RUNNING UPDATES ON THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE - 21.01.2025
Including geopolitical issues affecting the balance of power in the ongoing end game war to establish our common future, a closely monitored prison planet or tolerance for diverse modes of governance.
WELCOME TO A NEW ERA. FOR BETTER OR WORSE (COULD IT POSSIBLY GET ANY WORSE THAN BIDEN?) TRUMP IS HERE, FRIEND OR FOE & COME WHAT MAY…
COLLECTIVE WEST | RUSSIA
ALEXANDER MERCOURIS of THE DURAN: Trump to Kiev; Talk to Russia or Else. Zelensky Deeply Upset. 95 Minute Call, Putin and Xi.
ALEX CHRISTOFOROU of THE DURAN: Trump, Putin in TATTERS. Biden preemptive pardons. TIME, Biden WINS in Ukraine, Elensky loses.
PEPE ESCOBAR: Does Trump Want Peace or Triumph?
Priority Putin Call, End to Ukraine Conflict & Turbo Deportations: Trump’s To-Do List for Day 1.
Donald Trump pledged he would waste no time quickly implementing executive actions on his first day in office, with many of them reversing or eliminating those implemented by the Biden administration.
Donald Trump is teeing up for an executive order signing spree the moment he’s back in office. What may be on his list?
Get On The Phone to Vladimir Putin Fast:
A phone call with the Russian President could take place "in the coming days or weeks," according to Trump's national security advisor. An in-person meeting is expected "very quickly."
📹 TRUMP PROMISES TO 'END THE WAR IN UKRAINE' AND 'PREVENT WORLD WAR III' https://t.co/6ZMNdEQVkR pic.twitter.com/DjFGMTB9HO
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) January 19, 2025
Withdraw Funding For Ukraine:
“I will end the war in Ukraine […] and I will prevent World War III from happening,” Trump told D.C. victory rally. Ukraine conflict is just “dying to be settled,” he said earlier, and insisted that “Biden and Kamala got us into that war.”
Stop “Border Invasion”:
“Close the border. Day 1” to all illegal aliens, declare a national border emergency, enlist the help of the US military to launch “the largest deportation program in American history,” Trump said.
Spill Truth About ‘Laptop from Hell’
Trump may suspend security clearances for the 51 national security officials who “lied” about Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election
Put End To DEI:
Trump vowed to dismantle the “destructive and divisive” diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices “across both government and the private sector."
Disclose Secret Files:
Pledge to blow the lid on trove of classified files on the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. “It’s all going to be released!”
Trump Instructs Aides to Arrange Phone Call With Putin
ALEX CHRISTOFOROU & ALEXANDER MERCOURIS of THE DURAN: UK/EU VETO on Trump-Putin talks.
ALEX CHRISTOFOROU & ALEXANDER MERCOURIS of THE DURAN: Starmer agenda, defeat and destroy RUSSIA.
DANIEL DAVIS: UKRAINE Eastern Front in Danger of Collapse as Trump Takes Reigns.
DANNY HAIPHONG - SCOTT RITTER - LARRY JOHNSON - ANDREI MARTYANOV: BOMBSHELL! Ukraine's Army Ready to SURRENDER, One MILLION Killed.
BORZZIKMAN: He Is The Walking Dead: Russia Admitted That Zelensky Would Be Physically Exterminated After The WAR.
This small European country is defying the Western establishment: How long can it last?
Slovakia has been bold in standing up to the US and EU, but perhaps it can’t hold out forever.
Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico.
Slovakia, a small country tucked away in Eastern Europe, has always had limited logistical value to the West. This relative insignificance has, paradoxically, granted Bratislava a degree of freedom since the end of the Cold War. Yet, the political tides are shifting, and it appears Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Moscow in December may become the pretext for his resignation under opposition pressure.
If a vote of no confidence is passed, it will signal the conclusion of yet another intriguing chapter in Slovakia’s unique post-Cold War story. For 30 years, this small nation has displayed surprising resistance to Western pressures and temptations. It will be fascinating to see how far the EU is willing to go in reasserting control over a country that, until recently, enjoyed some room for independent thought – particularly when Washington is preoccupied with its own domestic challenges.
Fico stands as a symbol of Slovakia’s freethinking spirit. A politician who survived an assassination attempt in May 2024, he repeatedly returns to power with slogans that challenge the prevailing narrative in Europe. His associates, like Andrej Danko, the deputy speaker of parliament, share this defiance. Danko’s open admiration for Russian consumer products during a recent visit to Moscow speaks volumes about Slovakia’s unorthodox political trajectory.
