Sigh... The US has plenty of ways to squeeze Russia's economy: secondary sanctions against buyers of Russian oil (unless countries reduce purchases); sanction & restrict all the shadow fleet; full financial embargo (w/specified carveouts). Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center Eddie Fishman

When the news came of Russia's shootdown of MH17, I was entering the WH for a meeting on Ukraine. I left with instructions to fly to Europe to increase sanctions. Europeans were ready. Now, faced with more Russian killing of innocents, the US should up the pressure on Russia.

Właściwa delegacja Polska we właściwym czasie.

And, yes, Orban is setting up a Hungarian claim to Ukrainian territory.

‼️🇺🇲🇺🇦 BREAKING - U.S. European Command and NATO Allied Forces Commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich: ▪️ “My directive is clear — to ensure that the Ukrainians receive everything they need to defend themselves. Obviously, this includes offensive weapons as well, so many

EU’s latest sanctions package goes after Russia’s oil trade (hitting the shadow fleet & lowering the price cap). Missing are moves against third country purchasers of Russian oil, something the US is considering. That’s not an easy step but could prove effective. Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center

UK exposes malign Russian info ops. Good. Why did the Trump administration dismantle State’s capacity to do the same?

The EU’s latest sanctions package against Russia is solid, targeting Russian oil revenues by hitting the shadow fleet & lowering the oil price cap. Note the EU’s use of secondary sanctions, something the EU opposed for years. ⁦Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center⁩ consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press…

EU hits the Russian economy. UK hits Russian espionage networks. Let's hope that when (& if) the Trump team acts, we do the old American thing of blowing past our allies in hitting the Russian bad actors. Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center gov.uk/government/new…

The US may find that extolling nationalism as everybody’s best option has its downsides.

How ⁦NEDemocracy⁩ advances US interests (& universal values). miamiherald.com/opinion/us-vie…

Large protest in Kyiv tonight, the first signs of public dissent against Zelenskyy’s government since the full scale invasion, as demonstrators rally against the passing of a bill stripping anti-corruption bodies of their powers

In the midst of war, Ukrainians protest Bankova’s push to dismantle anti-corruption agencies.

NEW #UkraineAlert | "Ukrainians have been fighting a two-front war: against Russian aggression and against high-level political corruption," writes Andrew D'Anieri. "It's puzzling then to now see Kyiv move to gut independent anti-corruption agencies." atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainea…

The Welles Doctrine (non recognition of Soviet annexation of the Baltic States) marked a big step in the US turn away from “America First” isolationism & toward leadership of the free world. A great legacy & precedent (see Pompeo Declaration re Ukraine).

Indeed. Karl Marx comes to mind: "Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the 1st time as tragedy, the 2d time as farce." Seems we are now living through the USSR as farce. This too will pass.

Excellent, straightforward debunker of the nonsensical Russiagate claims Trump and his allies are circulating to distract from Epstein apnews.com/article/gabbar…

“If you want to make America great again, don’t pull the plug on what has served it so well.” — Daniel Fried, former U.S. diplomat VOA helped win the Cold War. Silencing it only strengthens our adversaries. #SaveVOA #DanielFried #PressFreedom

Ukraine’s leaders cannot afford such mistakes. time.com/7305230/zelens…