week. Kamila Hrabchuk reports for AP News; Maria Varenikova reports for the New York Times.

President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Abu Dhabi for the talks with Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday, a White House official said.

Russia would regard the deployment of any foreign military forces or infrastructure in Ukraine as foreign intervention and treat those forces as legitimate targets, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow said, citing Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that a proposal by European powers to deploy NATO-member troops in Ukraine as part of a proposed security guarantee and peace deal was unacceptable for Russia."

lousubcap · February 4

Wednesday Middle East update:

"A U.S. F-35 fighter jet yesterday shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier transiting the Arabian Sea, according to a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command. Greg Jaffe reports for the New York Times.

U.S. Central Command also said that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces harassed a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. “Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for the Central Command, said. Humeyra Pamuk and Idrees Ali report for Reuters.

Iran has demanded changes to the venue and format for negotiations with the United States this Friday, two sources told Axios. The sources said that the Iranians now want to move the talks from Istanbul to Oman and hold them in a bilateral format with only the United States, rather than with several Arab and Muslim countries set to attend. One source said this is because the Iranians want to limit the talks to nuclear issues and not discuss missiles and proxy groups, which are priorities for other countries in the region. An Arab source said that the Trump administration has agreed to the Iranian request to hold the talks in Oman on Friday. Barak Ravid reports. "

lousubcap · February 4

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"NATO chief Mark Rutte, during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, said that Russia’s overnight attacks did not suggest Moscow was serious about making peace.

Ukraine has agreed with Western partners that any persistent Russian violations of a future ceasefire agreement would trigger a coordinated military response from Europe and the US, the Financial Times reported, citing people briefed on the discussions.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he was preparing to resume dialogue with Putin nearly four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but he stressed that Moscow was not showing any “real willingness” to negotiate a ceasefire.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Trump and discussed the situation in Ukraine, including the overnight Russian attacks on the country, the United Kingdom government said.

Reaching a peace deal to end Russia’s war will require tough choices, NATO’s Rutte said in an address to Ukraine’s parliament during his Kyiv visit."

lousubcap · February 5

Thursday Middle East update:

"Iran and the United States will meet tomorrow for a new round of negotiations in Oman, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the White House. Three Iranian officials said the planned talks nearly collapsed on Wednesday morning, when Araghchi informed Arab counterparts that if the United States insisted on broadening the discussion beyond Iran’s nuclear program, talks would be called off. The three Iranian officials and an Arab official said that, in the end, everyone had given an inch. The United States agreed that the talks would be held in Oman and exclude regional actors. Both sides agreed to focus on the nuclear program and to discuss missiles and militant groups. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

The United States has yet to secure funding commitments for its Gaza reconstruction plan as potential donors voice concerns that disagreement over Hamas disarmament could lead Israel to resume full-scale war in Gaza, sources told Reuters. Seven diplomats said that the funding holdup was also being driven by a demand by some potential donors for funding to be managed by the U.N. rather than Trump’s “Board of Peace.” Rami Ayyub, Emily Rose, and Alexander Cornwell report."

lousubcap · February 5

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine, Russia, and U.S. envoys have started the second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Both Kyiv and Moscow described yesterday’s talks as productive and positive, without providing further details. Olena Harmash reports for Reuters.

Zelenskyy said after the start of the new round of talks that negotiations had to lead to real peace and not provide Russia with a new opportunity to continue the war. He also said that Ukraine expects a new exchange of prisoners to take place soon after the talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that technical and military teams from Ukraine and Russia were involved in the trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Zelenskyy of not wanting to reach a peace deal as it would mean the end of the Ukrainian president’s political career, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Putin hailed their ties during a video call held in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s war in Ukraine. News reports quoted Putin as saying that Moscow-Beijing relations were an important stabilising factor during a time of turmoil, while Xi called for a “grand plan” to further bilateral relations."

lousubcap · February 6

Friday Middle East update:

"Oman today mediated indirect talks between Iran and the United States, with convoys for the two countries arriving separately to meet with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Oman’s foreign ministry published a statement saying the al-Busaidi met separately with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and then U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, adding that “the consultations focused on preparing the appropriate circumstances for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations.” It is not clear if that was the end of the talks for the day. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.

The United Arab Emirates has drafted plans to build the “UAE Temporary Emirates Housing Complex” to house thousands of displaced Palestinians in a part of southern Gaza under Israeli control, according to a map seen by Reuters and several sources. Diplomats said there are doubts about the viability of the Emirati project as Palestinians will not agree to being housed in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. Alexander Cornwell reports."

lousubcap · February 6

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine and Russia yesterday concluded a second day of U.S-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, with the two sides agreeing to an exchange of 314 prisoners of war and to resume negotiations again soon. Olena Harmash and Max Hunder report for Reuters.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedrov contacted SpaceX last month about Russia’s unofficial use of Starlink. As a result, Elon Musk’s firm blocked access to Starlink in Ukraine, except for terminals registered and verified by the Ukrainian government. Paul Sonne and Maria Varenikova report for the New York Times.

At least nine bloggers close to the Russian army said connections had been lost, adding that this could weaken Moscow’s ability to wage drone warfare and hinder coordination between units. Moscow does not have a home-produced alternative to the satellite internet terminals.

Ukraine is now registering its civilian and military Starlink users on a database, allowing approved devices to function while unregistered terminals are disabled inside Ukraine.

Trump has rejected an offer from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to voluntarily extend the caps on strategic nuclear weapons deployments after the New START treaty that held them in check for 15 years expired on Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was still ready to engage in dialogue with the US if Washington responded constructively to proposals from Russian President Vladimir Putin."

lousubcap · February 7

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A third round of talks aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine should take place “soon”, although there is no fixed date yet, the Kremlin said on Friday.

The latest and second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the US on Wednesday and Thursday in Abu Dhabi, resulted in the two sides agreeing to a major prisoner swap but failed to yield a breakthrough on a ceasefire.

US and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal of March for Russia and Ukraine to agree on a peace deal, Reuters news agency reports, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Under the framework being discussed by US and Ukrainian negotiators, any deal would be submitted to a referendum by Ukrainian voters, who would simultaneously vote in national elections, according to five sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private deliberations, Reuters reported."

Edit to add:

"The United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach an agreement to end the nearly four-year war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

“The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Friday, in comments embargoed until Saturday.

He added that President Donald Trump’s administration has insisted on a clear timeline for all events and has proposed holding the next round of trilateral talks next week in the US, likely in Miami. Ukraine has confirmed it will attend.

Trump had boasted that he would end the war in 24 hours when he took office. But more than 12 months later, any peace settlement remains elusive, with critics accusing Trump of being manipulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin to lean towards the Kremlin’s war narrative and maximalist demands.

The new deadline comes after US-mediated trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Russia and Ukraine. Those talks have yielded little progress, with both sides sticking to opposing demands. The Kremlin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the heavily industrialised eastern Donbas region, comprised of Donetsk and Luhansk, where the fiercest fighting continues. Kyiv has firmly rejected this condition. Beyond that, it is also forbidden by the Ukrainian constitution to cede the eastern territory, which Russia is demanding."

OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

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