This is impressive reporting on Ukraine. I already was aware of some of this news as I read Phillips O’Brien and have seen his interviews with Ukrainians. I also saw Zelensky’s excellent presentation if their drone technology to the British parliament. I am convinced that Ukraine will be a very important part of a new European leadership.
If we were in a war together, Diane, I would want you in a foxhole with me to keep me motivated and confident. Yes, without a doubt, Ukraine is the world leader in drone technology and asymmetric wars. But Russia is not all that far behind and copies everything Ukraine does while producing its own innovations (which Ukraine then copies). Courage, character, and motivation count for something, but Russia's huge resource base and Putin's obsessive intent to take all of Ukraine also count for something. If, after David's first stone, Goliath had raised himself and come after David, all of David's courage and motivation may not have prevailed.
Pres. Zelensky acknowledged that the war with Iran may have tilted the outcome in Russia's favor. And there still is Trump, who may not have much to offer Ukraine after exhausting his advanced arsenal on the Iranians. He is also a very vengeful president who may simply decide to ban any further sales to NATO, including PURL. I think it is a foregone conclusion that Trump will, one way or another, "partner" with Russia. Call it Russia derangement syndrome. That is why it is so important to vote Democrat this November.....to deny Trump the House.
Which leads us to Europe and NATO. Even now, neither Europe nor NATO is displaying the sort of unity and conviction that one can "take to the bank." Two examples: the $90 billion held up by the Hungarian tail wagging the EU dog, and the Russian sovereign money that should have gone to Ukraine but is held up by another tail in Brussels. Or consider Spain and Italy. Countries that are serious about the danger they face if Ukraine is defeated would have already quietly made it clear to the two tails to go pound sand. I recall how united the EU was in sanctioning Austria diplomatically in 2000 when one of Austria's politicians (Jorg Haider) remarked sympathetically on aspects of Nazi policy. Where is Europe when Orban hijacked $82 million from a Ukrainian armored vehicle, making a bank-to-bank transfer?
Ukrainians were driving across Hungary in an armored van carrying gold bars and cash from PrivatBank to an Austrian bank. It was a routine trip with six guards and fully registered with the Hungarian government. Orban instructed his special forces troops, who were fully armed and armored with a machine gun and grenade launcher, to stop the van, take the Ukrainian guards into custody, deny them any contact with the Ukrainian consul, and kept them in jail for a night...... then let them return to Ukraine, but without the cash and gold bars. Orban said he'll keep the cash and gold bars until the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil (and which the Russians accidentally hit with a ballistic missile) is fixed. Europe was silent.
"On 5 March 2026, Hungary’s tax and customs authority stopped two armored vehicles near Budapest that were carrying funds for Ukraine’s state savings bank Oschadbank. �Officials detained seven Ukrainian bank staff and seized roughly 40 million dollars, 35 million euros, and about 9 kg of gold (around 82 million dollars total). �The Ukrainians were later expelled and banned from entering the EU/Schengen area for three years on Hungarian “national security” grounds. "
I had a dream - & Diane, you provided it. I've often said, told, reported that UKR placed high priority on education - technology etc. was prime support. The result, thanks to a very verbally abused Zelenskyy, who stood taller than ANY leaders of the world, has not only ALL the cards but also has a 'poker face'. As a staunch Ukrainian supporter & a Ukrainian born in Canada, I still feel the ties with that country & the people. Slava UKR!!!
only the best" for Trump ( A Confederacy of Dunces )who is now actually rewarding Putin for actively assisting Iran target and kill Americans. I have come to believe that Putin has Kompromat on Trump that is so so so bad that it makes the as of now released Epstein files seam innocuous
This quality of sobering, accurate, informative reporting reminds me of the Walter Cronkite days (which makes me an ol' fart). I'm just one of legions who are very grateful for the research and resultant posts that Ms. Francis shares. And indeed, Ukraine is playing with a stacked hand, particularly where Russia is concerned.
Nice to get some good news from and for Ukraine. Kudos for Zelensky. Is there an organization that could hand out an annual 'dunce cap' for the politician who most effectively snatched defeat from the jaws of victory?
Perhaps Diane could start a new annual ranking list for heads of state who deserve the award.
More seriously, I was not aware of the Russian complications in internal Israeli politics. Could we have some elucidation on that score?
Thank you, Diane, for this enlightening article. It is so encouraging to see what Zelenskyy has accomplished against all odds. Now I understand why Putin wanted Ukraine.