For much of Eastern Europe, the post-Cold War trajectory was preordained. Nations from Estonia to Bulgaria were absorbed into the Western fold, adapting their political and economic systems to serve as territorial bases for US strategic interests. These countries were not meant to act as a “cordon sanitaire” against Russia, as might have been the case in the early 20th century. Instead, their role was to provide maneuvering space in a future confrontation with Moscow – a function that required erasing any aspirations for independent political thought.
Read more: EU member pledges to veto future Ukraine aid
This reorganization suited most Eastern European societies. Many lacked a long tradition of statehood, their economies were fragile, and their histories of empire left them accustomed to living under external control. The allure of Western wealth and opportunity only reinforced their willingness to submit. Ambitious young elites, including many from national diasporas in the US and Canada, eagerly stepped in to facilitate this transition. These new leaders, disconnected from their countries’ national interests, became managers of a global American administration.
The infrastructure for this influence was comprehensive. American foundations and NGOs cultivated a new generation of politicians loyal to US interests. British intelligence played a supporting role, while Germany handled economic integration. France and other Western European countries took on the less glamorous tasks, ensuring the system’s continuity. Brussels bureaucrats and local security services enforced compliance, as seen in the removal of Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas in the early 2000s when his loyalty to the West was questioned.
By the late 1990s, Eastern Europe had been purged of any capacity for independent political thought. Only those who demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the West could rise to power. In exchange, these elites gained virtual immunity from domestic accountability, even if their policies were inept.
Slovakia, however, has always been something of an exception. In the 1990s, under Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar, Bratislava resisted Western dictates more than its neighbors. Although Slovakia eventually joined NATO and the EU, its path was delayed and distinct. Meciar’s tenure earned him the moniker “Lukashenko on the Danube” in Western media, reflecting his defiance of Brussels’ norms. Economic reforms were implemented on Slovakia’s terms rather than under direct Western oversight, and relations with Russia remained warmer than Washington or Brussels deemed appropriate. Like Hungary, Slovakia’s small size and peripheral location have given it some leeway.
Times are changing, though, and what was tolerated a few years ago is increasingly unacceptable. The US and its European allies are doubling down on consolidating their influence wherever possible, especially as setbacks in places like Georgia and Ukraine raise doubts about the West’s ability to maintain its grip.
Fico’s recent challenges reflect this new reality. His political survival as a symbol of minimal freedom of expression in Slovakia is being tested, just as rumors swirl about potential challenges to his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban. The EU establishment is keenly aware of these leaders’ defiance and is determined to curtail it.
Slovakia’s uniqueness lies in its relative autonomy from the harsher measures imposed on other Eastern European states. However, as Western powers seek to tighten their grip, Slovakia’s ability to resist may be nearing its limits.
The Americans, British, Germans, and other Western powers worked together for decades to align Eastern Europe with US strategic interests. The result has been a region largely devoid of independent political action, with NATO serving not only as a military alliance but also as a mechanism for internal stability. Slovakia’s continued defiance – however symbolic – challenges this system and underscores the limits of Western control.
The question now is whether Slovakia can continue to chart its own course in an increasingly rigid geopolitical landscape. The attacks on Fico and his associates suggest that the West’s patience is wearing thin. With Ukraine in turmoil and Georgia slipping from its grasp, the West’s focus on Slovakia may intensify.
Fico’s resilience, combined with Slovakia’s history of cautious independence, offers a glimmer of hope for those who value a multipolar world. But whether this small nation can withstand the growing pressure remains to be seen.
COLLECTIVE WEST | GLOBAL MAJORITY
US Has Lost Ground to China in South-East Asia — Malaysian PM.
As chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025, Malaysia is determined to promote closer ties with Russia, Malaysian Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Mohamad Sabu told Sputnik late last year.
The US is so focused on the proxy war in Ukraine that it has has lost sight towards Asia, Malasian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the Financial Times.
“Maybe they are focused on Europe, I don’t know. But certainly, they have reduced placing importance [on the region] other than general foreign policy statements,” Anwar said.
Washington's neglect of its relationship with ASEAN has led to the US losing ground to China in south-east Asia, he argued.
“We engage well with the US but it does not engage the region as actively as it did in the past. China in that sense takes a more positive attitude,” said the PM.
He pointed to a series of visits by senior Chinese government figures to Malaysia, which formally takes over the annually rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year.
“They give better access, you can meet them easily. We send ministers there, they send ministers,” Anwar said.
