Zelensky Corruption Crisis Escalates; Yermak Accused; Baltics Fear Russia Hacks Kiev Drones; Starmer
Topic 1897

JUICY interview of former Zelensky secretary, Yermak in trouble. Neocons want IRAN ground invasion
Topic 2053

Putin confident in victory, project Ukraine failed and Europe failed

The Duran: Episode 961
France's Marine Le Pen Acquitted in Case Over Violating Hate Speech Laws
https://sputniknews.com/europe/202105041082797685-frances-marine-le-pen-acquitted-in-case-over-violating-hate-speech-laws/

Avoiding a Global Mad Max Depression with the destruction of ME Energy
May 12th
Robert Barnes made some brilliant points on Daniel Davis today. Points he would have undoubtedly made as a guest here on The Duran as well.

• To avoid a global mad max with destruction of energy infrastructure throughout West Asia, listed here in a plausible order of likelihood, before it is too late.

1) Russia and China put definitive pressure on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to extricate themselves from the next round of attacks, with definitive and recognized Statements provided for countries everywhere to acknowledge
2) Saudi Arabia and Qatar expel all USA military presence formally thereby declaring neutrality and saving themselves
3) Enough and/or pivotal American military personal and officers refuse to follow orders of war crimes on Iranian infrastructure, which will make them complicit in the ruin of their own homeland
4) Thomas Massie wins his upcoming race, in which the odds and $$$$ are stacked against...

Unable to distinguish negotiation from surrender, Trump may may once again be drifting toward war by Alexander Mercouris

Trump’s response to the Iranian offer is disturbing and further proof that he is out of his depth. It is also further evidence for my contention that the US is not just ‘agreement incapable’ - as the Russians say - but ‘negotiation incapable’ as well.

Trump - the ‘Great Dealmaker’ - doesn’t seem to understand that diplomacy requires negotiation. Though the US has so far failed to defeat Iran, and though the situation in the global economy is deteriorating every day, Trump becomes incensed the moment the Iranians make a proposal that falls short of his maximalist demands. That the current proposal is a perfectly reasonable opening bid in intended negotiations is a possibility that doesn’t occur to him. Disastrously, and indicatively, there doesn’t seem to be wide understanding of this within the wider US leadership either. The result is that we are now back ...

An Analysis of Vladimir Putin’s Victory Day Comments by Alexander Mercouris.

Putin’s press conference yesterday was interesting because it highlighted his deep feeling of anger and betrayal by Europe.

(1) He reminded the journalists (all Russians) that the crisis began with the EU insisting Ukraine ratify an Association Agreement incompatible with Ukraine’s free trade agreement with Russia. When Ukraine demurred the Maidan coup was the result;

(2) He said Europe’s objective in 2022 was to engineer Russia’s collapse so that the Europeans would be able to help themselves to its parts. In a truly extraordinary passage, he spoke of Finland joining NATO in order to participate in the plunder;

(3) He gave a very bitter account of the events of April 2022 and of the failure of the Istanbul Agreement.

Briefly: He revealed for the first time that it was Macron who called him and tricked him into pulling Russian troops back from Kiev, telling him that “the Ukrainians could not be expected (to sign ...