The Kremlin's top diplomat has warned that Western involvement in Ukraine is nearing "the point of no return," accusing the United States and the NATO bloc of attempting to transform the country into a "Russophobic military stronghold." Meanwhile, Moscow's UN envoy declared that all of Russia's "red lines" have already been crossed.

Addressing lawmakers at Russia's State Duma on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov outlined the causes of the current conflict in Ukraine and the deterioration of US-Russia relations, saying Washington has a "maniacal desire to revive the neo-colonial unipolar world order."
He said:

"An integral part of this policy is the long-term containment of Russia, including through the expansion of NATO towards our borders, as well as the transformation of fraternal Ukraine into a Russophobic military stronghold. In recent years, this line of Washington and its European satellites has reached the point of no return."

With the one-year anniversary of Russia's Feb.24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine just around the corner, NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg this week issued some surprising words regarding the history and origin of the conflict. In essence he finally admitted an important truth, which is of course extremely rare among top Western officials these days.

Whereas prior to these fresh remarks by Stoltenberg, US and NATO officials including major media, have framed the invasion exclusively as merely one man's (Putin) 'unprovoked' naked aggression bent on enlarging an 'expansionist Russia', Stoltenberg now much belatedly admits "the war didn't start in February last year. The war started in 2014."

Ministers and aides inside the Ukrainian president's shelter were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements, the newspaper reports

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his associates spent almost two months in a bunker after the outbreak of the conflict with Russia, instead of the planned two weeks, and underwent significant hardships, The Times has reported.

The Ukrainian government "immediately" descended into a secure shelter under the president's office on Bankovaya Street in central Kiev when Russia's military operation was launched on February 24, 2022, the British newspaper reported on Saturday.

When President Volodymyr Zelensky won a landslide victory in the free and undisputed April elections, most accepted that he was given a fairly strong mandate to lead Ukraine. But it seems not everyone is so democratically-minded.

Particularly unmoved by the democratic process are a collection of Ukrainian 'civil society' groups, who have just issued a lengthy list of "red lines not to be crossed" by the new president, lest he risk provoking a new wave of political instability - that they would presumably instigate.

Issuing their catalog of demands on Thursday, the groups claim to be "politically neutral" but "deeply concerned" about the first actions taken by the comedian-turned-politician Zelensky, including his decision to appoint members of former President Viktor Yanukovych's government to positions within his own government.

German industry is set to pay about 40% more for energy in 2023 than in 2021, before the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a study by Allianz Trade said on Monday, citing contract expiries and delayed wholesale pricing effects.

"The large energy-price shock still lies ahead for European corporates," said Allianz Trade, the credit insurer that changed its name from Euler Hermes last year.

In 2022, higher corporate utility bills were contained as long pass-through times from wholesale markets and government interventions mitigated the immediate hit from surging prices as Russia curbed fuel exports to the West.

"NATO has never been stronger; Russia is a global Pariah; and the world remains inspired by Ukrainian bravery and resilience; in short, Russia has lost, Russia has lost strategically, operationally and tactically - and they are paying an enormous price on the battlefield".

He, (General Mark Milley, U.S. Chief of Defence Staff) doesn't believe a word of that. We know that he doesn't believe it because, two months ago, he said the exact opposite - until he was chastised by the White House for straying off the Joe Biden message. Now he is back, playing on 'Team'.

Zelensky likely also doesn't believe the word of the recent European promise of tanks and aircraft - and he knows it to be mostly a chimera. But he plays on Team. A few extra tanks will make no difference on the ground, and his fifth mobilisation is being resisted at home. The European militaries are waiting-out this episode, their armouries running on 'reserve tank'.

Zelensky repeatedly says he must have tanks and planes by August to sandbag his haemorrhaging defences. But contradictorily Zelensky is warned, It's critical; "make significant gains on the battlefield" now - as it is the Administration's "very strong view" that it will be harder thereafter, to obtain Congressional support (i.e. August is past time; it will be too late).