He defended the decision by regional nations like his country to engage constructively with China — and welcomed increased Chinese investment in infrastructure.
“It’s better for smaller economies such as Malaysia to extend its [ties] with China,” Anwar said.
The leader rejected the notion that ASEAN needed to be “tough” with China under Malaysia’s chairmanship.
“Why do we need to be tough? We disagree on many foreign policy issues with the US but we want them to be an important ally," Anwar said. "With China, I don’t think it’s a matter of being tough against a strong, big neighbor.”
The PM played down concerns over Donald Trump’s planned trade tariffs, convinced that “reason will probably prevail.”
“There are too many US conglomerates and companies that have so much interest in and dependence on foreign trade and investments,” Anwar said.
Malaysia will also seek to "maintain close relations with Russia" during its ASEAN chairmanship, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Mohamad Sabu told Sputnik late last year.
Malaysia and Russia have "very strong relations, including in defense," the minister added.
‘The Future is in Asia’: Russia’s Grand Strategy for Expanded Ties with Asian Economic Colossus
MINTPRESS NEWS: Trump Resumes Presidency Amidst Administration Infighting and an Uncertain Middle East.
COLLECTIVE WEST | BRICS
GEOPOLITICAL TRENDS: Russia-Iran’s Strategic Partnership Agreement: Reshaping Global Energy!
USA
Only two genders, flag on Mars and no more war: Key takeaways from Trump’s inaugural address.
The newly sworn-in US president has outlined the priorities for his new term.
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday. He is only the second president ever to be elected to non-consecutive terms. In his inaugural address, Trump outlined how he intends to create an American “golden age,” touching on issues from energy independence and immigration reform, to ending wars around the world and colonizing Mars.
Here are the key takeaways from his speech.
‘Golden age of America’
“The golden age of America begins right now,” Trump announced, adding that the US “will soon be greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before.”
He described the past four years as a series of “betrayals” of the American people by “a radical and corrupt establishment” and declared the date of his inauguration as “Liberation Day.”
“From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” Trump said, describing his upcoming executive actions as beginning “the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.”
Immigration emergency
Trump has announced an immediate halt to “all illegal entry” into the US across the southern border, the reinstatement of his policy of making asylum seekers wait in Mexico, ending the practice of releasing illegal entrants into the US, and starting the deportation of “millions and millions of criminal aliens” back to their countries of origin.
Mexican drug cartels will be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, while the foreign criminal gangs that have taken hold in some US cities will be pursued under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, the newly sworn-in president has said.
‘Drill, baby, drill’
The US is sitting on vast natural resources that can ensure its energy independence and global power, Trump argued. He said he would declare a national energy emergency, allowing new drilling for oil and gas, while abolishing the “green new deal” the Democrats tried to implement.
“We will export American energy all over the world. We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it,” he said.
Tariffs and taxes
Trump announced his intention to make the US “a manufacturing nation once again.” He also vowed to overhaul trade policy to protect American workers, establishing the External Revenue Service to collect tariffs and duties on imports.
“Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,” he said.
The big gender question
The US is about to end the policy of “trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,” Trump said, announcing that as of Monday, the US government policy is that “there are only two genders – male and female.”
“We will forge a society that is color blind and merit-based,” the new president said, rejecting the “radical political theories and social experiments” inflicted upon Americans, including their military.
Wars not fought
Vowing to once again “build the strongest military the world has ever seen,” so the US can “reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth,” Trump said he intends to be a unifier and a peacemaker.
“We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into,” he said.
Gulf of Mexico and Panama Canal
The US will seek to regain control of the Panama Canal from Panama, which “totally violated” the 1977 treaty that handed it back by working with China, Trump announced during the inaugural speech.
He also said the Gulf of Mexico will be officially renamed the Gulf of America, and that the highest peak in North America will once again be known as Mount McKinley, after the 25th president. The official name was changed to Denali in 2015.
Trump did not make any mention of Greenland in the inaugural speech, even though he claimed in recent weeks that control over the autonomous Danish island was a matter of US national security.
US flag on Mars
It is time for Americans “once again act with courage, vigor and the vitality of history’s greatest civilization,” Trump said towards the end of his address, arguing the US needs to behave as a “growing nation,” that expands territory as well as wealth.
“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” he announced, referring to the doctrine of continental expansion from the early days of the US – and his backer Elon Musk’s ambition to settle another planet.
Trump 2.0 Launches a Blizzard of ExecOrders.
