Recognising the annexation of Crimea would be a disaster.

Not only would this further destroy the relationship with Ukraine and the rest of NATO, it would also be a devastating own goal in the “Pivot to Asia”.

It sets a dangerous precedent that will encourage China to move on Taiwan even sooner.

— Oliver Alexander (@oalexanderdk.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 08:56

🇱🇹Lithuania, 🇵🇱Poland, 🇱🇻Latvia and 🇪🇪Estonia have announced their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines.

— MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 07:57

Nukes will be next for Poland.

"Well, President Putin has a respect for President Trump." - the White House.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 14:25

Meanwhile RT is openly mocking him, Russian Government funded media.

And in this video Putin straight up laughs at him.

Meanwhile:

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— xando0.bsky.social (@xando0.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 14:29

In a truly historic decision, the outgoing German parliament has passed an amendment to the constitution that will essentially exempt spending on national security from the Constitutional debt break, as well as a 500 billion EUR infrastructure package. The significance of this cannot be overstated.

— Georg ‘Maverick’ Löfflmann (@gloefflmann.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 15:12

Germany is waking up, I'm glad they're on our side this time around

Addressing the Bundestag just now, presumed next chancellor Friedrich Merz told lawmakers that the proposed package of reforms was primarily motivated by "Putin's war of aggression against Europe".

"A war against Europe, and not just a war against the territorial integrity of Ukraine," he said.

"We will defend ourselves against these attacks on our open society, on our freedom … with everything at our disposal," he promised. Merz said that Germany had to "rebuild our defence capabilities, in part from scratch," naming his priorities in procurement, European satellite systems, drones, among others.

Speaking before him, the SDP's co-leader Lars Klingbeil said lawmakers were facing "a historic decision," that could "give our country's history a new direction, a positive beginning for Germany, a positive beginning for Europe." He said that Europe needs to acknowledge it finds itself between "aggressive" and "neo-imperial" Russia and "unpredictable" US, and "must now do our homework."

Estonia has confirmed its plans to raise defence spending to “at least” 5% of GDP from 2026 in response to increasingly aggressive Russia.

The government said in a press release that it would push for changes to be implemented next year, recording a major jump from 3.43% GDP in the last Nato figures for 2024.

“Russia’s strategic goals have not changed in any way. The aggression of its eastern neighbour threatens all countries around it in Europe and Nato included,” the country’s prime minister Kristen Michal was quoted as saying.

The Guardian

5% is quite a lot, I hope they don't overburden themselves in the long run

❗️❗️ Putin supported Trump's idea of ​​a mutual 30-day renunciation of attacks on energy infrastructure by Russia and Ukraine and gave such an order to military.

Putin told Trump about the need to stop Ukraine's mobilization and rearmament of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

— MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 17:28

Lol...The ceasefire has been whittled down to a ceasefire on energy infrastructure...Just as Ukraine exits Winter...Putin only wants this because Ukraine has been absolutely hammering their oil facilities which is crippling their economy and ability to hold up their army. In the mean time he wants a complete surrender of Ukraine and to dismantle their army, yeah, okay.

But hey, at least the great negotiator got hockey matches back!

🤔 Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin's idea to organize hockey matches in the US and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL, - Kremlin

— MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 17:29

And a Naval ceasefire in the Black Sea (Maybe) after Ukraine has already defeated Russia's Black Sea Navy.

❗️ Trump and Putin agreed that the move toward peace would begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical talks to implement a naval ceasefire in the Black Sea, — White House.

A future with improved bilateral relations between the US and Russia has enormous benefits.

— MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 17:31

Trump went from "Ceasefire everywhere!" to "Both sides can continue killing each other, just as long as they aren't hitting energy infrastructures" which at this moment in time as we enter Spring for Ukraine and Ukraine is battering Russia's oil refineries, benefits Russia way more than it does Ukraine. What happened to the ceasefire on the frontline Trump? Lol.

This is the correct framing

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— Luke McGee (@lukemcgee.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 17:47

Trump only speaks one language, ultimately

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— Luke McGee (@lukemcgee.bsky.social) 18 March 2025 at 17:42

Trump's going to ring up Zelenskyy and tell him the amazing news, hockey matches are back on between America and Russia!

Such an amazing negotiator, surrendered Putin a dozen concessions and Putin still managed to whittle his ceasefire proposal down to even less than what he originally proposed, Lmao. And this isn't a comment about whether a full ceasefire is a good thing or not but a comment on how fucking terrible Trump's negotiation skills are, he's either the biggest moron on the planet or a Russian asset. Russia's oil facilities are saved by Trump, whilst Russia is still allowed to bomb Ukrainian civilians but hey, at least Russia can't bomb Ukraine's energy facilities now, in the fucking Spring, Lol.