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Sunday, August 17, 2025

Zelenskiy arrives in Brussels for meeting with von der Leyen, spokesperson says

 EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday called for a trilateral summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin. French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders are set to accompany Zelensky for talks with Trump in Washington DC Monday. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.

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14 minutes ago

US may not be able to create scenario to end war in Ukraine, Rubio says

The US will keep trying to create a scenario to help end Russia's war in Ukraine, but that might not be possible, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"If peace is not going to be possible here and this is just going to continue on as a war, people will continue to die by the thousands ... we may unfortunately wind up there, but we don't want to wind up there," Rubio said in an interview with CBS.

"There are things that were discussed as part of this meeting that are potentials for breakthroughs, that are potential for progress," said Rubio, adding that topics for discussion would include security guarantees for Ukraine.

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23 minutes ago

Russia has made 'some concessions' on five Ukrainian regions, Witkoff says

Russia has made "some concessions" regarding five Ukrainian regions central to Moscow's war aims during the Alaska summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, says top White House envoy Steve Witkoff.

"The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of those regions," Witkoff said on CNN, in an apparent reference to the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea.

Witkoff said he was "hopeful" of a "productive meeting" between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday.

"I'm hopeful that we have a productive meeting on Monday, we get to real consensus, we're able to come back to the Russians and push this peace deal forward and get it done," said Witkoff.

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Trump says 'big progress on Russia. Stay tuned'

US President Donald Trump has hailed, "big progress on Russia," adding a "stay tuned".

But he has provided no details of the progress.

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35 minutes ago

Zelensky says current front lines should be the start for negotiations

The current frontlines in Ukraine's war against Russia should be the basis for peace talks, says President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"We need real negotiations, which means we can start where the frontline is now," Zelensky said at a press conference in Brussels.

Zelensky reiterated his position that it was necessary to establish a ceasefire in order to then negotiate a final deal.

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41 minutes ago

Trump, Putin agreed to 'robust security guarantees' for Ukraine: Witkoff

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to "robust security guarantees" for Ukraine during their high-stakes summit in Alaska, says top White House envoy Steve Witkoff.

"We agreed to robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing," Witkoff said on CNN. 

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an hour ago

Term ceasefire 'is not important', says von der Leyen, 'killing must stop'

At the joint press conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were asked about President Donald Trump dropping the call for a ceasefire.

“The term is not important,” von der Leyen replied. “What matters is the effect, the killing must stop whether we call it ceasefire or not.”

President Zelensky agreed with the EU chief, noting that there was a need to push Russia on “real negotiations”.

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an hour ago

'Putin does not want to stop the killing but he must do it', Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, says Putin must stop the killing now and that a ceasefire was necessary.

"Putin does not want to stop the killing but he must do it," he added.

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250817-europe-scrambles-for-response-after-trump-putin-talks-upend-ukraine-ceasefire-push

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EU's von der Leyen to meet Trump in White House

 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that she will be meeting U.S. President Donald Trump along with other European leaders in the White House on Monday at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

She also said that she will welcome Zelenskiy in Brussels later on Sunday and together will participate in a meeting of European leaders.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/eus-von-der-leyen-meet-100246139.html

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US may not be able to create scenario to end war in Ukraine, Rubio says

 The United States will keep trying to create a scenario to help end Russia's war in Ukraine, but that might not be possible, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS on Sunday.

"If peace is not going to be possible here and this is just going to continue on as a war, people will continue to die by the thousands ... we may unfortunately wind up there, but we don't want to wind up there," Rubio said in an interview with "Face the Nation."

European leaders will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, seeking to bolster him as the U.S. president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace deal after Trump's meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Friday.

"There are things that were discussed as part of this meeting that are potentials for breakthroughs, that are potential for progress," said Rubio, adding that topics for discussion would include security guarantees for Ukraine.

According to sources, Trump and Putin discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish tiny pockets of occupied Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine ceding a swathe of fortified land in the east and freezing the front lines elsewhere.

Rubio said both sides would need to make concessions if a peace deal were to be concluded. 

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/us-may-not-be-able-to-create-scenario-to-end-war-in-ukraine-rubio-says

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Is The EU Preparing For Regime-Change In Hungary?

 by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida via GlobalResearch.ca,

Apparently, the EU is planning to further tighten its interventionist measures in the internal affairs of member countries. According to information recently shared by Russian authorities, European political elites are planning a regime change in Hungary – a country that has stood out for leading a dissident position within the European bloc. This case is particularly serious because it highlights the absolute lack of political freedom for EU member states.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) revealed that it has information proving that EU authorities are planning a color revolution in Hungary. The goal is to remove Viktor Orban and his allies from power and replace them with a public figure more aligned with the interests of the Collective West – particularly regarding the Ukrainian conflict and sanctions against Russia.

According to the SVR, the European Commission considers the current Hungarian government’s foreign policy to be too independent – that is, not integrated with the EU’s international guidelines. For this reason, a regime change would be the only way to realign Hungarian national interests with the European bloc’s foreign policy objectives. In this regard, a Russian security agency clearly states that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “is seriously studying regime change scenarios” in Hungary.

