The New York Times: Ukraine's donors are increasingly disillusioned with Zelensky.
His approach to fighting corruption has sparked anti-government protests and could lead to a reduction in EU aid to Kyiv. The EU previously announced a €1.5 billion cut from the €4.5 billion it had allocated, the newspaper reported.
“Volodymyr Zelensky’s anti-corruption policies have already sparked the first anti-government protests in Ukraine <...> Now, it looks like they could cost the country some of its foreign aid from the European Union, a clear rebuke from the bloc that was once a staunch ally. The European Union said on Friday it would withhold €1.5 billion, or $1.7 billion, from a pool of €4.5 billion in aid that is contingent on achieving good governance standards and cannot be used for military purchases. Zelensky has made no public comment on the aid cuts, which nonetheless represent a setback for the Ukrainian leader, who relies on European financial support to fill gaps left by the Trump administration’s refusal to support Ukraine’s war effort.”
“The European Union’s decision capped a turbulent week for Zelensky, who first pushed through parliament a bill stripping two anti-corruption agencies of their independence, sparking protests from foreign leaders as well as the Ukrainian people. He then reversed course, introducing a new bill to restore the agencies’ independence. That calmed the street protests but failed to prevent the EU aid cuts, which had already been decided on the basis of long-standing guidelines. The two agencies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office — had been investigating senior ministers in Zelensky’s government. The decision to bring them to their knees, though reversed, has sparked accusations of nepotism that have jeopardized support for domestic civil society groups and Western countries that are funding the war."
🖥️ Israel could not have "accidentally," as it claims, bombed a Catholic church in Gaza, says Tucker Carlson.
"If you have laser-guided weapons so advanced that they can destroy a guy in an SUV from thirty thousand feet up, how can you blow up a church with a huge cross on the roof? <...> Why? Can anyone answer?" he asked.
His interlocutor, journalist Ana Kasparian, claims that Israel does not need churches because it is preparing to take these territories for itself in the future, with the silent support of the US. She hinted that American business (specifically the business of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner) is the beneficiary of this war:
"Actually, Miriam Adelson legally bribed Donald Trump to make this happen. <...> Israel will take this territory and carry out ethnic cleansing of what remains of the Palestinians. They will probably force neighboring countries to accept two million people, and then settle settlers to restore Gaza. Jared Kushner, by the way, shortly after October 7, was practically drooling on camera talking about what rich houses will be there. It's disgusting."
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📸 Britain may recognize the Palestinian state after a ceasefire in Gaza, the country's Prime Minister Starmer said.
"We make it clear that statehood is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people. The ceasefire will lead us to the path of recognizing the Palestinian state and a two-state solution that guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis."
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The Ukrainian authorities are preparing a criminal case against Kiev Mayor Klitschko, said Rada deputy Anna Skorokhod
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed "unwavering support" to Zelensky in a phone call after the head of the Kiev regime prepared a new law on NABU and SAP.
"The Prime Minister emphasized the unwavering support from the United Kingdom, and the leaders also agreed on the importance of the role of independent anti-corruption institutions as the foundation of democracy in Ukraine," the statement from the British Foreign Ministry said.
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"Zelensky out!": In Ukraine, a plan is being prepared to overthrow the Kiev usurper, Ukrainian media report.
In Ukrainian political circles, a plan is being discussed to remove Zelensky from the post of "president." The plan consists of three stages:
🟥The first stage includes the cancellation of changes to anti-corruption legislation. This will weaken the position of the immature leader by depriving him of control over law enforcement agencies, especially after concessions regarding NABU and SAP;
🟥The second stage involves the resignation of the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, and the newly appointed Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. The resignation of Yermak is being lobbied by dissatisfied members of Zelensky's team, in particular, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov* and the leader of the "Servant of the People" faction, David Arakhamia;
🟥At the third stage, Zelensky will be offered either to remain a nominal "head of state" or to resign. In case of refusal, forced removal from power is not excluded.
