“We Get a Lot of Bullshit from Putin”: Trump Takes Rare Swipe at the Russian President
After years of praise, Trump calls out Putin’s lies, accuses him of mass killing, and greenlights new U.S. weapons for Ukraine. Is a major realignment underway—or just more Trumpian whiplash?
President Trump stepped up his criticism of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Tuesday, accusing him of duplicity a day after saying that Ukraine needed more weapons to defend itself against Russian’s invasion. “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,” Mr. Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting. “He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” The harsh rhetoric was notable for Mr. Trump, who has often expressed skepticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine and admiration for Mr. Putin’s intelligence and strength. Just months ago, Mr. Trump dressed down President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in the Oval Office, claiming he had been insufficiently grateful for America’s support. But Mr. Trump has increasingly suggested that Mr. Putin has become an impediment to the peace deal he is seeking to negotiate. The president said Monday that the United States was resuming munitions shipments to Ukraine to help it fend off Russia’s invasion. Just last week, the White House acknowledged that the administration had paused the delivery of some air defense interceptors and precision-guided bombs and missiles to Ukraine, citing Pentagon concerns that U.S. weapons stockpiles were dwindling. “We’re not happy with Putin. I’m not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now, because he’s killing a lot of people,” Mr. Trump said. At another point, he said Mr. Putin was “not treating human beings right,” adding that the Russian president was “killing too many people, so we’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine.” - NYT
My hot take from Odesa:
There’s been an unusual calm here over the past few days—perhaps a sign that Vladimir Putin is taking Donald Trump’s recent threats and unusually sharp criticism seriously. Across Ukraine, the relentless barrage of missiles and drones has dipped to just over a hundred per day. But let’s not forget: Putin has seen this movie before. He’s likely betting that Trump, true to form, will soon lose interest in the war and pivot to another issue. In the meantime, the Kremlin will continue doing what it does best—exploiting blurred red lines, seizing territory where it can, and sowing instability not only in Ukraine but wherever Russia’s hybrid warfare finds fertile ground.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he expects the Senate to move forward with a bipartisan sanctions bill that would impose steep tariffs on countries supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. “It’s time to end the bloodbath,” Graham wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in response to reports of the largest aerial assault on Kyiv since the full-scale invasion began. “I expect the Senate will move the bipartisan Russian sanctions bill that will allow tariffs and sanctions to be placed on countries who prop up Putin's war machine and do not help Ukraine.” The proposed legislation, which currently has 85 Senate co-sponsors, includes a presidential waiver provision to grant President Donald Trump maximum negotiating leverage. It would impose a punitive 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue purchasing Russian oil—most notably China and India. The bill also aims to hold Russia accountable for obstructing ceasefire efforts and prolonging its war of aggression. While the legislation has gained significant support in both the Senate and House of Representatives, no formal action has been taken in the House since it was introduced earlier this spring.
Donald Trump took a veiled swipe at Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, warning that anyone who dares to challenge the pre-eminence of the U.S. dollar will pay for it. The statement came after Putin, speaking remotely at the BRICS Summit in Brazil, called for expanding the use of national currencies in trade among BRICS countries and proposed the creation of an "independent settlement system" on the BRICS platform to make transactions "faster, more efficient and safer." Trump also claimed that the BRICS bloc—originally comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—was “falling apart,” and announced a sweeping 10% tariff on both current and prospective member nations. In a separate social media post, he doubled down, stating that countries “aligning themselves with the anti-American policies” of BRICS would face additional tariffs, with “no exceptions to be granted.” The immediate fallout was seen in currency markets, where the Chinese yuan, Indian rupee, and South African rand all slumped following Trump’s tariff threats. It remains unclear whether his remarks will derail ongoing trade negotiations with India and other BRICS countries.
You need good reflexes to write about Donald Trump. One day he’s raising tariffs to levels that might crash the world economy. The next he’s poised to sign dozens of trade deals. Earlier this month his administration cut off arms shipments to Ukraine; yesterday it abruptly decided not to. Presidential zig-zagging would be thrilling entertainment if the stakes weren’t so high - Brooke Unger, senior digital editor, The Economist
Georgian Music Star Kordz Says He Was Chased by Unknown Men in Tbilisi
Kordz, the internationally acclaimed Georgian electronic musician and composer (real name Alexandre Kordzaia), says he was chased by four unidentified men while visiting his grandmother in Tbilisi earlier today. In a social media post describing the incident, he said he managed to escape and has reported the matter to police.
“I’ve been receiving threats that this would happen for the past six months,” he wrote. “But it hits different when it actually does.”
Kordz also referenced an attack on fellow musician Vano Tarkhnishvili, who was reportedly beaten two days ago. “That’s life in Georgia now,” he added.
The incident comes just weeks after Kordz received a standing ovation at the ZEG Storytelling Festival in Tbilisi, where he performed one of his hits and spoke critically about Georgia’s deteriorating political and civil climate.