One of von der Leyen’s plans would allegedly be to bring to power Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party and one of Orban’s most vocal opponents. The SVR describes Magyar as “loyal to globalist elites,” which is why he is considered to become the next prime minister if the plan to oust Orban is successful. The EU initially plans to finalize this plan during next year’s parliamentary elections; however, the SVR believes that, if circumstances favor it, the EU could begin acting this year, advancing its regime change plans.

In addition to trying to bring Hungary into the coalition supporting Ukraine and force it to implement sanctions against Moscow, one of the goals of the regime change operation is to eliminate Hungarian opposition to Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Currently, Orban is leading the opposition to the Kiev regime’s accession to the bloc, which is infuriating both the European Commission and the neo-Nazi proxy regime in Kiev.

Further complicating Ukraine’s accession plan, Orban’s Hungary is fully supported by Slovakia’s Robert Fico. Both leaders coordinate a dissident wing within the EU, endorsing pacifist positions such as ending military support for Ukraine and sanctions against Moscow.

Meanwhile, Poland has also begun to oppose Ukrainian accession to the EU. Despite strongly supporting the Kiev regime in the war, Poland is dissatisfied with the neighboring country’s Nazi-rehabilitating policies, which is why it is now against the Ukrainian accession. The European Commission hopes to dismantle this dissident coalition upon replacing Orban, carrying out a kind of “decapitation operation” against European dissent.

It is important to remember that one of the reasons Hungary opposes Ukrainian accession is the regime’s persecution of ethnic Hungarians within its territory. In the Hungarian-majority region of Transcarpathia, ethnic persecution policies are becoming commonplace, a situation quite similar to that of the ethnic Russian population of Donbass.

This clearly makes Orban unsympathetic to the Ukrainian regime, with his opposition to Ukrainian accession to the EU being not merely a matter of political pragmatism, but also of patriotic principles and solidarity with the Hungarian people abroad.

All of Hungary’s legitimate concerns are ignored by European authorities, who continue to act motivated by Russophobic madness. The EU has implemented no measures to pressure Ukraine to change its treatment of the Hungarians of Transcarpathia, tacitly legitimizing ethnic persecution—just as it has done against the Russians for over a decade. The European bloc is only interested in irrational condemnation of Russia and unconditional support for Kiev.

The SVR claims that preparatory measures are already being taken. The agency states that “significant administrative, media, and lobbying resources are being deployed to support Magyar through German party funds, the European People’s Party, and a number of Norwegian NGOs.” Foreign agents are expected to foment mass protests and other forms of social unrest against Orban’s legitimate government, attempting to create social instability to facilitate regime change.

In fact, knowing this information in advance, it’s possible that the Hungarian government will immediately begin implementing measures to prevent the success of the foreign operation. Thanks to the work of Russian intelligence, Orban’s Hungary now has the necessary means to protect itself from the interference promoted by an international organization of which Hungary itself is a member. This only shows how politically bankrupt the EU is, becoming a mere instrument of foreign meddling—even against its own members.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/eu-preparing-regime-change-hungary

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Greeting customers deters shoplifters, UK police say

 EPA A sign in a shop window says 'Stop! Don't shoplift. Boots uses the following security protection'. A blurred out customer can be seen using a self service till inside the store.

EPA
Shoplifting cost retailers and customers £2.2bn a year, the British Retail Association said

Shop owners should greet customers as soon as they enter a store in a bid to deter shoplifters, police have advised.

Lancashire Police said shoplifters can assess how easy it is to steal from a shop by how soon after they enter they are spoken to by a member of staff, in what is known as "the three-to-five second rule".

"By greeting genuine shoppers, not only does this provide a positive impression of your store, it also deters potential shoplifters," the force said.

The advice comes as retailers said theft was spiralling out of control with the highest levels across England and Wales since current records began two decades ago.

In July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were 530,643 reported shoplifting offences in the year to March, which is a 20% increase from the previous year.

British Retailers Association director Tom Ironside said the ONS figures "prove what retailers have long been telling us - that retail theft is spiralling out of control".

He said such theft triggered violence and abuse towards staff and cost retailers and customers £2.2bn a year.

'Aggressive when challenged'

Lancashire Police issued the advice to retailers in an online guide - Securing your shop from shoplifters - as part of Operation Vulture, which tackles shoplifting.

"If a thief thinks they've been spotted they're more likely to leave," the guide said.

But it also urged caution as "shoplifters could respond aggressively when challenged".

It advised staff to keep a safe distance, ask if the person needed help or a basket, and to step away and alert a manager or security if they felt uncomfortable.

The force also warned that thieves targeted stores where there was only one member of staff, "so have a few members of staff and make sure they're trained in how to spot shoplifters".

