Chris

opinions are my own

[John Arnold @johnarnold]

65 players in the WC were born in the Netherlands. 25 play for the country, 25 Curacao, 6 Cape Verde, 3 Morocco and Turkey, and 1 each Ghana, New Zealand and the US (Sergino Dest).
Netherlands is just 0.2% of world population but birthplace of 5.2% of WC players.

[Nacho Montes de Oca @nachomdeo]

La humillación que Putin quiso evitar en Moscú, le llega hoy en su ciudad natal, San Peterburgo ante la presencia de delegaciones de 76 países y territorios que acuden a su Foro Económico Internacional. La terminal petrolera de la ciudad arde alcanzada por drones ucranianos

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Our new long-range sanctions – and this is 500 kilometers from our state border. We are rightfully bringing the war back to where it came from. Russia could have ended its aggression long ago, but instead chose to prolong and continue it. So another facility of Russia’s oil industry has been reached – Armavir, Krasnodar Krai.

I thank our Security Service warriors for this result. What matters is that, step by step, we are carrying out our plan of long-range sanctions – in response to everything Russia is doing against our country and our people. All forms of our sanctions – legal and entirely practical long-range ones – are working to bring peace closer. Thank you for your precision!

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Since last night, first responders and all necessary services have been working wherever needed. As of now, at least 83 people have been confirmed injured since midnight. Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families and loved ones.

It was a heavy attack – 90 missiles of various types, many of them ballistic missiles – 36 in total. There were 600 drones. Unfortunately, not all of the ballistic missiles were intercepted – the largest number of hits was in Kyiv. Kyiv was the primary target of this Russian attack.

Putin can’t even pronounce the word “hurrah” clearly anymore – slurs and mumbles – yet he is still vanquishing residential buildings with his missiles. Launched three Russian missiles against a water supply facility. Burned down a market. Damaged dozens of residential buildings. Hit several ordinary schools. Launched his “Oreshnik” against Bila Tserkva. They really are unhinged.

It is important that this does not pass without consequences for Russia. Today, everyone in the world who will not stay silent and chooses to help Ukraine is a defender of life. It is critically important to continue working to secure air defense for Ukraine, especially anti-ballistic capabilities.

We are doing our best to achieve peace and protect people – everything. It is important that Ukraine is not alone. Decisions are needed – from the United States, from Europe and others – to make that old “Oreshnik” in Moscow finally utter the word “peace.”

[Kate from Kharkiv @BohuslavskaKate]

Rubio says that US-led peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine "were not fruitful." Not fruitful?

​Let’s look at the facts: your negotiators visited Russia seven times, and Ukraine zero times. You demanded concessions from Ukraine before negotiations even began, and throughout the entire process.

You pressured Ukraine by cutting off weapons support entirely, constantly badmouthing us, and showing up at our doorstep waving Russian "peace plan" you demanded we sign immediately.

​And now, after Ukraine stands more firmly on its feet without your support, you realize you can't pressure us anymore. So your excuse is that you are tired and leaving?

​How about, for once, you actually support the victim, which is Ukraine instead of terrorist Russian regime? Send your team to Kyiv, support our fight, and apply real pressure on aggressor.

Sanction Russia and seize their shadow fleet instead of handing out sanction waivers. Do that, and maybe negotiations will magically become "fruitful."

[Karel Burger Dirven @KBurgerDirven]

[Deel 1] In de serie “Onze Man Bij De Vijand” bezoekt @ThomasErdbrink met Roel van Broekhoven de door RU bezette gebieden in UA🇺🇦, waaronder Marioepol. Een illegaal bezoek aan deze gebieden is strafbaar voor de Oekraïense wet. Overtredingen worden vervolgd en bestraft. Een🧵 1/

[Donald Tusk @donaldtusk]

European Council meeting. For the first time in years there are no Russians in the room. Huge relief.

[Gandalv @Microinteracti1]

In an alternate 2025, Russia never invaded Ukraine.

Russia played the long game instead. Slow economic integration. Energy dependency as strategy. A seat at the table rather than a war outside it.

Then Trump wins in 2024 anyway.

NATO fractures under Trump. Europe builds its own defense architecture. And Russia, stable and trade-integrated, becomes the obvious partner.

The energy infrastructure was already there.

The geography was always there.

In that timeline, Russia is inside Europe’s single market by 2030. A partner in a European army. Collecting tariff-free revenue while Washington retreats into itself.

