⚠️🇺🇸 Events are moving fast. The US is ramping up pressure on Ukraine: all intelligence sharing has been halted, not just for strikes deep into Russia, Sky News reports.

Pressure on Russia? Nowhere to be seen.

news.sky.com/story/trump-...

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 5 March 2025 at 16:06

❗️🇺🇸 The US is holding Ukraine hostage to negotiations while ignoring Russia’s relentless attacks on civilians and infrastructure. Trump’s team says aid might resume—if Kyiv complies. No consequences for Moscow, just pressure on Ukraine.

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 5 March 2025 at 13:59

🚨 Federalist MEPs from Volt call for treaty reform ahead of Thursday's EU summit. Their nine-point action plan includes stripping Hungary of voting rights, making Kaja Kallas EU foreign minister, creating a European army, and preparing for enlargement.

www.politico.eu/newsletter/b...

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 5 March 2025 at 10:58

⚡️ As part of their “intention to have peace,” Russian forces struck an energy facility in Odesa region, says DTEK.

This marks the 4th attack on the region’s energy system in two weeks. Emergency recovery work will begin as soon as soon as possible.

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 5 March 2025 at 07:33

Germany examines options to prevent the Baltic Sea pipeline's 'Nord Stream 2' revival, amid secret U.S.-Russia talks about purchasing it. Talks, reportedly involving Trump, face resistance in Germany. Experts warn it would strengthen US-Russian ties.

www.bild.de/politik/gehe...

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 5 March 2025 at 08:43

Blow it up.

To stop aid now means to help Putin. On the surface, this looks really bad. It looks like [Donald Trump] is pushing us towards capitulation, (accepting) Russia's demands. The main thing is that this a psychological blow, a political blow upon Ukraine, it doesn't help our spirit. This is worse than Munich, because at least there they didn't try to paint Czechoslovakia as the aggressor, but here they try to accuse the victim of aggression – it is extremely dangerous.

The Guardian

Recently, I asked Ukrainian frontline soldiers what they thought about the negotiations. Those in action are too busy fighting to follow everyday news from Munich, Riyadh, Washington and Kyiv. Yet they generally feel that "Donald Trump is heading in the wrong direction". Today, as Trump "pauses" all military aid, they will know those instincts were right.

It was never the case that American defence assistance – the real leverage the US has to pressure Ukraine to enter the deal with Russia – didn't matter to them. For the last weeks the Ukrainian media has been full of analysis and comment by the Ukrainian military on whether it is possible to fight without America's weapons. Soldiers and officers explained which equipment is critical to the effort, and raised concerns that the military leadership should have decreased its dependence on the Elon Musk-owned Starlink satellite service way earlier. But other military remind us that during the first months of the full-scale invasion, they fought with little US support, as the weapons they had initially been given were more suitable for guerrilla warfare than conventional war.

This morning, the Ukrainian air force reported destroying 65 Russian drones in nine Ukrainian regions. The suspension of the US weapons, which include ammunition, vehicles, and shells for air defence, won't affect today's battlefield. But it gives the Russians reason to intensify attacks on the energy infrastructure, something they have failed to destroy so far, primarily due to the existence of air defence. Also, after this step by Washington, the military expects the Kremlin to launch more ground attacks to exhaust Ukrainian arsenals.

Ukrainians noted but were not shaken by Trump and Vance's tone. For decades, we have had to communicate with Russians, who have lied, threatened and mocked human suffering. Even some European neighbours, the Hungarian and Slovakian leaders, act this way. During this latest meeting, it became evident that US leaders do not see Putin – the man whose army committed war crimes – as their enemy. All can see now that in Trump's world, as in Putin's world, a few big states have rights and can dominate small states.

The problem is not Zelenskyy not having "good cards", as the US leader said. It's an American president using his cards to help Putin. Since the American president does not want to have confrontational relations with the Kremlin, his only solution for the end of the war is to force Ukraine to agree to the Russian terms and for Trump, it looks like the fastest option.

Even After The White House Ambush and Now Trump’s Military Pause, Ukrainians are Defiant | The Guardian

"This decision is not about economics. It is driven fundamentally by Trump's view that Russia is willing to do a peace deal, and only Ukraine is the obstacle," Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general at defense think tank RUSI, said Tuesday in reaction to the reported halting in U.S. military aid. "But there is no evidence that Russia would be prepared to accept a deal, and what that would be. Indeed this decision will encourage Putin to ask for more — including Ukrainian demilitarisation and neutrality," he said in emailed comments.

