Here we go again-Ukraine once again pt2

[Skybird]

Chinese troops in the region as "peace keepers" gives them the opportunity to study Western military doctrins and procedures of other Western "peace keeping" powers at close range and establishes an electronic surveillance and spionage platform in Europe.


I am totally and strictly against their presence.


They could also serve as a future troublemaker for Bejing in case China confronts the the West in the Pacific the hot way.

[Dargo]

White House on maritime ceasefire agreement and energy infrastructure

White House confirms agreement reached between Ukraine and Russia following talks in Saudi Arabia. Washington has published statements following bilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine. The texts read:

• Ukraine and Russia have reached an agreement on a Black Sea ceasefire ‘to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea’.
• Agreement was also reached on ‘developing measures for the implementation’ of a ceasefire on energy infrastructure.
• The US and Ukraine agreed to continue working towards a ‘sustainable and lasting peace’.
• The US will help Russia regain access to ‘the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports, reduce maritime insurance costs and improve access to ports and payment systems for such transactions’.

Ukraine: Russian military fleet not allowed outside ‘eastern part of Black Sea’

Ukrainian and US communications on reaching a ceasefire agreement on the Black Sea are largely consistent. Ukraine's defence ministry adds that if Russian warships sail outside the ‘eastern Black Sea’, Kyiv will consider it a violation of the agreement. They speak of ‘a threat to Ukraine's national security’ in that case. Kyiv then says it may exercise ‘the full right of self-defence’. For now, Russian communications are awaited. Russian state news agency TASS reports that the Kremlin will publish a statement shortly.

Zelenskyy: ‘Agreement goes into effect immediately’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has provided more explanation on the partial ceasefire. According to Zelenskyy, the agreement will go into effect immediately. Zelenskyy also said he will request additional weapons from Trump should Russia violate the agreement. ‘If the Russians violate this, I have a direct question for President Trump. If they violate this, here is the proof - we will ask for sanctions and weapons.’

Kremlin confirms Black Sea ceasefire agreement

The Kremlin has just published a ceasefire statement. Here are the main points from the Russian communiqué:

• Moscow confirms that an agreement has been reached on ‘developing measures’ to carry out a strike against attacks on energy infrastructure. The ceasefire will start for a period of 30 days, counting from 18 March.
• The Black Sea ceasefire, according to Moscow, will take effect only after sanctions against ‘Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial organisations involved in international trade in food products’ are lifted.
• Several other obstacles, such as those on ship services and the supply of agricultural machinery to Russia, must also be lifted before the truce comes into force, the Kremlin says.
• The communication largely echoes Ukrainian and US statements. The US confirmed it would help Russia regain access to the world market for agricultural products. Only on the timing do Ukraine and Russia seem to differ. Zelensky earlier said the agreement would take effect ‘immediately’.

[Skybird]

That serves Russian interests more than Ukrainian. Winter is over and was untypically mild anyway, Russia's bid to 100% strangle heating and electricty has failed (though it likely would have worked if the winter would have been "normal"), but they did damage, tremendously, Ukraine however had a run at Russian petrochemical and oil industry recently. Ukraine looses more military options by this ban on attacks on energy infrastructure than Russia now, since Ukraine alrerady has lost 90% of its former capacities anyway. Russia still was and is vulnerable, still has plenty left that could be destroyed by Ukrainian attacks.

And lifting sanctions. Nice onve, Donny, once again you show on whose side your sympathies lie.

[Skybird]

[dpa] Russia has published a statement on the results of the conflict talks in Saudi Arabia that differs from that of the USA and Ukraine. According to the statement, Russia does not want to implement an agreement on safe shipping in the Black Sea until far-reaching sanctions are lifted.

For example, the Russian state agricultural bank and other financial institutions should only be given access to the international financial telecommunications system Swift again. Russia is also demanding an end to the embargo on the import of agricultural technology and other goods necessary for the production of food and fertilizer, according to a Kremlin statement.

According to the Kremlin, other trade restrictions on producers and food exporters should also be lifted, as well as sanctions against the work of ship insurers. Moscow is also demanding the lifting of sanctions against ports and ships flying the Russian flag and transporting fishery products, for example.

The USA had previously announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to ensure the safety of civilian shipping in the Black Sea. Two statements published by the US government stated that force should be renounced and the use of merchant ships for military purposes should be prevented. According to the Ministry of Defense in Kiev, Ukraine has confirmed that it will cease fighting in the Black Sea and attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Such an agreement could then also be monitored by third countries, the ministry added.

[Dargo]

Ukraine has agreed to the Black Sea ceasefire, seeing as it has sunk my navy anyway. https://bsky.app/profile/darthputink.../3ll7sm7dbpk2o

[Jimbuna]

Zelenskyy: We are concerned about US having influence on Russia, not vice versa

The Ukrainian delegation did not discuss the issue of territories with the United States in Riyadh, but it is possible that the American delegation discussed it with the Russian delegation.

This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Censor.NET reports citing Interfax-Ukraine.

"There were no questions about the territory, there were no questions about sanctions," Zelenskyy said during a conversation with journalists.

