Ukraine War Update NEWS: Geopolitics News
Table of Contents 📖
"We only had three countries hitting the two percent mark a few years ago, now we have 23. So, I think everybody who elects their government realises we're all in this together. What a great message there from Mitch McConnell, right? A Republican, who's nailing it. We are all in this together. It's bloody important that we get to two percent spending on defenses as a percentage of GDP."
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:09⏩
Jonathan welcomes viewers to another video and introduces the topic for discussion: Geopolitics.
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Dmitry Medvedev: Russia's goal is to destroy Ukraine completely and future battles are coming
🎦 00:09-01:43⏩
Jonathan discusses Dmitry Medvedev's recent comments in which he confirms that Russia's ultimate goal is the complete destruction of Ukraine. Medvedev claims that even if Russia succeeds, they won't stop there as they believe Western enemies will empower Ukrainian radicals to return to power. He believes this will necessitate future battles to "defend the fatherland".
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UK Labour Party's Defence Spending Plans
🎦 01:43-03:35⏩
Jonathan discusses the UK Labour Party's pledge to increase military spending to 2.5% of GDP. He highlights the challenge of fulfilling this promise given the current economic climate and the need to balance defence spending with other priorities like the NHS. Jonathan points out that a significant portion of Labour's manifesto relies on economic growth.
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NATO Summit: Estonian and NATO Priorities; Civil Defence Plans in case of Article 5 Attack
🎦 03:35-05:23⏩
Jonathan discusses the NATO summit, emphasizing the Estonian Prime Minister's focus on supporting Ukraine's victory, NATO membership, and strengthening defence spending. He highlights the importance of NATO's plan for all 32 member nations to develop civil defence plans in case of an Article 5 attack, which would be triggered by a Russian attack on ports or energy infrastructure. Jonathan stresses the need for concrete plans on troop and equipment movement in a European war scenario, comparing it to NATO's existing plans for such a conflict.
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Trump's Lack of Understanding about NATO
🎦 05:23-07:14⏩
Jonathan expresses concern over former US President Donald Trump's lack of understanding of NATO, highlighting his previous statement that he didn't know what NATO was when he first became president. Jonathan criticizes Trump's repeated claims about the US paying "almost fully for NATO" as a misunderstanding of the alliance's funding structure. He argues that each country pays for its own defence, and the 2% GDP target is meant to ensure that all members are prepared to contribute if Article 5 is triggered.
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Trump's Miami Rally and Mitch McConnell on NATO's Importance
🎦 07:14-10:57⏩
Jonathan continues his critique of Trump's approach to NATO, contrasting it with the views of Republican Senator Mitch McConnell. He praises McConnell for his understanding of the current geopolitical landscape, particularly the threats posed by China, Russia, and Iran. He highlights McConnell's statement that the world is currently in "the most dangerous period since right before World War II" and applauds McConnell's call for democratic countries to stand united against authoritarianism, emphasizing the importance of NATO's role in this effort.
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Czech Republic, Switzerland, Lithuania, Japan and Ukraine: Diplomatic Actions
🎦 10:57-14:15⏩
- Jonathan reports that the Czech Foreign Minister summoned the Russian ambassador following the attack on a Ukrainian children's hospital.
- Switzerland announced new sanctions against Russia, aligning with the EU's 14th round of sanctions.
- Ukraine signed a security agreement with Luxembourg.
- Lithuania allocated €1 million for the reconstruction of a children's hospital.
- Japan provided two demining machines to Ukraine.
Mark Rutte and NATO Secretary General Candidacy: Turkish Support and Conditions
🎦 14:15-15:45⏩
Jonathan discusses Mark Rutte, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, who is expected to become the next NATO Secretary General, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg. Turkish officials have confirmed their government's support for Rutte's candidacy, but with conditions, including addressing counter-terrorism efforts against the PKK (Kurdish Workers' Party), which Turkey considers a terrorist organization, and lifting certain embargoes. Jonathan suggests that these conditions could be related to Turkey's relationship with Russia.
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Viktor Orban's Diplomatic Visits and EU Concerns; Peter Mark: A Hungarian Opposition Voice
🎦 15:45-18:02⏩
- Jonathan discusses Viktor Orban's (Prime Minister of Hungary) diplomatic visits to Turkey, following previous trips to Zelensky, Putin, and Xi Jinping. He speculates that Orban's initiative aims to position himself as a mediator and gain favour with Donald Trump. Jonathan criticizes Orban's approach to the war in Ukraine as appeasing Russia.
- Jonathan highlights concerns within the EU regarding Orban's stance, citing anonymous diplomatic sources who express "very clear political disapproval" of Orban's recent trips to Moscow and Beijing, suggesting these actions could jeopardize Hungary's upcoming presidency of the EU Council.
