War for Ukraine Day 1,413: A Brief Wednesday Night Update
I know it’s been a long, tragic, horrifying, day that has everyone one a fine edge, so I’m just going to run through the basics really quickly and call it a night.
I do want to start with this excerpt from Lincoln’s speech at the Cooper Union:
Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events.
Back to the topic at hand.
Imagine that:
US did NOT SIGN the Paris “letter of intent” that describes how peace in Ukraine will be monitored by the US while Europe provides troops etc – distancing itself from the EU.
In fact, US hasn’t signed anything that the coalition of willing has agreed to.
— Olga Nesterova (@onestpress.onestnetwork.com) January 7, 2026 at 8:18 AM
As I wrote last night:
As with all of these leaks of what the US will do, might do, could do, etc, I’ll believe it when I see it.
And as usual, we’re not going to see it.
However we’ve not got Jared’s sex pest convicted extortionist father involved in trying to shake down the Ukrainians:
Now Kushner Sr is part of these “discussions”? US hasn’t signed a single document that the coalition of the willing signed yesterday. In particular, the one where US is mentioned to be “overseeing” potential ceasefire. Come on.
Too many words to say that you discussed Blackrock owning UA assets.
— Olga Nesterova (@onestpress.onestnetwork.com) January 7, 2026 at 10:51 AM
I’m pretty sure that if you could explain what the Kushner family has become and then ask the Bielskys whether it was worth the risk to rescue Jared’s grandparents, they’d say no.
President Zelenskyy did not make a daily address today as he was again traveling. In this case to a meeting of the Council of Europe where he made an address to that body. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
Speech by the President at the Opening Ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union
7 January 2026 – 21:44
Thank you very much!
Mr. President – Nikos, thank you for today’s visit, for the invitation, and our conversation.
First of all, what I want to say, we are grateful to Denmark for its presidency. And we respect its territorial integrity and sovereignty. And we appreciate the beginning of the Cyprus presidency. And we respect its territorial integrity and sovereignty. We are Ukraine, please respect our territorial integrity and sovereignty.
And dear Mr. President – Nikos, Ursula, António, our friends, thanks for today’s meeting!
Dear Maia!
Presidents and Excellencies!
I’m glad to be here as Cyprus begins its presidency of the Council of the European Union. And this is a presidency we all expect a lot from.
For Ukraine, this moment is really very, very meaningful – just as it is for Cyprus – a member state that, unfortunately, remains divided, but committed to lasting peace – and is fully equal in Europe. And a country that may be smaller in size but has an equal voice in European institutions. This says a lot about what Europe truly is – that every nation matters, and every free country in Europe deserves to be part of our shared European home. And that is what makes Europe stable and peaceful.
Ukraine also deserves this – to be an equal part of our common European home. And we hope that your presidency will be productive in moving us forward on this path.
Nikos and I discussed this today. It is very important that Ukraine is among the priorities of the Cyprus presidency. And we are grateful for what the President has said – that we should aim to open negotiation clusters at the same time during your presidency – for both, of course, for both, Ukraine and our friends – Moldova. And this is a strong and positive ambition.
And during your presidency, we hope to see the start of the implementation of the €90 billion support package for Ukraine – funding that strengthens our resilience, and with it, the resilience of all of Europe. And thank you again, Ursula, thank you, António, thank you for your support, and all the European leaders, for the decision, a very important decision – how to save Ukraine, it means how to save Europe. We need a practical mechanism that will allow these funds to truly help Ukraine. This mechanism must be designed not to create problems, of course, but to reduce the challenges we already face. And we are doing everything required on our side in the negotiation process, and we expect that no additional or excessive demands will be placed on Ukraine.
At the same time, as Cyprus begins its presidency, peace negotiations have reached a new level of intensity. We work very, very actively – Ukraine, our European partners, and of course, the United States, and all members of our Coalition of the Willing – from Canada to Japan, from the EU to Australia. And it is possible – and we sincerely hope – that this war could end during your presidency. And of course, only if enough pressure is put on the aggressor.
And we all understand how wars like this one – Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, our people, our children – come to an end. And when pressure is strong enough to exhaust the source of the war, peace comes. That pressure exists now, and the EU plays a key role in maintaining it. And I thank you for your willingness to help. Sanctions on Russia, support for Ukraine, strengthening our defense together – all of this works for peace, of course. And we have discussed – at the EU level, within the Coalition of the Willing, and in our bilateral work with Cyprus – that sanctions need to be upgraded. A new package is being prepared. And many steps are being taken to target Russia’s shadow fleet, and this will work. Every dollar Russia loses is a dollar that does not fuel the aggressor.
It’s extremely important that we continue receiving support – both for our defense and for our diplomacy – equally from all parts of Europe. That’s why your support matters to us – your recent visit to Ukraine, Mr. President, and the unity we’re showing now, at the start of the Cyprus presidency.
This year, one of the new European initiatives, very important – the SAFE program – must also prove its effectiveness. If it succeeds, Europe will become stronger. And in many ways, this depends on your presidency, Mr. President. And we hope that together with you – with Cyprus and with every EU country – we can work productively, of course.
And I wish you a very successful presidency. I truly hope that during these months, Europe will become stronger, of course, and that people across our continent will feel that tomorrow can be safer, more stable, and better than today. I also deeply believe that together, we can help deliver one of the most important guarantees of peace and security – for our nation and for the whole of Europe – Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.
Thank you so much.
Georgia:
Day 406 of #GeorgiaProtests
— Marika Mikiashvili
(@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Day 406 of daily, uninterrupted protests in Georgia.
— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 12:55 PM
A political prisoner in Georgia waving white and red cloths, presumably to symbolize the Georgian flag.
Activists are standing in front of Gldani prison to wish happy birthday to two prisoners. Georgia now has 120+ prisoners of conscience — more per capita than Russia.
Nanuka Zhorzholiani
— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 8:32 AM
Germany:
An historic moment: Merz says Germany will accept responsibility for security on the European continent.
As Russia increases threats and hybrid warfare against Europe at the same time that US support is weakening, this is an important promise at a critical point in time.
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 2:03 AM
The US:
As American forces seized the sanctioned Russian-flagged tanker Marinera, formerly Bella 1, Putin’s bravado vanished. He has remained silent since his friend and ally Maduro was dragged out of his bedroom like a naughty toddler and deposited in a New York courtroom
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 9:29 AM
The UK was involved in the US seizure of the Russian-linked oil tanker near Scotland
RAF planes helped US special forces in carrying out the operation
— Olga Nesterova (@onestpress.onestnetwork.com) January 7, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Russia escalates showdown with US over Bella 1/Marinera oil tanker.
After reregistering the shadow fleet tanker as Russian and formally requested the US break off pursuit, they have now sent a submarine to escort it as it sails to Murmansk.
More boundary-pushing from Putin.
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 3:26 AM
We will seize the Bella 1 for violating sanctions
*runs away, paints on Russian flag*
Please stop pursuit
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Because he is at the confluence of too many things within the administration, I highly recommend this recounting of Rubio’s history. He grew up within the overlap of the Cuban revolutionaries that emerged from the Bay of Pigs fiasco and then became central players in the narco-cartels. Rubio is where he is today because a carteled up local high net worth individual in Miami wanted his own state legislator and then US Senator. So Lil Narco was protected from the crimes he himself committed while others were sacrificed to the criminal justice system.
Trump posted on his social network that without his involvement, Russia would now own all of Ukraine.
And it seems he’s still bitter about not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social)
Saint James Talarico (he/him)
David Harsanyi, Washington Examinerمصدر …