It said Operation Vulture also involved hotspot patrols, increased visibility in targeted areas, and working with retailers to understand retail crime and identify offenders.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yp3543z7yo

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UK Authorities Deploy Undercover Police To Catch Men Who "Catcall"

 The political war on men and masculinity continues to escalate.  A long running feminist propaganda narrative is that women in the west deal with random harassment from out-of-control men on a regular basis while walking public streets.  Previous attempts to replicate this claim on camera have led to minimal results, with feminist activists wearing revealing clothing pacing back and forth on sidewalks hoping for an incident. 

They catch a few men looking at them briefly, or saying something as innocuous as "hi beautiful", and this is held up as evidence of the terrible plight of women navigating a patriarchal "rape culture".  In reality, most men barely take notice.  Those that do are harmless and activists are left grasping at straws.

These kinds of honey traps often become jokes on social media, with the participants readily mocked for their dishonesty or stupidity.  In the US, woke rhetoric against men and the "male gaze" is dying as the public grows tired of feminist victimhood.  However, in Europe, social and political evolution seems to be running several years behind America and political leaders there are still desperately trying to transcribe woke ideological cultism into enforceable law.

Case in point:  UK officials are recreating their own catcall honey traps using undercover female officers jogging back and forth on busy streets.  If a man honks at them, looks at them too long or says something to them, they risk getting stopped by hidden patrol cars and chastised.  In some cases their vehicles have even been seized by police.

Keep in mind that this experiment is being operated in neighborhoods that are up to 90% majority white, native residents.  It's highly unlikely that UK officials would allow a similar trap to be run in areas populated by migrants.  This, of course, is a common double standard in European countries today.  Native citizens are heavily scrutinized for misbehavior while police and politician ignore the violence, rape, grooming gangs and murder common within migrant enclaves. 

Any attempt to jog a couple of attractive female officers through a neighborhood full of third-worlders would likely elicit an unpleasant experience in cultural exchange.

And what happens when women do report harassment and assault that is common when they come in contact with foreigners?  They get a lecture on politically correct speech.

This is the reason why very few people take feminist claims of catcalling seriously - Because scrutiny and enforcement are highly selective.  Certain men are allowed to do whatever they want, while other men are portrayed as monsters simply for saying hello or giving a look.  

 

Police admit that there are no specific laws against these behaviors, but UK politicians and authorities have been using color-of-law enforcement since before the pandemic mandates.  In other words, it doesn't matter what laws are written down, if they decide they don't like something you're doing they might threaten you or potentially arrest you regardless. 

Numerous people in Britain have been arrested for posting memes, praying silently within the vicinity of abortion clinics, and even for flying British flags within the sight of migrants.  A widespread indoctrination campaign has been launched to demonize white males in particular, with many PSA commercials, TV shows and other media showing white men as the common perpetrators of harassment and assault.  Meanwhile, numerous crimes involving migrants (specifically crimes against women) are buried and the identities of the assailants are kept confidential. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/uk-government-deploys-undercover-police-catch-men-who-catcall

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Spain’s 'deeply troubling' Huawei wiretap deal flagged federal probe

 Republican leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are calling on the Department of Commerce to investigate Spain’s controversial decision to contract with Huawei — a company with bridging links to the Chinese Communist Party — to store judicial wiretap data. 

They warn the agreement poses a serious threat to U.S. digital trade and national security.

In a letter this week to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Subcommittee Chairs Reps. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., and Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., warned that Spain’s contracts with Huawei to manage and store sensitive data related to the country’s wiretapping services were "deeply troubling." 

They noted that "Huawei and other Chinese firms maintain documented CCP ties, posing profound risks to national and economic security."

The lawmakers further warned that the decision "underscores a regrettable trend in the European Union (EU): governments tacitly embrace Chinese technology and hold American digital trade exports to double standards," resulting in "significant uncertainty for American companies in every sector that engages in transatlantic commerce." 

They urged Commerce to "investigate the Spanish government’s decision, and similar actions by EU governments, that negatively impact U.S. digital trade, data security, and telecommunications interests, as well as the interests of American workers."

Last month, Spain’s Ministry of the Interior quietly awarded a €12.3 million contract to Huawei to manage and store judicially authorized wiretaps using its OceanStor 6800 V5 enterprise-grade servers. 

The move prompted top lawmakers on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees to call on Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to review intelligence sharing with Spain to ensure that Beijing was not intercepting secrets.


House Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford called Spain’s deal "almost unimaginable" in a statement last month. 

The European Commission issued a formal warning, stating that "Huawei represents materially higher risks" and urged member states to exclude high-risk vendors from critical infrastructure. 

Sources within the Spanish National Police and the Civil Guard told Spanish news outlet The Objective they were uneasy with the partnership. 

READ THE LETTER BELOW. APP USERS: CLICK HERE

We are being asked to secure sensitive operations using systems that are not trusted by most of our allies," one law enforcement source reportedly said.

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) National Intelligence Law of 2017 requires PRC individuals and entities to support PRC intelligence services

Chinese hackers breached U.S. court wiretap systems last year, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, China "remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to U.S. government, private-sector, and critical infrastructure networks" and has targeted communications infrastructure specifically, recently through the hacking operation Salt Typhoon. 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/spains-deeply-troubling-huawei-wiretap-deal-flagged-federal-investigation

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