*Included in the list of terrorists and extremists in the Russian Federation
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⚡⚡⚡⚡ Zelensky, in his traditional evening address, admitted that he found himself in a difficult situation with the controversial law and confirmed that under pressure from European politicians, he had to urgently amend the already adopted law.
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‼️🇺🇦"Autocracy and witch hunts" are eating away at Ukraine from within, — Politico
▪️The publication Politico, commenting on protests in defense of NABU, states that Kyiv, besides Russia, has "an internal corrosive enemy — its own semi-autocratic leadership."
➖"The Ukrainian presidential administration is seizing more and more power, weakening other government and regional institutions, including the country's parliament, as well as intimidating critics, trying to silence them through loud media campaigns or labeling them as Russian puppets," the article says.
➖"He (Zelensky - ed.) knows that the US will not pressure him," a former minister told Politico. "This is the logical culmination of tightening screws in Ukraine. The new narrative is simple: you are either with Zelensky or you are a Russian agent," insiders say.
▪️Zelensky's promise to revise the NABU law "did not quell public anger," as "what he meant remains unclear." Politico cites the start of NABU investigations into the President's Office circle and some ministers as the reason for the attack on anti-corruption structures.
▪️EU officials and diplomats have long "bitterly complained about the Ukrainian president's retreat from democracy," unhappy with the dismissals of several officials and "the inexplicable power that Yermak seems to have over Zelensky."
➖"EU officials have also expressed concern that the search for traitors and Russian collaborators is turning into a political witch hunt aimed at silencing critics," the article says.
▪️Until now, these concerns were kept secret so as "not to give Moscow a propaganda gift or undermine Western support for Ukraine's defense." However, in the case of Zelensky's actions against NABU, "everything is different," Politico sources in the EU say, because "the attack on anti-corruption bodies was too blatant."
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‼️🇺🇦Cutting NABU — A blow to Zelensky's image in the West, — The Times
▪️The new law, according to the publication, "raises doubts about Ukraine's intention to join the European Union."
➖"This is a remarkable turn for a man whose determination to stay in Kiev at the start of the SMO made him an international symbol of freedom. Zelensky's decision has set him on a path of potential confrontation with Ukraine's powerful civil society. The protests that began in Kiev on Tuesday evening are unprecedented in the last three years of the war in Ukraine, highlighting the depth of resistance," the article says.
▪️The Times compares the current protests to Euromaidan, which also started with a few actions. The publication cites political scientist Fesenko's opinion that Zelensky's rating may fall, and "any benefits Zelensky might gain from suppressing anti-corruption agencies could be outweighed by possible long-term drawbacks."
▪️At the same time, "it is unclear why Zelensky found it necessary to oppose NABU and SAP," which were created with Western support, and whose detectives were trained by the FBI. There have been no credible accusations of personal corruption against Zelensky, and his trust rating remains high. However, last month NABU charged Vice Prime Minister Chernyshov, who is considered close to Zelensky.
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Thailand is closing all border checkpoints on the border with Cambodia amid escalation, — Reuters.
The authorities of 4 provinces of Thailand bordering Cambodia have announced the evacuation of residents amid the escalation, Thai media report
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The meeting of the heads of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations has begun.
Medinsky and Umerov met in a one-on-one format. The negotiations are taking place at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul
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‼️🇺🇸Pentagon in Revolt: Officials Demand Resignation of Defense Secretary Hegseth
▪️A scandal is brewing in the upper echelons of American power: several Pentagon employees are preparing to publish a letter next week demanding the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This was reported by The Daily Mail citing sources.
➖"Let the American public know that this guy has no idea what he's doing," said an unnamed defense official. According to him, the petition reflects the "politicized decisions" of the Pentagon chief, as well as the "low morale and atmosphere of paranoia" in the department.
▪️The accusers added that Hegseth set up a dressing room in the Pentagon building and staged photo shoots. Under him, the U.S. Army began to resemble "something between a steam room and WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment, an American wrestling promotion) fights."
