Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded in an interview on Tuesday that Ukraine does not have “enough forces” to restore sovereignty over Russian-occupied Crimea and “must seek diplomatic means” to end the Russian invasion and regain its land. Adding to the perception of inclination towards more diplomacy, Zelensky’s former foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said in a series of interviews last week that he does not believe Ukraine is in a good position to win the war against Russia and “things look bad on the battlefield.” Kuleba, who resigned in bizarre fashion from his longstanding position as Ukraine’s top diplomat in September, also suggested that Zelensky is limited on how many issues he can compromise on by the popular will of the Ukrainian people, who would end his political career if he offers too many concessions. Ukraine was a nuclear power in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from the West as part of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, intended to prevent situations such as the current Russian invasion of the country. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry marked the 30th anniversary of the Budapest Memorandum on Tuesday by demanding the West respect the guarantees it provided. “This mistake must be corrected. Ukraine must be provided with clear, legally binding security guarantees that align with its significant contribution to global nuclear disarmament and the maintenance of international peace and security,” the Foreign Ministry proclaimed. “We call on the United States and the United Kingdom, signatories to the Budapest Memorandum, France and China, which have acceded to it, and all states-parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to support the provision of effective security guarantees to Ukraine.” Regarding current diplomatic discussions, the Foreign Ministry added that Ukraine “will not accept any alternatives, surrogates or substitutes for Ukraine’s full membership in NATO.” South Korean Yoon Suk-yeol stunned the world on Tuesday morning by declaring a state of “emergency martial law” because “subversive, anti-state elements” among the opposition are blocking his agenda. Martial law has not been declared in South Korea since it emerged from military dictatorship in the 1980s. “I declare martial law to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces, to immediately eradicate the unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang anti-state forces that pillage the freedom and happiness of our people and to protect free constitutional order,” Yoon said in an emergency press conference from his office in Seoul. Yoon accused the opposition of “paralyzing the courts in the country by threatening the judges and impeaching prosecutors, and by attempting to remove the Interior Minister, top broadcasting regulator, chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the Defense Minister.” Yoon also said the opposition’s move to cut $2.8 billion from the $483 billion 2025 national budget was a scheme to paralyze his government. The opposition wants to deny extra spending for the presidential office, prosecutors, and police requested in Yoon’s budget. “There is no reason to declare martial law. We cannot let the military rule this country,” opposition leader Lee said. South Korean media showed protesters attempting to storm the parliament building, which has been locked down under orders from the military. Yoon himself has been fending off calls for independent investigations into several scandals involving his wife Kim Keon-hee and top officials from his party. Yoon and Kim are accused of interfering in the party’s choice of candidate for a legislative seat in 2022 at the behest of a powerful supporter named Myung Tae-kyun. Yoon is down to 25% approval in the polls, slipping again last week after a modest recovery in early November. His People Power Party is polling at 32%, while the opposition Democratic Party (DP) sits at 45%. Police and military forces have been deployed around the South Korean parliament building, where they are clashing with a large group of angry protesters. Trial run? Who's next? South Korea awoke on Wednesday to a flurry of resignations of senior presidential staff, a united opposition filing an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol, and a confused ruling party demanding answers from Yoon after his failed attempt to impose martial law on Tuesday night. Yoon, an unpopular conservative narrowly elected in a bitterly fought election in 2022, declared martial law on television on Tuesday night – a widely unexpected move that shocked the nation and international observers. Yoon argued that legislative obstruction by the opposition Democratic Party had turned the National Assembly into a “den of criminals” and necessitated military action. “I declare martial law to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces,” Yoon announced, “to immediately eradicate the unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang antistate forces that pillage the freedom and happiness of our people and to protect free constitutional order.” The Democratic Party-controlled National Assembly rapidly sprung into action, flooding into legislative chambers while