Clearly the U.S. is preparing the ground for a Spring 'Victory Announcement' - as Milley's delusional comments foreshadow - and a pivot - just a whisker ahead of the U.S. Presidential Election calendar kick-off.

The 'narrative' in the MSM has already begun to transition to that of a coming crushing Russian offensive - and of heroic Ukrainian resistance overwhelmed by crushing force.

"The critical nature of the next few months has already been conveyed to Kiev in blunt terms by top Biden officials — including deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman and undersecretary of defence Colin Kahl, all of whom visited Ukraine last month" (Washington Post) - with CIA Director Bill Burns travelling to personally brief Zelensky just a week ahead of those officials' arrival.

Zelenksky was put on notice. Results now, or else!

But then Seymour Hersh finally says out loud, an unspoken harsh reality - one with hugely complicated political consequences (taken from Hersh's subsequent interview with Berliner Zeitung, (Google translation)). No, not the Nord Stream sabotage (we knew that), but that of reckless misjudgement and rising anger in Washington - and contempt for Biden and his close team of neocons' immature political judgements.

John F. Kennedy warned us about the "monolithic and ruthless conspiracy...".
Mayhem. We have train derailments, massive toxic fires (at least ten counted around the world in the last few days), destruction of food production facilities, hysteria about genders, domestic terrorists and balloons, the relentless war escalation and nonstop pandemic fearmongering... What otherwise would be regarded as random incidents now seems so frequent and pervasive, it's hard not to be suspicious. Something's up.

The monolithic and ruthless conspiracy

More than 60 years ago John F. Kennedy spoke about the "monolithic and ruthless conspiracy" that was using "covert means for expanding its sphere of influence." He also warned us of the "very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon" by the perpetrators of this conspiracy to advance their agenda.

In 2020, the Covid 19 pandemic offered the conspirators an ideal opportunity. The worldwide emergency enabled them to launch the decisive gambit, sidestep the legal strictures of democratic rule and attempt to create a global authoritarian police state. The experience was hugely distressing to the people in almost every nation, but it also revealed the nature, methods and the objectives of the conspiracy.

While the policy response to the pandemic was unscientific and contrary to the established public health norms, it was also nearly identical in most nations, suggesting that the incoherence was not an error, but a deliberate feature of the planned policy response. That policy, together with the media-driven narrative and the draconian censorship of all dissent was clearly coordinated at a global level.

Former JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) and Barclays (BARC.L) executive Jes Staley allegedly discussed Disney characters Snow White and Beauty and the Beast in a series of emails with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who also allegedly shared photographs of young women with the banker, according to newly unsealed court documents.

The alleged email exchanges between Staley, who was CEO of Barclays, and Epstein in 2009 and 2010 are contained in a lawsuit filed by the United States Virgin Islands against Staley's former employer, JPMorgan.

The U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned two private islands, alleges that JPMorgan facilitated and sustained Epstein's sex-trafficking over two decades.

The White House will next week hold secret talks with Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu and national security adviser Wellington Koo as part of a special diplomatic dialogue intended to remain private to avoid sparking an angry reaction from China.


Five people familiar with the secret talks — known as the "special channel" — said Wu and Koo would lead the delegation.

After arriving at the weekend, the Taiwanese team will next week meet Jon Finer, the US deputy national security adviser. One person said Wendy Sherman, deputy secretary of state, would also take part in the meetings.

In his annual "State of the Nation" address this afternoon, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán discussed a wide range of pressing issues, including Hungary's stance on the war in Ukraine, our fight against inflation, and the biggest dangers facing Hungary in the next few years.

The prime minister started out by thanking the heroic Hungarian rescue workers who helped save lives in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria.

He praised their bravery and willingness to risk their lives to save others, pointing out that these professionals' service and sacrifice serve as a reminder that in times of crisis, the true character of people and nations comes to light. Hungary has always been a country that can be counted on to help others in need, PM Orbán said, adding that the rescue effort in Turkey was a testament to this.