"What will count most of all is how far the U.K. and Europe are prepared to help Ukraine in defiance of the U.S. Recent estimates suggest that only 20% of total military hardware supplied to Ukrainian forces is now from the U.S., 55% is home-produced in Ukraine and 25% from Europe and the rest of the world, but the 20% is the most lethal and important. Ukraine will not collapse — they already experienced an aid cutoff last year, but the effect will be cumulative," he said.

"More difficult would be stopping shipments of newly produced weapons from contracts Ukraine signed with the defense industry, though with funds provided by the United States. Legally, those belong to Ukraine" they noted, with the caveat that Trump's team "may be able to divert deliveries to U.S. forces" by using protocols that cite "national requirements."

The U.S. is Halting Military Aid to Ukraine, So What Happens Next?

🇬🇧🇪🇺‼️ Picking up some chatter in Brussels that Starmer may be invited to and attend this Thursday's EU leaders meeting in Bxl. Makes sense. The geopolitical context demands it

— Mujtaba Rahman (@mijrahman.bsky.social) 4 March 2025 at 09:13

The suspension of U.S. assistance for Ukraine is a very unfortunate and significant development, but it may not have immediate impact. Ukraine is far less dependent on the U.S. for day to day battlefield needs in 2025, than it was in earlier periods of the war. 1/

— Michael Kofman (@michaelkofman.bsky.social) 4 March 2025 at 14:05

Zelensky: "Today, I spoke with the leaders of Finland, the UK, Greece, Croatia, NATO, and Germany’s CDU—clear and unwavering support for Ukraine. Important news from the EC: significant funds for Europe's defense, meaning more air defense systems, missiles, and protection for our cities."

— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 4 March 2025 at 18:15

⚡️ Ukraine strikes Russian military facility in Kursk Oblast, kills up to 30 troops, General Staff reports.

The facility was reportedly used for planning attacks, including launching first-person-view (FPV) drones at Ukrainian positions. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) 4 March 2025 at 18:11

Most Americans want Ukraine aid to continue or grow, NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds.

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— UNITED24 Media (@united24media.com) 4 March 2025 at 18:13

Worth stating simply what’s happening. An American government is launching a full-scope political & economic assault on an ally repelling an ongoing invasion to compel them to terminate martial law, topple their president, hand over minerals to America & accept a ceasefire w/out security guarantees.

— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) 4 March 2025 at 15:59

🇳🇱Dutch Prime Minister discussed with Zelenskyy investments in drone production worth 700 million euros.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) 5 March 2025 at 15:09

🇺🇸🚀❌🇺🇦 A Ukrainian official told CNN on Tuesday that Kyiv’s stocks of Patriot missiles could run out in a matter of weeks, - CNN

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— The Ukrainian Review (@theukrainianreview.bsky.social) 5 March 2025 at 16:22

Starlink Rival in Talks to Boost Satellite Services to Ukraine

A western expert, familiar with Ukraine's conduct of the war, said that Kyiv already made heavy use of open source and human intelligence to identify Russian targets in the rear and wasn't particularly dependent on the US for targeting information. Giving an example, the person said that "oil refineries don't move," citing a frequent target of Ukrainian long range-drone attacks. "Donald Trump might be surprised to find that when he pulls the levers they have little impact," they added.

The Guardian

America cut crucial link for intel alerts at 2pm Kyiv. Before that: targeting data for HIMARS stopped working. Ukraine also isn't receiving real-time information for long-range strikes. "Trump wanted a thank you," says a source. "We will be writing it on graves of dead Ukrainians." - Oliver Carroll on Twitter.

Kind of amazing how a US President supposedly committed to strengthening US business is handing much of the world's arms trade to Rheinmetall, Dassault and Leonardo

— Alexander Clarkson (@aphclarkson.bsky.social) 5 March 2025 at 18:02

French Senator Claude Malhuret:

"Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a jester high on ketamine... We were at war with a dictator, we are now at war with a dictator backed by a traitor."

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— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) 5 March 2025 at 15:47

Malhuret comes from the centre-right in France. This is part of a trend we're seeing across Europe and Canada. Centre-right politicians and media are not merely abandoning Trump as a phony ideological ally, but are now strongly denouncing him as the malign tyrant of a former ally turned rogue state.

— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) 5 March 2025 at 17:25

Yeah, I'd say comparing Trump to Vidkun Quisling would be more correct by now