Instead, Putin chose tanks.
He made Russian gas a liability overnight. And he ensured that any future Russian leader who wants back into the Western economic order starts the negotiation from rubble.

The irony is almost too large to look at directly.

Gandalv / @Microinteracti1

[Frau NAFO 🇩🇪🇺🇦🇬🇪🇵🇱🇱🇹🇪🇪🇱🇻🇨🇿🇫🇮🇸🇪 @MrsPatmore2022]

Thank you @JDVance We are looking forward to see you supporting AFD in Germany and Le Pen in France. Please dont forget to support Fico. Kind regards, The Free World

[Magyar Péter (Ne féljetek) @magyarpeterMP]

Üzenet a választási csalások ellen minden magyarnak. Kérlek, segíts eljuttatni mindenkihez!

[Moritz Körner @moritzkoerner]

Mr. Orban, you are not a patriot. You are just a useful idiot of Russia and China.

[Igor Sushko @igorsushko]

🚨 BREAKING: Zelensky proposes a defensive military alliance that includes the EU + Ukraine, Turkey, Norway, and the UK.
This will enable control of the seas, skies, and land of all Europe as the United States withdraws from NATO.
The alliance will be stronger than Russia.

[Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum]

While interfering in Hungary's election, Vance baselessly accuses other people of interfering in Hungary's election

[Volodymyr Tretyak 🇺🇦 @VolodyaTretyak]

The American VP traveled all the way to Hungary to support the most pro-Kremlin and corrupt EU leader before the elections. What an embarrassment it is for the USA.

[Joni Askola @joni_askola]

Congratulations @PM_ViktorOrban and @FM_Szijjarto!

You have managed to stage the least credible false flag operation in history, and even your own supporters will not fall for it

[NEXTA @nexta_tv]

Serbia says Ukraine is not involved in explosives found near gas pipeline

The head of military intelligence said the suspect is a military-trained individual from a group of migrants. The search is ongoing.

“Disinformation suggests that the Serbian army and its personnel would work for a third party by finding Ukrainian explosives and blaming Ukraine. This is not true,” Jovanić said.

[Amjad Taha أمجد طه @amjadt25]

The UAE stood with the Ukrainian people, and today Ukraine stands with the UAE. A million thanks to Ukraine. In moments like this, we discover who is truly close, and Ukraine has proven to be closer to us than many around us in the Middle East. As dozens of Iranian drones targeted our country, #Ukraine, with its hard earned experience in stopping them, stepped forward to help, sharing technology capable of disrupting their navigation systems with up to 90% success.

[Nasser Mohammed @naserbnmohd]

True partnerships are proven in critical moments.
Sincere thanks to Ukraine for standing in solidarity with the UAE. 🇦🇪🇺🇦

[Yasmina @yasminalombaert]

President Zelenskyy addressed Orbán regarding the Druzhba pipeline, and he didn’t hold back on the absurdity of it all.
Basically, Ukraine is being put in this insane position where they are expected to repair a Russian pipeline—the same Russia that's currently trying to wipe them off the map—just so Viktor Orbán can keep his cheap energy fix and stay in power.

It’s peak irony: Ukraine has to facilitate putin’s profits to satisfy a guy who’s spent the last four years trying to tank EU support for Kyiv.

Zelenskyy is essentially saying, 'Look, we can fix it in a month, but why should we?' Especially when the EU is dangling €90 billion in aid over their heads like a ransom note. It’s a masterclass in the kind of dirty backroom politics Ukraine is forced to deal with while fighting a literal invasion.

President Zelenskyy on the Druzhba Pipeline:

"Regarding the pipeline, let me be very honest with you. To be honest, I would not restore it. It is Russian oil. That is my personal position. But I am the President of a country that is at war, and we have many factors and many partners.
Technically, we can restore it. Our specialists say that within a month, or a month and a half, we can technically bring it back to work. Not all the damage can be repaired immediately, but it can work.

But there is a political side to this issue. There are things and principles that are simply priceless. They are killing us, and we have to give oil to Orbán because he cannot win elections without it? This is a very difficult question for our society.

We are discussing this with our European partners. We are told that if we do not restore it, up to 90 billion euros of EU funding for Ukraine could be blocked. This is a very high price.

We are waiting for an official request from the European Union. I discussed this with the President of the European Council, António Costa. We must understand what the official position of the EU is.

Also, we are looking at other options. Perhaps this pipeline can be used for other purposes, not for Russian oil. We are ready for dialogue, but we will always defend the interests of Ukraine and our people."