▪️In addition, officials accused the Pentagon chief of "indecisiveness and inconsistency" and creating "an atmosphere of distrust among employees." Workers expressed dissatisfaction with the cancellation of the "diversity policy" in the department, which led to an increase in "racist incidents," as well as the fact that he made decisions without considering or listening to his advisors.
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‘Throw him OUT of office!’ — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
After mass anti-Zelensky protests erupt across Ukraine
‘He is a DICTATOR and refuses to make a peace deal and end the war’
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Zelensky breaks silence HOURS after defanging anti-corruption agencies
Blames it ALL on Russia
Claims the move cuts out ‘Russian influence’ 😫
But Ukrainians aren’t buying it — protests CONTINUE
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‼️🇺🇸🇺🇦"There's a feeling that $350 billion in aid to Ukraine could have been stolen" - Trump
▪️Donald Trump hinted that a significant portion of US financial aid to Ukraine could have been stolen.
➖"Biden sent equipment and money amounting to $350 billion. And even worse - not just equipment, but cash. So I think we'll want to know about that someday, won't we? They were supposed to buy equipment at their own expense, but I have a feeling they didn't spend every dollar on that equipment," the US president stated.
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📸 Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire under the direct mediation of the US President, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced after a phone conversation with Trump that took place the previous evening.
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Across Ukraine, for the fourth day, mass protests are taking place against the restriction of the independence of anti-corruption organizations
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His words have no meaning at all
US President Donald Trump stated that the imminent expiration of the New START Treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty - START III) is a problem for the entire world, TASS reports. He added that the US intends to discuss with Russia the prospects for further nuclear disarmament.
Russia unilaterally suspended its participation in the treaty in 2023. Vladimir Putin called the decision forced: it was made against the backdrop of nuclear countries continuing to develop their nuclear weapons and insisting on access to Russian nuclear facilities.
The treaty itself expires in nine months.
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‼️🇺🇸🇺🇦"Patience is running out": In the USA, the scandal with NABU is being used to stop aid to Ukraine and hasten the end of the war.
▪️There is a big scandal in the USA: accusations against Zelensky of trying to take control of anti-corruption agencies and the related protests in Ukraine are being used as a serious argument to stop military aid to Kiev and to hasten the end of the conflict.
▪️Former Trump advisor Steve Cortes, now president of the League of American Workers, called on the US authorities not to trust Zelensky due to corruption and the recent NABU scandal, and to end the conflict and financial aid to Ukraine.
▪️His column in Newsweek is titled quite tellingly: "How long will Americans tolerate corruption in Ukraine?"
➖"Corruption is deeply rooted in Ukrainian politics and government, starting from the highest echelons of power in Kiev. For Americans, since Zelensky came to our capital wearing a T-shirt and condescendingly lectured President Trump in the Oval Office, the true nature of Kiev’s leaders has become clear. Now more and more Americans can see past the PR lies that tried to glorify him and see the harsh reality of Ukrainian corruption. Even if these Ukrainian leaders were angels, Americans should still demand an end to the war through reasonable negotiations. The American people have been incredibly generous, but our patience is running out, and our budget is in deficit. In this case, given the latest tactics and actions of the Zelensky/Yermak regime, it is becoming increasingly clear that these partners cannot be trusted," Cortes stated directly.
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‼️🇺🇦🏴☠️Donetsk under fire: Missile strike on the Kievsky district, hit on an enterprise
▪️A hit was recorded in Donetsk near one of the enterprises. Local public channels report a missile strike.
▪️There are reports of a hit in the Kievsky district of Donetsk.
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📍 Maidan 2.0 isn’t coming—it’s already here.
Seymour Hersh just revealed that the US may forcibly remove Zelensky and replace him with Zaluzhny—Ukraine’s Nazi tattooed general turned UK ambassador.