His comments come amid growing concern over intimidation and restrictions targeting civil society and the media in Georgia. Just days earlier, Tbilisi City Court Judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili fined RFE/RL journalist Nino Tarkhnishvili for allegedly disobeying a court order—specifically for sitting down without permission. Tarkhnishvili, who was covering the trial of a detained protester, denies the charge.
The incident reflects a worsening environment for journalists working in Georgian courts. Following controversial legislative amendments adopted on June 26, photo and video recordings are now banned not only inside courtrooms but also in hallways and courtyards. As a result, independent media outlets have been forced to rely on written dispatches and courtroom sketches to cover ongoing trials—particularly those linked to the government’s crackdown on protests, OC Media reported.
Three men have been found guilty of an arson attack on a London warehouse linked to Ukraine on behalf of Russian mercenary group Wagner. Jakeem Rose, 23, Ugnius Asmena, 20, and Nii Mensah, 23, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of aggravated arson with intent to endanger life after the blaze at the unit, which sent aid and internet satellite equipment to Ukraine. The attack was orchestrated by Dylan Earl, 20, and Jake Reeves, 23, who had already admitted aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group. Around £1m-worth of damage was caused in the attack on the warehouse in east London last year, the Old Bailey heard. A fourth man, Paul English, 61, of Roehampton, was cleared of wrongdoing. The Wagner group is a private military organisation that acts on behalf of the Russian state, which the UK government has proscribed as a terrorist group. Eight fire crews with 60 firefighters were called to the Cromwell Industrial Estate in Leyton after the blaze broke out shortly before midnight on 20 March 2024. The warehouse was targeted because it shipped humanitarian aid and goods to Ukraine, including Starlink satellite equipment - crucial for Ukrainian troops. "It is clear that this was a targeted attack given the connection the warehouse had to Ukraine in shipping aid and other goods," David Cawthorne, unit head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counter-terrorism division, said - BBC
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has informed Ambassador Oksana Markarova that she will be dismissed from her post in Washington, a senior official in the President’s Office confirmed to the Kyiv Independent. Markarova, who has served as ambassador since April 2021, played a pivotal role in securing U.S. military and financial assistance during the critical early months of Russia’s full-scale invasion. As reported in World Briefing yesterday, the shake-up follows a recent phone call between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, during which the issue of Ukraine’s diplomatic representation in Washington was reportedly raised. Several possible successors have been floated—including Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko—but none are seen as having the diplomatic weight or gravitas that Kyiv urgently needs in Washington at this moment.
Ukrainian TikTok Star Takes On Draft Officers Over Brother’s Disappearance
A Ukrainian social media influencer is challenging state authorities after military recruitment officers allegedly seized her brother off the street—despite claims he has a medical exemption from service.
Bonnie_UA, a TikTok star with more than 12 million lifetime likes, has gone viral over the past 48 hours after posting a series of emotional videos about the incident. She claims her brother was taken without warning and is now being held incommunicado. As of Tuesday evening, there had been no official response, despite repeated calls and letters to senior officials.
Her posts—drawing hundreds of thousands of views and sparking online outrage—call on followers to speak out against what she describes as growing abuses in the military conscription process. As Ukraine’s war grinds on, such stories are becoming increasingly common, raising urgent questions about transparency, accountability, and the psychological toll on civilians.
As I told ABC News Australia this evening, if Bonnie_UA’s campaign gains further traction among younger audiences online, it could create political pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky—who built his presidency on a digital-first campaign and remains hugely popular among Ukraine’s youth.
Never mind Russia, North Korea and Iran, a majority of Canadian citizens now see the neighboring United States as the “greatest threat” to their country. Fifty-nine percent of Canadians view the U.S. as a major risk, according to a study published Tuesday by the Pew Research Center, as President Donald Trump continues to suggest that Canada should become the 51st American state. Trump’s maverick foreign policy has included antagonizing Canadians, threatening tariffs on allied nations around the world (including Canada), bombing Iran and menacing the Arctic island of Greenland. While more than half of Canadian respondents to the survey still consider the U.S. to be their most important ally, the poll — which surveyed 28,333 people in 25 nations around the world — provides a striking look at changing perceptions of America in the Trump era. In Mexico, a frequent political target for Trump dating back to the early days of his first run for president in 2015, a whopping 68 percent of respondents consider the U.S. to be their primary threat - Politico
Libyan officials on Tuesday expelled a group of European diplomats moments after they arrived in Benghazi, according to multiple reports. One of the two warring administrations that controls Libya declared EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner “persona non grata” and demanded that he, along with ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta, “leave Libyan territory immediately,” citing a “flagrant breach of diplomatic norms.” The statement from the party that controls Benghazi did not provide details, but the move comes as the EU has said it will take a “firm” approach with Libya over a surge of migrants to Europe. The European officials were in Libya to discuss the immigration issue, and had finished talks with the other government that controls Tripoli - Semafor
The journals…