"I think the American side is talking to the Russians about the territory. We are concerned about the US having influence on Russia, not the other way around. This is the most important thing for us. President Trump has enough power, tools, sanctions, etc., various tools to influence the Russians, Putin, to end this war. We are concerned when they discuss something about us without us. We are concerned, and we tell our partners about it," the president said.

According to him, "it is clear from media reports and officials that they are raising the issue of territories." "And there were no agreements with us on the territories. They know that these are painful issues," the President of Ukraine added.

"I believe that two issues will be the most difficult with the Russians: a complete ceasefire - I talked about this even before the first meeting, because the Russians do not want to end the war - and the issue of territories, because the Russians do not want to end this war. That is, two different issues, but the same reason. And so it will be a difficult dialog. But it will be," Zelenskyy said. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543207

Agreement on safety of navigation in Black Sea will come into force only after sanctions are lifted - Kremlin statement

The Kremlin has issued a statement following talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that certain agreements will come into effect only after Russian demands are fulfilled.

According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Kremlin's press service.

Thus, the Russian side demands: to connect Rosselkhozbank and other financial institutions back to SWIFT and open correspondent accounts.

In July 2023, this was one of Russia's requirements for the continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The Kremlin has also stated that it wants sanctions lifted against food and fertilizer producers and exporters, as well as restrictions on insurance companies working with cargo transportation, and expanded access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.

In addition, the Kremlin is demanding that restrictions on port services for Russian-flagged ships involved in the food and fertilizer trade be lifted, and wants sanctions on the supply of agricultural machinery to Russia to be lifted.

The Kremlin also claims that the Russian Federation and the United States have agreed to develop measures to ban strikes on energy facilities in Russia and Ukraine for 30 days, starting on March 18, 2025, with the possibility of extending the agreement or withdrawing from it if Ukraine violates it.

Negotiations in Saudi Arabia
On March 24, in an evening video address, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after meeting with the Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia, the US delegation would meet again with the Ukrainian team.

It should also be noted that on Sunday evening, March 23, representatives of Ukraine and the United States met in Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible partial ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

On March 24, 2025, the American and Russian delegations held talks in Riyadh. They lasted 12 hours.

It is worth noting that the points of agreement between Ukraine and the United States include: a ceasefire regime in the Black Sea and freedom of navigation; a ban on strikes against energy infrastructure; monitoring with the involvement of the United States and third parties; a commitment to move toward an unconditional ceasefire; and U.S. assistance to Ukraine in returning children, civilian hostages, and facilitating prisoner exchanges.

The US statement following the talks with Russia contains a different clause instead of the one on the return of Ukrainians from Russian territory: facilitating the restoration of access to the world market for Russian agricultural products and fertilizers. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543205

[Jimbuna]

Coincides with Kremlin’s messages - Zelensky on Witkoff’s statement on "referendums" in Ukraine’s TOT

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that US Special Representative Steve Witkoff's statement about the "referendums" organized by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine coincides with the Kremlin's narratives.

He said this at a briefing, Censor.NET reports citing RBC-Ukraine.

The President was asked to comment on Witkoff's statement.

"You know my attitude. I believe that there are big disadvantages and advantages to this topic. Unfortunately, there is a lot of information disseminated by certain people and the person you mentioned (Vitkoff - ed.). His messages, unfortunately, very much coincide with those of the official Kremlin," Zelenskyy said.

He reminded that similar statements about "referendums" have been made many times before.

"We all know that there were no real legal grounds for holding referendums. Second, no one can legitimize these referendums because they were held at gunpoint. Thirdly, there are dead souls and plenty of evidence of who voted and who did not vote. Everyone knows that there were no legitimate referendums, and no one in the world recognizes them," the head of state said.

Zelenskyy emphasized that this is a Russian message, and "there are some high-level voices in the United States that are spreading this information that these lands were once Russian."

Also, according to the president, Vitkoff communicated too much with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Vitkoff's statements about "referendums"
Earlier, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said that the biggest issue in this war is "the so-called four regions: Donbas, Crimea, Luhansk, and two more. These territories are Russian-speaking, and referendums were held there, where the majority of people voted in favor of being under Russian rule."

Witkoff later clarified his statement about the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine and the "referendums" held there.

Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation and a member of the Servant of the People party, said that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, should be dismissed from his post. His statements about "referendums" in the occupied territories are "shameful and shocking."

The European Commission emphasized that the so-called "referendums" held by Russia in the occupied territory of Ukraine were completely falsified and "at gunpoint." Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543212

Ukraine has handed over list of energy facilities that cannot be hit by Russia to United States, - Zelenskyy

The Ukrainian side has handed over to the United States a list of energy facilities that fall under Washington's initiative to refrain from striking the energy infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia during the truce.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this during a meeting with journalists, Censor.NET reports.

According to the head of state, the US proposal to abandon strikes on energy facilities implies that "we do not hit their energy sector - they do not hit our energy sector."

