Lena Dour

Dean (ret). Besides parish life and social work interested in History of Art and Church Architecture.

[Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum]

"If there is to be any hope that the democracies, and especially what was once the greatest of them all, will retain or regain their moral compass, we must all keep shouting from the rooftops: “This is a lie!”; “That is a lie!”; “The leader of the United States is lying!”

[Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en]

PM Frederiksen:

I fundamentally do not believe that Putin can be trusted.

I also don't think we should cooperate with Russia.

What are we supposed to cooperate on when they want to take over parts of Europe?

They are waging war against Europe every single day, directly in Ukraine, and through hybrid warfare against the rest of us.

If Russia wanted peace, they could simply stop.

They are the ones attacking. Nobody else is attacking in Europe right now except Russia.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

We don’t use Starlink for our responses inside Russia. We use Starlink to intercept jet-powered “shaheds” that attack our civilians and kill families.

Starlink wasn’t turned off – its speed was reduced. And when the speed was reduced, we were unable to intercept a certain number of jet-powered “shaheds.” We couldn’t use a tool that helps protect people. That’s very painful and frustrating.

We also use Starlink for mid-range strikes against enemy military targets in our temporarily occupied territories. We couldn’t do that when the restrictions were in place. And third, what matters most is people. Our warriors, who spend weeks and months on the front line, receive food and water delivered by drones using Starlink.

Has the speed been fully restored to what it was before? No. Is it being restored now? Yes.

From a conversation with media representatives in Brussels. (2/3)

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

I discussed with Prime Minister of Belgium @Bart_DeWever the consequences of round-the-clock Russian attacks on residential buildings, energy, and other critical infrastructure in Ukraine. This evening alone, the Russians struck energy facilities in two regions. Almost 15,000 people in Volyn have been left without power. Some districts in Kyiv and the region are partially without electricity supply. In some communities, repair crews cannot even begin restoration work because of the threat of Russian double-tap strikes.

I briefed the Prime Minister in detail on Russian terror and our needs. Right now, F-16s are helping significantly in repelling attacks by jet-powered “shaheds.” We are working with Belgium to receive additional fighter jets as soon as possible. We also discussed the possibility of additional supplies of munitions for them. Every decision on defense support saves lives. I thank the Prime Minister and Belgium for their assistance and readiness to continue supporting our efforts to protect lives.

[Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum]

A decision has been made to kill more civilians in Ukraine

[Aurora Borealis 🤫 @aborealis940]

President @ZelenskyyUa was greeted by an honour guard outside the British Prime Minister’s residence - reportedly a historic first, as no foreign leader has ever received such honours at Downing Street before.

@andyburnham is seemingly sending a clear message about how highly the UK values Zelenskyy as an ally.

Thank you, UK, for standing with Ukraine, for your unwavering support, and for treating our President with such dignity and respect 🇺🇦♥️🇬🇧

[WW3finalboss @WW3finalboss]

HILLARY CLINTON WARNED ABOUT TRUMP AND PUTIN BACK IN 2016 🇺🇸🇷🇺

October 19, 2016. The final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Nearly a decade later, one exchange from that night remains strikingly relevant to the debate over Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Trump declared: “Putin has no respect for this person.”

Clinton immediately turned the accusation around:

“That’s because he’d rather have a puppet as president of the United States. You’re willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do.”

It was an extraordinary accusation to make against a presidential opponent on national television.

Clinton was arguing that Trump’s rhetoric toward Moscow and his criticism of NATO aligned with Russian strategic interests. Trump rejected the broader suggestion that he was under Putin’s influence.

The exchange is worth revisiting today, particularly as Trump’s approach to Russia, Ukraine and European security continues to provoke controversy.

Clinton’s words were a political accusation, not proof that Trump was controlled by Moscow. But they captured a disagreement that would remain central to American foreign policy long after the 2016 election.

The argument was never simply about whether Putin respected one American politician more than another. It was about whether Washington would confront Russian ambitions or accommodate them.

And almost ten years later, that question has hardly disappeared.

[MM  @adgirlMM]

If this is what the Trump administration is doing to hundreds of perfectly healthy mature trees in Washington, D.C. in broad daylight, imagine what they're doing to our national forests, protected public lands, and the Arctic Refuge.

[Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum]

In 1987 Trump visited Moscow. Since then, "He has changed his mind about abortion and crypto, he has supported different political parties... but his dislike of America’s democratic allies and his preference for Russia have remained remarkably consistent."
https://t.co/62rFaSHOop

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Russian losses have increased in recent months. In the Dobropillia area alone, the Russians are losing around 200 troops killed every day. They also have many badly wounded. We are stopping every enemy attempt to advance or infiltrate. Ukraine's frontline positions remain strong.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

It is clear that Putin does not read Truth Social, and his “shahed” drones follow a different set of instructions. But we in Ukraine immediately supported the idea of an energy ceasefire, as we did more than once for months when we ourselves put forward this idea. We agreed to an energy ceasefire. The American team knows very well what this means for us.

