3 h. ago Putin sees his path to victory, in Ukraine and beyond, through populists in the West

No one should underestimate the dangers posed by pro-Putin populists and the far-right in Europe’s democracies

Politics

13 h. ago The question no one dares ask: what if Britain has to defend itself from the US? | George Monbiot

So much of our intelligence and military systems are shared or reliant on the US – if it becomes the enemy, it is already inside the gatesAll the talk now is of how we might defend ourselves without the US. But almost everyone with a voice in public life appears to be avoiding a much bigger and more troubling question: how we might defend ourselves against the US.As Keir Starmer visits the orange emperor’s court in Washington, let’s first consider the possibilities. I can’t comment on their likelihood, and I fervently hope that people with more knowledge and power than me are gaming them. One is that Donald Trump will not only clear the path for Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, but will actively assist him. We know that Trump can brook no challenge to his hegemony. Russia is no threat to US dominance, but Europe, with a combined economy similar to that of the US, and a powerful diplomatic and global political presence, could be. Continue reading...

Politics

62 h. ago Britain’s insistence on total Ukrainian victory was misguided – it’s time for a realistic compromise | Robert Skidelsky

By refusing to back negotiations for the past three years, the UK has become irrelevant to the search for peace – we must change courseOn the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, British policy towards the war is in a mess. The continuing official British position, echoed by all the main media, has been “no peace without a Ukraine victory” – meaning, centrally, the expulsion of Russia from all territories seized since 2014. President Trump’s active search for a compromise peace tears up this script.When a long, consistently pursued policy ends in a shambles, it is time to reflect on what was right and what was wrong about it, and what might still be done to reinsert Britain into a process to which it has become largely irrelevant.Robert Skidelsky is a crossbench peer in the House of Lords and author of Keynes: the Return of the Master and co-author of How Much Is Enough? Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Putin on track to have lost a MILLION Russian soldiers in Ukraine invasion ahead of so

Data from the UK defence intelligence already estimates that Putin's forces have lost 860,000 soldiers to death or injury at an average of 1,500 servicemen a day since November.

Events

6 d. ago Trump says Starmer has done 'nothing' to stop Ukraine war and repeats attack on Zelensky

Russian president expected to make the claims on the third anniversary of his Ukraine war on February 24

Events

6 d. ago Vladimir Putin to 'declare victory over Ukraine and Nato' as Donald Trump told not to be 'weak' in peace talks

Russian president expected to make the claims on the third anniversary of his Ukraine war on February 24

Politics

6 d. ago Putin 'poised to declare victory over Ukraine in days' and claim it as win over West

Vladimir Putin is preparing to spin the anniversary of his invasion of Ukraine as a victory for his "special military operation", according to Ukrainian military intelligence

Politics

6 d. ago Russia 'is preparing to declare VICTORY in its war with Ukraine within days' following public falling out between Trump and Zelensky and US pressure to do a deal

According to Kyiv 's military intelligence agency, Putin is expected to frame the announcement as not only a triumph over Ukraine but also over NATO.

Events