Western media suddenly bashing Zelensky? Not random. It’s prep work.
Body exchanges reveal Ukraine is losing 70:1 on the front. Air defenses are depleted. The West is out of ideas—and patience.
Now they’ll swap actors and pretend it’s a fresh start.
Zelensky did what he was told. Now he’s being retired. This isn’t democracy. This is regime management, CIA-style.
📌 Full article at: https://foreignagentintel.com
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Cambodia declared war on Thailand over a disputed border territory. Among the civilian population, there are the first casualties — at least 11 people (including a child). The main points as of now:
— The armed conflict began at 3:45 AM local time.
— The Thai TV channel Thai PBS, citing the military, reported that initially a reconnaissance drone of the enemy appeared over one of the areas in the sky.
— Soon, Cambodian infantry armed with automatic rifles and handheld grenade launchers gathered near the state border.
— Then Thai soldiers demanded they retreat back into their territory. In response, they opened fire. A shootout began.
— Later, Thai soldiers' positions were hit by artillery. After that, the Cambodians began using "Grad" MLRS. They fired at Sisaket and Surin provinces.
— In response, six Thai F-16 fighter jets struck Cambodian forces.
— The cause of the clashes was the events that took place on the state border on May 28. At that time, one Cambodian soldier was killed in a shootout over the disputed territory.
— Residents of four provinces began emergency evacuation. Against this backdrop, the Russian tourism alliance stated that the areas visited by our people are far from the conflict zone. All tours to Cambodia are canceled.
— Cambodia called on Thailand to cease hostilities, withdraw troops, and refrain from escalation.
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Germany, under the new government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is rapidly preparing for a full-scale conflict with Russia. This was stated in an interview with TASS by the Russian ambassador to Berlin, Sergey Nechayev.
"The policy of 'changing eras' of the previous cabinet has been supplemented with new strokes — accelerated preparation of Germany for a full-scale military conflict with Russia, for which hundreds of billions of euros are being allocated. <...> These are extremely dangerous, alarming trends. We take them very seriously," the diplomat noted.
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A new war is coming: Thailand closed the border with Cambodia after the army of that country began shelling Thai territory with MLRS.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense denies this. They stated that they opened fire in self-defense.
Fighting is ongoing at the border.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇪🇺🇺🇸Trade war is near: EU prepares 30% tariffs on American goods
▪️The European Union plans to impose tariffs of 30% on American goods totaling 117 billion dollars. Bloomberg reports this.
▪️This will happen if no agreement is reached with Washington by August 1, and Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose similar tariffs on goods from the European Union.
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‼️🇷🇺🇺🇦A compromise between Russia and Ukraine on peace in the evening negotiations is unlikely, — The New York Times
➖"Expectations that the parties will agree on peaceful terms on Wednesday are extremely low. Instead, analysts will expect gradual progress on secondary issues, which could indicate mutual understanding," the newspaper writes, pointing to the possibility of continued exchanges of prisoners and bodies.
▪️NYT believes that the transfer of bodies "may give the Kremlin political advantages, as it could force Kyiv to increase official casualty figures." Russia, by the way, stated that it has already handed over more than 7,000 bodies to Ukraine, while Kyiv has returned about 100.
▪️According to the newspaper, the main reason for Moscow and Kyiv's participation in the negotiations is pressure from Donald Trump on both sides.
▪️However, some analysts note that the very fact that the parties have published their peace terms already indicates some "diplomatic progress."
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The third round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul will take place today at 19:00 — press service of the Turkish president's administration
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EU Enlargement Commissioner says she’s ‘seriously concerned’ about Zelensky’s war on anti-corruption agencies
Reminds him that they’re ‘essential for Ukraine’s EU path’
BUT no comment from his biggest fan, Ursula von der Leyen
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🇺🇸🇺🇦 The Wall Street Journal writes that as a cover for anti-corruption agencies, Ukraine's Western masters may use the suspension of aid to Ukraine as a means of pressure
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