STEPHEN GARDNER: 🔴BREAKING: Trump's SHOCKING day 1 announcements!
REDACTED: INAUGURATION DAY COVERAGE.
SABBY SABS: DONALD TRUMP INAUGURATION 2025.
BREAKING POINTS: Trump Inauguration Day 2025.
EMIL COSMAN: The Golden Age of America started. Trump Inaugural speech+ceremony.
Elon Musk gives an enthusiastic thumbs up as Trump pledges to plant US flag on Mars.
MAX BLUMENTHAL: Blinken and Rubio: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum?
EUROPE | BRITAIN
THROUGH THE EYES OF… ANIA - ALEX KRAINER: Europe with Trump being in power.
NON-ENGLISH NEWS
LIU SIVAYA: SOLDADO RUSO SALVA A UN NIÑO UCRANIANO: INCREÍBLE HISTORIA DEL FRENTE (¿qué hacía el niño allí?).
Kursk: Russen und Ukrainer beginnen wieder mit Angriffsoperationen. Frontbericht 21.01.2025
Panika u Kijevu zbog Trampa⚔Ukrajinci Poraženi u V.Novoselci⚔Rusi Zauzeli 75% Dvurečne.21.01.2025
GROK PICS
RUSSIA / BELARUS - EXPATS IN RUSSIA
What is HAPPENING on the Streets of RUSSIA after the inauguration of Donald Trump!
VIDEOS FROM MARIUPOL: HOW TO VISIT MARIUPOL IN 2025?
MINSK, BELARUS 🇧🇾 (Unbelievable!) русские субтитры.
What does modern RUSSIA look like? 🇷🇺 *media don't show you this*.
MAPPING CHANNEL UPDATES
Cold War II, Meat Grinder In The Sudzha Direction, Chasiv Yar Collapses. Military Summary 2025.1.21
Ukraine's FINAL Chance To Escape Velyka Novosilka As Russia Gets Close.
[ Ukraine SITREP: Day 1061-1062 ] 2/3 of Dvorichna taken; Russia enters east V.Novosilka; Kursk news.
[ Ukraine Frontline Changes ] Ivanivka; Dvorichna, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivka, Terny, Velyka Novosilka...
Encirclement Of Velyka Novosilka | Russia Captures Dvorichna.
Trump Has Already Defeated Everyone on Paper, Dvorichna Is On The Brink Of Falling. MS For 2025.1.21
Critical Situation - 'Trapping Us From 3 Sides' RU Breakthrough | The End Is Near - Ukraine Update.
AFU Defense of Dvorichna Collapsed | US Foreign Aid To Ukraine Under Review | Kursk Debacle.
The Road to Pokrovsk. How the Russian Forces are Fighting To Capture the City.
VICTORY BELONGS TO RUSSIA: IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
Each day that passes makes a conclusive Russian victory in the Donbass and beyond more certain. As Russia bolsters her forces, and weaponry, those of Ukraine decrease. Russian forces gain ready access to rest and recuperation as troop numbers increase. The increasingly exhausted and demoralised Ukrainian troops have an ever decreasing prospect of such respite. This situation is likely to bring them to complete breakdown as Russia unleashes the firepower of the more modern and advanced weaponry that is arriving with the newly mobilised Russian troops.
The various Ukrainian offensives are now weak when confronted by the reinforced Russian lines. A few futile efforts achieve quite miserable results before fire reigns down on the Ukrainian troops and they are forced back to their starting positions.
And now, all this being said, we have arrived at the wet, and later, freezing conditions where these pathetic Ukrainian forces will be subject to myriad forms of abject misery with death and injury all around them while they lie sodden or frozen, abandoned to their fate by Kiev.
The pitiable young and old of Ukraine have been frogmarched to their deaths as cannon-fodder while the bestial elites of the collective West urge their "president" to add more to their number there at the gates of Hell and their doom. We must feel for the majority of them as they are not the Nazis we revile, in most part they are decent men, fathers, sons, brothers, husband and uncles, who no doubt saw through the coup of 2014 for what it was. But sadly, their fate seems sealed.
Nothing will stop Russia now. Every factor favours them. Victory will be Russia's. In Donbass and beyond and in due course across the world.
Victory belongs to Russia: It is now only a matter of time.
WELCOME TO A NEW ERA. FOR BETTER OR WORSE (COULD IT POSSIBLY GET ANY WORSE THAN BIDEN?) TRUMP IS HERE, FRIEND OR FOE & COME WHAT MAY…
AHA — photos are changing 😎