- Jonathan contrasts Orban with Peter Magyar, a Hungarian opposition politician who travelled to Ukraine to show support. Jonathan highlights Magyar's condemnation of Russia's attack on the children's hospital, his criticism of Orban's trip to Moscow, and his pro-EU and pro-NATO stance, positioning him as a preferable alternative to Orban.
Poland Halts Belarusian Trucks; Japan Arrests Russian for Sanctions Evasion
🎦 18:02-18:55⏩
- Jonathan reports that Poland has stopped allowing trucks from Belarus to cross the border at the Kozlovichy checkpoint, citing reports from the Belarusian customs committee.
- Jonathan mentions the arrest of a Russian national in Japan on suspicion of sanctions evasion, marking the first such arrest in Japan since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The individual is suspected of exporting dual-use items to South Korea.
Iran's New President and Continued Partnership with Russia
🎦 18:55-19:49⏩
Jonathan discusses Iran's new president-elect and his assurance to Putin of a continued partnership between the two countries. He highlights the president-elect's plan to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Russia at the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. Jonathan expresses skepticism about the new Iranian president's claim of being a "reformist," arguing that true reform in Iran is unlikely and that this is likely a superficial change. He sees the continued close ties with Russia as evidence of this.
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Clooney Foundation Files Complaint Against Russia at the UN
🎦 19:49-20:47⏩
Jonathan reports on the Clooney Foundation for Justice (founded by George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney, a human rights lawyer) and their recent legal action against Russia. The foundation, along with the Ukrainian organization Truth Hounds, filed a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee over a Russian missile attack in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, in 2022 that killed 18 civilians. The complaint aims to set a precedent for holding Russia accountable for civilian casualties during the war.
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French Election Update: Coalition Breakdown and Potential for Paralysis
🎦 20:47-23:11⏩
Jonathan provides an update on the French elections, presenting an infographic that details the breakdown of the National Assembly by political coalitions. He highlights that while the left-wing coalition holds the most seats (182), it is a broad coalition, suggesting potential internal divisions. He points out that Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party secured the largest number of seats (126) within their coalition. Jonathan expresses concern over the potential for political paralysis given the lack of a clear majority, suggesting that this could benefit the far-right.
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US Republican 2024 Platform Omits Mention of Ukraine; Concerns over Trump's Foreign Policy Approach
🎦 23:11-24:47⏩
Jonathan expresses concern over the omission of the war in Ukraine from the US Republican Party's 2024 electoral platform, highlighting the lack of focus on foreign policy. He contrasts this with the UK, where all major political parties, including the Greens, have taken a strong stance in support of Ukraine. Jonathan attributes the Republican Party's silence on Ukraine to the controversial foreign policy approach of Donald Trump and his supporters, who hold differing views on Russia and Ukraine compared to traditional Republicans like Mitch McConnell. Jonathan reiterates his concerns about Trump's foreign policy knowledge and competence.
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Nigel Farage and Reform UK's Silence on Ukraine
🎦 24:47-25:15⏩
Jonathan draws a parallel between Donald Trump's stance on Ukraine and that of Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party. He points out that Reform UK is the only major party in the UK that didn't mention Ukraine in its manifesto. He sees this as significant, given the close relationship between Trump and Farage and their shared populist, nationalist rhetoric.
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New UK Parliament: Observations on Decorum and Nigel Farage's Behaviour
🎦 25:15-27:51⏩
Jonathan shares his observations on the new UK Parliament, having listened to the entire session where the new Speaker of the House was elected. He expresses admiration for the current speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, praising his performance and noting his neutrality despite being a Labour Party member. Jonathan describes the speeches given by the party leaders as heartwarming and respectful, praising the peaceful transfer of power. However, he criticizes Nigel Farage for his inappropriate behavior during the session, citing Farage's disrespectful remarks about the previous speaker as evidence of his character and drawing a comparison to Donald Trump's behavior.
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Concerns Over Growing Right-Wing Extremism and the Influence of Putinism
🎦 27:51-31:51⏩
Jonathan expresses deep concern about the rise of right-wing extremism in the US and the influence of Putinism. He highlights the increasing association between conservative religious groups and the far-right's stance on LGBTQ+ issues, noting that both groups often demonize and persecute LGBTQ+ individuals. He cites a concerning video from Tim Pool, a prominent figure in right-wing media, where Pool calls for the imprisonment and potential execution of Democrats, accusing them of treason. Jonathan condemns this rhetoric, expressing alarm at the growing acceptance of such extreme views. He worries that these trends could lead to a dystopian future similar to East Germany under Soviet rule.
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Wrap up
🎦 31:51-32:04⏩
Jonathan thanks viewers for watching and signs off.
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