Breaking News: Sens Graham & Blumenthal Spot on w/ Bill & Rhetoric in Ukraine Support. But...Trump.

Hello Team

🎦 00:00-00:46⏩
Jonathan welcomes viewers to a belated Ukraine War breaking news update. The video focuses on Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat) visiting Kyiv to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia. Jonathan notes this discussion ties into his previous analysis of Donald Trump's "two weeks" rhetoric regarding the conflict.

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Donald Trump's Stance on Ukraine and Putin

🎦 00:46-05:41⏩
Jonathan references a CNN clip illustrating Donald Trump's repeated "two weeks" claims about resolving the Ukraine conflict, highlighting Trump's consistent favouring of Russia. He criticises Trump's refusal to label Putin as an enemy, observing that Trump often resorts to "both-sides-ism," disproportionately criticising President Zelensky instead of Putin. Jonathan also mentions Trump's claims regarding the "Russia, Russia, Russia hoax" and his lawsuit against the New York Times. He expresses deep disappointment with Trump's apparent indifference to Russia's aggressive actions, including missile strikes and civilian casualties, attributing this to Trump's lack of engagement with intelligence briefings.

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Russian Threats of Further Territorial Seizures

🎦 05:41-06:49⏩
Jonathan reports on a threat from Russian MP Andrei Kartapilov, stating that Ukraine will lose Sumy, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro if it refuses a "peace deal." This signifies Russia's intent to continue the war and seize more Ukrainian territory unless their demands are met. Jonathan points out that this psychological pressure is being ramped up by Moscow despite only minor gains on the front lines, and again notes Trump's apparent ignorance of such critical developments due to his lack of proper intelligence briefings.

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UK and French Contingency Planning for Ukraine's Defence

🎦 06:49-07:22⏩
According to The Daily Telegraph, British and French officials are reportedly drawing up plans for Ukraine's long-term defence against Russia without American support. This marks a significant shift, as European politicians had previously hoped for continued US involvement. Jonathan highlights that Europe can no longer deny Trump's effective abandonment of Ukraine, necessitating a focus on sustaining Kyiv's defence independently.

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Analysis of Russia's Oil and Gas Export Revenues

🎦 07:22-08:12⏩
Jonathan presents BBC data indicating that Russia has earned €883 billion from oil and gas exports since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Remarkably, €228 billion of this revenue still comes from countries that have imposed sanctions. Despite restrictions, Russia's energy revenues only dropped by 5% in 2024 compared to 2023, with the rouble's value playing a key role in their earnings from exports.

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Zelensky's Body Language with US Senators in Kyiv

🎦 08:12-10:26⏩
Jonathan observes President Zelensky's body language during his meeting with Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal in Kyiv. He notes the strained interaction with Graham, interpreting it as a reflection of Graham's previous public support for Trump after Zelensky was "ambushed" at the White House, which Jonathan felt was a "stab in the back" for Zelensky. In contrast, Zelensky displayed significantly more warmth and openness towards Senator Blumenthal.

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Senators' Strong Rhetoric on Military Aid and Sanctions

🎦 10:26-17:58⏩
Senator Blumenthal advocates for increased military aid to Ukraine, specifically mentioning radar, Patriot systems, artillery, and critically, planes (F-16s). Jonathan expresses his view that Trump is "enemy number two" after Putin due to his role in the prolonged gap in US aid to Ukraine. Both senators stress the importance of moving forward with a robust sanctions bill in Congress, aiming to send a clear message to Putin, who they believe underestimates US resolve. Graham explicitly dismisses Trump's "two weeks" peace deal and the Istanbul talks as a "charade," asserting that Russia is merely "playing a game" and will face severe US sanctions. Graham also makes the point that Ukraine is not losing the war, despite the precarious situation on the front lines in the North and Donetsk region.

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Details of Proposed US Sanctions and Aid Package for Ukraine

🎦 17:58-22:12⏩
The proposed bill outlines significant measures:

• Seizing Russian assets: $300 billion in frozen Russian assets (mostly held in Belgium) would be seized and repurposed for military aid and reconstruction in Ukraine.
• Ukraine's mineral revenues: Plans include tapping Ukraine's mineral revenues for increased military aid.
• Tariffs on China: A substantial 500% tariff on Chinese imports would be imposed if China continues to purchase Russian oil.

These sanctions are supported by 82 US senators and aim to "crush Russia's oil-based economy," which one senator likened to "a gas station with nukes." The senators also reiterated that the May 16th Istanbul talks were a "charade," with Putin stalling for time to prepare for an autumn offensive, while Ukraine remains ready to compromise.

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Concerns over Donald Trump's Ignorance and Obstruction

🎦 22:12-25:18⏩
Jonathan expresses profound concern over Donald Trump's apparent ignorance regarding the bipartisan sanctions bill. Trump repeatedly states "I don't know" when asked about the bill, which has been under discussion for months. Jonathan describes Trump as "the most clueless president in history" concerning important news and intelligence briefings, arguing that this lack of knowledge directly obstructs crucial support for Ukraine. He stresses that this situation is deeply worrying given the bill's significance.

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China's Blame Game and NATO Expansion Stance

🎦 25:18-28:43⏩
Jonathan discusses China's stance at the UN, where its representative blamed the US for the war's outbreak and continuation – rhetoric that ironically aligns with Trump's own views. He speculates this alignment might push Trump to oppose China, and by extension, Russia. Jonathan also notes reports of Chinese lasers being used by Russia to shoot down Ukrainian drones, indicating increased military support for Russia. Separately, NATO has refused Russia's demand for written guarantees to halt its eastward expansion, including for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. Jonathan highlights Trump's past blaming of NATO expansionism and how his allies, such as Keith Kellogg, have declared Ukraine's NATO membership "off the table," which undermines both NATO and Ukraine's bargaining power.

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Outlook on US Support and Lindsey Graham's Strategy

28:43-30:49⏩Jonathan is buoyed by the strong rhetoric and proposed bill from Senators Graham and Blumenthal, believing it could provide crucial military and economic support for Ukraine. However, he identifies Trump and his "lackeys" as the primary obstacle, seeing them as "deeply compromised." Despite his earlier criticism of Lindsey Graham for "stabbing Zelensky in the back" by supporting Trump publicly, Jonathan now considers a theory: Graham's perceived weakness in aligning with Trump might have been a strategic move to maintain his position and influence, thereby enabling him to push this bipartisan bill forward and potentially secure a "Trumpian rubber stamp." He hopes history will reveal this complex political manoeuvring was ultimately beneficial for Ukraine.

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Wrap up

🎦 30:49-30:50⏩
Jonathan thanks his audience and signs off, promising to speak to them soon.

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