We do not have major oil reserves, large oil export capacity, or dozens of oil refineries. In Ukraine, we have just one oil refinery, and it was badly damaged by Russian strikes long ago. We import large amounts of diesel and other oil products. And I am grateful to all our neighbors, especially Poland, for helping us with our energy needs. For us, the key issue is electricity. Russia started its campaign of strikes against our power generation and power grid years ago. And every winter, including this one, Russians try to make these attacks even more intense – we have power cuts every single day.

For Russia, of course, gasoline shortages and burning oil refineries – because of our strikes in response – are painful. And these are not the same volumes that could be lost because of the crisis in Hormuz. But if Russia wants us to stop our long-range strikes against its oil refineries and oil exports, then Russia must stop its strikes against our energy system and critical infrastructure. This is only fair.

From a speech at the Warsaw Security Forum. (1/3)

[Liz Webster @LizWebsterSBF]

‼️ If the Prime Minister has now been told that Russia interfered in the 2016 referendum, the public is entitled to know what happened, what the intelligence services concluded, who was involved, and why the evidence was not properly examined and disclosed years ago.

We need a public inquiry to examine what government knew about foreign interference, when it knew it, what intelligence existed before and after the referendum, what advice ministers received, and whether Parliament was given a materially incomplete picture when Theresa May served Article 50 notification.

[Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum]

There is, writes @davidfrum, an "implicit quid pro quo in these lucrative deals offered to Trump’s family and friends: If you compel Ukraine to surrender, we will enrich you beyond reckoning"

https://t.co/9ZgEjEnfya

[Reggie B. @reggiebblue]

Pope Leo just destroyed “pro-lifers” by calling out their hypocrisy. You can’t be pro-life while at the same time advocating for the death penalty especially one that is livestreamed. You can’t be pro-life if you are okay with how this administration is treating immigrants.

“Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion’ but says ‘I’m in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life.”

“Someone who says that ‘I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhumane treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,’ I don't know if that's pro-life.”

These are not leftist beliefs btw. This is just basic human decency.

Trump and MAGA about to attack Pope Leo again.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

A very good and timely conversation with UK Prime Minister @AndyBurnham. Thank you for the support and for your condolences to all those who have lost loved ones because of Russian attacks. I briefed the Prime Minister on such Russian strikes that have continued unabated throughout the day today against various Ukrainian cities – aerial bombs, “shaheds,” ballistic missiles. Air defense is, of course, the first priority.

And, importantly, there should be real decisions to protect lives in Ukraine and to support our joint work in Europe for security. British leadership is always significant, and it matters that the UK will continue to ramp up sanctions pressure on Russia for its escalation. We discussed this and what could truly help diplomacy work. We are preparing the right joint steps and a meeting. Thank you.

[UAVoyager🇺🇦 @CrimeanVoyager]

Zaporizhzhia. The heartbreaking reality of life in Ukraine.

A husband and wife are pulled alive from the rubble of their home. Their daughter is dead.

Two parents survived. Their little girl didn’t.

We don’t hate russia and its enablers enough.

[Anna-Lena Laurén @AnnalenaLauren]

"Att Sverige nu säljer ut skogar till dessa män och låter myndigheter kontraktera deras företag för säkerhetspolitiska tjänster, i en tid då Washington öppet talar om att försvaga europeisk demokrati, framstår som ett rent självsabotage."
https://t.co/KzfJ2SDuAq

[Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63]

Trump doesn't want to hide anymore. He is Putin's business partner (a junior one!) and thus an accomplice in Russian crimes against humanity in Ukraine. And a reminder to members of Trump's administration, especially those who are planning to run for their boss's office in 2028—you will not be able to wash the blood of innocent Ukrainians from your hands. We see you and we will not forget, forgive, or let anyone else forget.

[The Frame Blog @TheFrameBlogX]

Trump has broken his own sanctions on buying Russian energy; he is letting Ukrainians be slaughtered daily; he is going full-tilt into the archaic barbarity of public & repeated executions; he is waging an uncalled-for war of his own; and he has sent the US back into a Dark Age.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv – a bipartisan delegation – and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war. And today, there was a conversation between the leaders of America and Russia. A conversation that leads to something different.

Recently, there was a European decision to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Since then, Russian strikes and the torment of people have only increased. This past week alone, there was a brutal Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, aerial bombs were dropped on Kramatorsk – on ordinary city buses – and there have been constant attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure and on the life-sustaining infrastructure in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and our other cities. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds wounded.

The Russians are compensating for their inability to achieve their objectives on the battlefield with this kind of terror. This year, Russia is weaker on the battlefield than at any other point in the war. That is why Putin is relying on terror. That is why he is relying on attempts to strike backroom deals to secure some form of pressure relief for Russia, in order to buy more time and more opportunities for war.

Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world.

Ukraine is ready to take symmetrical de-escalatory steps, and the American team knows our position. Our strikes on Russian oil refineries and other oil facilities are a response to Russia’s years-long campaign of terror against Ukraine’s energy sector. Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise.

Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will “repay” the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis.

We count on America’s fair support for our defense of life, for our defense of people in Ukraine – and on the United States having a correspondingly strong conversation with Russia. A strong one, not a weak one.