"We separately, just in case, handed over (during the meeting in Riyadh - Ed.) all our energy facilities. We handed over which facilities, in our opinion, cannot be attacked," Zelenskyy said, adding that Kyiv was "very ready" for the meeting.

The President also noted that the proposal for a ceasefire in the Black Sea applies only to civilian shipping and provides for a ban on the striking of ports.

Negotiations in Saudi Arabia
On March 24, in an evening video address, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after meeting with the Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia, the US delegation would meet again with the Ukrainian team.

We also recall that on Sunday evening, March 23, representatives of Ukraine and the United States met in Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible partial ceasefire between Ukraine and

On March 24, 2025, the American and Russian delegations held talks in Riyadh. They lasted 12 hours.

It is worth noting that the points of agreement between Ukraine and the United States include: a regime of silence in the Black Sea and free navigation; an embargo on strikes on energy infrastructure; monitoring with the participation of the United States and third parties; a commitment to move toward an unconditional ceasefire; the United States will help Ukraine with the return of children, civilian hostages, and the exchange of prisoners.

The US statement following the talks with Russia contains a different clause instead of the one on the return of Ukrainians from Russian territory: facilitating the restoration of access to the world market for Russian agricultural products and fertilizers. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543201

[Catfish]

Just in time! Russian hackers snoop ukrainian Signal accounts. Ahem.

https://www.politico.eu/article/russ...google-report/

[Jimbuna]

[Jimbuna]

[Buddahaid]

[Jimbuna]

Ukraine and France discuss launch of joint arms production

Defense Minister of Ukraine Rustem Umerov held talks with French Defense Minister Sebastian Lecornu.

This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Defense.

The ministers discussed the strengthening of the Ukrainian army, the status of military assistance and further strengthening of security support.

They focused on key areas:

air defense
missiles
ammunition
aviation
armored vehicles
development of the defense industry and launch of joint arms production
The parties also discussed security guarantees for achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Tomorrow, a summit of the "coalition of the willing" is scheduled to take place in Paris with the participation of leaders and delegations from about 30 countries, including European states, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543407

[Jimbuna]

Zelenskyy arrives in France for visit, will meet with Macron

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in France.

This was reported by the presidential press secretary Serhii Nykyforov, Censor.NET reports citing Interfax-Ukraine.

At 7:00 pm Kyiv time, a meeting between Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron is expected. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543398

There was no talk of territorial concessions at meeting in Riyadh - Palisa

There was no talk of territorial concessions at the meeting of the Ukrainian and American delegations in Saudi Arabia.

This was stated by a participant in the negotiations, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa, Censor.NET reports.

We continue to work on effective mechanisms for monitoring the ceasefire and obtaining effective security guarantees because it is obvious that there is no trust in the enemy, said the deputy head of the OP.

"We warned the American team that the Russians would stall and put forward additional conditions. We are interested in a parity ceasefire, and we will respond immediately in case of violation of the agreements," the statement reads. .

"And as for the 'red lines': no talk of territorial concessions. This is all Ukrainian land, for which we are fighting and will continue to fight under any circumstances," Palisa said. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543390

US needs Greenland for international security - Trump

US President Donald Trump said that the United States needs Greenland to ensure international security.

The American leader said this in a podcast by American host Vince Coglianese, reports EP, Censor.NET informs.

Trump, in particular, was asked to comment on the upcoming visit of the US Vice President and Second Lady to Greenland. The head of the White House replied that it was necessary for "them to know that we need Greenland for international security."

"We need Greenland for international security. We need it. We have to get it. This is an island that we need from a defensive and even offensive standpoint, especially in the current situation in the world... And we have to have it. I hate to say it, but we have to have it," the American leader said.

At the same time, Trump admitted that Greenlanders are unlikely to want their island to become part of the United States.

"But I think we have to do it, and we have to convince them, and we have to have that land because without it, you can't properly protect a lot of that land, not just the United States. So we have to have it, and I think we will have it," the US president said.

Earlier, it was reported that an American delegation would visit Greenland this week. The island's Prime Minister Mute Egede criticized the visit of the American delegation to Greenland, calling it a "provocation."

Later, it became known that US Vice President J.D. Vance would join his wife, Usha Vance, who will visit Greenland on March 28 with the US delegation.

Trump wants to annex Greenland to the United States
In early January, Trump said that Denmark should give up Greenland to protect the "free world."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cannot imagine and does not believe that the United States will use military or economic force to control Greenland.

Danish Foreign Minister Rasmussen, in turn, said that Greenland could become independent if its residents wanted it to, but it would not be a US state.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that the EU will not allow other countries to attack its borders.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned against violent border changes in light of US President-elect Donald Trump's recent statements about claims to Greenland.

CNN writes that Danish officials fear that US President Donald Trump is much more serious about acquiring Greenland than he was in his first term.

Earlier, Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede said that the island does not want to be American or Danish but seeks independence, noting that this is nothing new.

On March 5, Trump said that the United States is ready to accept Greenland into its fold if the people are in favor: "We're going to get it one way or another." Source: https://censor.net/en/n3543394

[mapuc]

Markus

[mapuc]

Markus