We are so fortunate that Zelenskyy was elected, and certainly a much more intelligent and charismatic personality than the one leading the US into a greater war with Iran.
Zelenskyy's offer of support to the US / Trump shows you just how gracious and classy he is compared to Trump and his unqualified team (mostly FOX TV hosts).
Ukraine must become a NATO member. Canada needs Ukraine's drone technology to defend the Arctic, our coastlines and most likely the US-Canada border. Taiwan is also another candidate to protect itself from China.
Wait....What? Canada is going to "defend" thousands of miles of coastlines and its' border along the United States with drones. First, what phantom menace is "attacking" Canada? Will Mark Carney control these drones from his war room located at CBC's offices? Elbows up! I can't stop laughing.
Excellent Diane….trump is too dumb and arrogant to take on board the wisdom and experience of others. Moreover, the chaos in the world is being caused by these 70+ year old dictators including trump….there is a vacuum of leadership worldwide…who will emerge and when beyond zelensky?
By the way, your sentence on Israel should be reconsidered. You would think the Israeli’s who ran away from Russia would have no love for Putin and would revel in the demise of that criminal enterprise referred to as a country (with a veto in the demonic organization referred to as the U.N.). Netanyahu had enough going on at the time he “rejected” helping Zelenskyy (a fellow Jew). At the time Putins forces were just across Israels border in Syria supporting Assad while Israel was actively dealing with Putins pals, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. We don’t have any way of knowing what Israel may have done behind the scenes for Zelensky but your statement berating Israel’s actions at that moment lacked proper context. Please understand that I love what you do but we would need to have access to much more “inside info” before being so openly critical of some of the public actions we are witness to.
I’m not sure I want to push Putin “far enough” or what that even looks like. Putin has demonstrated time and again that he is unconcerned about the cost needed to feed his megalomaniacal ambitions, and that scares me. Rather, let’s push Russians far enough to take matters into their own hands and defenestrate the man who would be emperor. I have no idea what comes after Putin, but could it possibly be worse?
This is impressive reporting on Ukraine. I already was aware of some of this news as I read Phillips O’Brien and have seen his interviews with Ukrainians. I also saw Zelensky’s excellent presentation if their drone technology to the British parliament. I am convinced that Ukraine will be a very important part of a new European leadership.
If we were in a war together, Diane, I would want you in a foxhole with me to keep me motivated and confident. Yes, without a doubt, Ukraine is the world leader in drone technology and asymmetric wars. But Russia is not all that far behind and copies everything Ukraine does while producing its own innovations (which Ukraine then copies). Courage, character, and motivation count for something, but Russia's huge resource base and Putin's obsessive intent to take all of Ukraine also count for something. If, after David's first stone, Goliath had raised himself and come after David, all of David's courage and motivation may not have prevailed.
Pres. Zelensky acknowledged that the war with Iran may have tilted the outcome in Russia's favor. And there still is Trump, who may not have much to offer Ukraine after exhausting his advanced arsenal on the Iranians. He is also a very vengeful president who may simply decide to ban any further sales to NATO, including PURL. I think it is a foregone conclusion that Trump will, one way or another, "partner" with Russia. Call it Russia derangement syndrome. That is why it is so important to vote Democrat this November.....to deny Trump the House.
Which leads us to Europe and NATO. Even now, neither Europe nor NATO is displaying the sort of unity and conviction that one can "take to the bank." Two examples: the $90 billion held up by the Hungarian tail wagging the EU dog, and the Russian sovereign money that should have gone to Ukraine but is held up by another tail in Brussels. Or consider Spain and Italy. Countries that are serious about the danger they face if Ukraine is defeated would have already quietly made it clear to the two tails to go pound sand. I recall how united the EU was in sanctioning Austria diplomatically in 2000 when one of Austria's politicians (Jorg Haider) remarked sympathetically on aspects of Nazi policy. Where is Europe when Orban hijacked $82 million from a Ukrainian armored vehicle, making a bank-to-bank transfer?
I never heard about the $82 million hijacked by Orban. That is disgusting.
Ukrainians were driving across Hungary in an armored van carrying gold bars and cash from PrivatBank to an Austrian bank. It was a routine trip with six guards and fully registered with the Hungarian government. Orban instructed his special forces troops, who were fully armed and armored with a machine gun and grenade launcher, to stop the van, take the Ukrainian guards into custody, deny them any contact with the Ukrainian consul, and kept them in jail for a night...... then let them return to Ukraine, but without the cash and gold bars. Orban said he'll keep the cash and gold bars until the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil (and which the Russians accidentally hit with a ballistic missile) is fixed. Europe was silent.
"On 5 March 2026, Hungary’s tax and customs authority stopped two armored vehicles near Budapest that were carrying funds for Ukraine’s state savings bank Oschadbank. �Officials detained seven Ukrainian bank staff and seized roughly 40 million dollars, 35 million euros, and about 9 kg of gold (around 82 million dollars total). �The Ukrainians were later expelled and banned from entering the EU/Schengen area for three years on Hungarian “national security” grounds. "
I had a dream - & Diane, you provided it. I've often said, told, reported that UKR placed high priority on education - technology etc. was prime support. The result, thanks to a very verbally abused Zelenskyy, who stood taller than ANY leaders of the world, has not only ALL the cards but also has a 'poker face'. As a staunch Ukrainian supporter & a Ukrainian born in Canada, I still feel the ties with that country & the people. Slava UKR!!!
only the best" for Trump ( A Confederacy of Dunces )who is now actually rewarding Putin for actively assisting Iran target and kill Americans. I have come to believe that Putin has Kompromat on Trump that is so so so bad that it makes the as of now released Epstein files seam innocuous
A confederacy of dunces; I like it. It fits the whole works of them.
This quality of sobering, accurate, informative reporting reminds me of the Walter Cronkite days (which makes me an ol' fart). I'm just one of legions who are very grateful for the research and resultant posts that Ms. Francis shares. And indeed, Ukraine is playing with a stacked hand, particularly where Russia is concerned.
Nice to get some good news from and for Ukraine. Kudos for Zelensky. Is there an organization that could hand out an annual 'dunce cap' for the politician who most effectively snatched defeat from the jaws of victory?
Perhaps Diane could start a new annual ranking list for heads of state who deserve the award.
More seriously, I was not aware of the Russian complications in internal Israeli politics. Could we have some elucidation on that score?
Thank you, Diane, for this enlightening article. It is so encouraging to see what Zelenskyy has accomplished against all odds. Now I understand why Putin wanted Ukraine.
We are so fortunate that Zelenskyy was elected, and certainly a much more intelligent and charismatic personality than the one leading the US into a greater war with Iran.
Zelenskyy's offer of support to the US / Trump shows you just how gracious and classy he is compared to Trump and his unqualified team (mostly FOX TV hosts).
Ukraine must become a NATO member. Canada needs Ukraine's drone technology to defend the Arctic, our coastlines and most likely the US-Canada border. Taiwan is also another candidate to protect itself from China.
Let's Go Ukraine.
Wait....What? Canada is going to "defend" thousands of miles of coastlines and its' border along the United States with drones. First, what phantom menace is "attacking" Canada? Will Mark Carney control these drones from his war room located at CBC's offices? Elbows up! I can't stop laughing.
Excellent Diane….trump is too dumb and arrogant to take on board the wisdom and experience of others. Moreover, the chaos in the world is being caused by these 70+ year old dictators including trump….there is a vacuum of leadership worldwide…who will emerge and when beyond zelensky?
By the way, your sentence on Israel should be reconsidered. You would think the Israeli’s who ran away from Russia would have no love for Putin and would revel in the demise of that criminal enterprise referred to as a country (with a veto in the demonic organization referred to as the U.N.). Netanyahu had enough going on at the time he “rejected” helping Zelenskyy (a fellow Jew). At the time Putins forces were just across Israels border in Syria supporting Assad while Israel was actively dealing with Putins pals, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. We don’t have any way of knowing what Israel may have done behind the scenes for Zelensky but your statement berating Israel’s actions at that moment lacked proper context. Please understand that I love what you do but we would need to have access to much more “inside info” before being so openly critical of some of the public actions we are witness to.
Brilliant….thank you!!
I’m not sure I want to push Putin “far enough” or what that even looks like. Putin has demonstrated time and again that he is unconcerned about the cost needed to feed his megalomaniacal ambitions, and that scares me. Rather, let’s push Russians far enough to take matters into their own hands and defenestrate the man who would be emperor. I have no idea what comes after Putin, but could it possibly be worse?
Trump's a Russian Asset < https://www.milwaukeindependent.com/explainers/russian-asset-trumps-policy-behavior-confirms-evidence-groomed-kremlin-since-1980's/ >