Putin Calls Europeans "PIGLETS" and The Big Trump Hotel in Servia is Off

 08.10 EST 

Putin calls European leaders 'little pigs' as he insists Russia will achieve its goals in Ukraine by diplomacy or fo

Pjotr Sauer

Russian affairs reporter

Meanwhile, Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Wednesday lashed out at European leaders, deriding them as “little pigs”, and said Russia would achieve its territorial goals in Ukraine either through diplomacy or by military force.

Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks during an expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board at the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow, Russia. Photograph: Alexander Kazakov/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN/EPA

Speaking at an annual meeting with the defence ministry, Putin said the aims of what Moscow calls its “special military operation” would be met “unconditionally”.

“If they do not want a substantive discussion,” he said, “then Russia will liberate its historical lands on the battlefield.”

Putin claimed that the previous US administration had “deliberately steered the situation towards an armed conflict”, adding that Washington believed Russia could be weakened or even destroyed in a short period of time.

He then lashed out at European leaders, accusing them of joining in with Joe Biden’s administration. “Europe’s little pigs immediately joined in the work of the previous American administration, hoping to profit from the collapse of our country,” Putin said.

Putin’s hardline comments came as US officials claimed that earlier talks with Ukraine in Berlin had resolved about 90% of the most difficult issues. But major doubts remain over whether the Russian leader is prepared to compromise on his sweeping demands.

Putin has repeatedly insisted that Kyiv cede the remaining parts of the eastern Donbas region still under Ukrainian control – a demand that the White House has at times appeared to endorse, but which Ukraine has flatly rejected. Moscow has also pushed for strict limits on Ukraine’s military, a ban on western troops on Ukrainian territory, and an end to western military support.

The Russian leader on Wednesday also denied that Moscow was planning to invade Nato territory, claiming instead that the alliance had begun preparing for a possible military confrontation with Russia, with a view to 2030.

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2d ago13.37 EST

Spain's Sánchez criticises plans to water down ban on new petrol, diesel cars as 'historic mistake'

Sam Jones

in Madrid

Adam Gonzalez 

in NY

Meanwhile, Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has criticised EU plans to water down its 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol or diesel cars, describing them as a “historic mistake” that risks threatening competitiveness and undermining efforts to mitigate the effects of the climate emergency.

Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez delivers a speech during the closing of the event 'Advancing the State Pact on Climate Emergency' in Madrid, Spain. Photograph: Zipi Aragon/EPA

Under current legislation, manufacturers were obliged to ensure that 100% of production of cars and vans had zero emissions from 2035.

The European Commission has now proposed reducing this to 90%,enabling the continued manufacture of a portion of plug-in hybrid electric cars, or even combustion engines beyond 2035.

EU plans to water down ban on new petrol and diesel cars

Read more

Speaking in Madrid on Wednesday to promote his proposed state pact to address the climate emergency, Sánchez hit out at the plans, saying:

“What was approved in the European parliament yesterday was a historic error for Europe because competitiveness … is guaranteed by sustainability and not by weakening our climate commitments and our support for sustainability.”

He added: “Climate is the board on which all the other games are played.There’s no progress, no growth and no health of the climate becomes a risk factor.”

Spain is one of the European countries on the frontline of the climate emergency, having suffered deadly floods last year as well as summer after summer of wildfires.

Measures in the pact include funds to prepare for, and rebuild after, climate-related disasters, improvements to firefighting capacity, a plan to increase water resilience in the face of floods and droughts, and initiatives to fight rural depopulation and thus help keep the land clear of combustible material.

Sánchez said the raft of initiatives – which will be put before parliament – was designed to act as “a shield for Spain” and to protect its people and its economy.

“The climate emergency won’t wait,” he said. “[And] history will not forgive a lack of action. What’s in play here is the future of this who will come next. Let’s do it together before it’s too late.” 

 13.14 EST

But before we get to the European Council meeting on Ukraine, there is a separate EU-western Balkans summit, with representatives of five Balkan countries hoping to join the European Unionattending the talks.

EU-western Balkans summit red carpet, Brussels, Belgium Photograph: dts News Agency Germany/Shutterstock

Albania’s Edi Rama is there – you can’t miss him, can you – as well as Kosovo president Vjosa Osmani, Montenegrin president Jakov Milatović, North Macedonia’s prime minister Hristijan Mickoski, and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Željko Komšić.

Albania's prime minister Edi Rama during an EU-western Balkans Summit at the European Council building in Brussels. Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP

Curiously, Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić chose to skip the meeting, in what felt like a jibe on the EU’s negative assessment of Serbia’s progress on its road to accession.

“By doing this, I believe I am protecting the Republic of Serbia and its interests, because we need to show what we have achieved,” he said.

The EU said it took note of Vučić’s decision and regretted it.

SERVIA and Krutchner, Trump's son in law. K had disappeared from the world stage yet this past month he reappeared in Moscow representing the US in Ukraine-Russia war. The media reported but the media seldom goes deep on any story unless is safe.

Well After the meeting mentioned above Mr. K withdrew the applications and plans to construct A Trump hotel in Servia. Already there were calls in  France and others that he should be arrested because of his interference on their elections and the mystery of the money involved to do the constructions. Since Trump elections he went to comfortable to a billionaire$$. Trump thought in his limited wisdom he had Ukraine over a barrel since He told Zelensky to give up land, even land Russia did not have or face the Withdrawal of all US help.

He thought Russia will take over I/2 to 1/3 of Ukraine and Trump and Russia will be on the driver's seat. And hotel Properties will pop up over on the best properties of Russia. But Ukraine does not bend that way. There was no end to the  war not even a cease fire. Trump thinks he knows Putin but only Putin knows Putin and Trump both. Putin want all of Ukraine like he is said many times and knows if he stops the war he will be called to account for over 1million casualties and with leaving the country without gas to supply his army. He will face death. Sir the war will go on until Russia runs out of Kids to send to the meatgrinder.

Adam Gonzalez, Adamfoxie Blog