blocking heavily armed soldiers, under martial law, political assemblies were illegal. The Democrats have controlled the Assembly since April, when they won regional elections against the conservatives in a landslide on the back of Yoon’s massive unpopularity. At around 1 a.m. local time, the Assembly voted unanimously against martial law. Shortly thereafter, Yoon announced he had lifted the martial law declaration. In Yoon’s absence, the Democrats and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) – Yoon’s own party – are demanding answers. The Democrats announced early on Wednesday they would pursue the president’s impeachment and removal as soon as possible. They formally filed an impeachment motion later on Wednesday alongside five other minority parties. “Yoon’s declaration of martial law is a clear violation of the Constitution,” the Democrats wrote in a resolution seeking his impeachment, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap. “This is a serious act of rebellion and a perfect reason for impeachment.” “The president committed an act tantamount to treason by mobilizing the military,” Hwang said, according to the Korea Herald. “It is clear that he cannot remain in office even for a moment longer. Therefore, we must urgently pass an impeachment motion.” The newspaper noted that, in South Korea, lawmakers must vote on an impeachment motion within 24 to 72 hours after it arrives. Sandro Castro, grandson of late Cuban communist mass murderer Fidel Castro, responded on Monday to widespread outrage and disgust at his planned birthday party, a lavish event at a club he “owns” in a communist country where private property is theoretically illegal. The younger Castro called for “unity” and defended his right to celebrate while Cuba, in a state of collapse after decades of his family’s rule, faces its worst-ever humanitarian crisis. The party will also feature a welcome cocktail for Sandro’s personal guests, a complimentary beer for the rest of the attendees, “a shot of tequila Rose for the first 20 women,” and “free sparkling wine for everyone.” Castro’s birthday bash announcement immediately drew condemnation from both Cubans living in their nation and members of the Cuban exile community in the United States and other countries. Cuba is currently on the brink of complete ruin as a result of more than six decades of disastrous communist policies, facing rampant hunger, poverty, worsening blackouts and other public infrastructure failures, and the decline of its population in what is now considered the largest exodus of Cubans fleeing from communism in the nation’s history. The Spain-based outlet Diario de Cuba reported on Tuesday that the cheapest beverages sold by Castro’s “humble” bar cost just under ten percent of the minimum wage of a Cuban state worker, with alcoholic beverages reportedly ranging from $7.50 to upwards of $208.33 for a bottle of wine. As for food, the outlet reported that the bar sells French fries for around $31.25 a serving and an unspecified amount of “fried chicken” for about $50. Since 2021, the communist Castro regime established the nation’s monthly minimum wage at 2,100 Cuban pesos, which translates to roughly $87.50. Not since 1962 has a French government been ousted by a no-confidence vote. But today at 2pm ET, that’s exactly what’s widely expected to happen. The vote, uniting left and right opposition parties, will bring a premature end to the government of Michel Barnier and turn him into the shortest-serving PM in French history. Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron is on a presidential visit to Saudi Arabia, where he said he does not intend to resign if the cabinet falls. ABC News reported: President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027 despite growing opposition calls for his departure amid the turmoil. However, Macron will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time this year, further reshaping France’s political balance after his party’s losses in July’s legislative elections.” Macron insisted that discussions about his removal or resigning from office were ‘make-believe politics.' https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/12/today-no-confidence-vote-will-topple-french-government/ Bullet casings recovered at the scene of Wednesday's fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — which New York City police called a "brazen" and "premeditated, preplanned targeted attack" — apparently were inscribed with words referring to health insurance claim denial tactics. NBC News reported that three live 9mm rounds and three discharged 9mm shell casings were found at the scene. Citing two law enforcement officials, the New York Times said police are investigating apparent messages on the casings, specifically words such as “delay” and “deny," which may point to ways health insurance companies attempt to avoid paying patient claims. The New York Post published a similar report, noting that sources said words such as “deny,” “depose,” and “defend” were engraved on live rounds and shell casings. The Post added that the words are similar to the main title of a 2010 book, “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” CBS News published a video report discussing the apparently engraved words. Police continue to look for the shooting suspect. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the suspect appeared to be lying in wait for Thompson for several minutes, CBS News reported, adding that a senior NYPD official said the suspect's arrival before Thompson outside the Hilton indicates that he knew about the CEO's comings and goings. In recent months, quite a few pundits have been openly warning us that World War III has begun. Sadly, those pundits are quite correct. Right now, a historic global struggle is being waged by two very powerful alliances. The “western alliance” made up of the United States, Europe, Israel and their allies is engaged in a battle for supremacy with the “eastern alliance” made up of Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Syria and their allies. Over the past week, this battle for supremacy has erupted on a couple of new fronts, but most Americans have no idea what is really going on. Just look at what is happening in Syria. Most Americans have no idea that radical Sunni Muslims backed by the western alliance just conducted a highly successful offensive on Syria’s second largest city and are threatening to overthrow the Assad regime once and for all… The Syrian military and its ally Russia conducted deadly joint air raids Monday on areas that Islamist-led rebels seized control of over the weekend. The strikes were a response to a lightning offensive by the rebels that saw them wrest control of swathes of northwest Syria from government forces. Now the civil war in Syria has freshly erupted, and if Assad gets toppled that will be a major victory for the western alliance. Of course the eastern alliance does not plan to go down without a fight. Over the weekend, Iraqi militia groups that are backed by Iran “have been pouring across the border into eastern Syria”… And it appears that Iranian military forces could be on the verge of intervening directly in the conflict… Boroujerdi told a news conference in Damascus that Iran was ready to render military assistance to Syria. “Iran’s military aid will be provided as soon as Tehran receives a request from the Syrian government. We are going to announce it immediately,” the Iranian deputy said. Iran normally prefers to fight their wars using proxy forces. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Meanwhile, Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah seems to be breaking down already… The ceasefire in Lebanon, barely five days old, is near collapse as of Monday after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, following the Biden-Harris administration’s erroneous claim that Israeli surveillance drones violated the agreement. Ultimately, so many of these conflicts are interrelated. Ukraine is hoping that at least some Russian forces get diverted to Syria to help the Assad regime, because last month the Ukrainians lost a great deal of territory… Ukraine is the one place where the western alliance is losing badly, and western politicians are extremely determined to turn things around. But the truth is that unless NATO gets directly involved, Ukraine will definitely lose. As the war drags on, Ukrainian soldiers are deserting from their posts in staggering numbers… Before I conclude this article, I want to mention one more nation where the great battle between east and west has suddenly erupted. In Georgia, angry protesters that are being backed by the western alliance have been clashing violently with the police for days. Just like we witnessed in Ukraine in 2014, it appears that this could be an attempt to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Georgia… Sadly, the great struggle between east and west that we are witnessing is just going to continue to intensify, and at this stage it should be obvious to everyone that it is not going to have a happy ending. We live in such perilous times, and if you have not been paying much attention to what is going on around the world now would be a great time to start. The French government collapsed Wednesday after its lower house of parliament voted to oust Prime Minister Michel Barnier, the Wall Street Journal reported. The National Assembly passed a no confidence motion with 331 votes, above the 288 needed, forcing Barnier and his cabinet to resign. The motion stemmed from widespread backlash over Barnier’s efforts to force through an austere budget to fix the country’s growing deficits.
Zelensky Admits Ukraine Can’t Retake All Its Land: ‘We Must Seek Diplomatic Means’:
South Korea Declares Martial Law to Foil ‘Subversive Anti-State Elements’:
‘Treason’: Impeachment of South Korean President Begins After Martial Law Disaster:
Fidel Castro’s Grandson Says He Has ‘a Right to’ Lavish Birthday Bash as a ‘Revolutionary Youth’:
Today, a No-Confidence Vote Will Topple the French Government for the First Time Since 1962 – Michel Barnier Becomes the Shortest-Serving Prime Minister – Macron Will Not Resign:
The Times added that patients, lawmakers, and others have fiercely criticized UnitedHealthcare — one of the America’s largest health insurers — for denying patient claims.
World War III Is Heating Up On Several Fronts, But Most Americans Have No Idea...
French government collapses after National Assembly ousts Prime Minister in no confidence vote:
