Posted originally on Apr 30, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
Russia has finally ejected all Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region who invaded on orders of NATO/EU last August 6th, ending the most significant incursion into Russian territory since World War II. This has certainly removed Kursk as a pawn in peace negotiations, which Zelensky refused to accept when he met at the White House in a desperate effort to embarrass Trump into keeping the funding for Ukraine’s war against Russia.
Reuters reported that Zelensky said the world did not want to wait until May 8 for Putin’s announced ceasefire in the more than three-year-old war, only for it to be in effect for a few days.
“For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait for May 8 and only then have a cease-fire to ensure calm for Putin during the parade,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
Yet in that same address to Ukraine, he hinted at an attack in Moscow on the Victory Day Parade. He said that his Ukrainian generals were choosing “Russia’s pain points.” And then he makes a frank allusion to the attack on Red Square on May 9th. Now they are worried that their parade is in question, and they are right to worry. But we must worry that this war continues. They must end the war, Zelensky declared.
We definitely see volatility rising the week of May 5th and from the week of May 12th into the end of the month remain as key targets. Our computer has warned that Ukraine would NEVER win this war with Russia, and NATO has played them for fools, sacrificing them to reduce the military strength of Russia so they can move in for the kill.
Boris Johnson flew to Kiev 3 days before the signing of the rare minerals deal was supposed to take place in Liev. Johnson told Zelensky to go to the White House to try to embarrass Trump into funding the war. Zelensky refused a ceasefire, claiming that the Ukrainian people did not want one. That is not what I have heard from sources in Ukraine. Now Zelensky suddenly claims that, after his troops lost in Kursk, the world does not want to wait until May 8th for a ceasefire because he is losing?
“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy [sic] is not ready for Peace if America is involved.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Zelensky knows nothing about war and has been a Neocon plant to order Ukraine to fight to the last Ukrainian. His arrogance has cost over 1 million lives among Ukrainians, and over 8 million have fled to Europe, and most will never return.
The day after Moscow announced the completion of the Kursk operation, President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral three-day ceasefire to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s and its allies’ victory in World War II, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that international recognition of Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as part of Russia, is a non-negotiable condition for any settlement. There was the Minsk Agreement that Europe signed in bad faith, only to allow Ukraine time to raise an army. They now have 1.1 million dead Ukrainians’ blood on their hands, and they do not have a problem sleeping at night.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made it clear on Monday, April 28, that Moscow would accept nothing less than a total victory. Lavrov insisted that the Russian Federation will not negotiate unless Ukraine recognizes that the original regions that were supposed to be allowed to separate under the Minsk Agreement after a vote, including Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia, now belong to Russia. “The international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions as part of Russia is an imperative,” Lavrov said, emphasizing that Ukraine must legally acknowledge these regions as Russian territory. This seems to be reasonable after the false negotiations by Europe over the Minsk Agreement. But Russia must now realize that Europe cannot be trusted, and any peace deal would NEVER mean that there will still not be war after Europe builds its European army.
NATO’s INVOLVEMENT IN UKRAINE
NATO conducted military exercises in Ukraine between 2000 and 2010 in advance of the start of the civil war as part of its partnership programs aimed at enhancing cooperation and interoperability with non-member states. Key exercises and initiatives during this period include:
1. Partnership for Peace (PfP) Program
Ukraine joined NATO’s PfP program in 1994, which facilitated joint training and exercises. These activities continued into the 2000s, focusing on peacekeeping, disaster response, and military interoperability.
2. Exercise Sea Breeze
An annual naval exercise co-hosted by the U.S. and Ukraine in the Black Sea since 1997.
Conducted throughout the 2000–2010 period, involving NATO allies and regional partners to enhance maritime security and coordination.
3. Exercise Rapid Trident
A land-based exercise focused on peacekeeping and interoperability.
While later iterations became more prominent post-2010, initial drills began in the mid-2000s as part of the PfP framework.
4. Exercise Cooperative Partner
Air force exercises aimed at improving compatibility with NATO standards.
Held in Ukraine during the mid-2000s, involving aerial maneuvers and joint training.
5. NATO-Ukraine Action Plan (2002)
This formalized deeper cooperation, leading to increased joint exercises and defense reforms in Ukraine.
Exercises often emphasized peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and crisis management.
6. Annual National Program (ANP)
Under the NATO-Ukraine Commission (established 1997), Ukraine implemented defense reforms and hosted NATO-linked training events.
These exercises were part of NATO’s broader effort to build trust and capability with Ukraine, though full membership was not on the table at the time. The 2008 Bucharest Summit later affirmed Ukraine’s eventual NATO membership prospects. In summary, NATO-Ukraine military exercises during this decade were regular and multifaceted, reinforcing Ukraine’s gradual alignment with Western defense structures in preparation for war with Russia.
Finland’s Prime Minister has shown herself to be a staunch supporter of Zelensky to the detriment of her people.
Now that Sweden has surrendered its neutrality, which protected its people through two world wars, they have joined NATO and even sent planes to Poland. This has led the Kremlin to expand its military bases along the Finnish border in response to Sweden and Finland’s decision to join NATO. As you can see from the map, it’s not very far from Finland to St. Petersburg in Russia. Sweden and Finland have now placed their populations in the Kremlin’s crosshairs for joining the NATO alliance.
Russia is reportedly expanding its army bases on the border with Finland and rapidly expanding its military as it prepares for a potential clash with NATO. Russia’s kill chain, defined as how quickly the army moves from finding a target to firing on it, is now far more responsive than that of NATO’s capability.
Then, on the other side of the world, the risk of war during May also exists between Pakistan and India, two lifelong enemies. On top of all of this, Pakistan says India is preparing to strike in 36 hours, if not days.
Posted originally on CTH on April 29, 2025 | Sundance
As we saw previously in Term-1, President Trump has again divided and assigned trade negotiation responsibility to key cabinet members. In this interview with CNN National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett smiles and walks effortlessly through the narrative engineering attempt by CNN pundit Kassie Hunt.
This is a must watch interview if you are following the details of the current global trade renegotiation.
Hassett outlines the current status of trade negotiations with some of the biggest trade partners in the world. India and Southeast Asia are being handled by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is in control of the section 232 (national security) tariffs, and USTR Jamison Greer has 19 current Free Trade Agreements outlined with various partners all willing to accept the reciprocity agreement. WATCH:
Posted originally on CTH on April 29, 2025 | Sundance
Today, in celebration of the most successful first 100 days of any administration in history, President Trump will deliver a speech in Macomb County, Michigan. The anticipated start time is 6:00pm ET. Livestream Links Below:
Chopper pressers are the best pressers. President Trump departs the White House en route to Michigan for a celebration of the economic success seeded in the first 100 days of his administration. As President Trump leaves for the trip, he stops and answers questions from the assembled press pool. WATCH:
Posted originally on CTH on April 29, 2025 | Sundance
Press Briefing by the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Unleashing Economic Greatness.
Inbound Investments So Far:
Project Stargate, led by Japan-based Softbank and U.S.-based OpenAI and Oracle, announced a $500 billion private investment in U.S.-based artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Apple announced a $500 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and training.
NVIDIA, a global chipmaking giant, announced it will invest $500 billion in U.S.-based AI infrastructure over the next four years amid its pledge to manufacture AI supercomputers entirely in the U.S. for the first time.
IBM announced a $150 billion investment over the next five years in its U.S.-based growth and manufacturing operations.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced a $100 billion investment in U.S.-based chips manufacturing.
Johnson & Johnson announced a $55 billion investment over the next four years in manufacturing, research and development, and technology.
Roche, a Swiss drug and diagnostics company, announced a $50 billion investment in U.S.-based manufacturing and research and development, which is expected to create more than 1,000 full-time jobs and more than 12,000 jobs including construction.
Eli Lilly and Company announced a $27 billion investment to more than double its domestic manufacturing capacity.
United Arab Emirates-based ADQ and U.S.-based Energy Capital Partners announced a $25 billion investment in U.S. data centers and energy infrastructure.
Novartis, a Swiss drugmaker, announced a $23 billion investment to build or expand ten manufacturing facilities across the U.S., which will create 4,000 new jobs.
Hyundai announced a $21 billion U.S.-based investment — including $5.8 billion for a new steel plant in Louisiana, which will create nearly 1,500 jobs.
Hyundai also secured an equity investment and agreement from Posco Holdings, South Korea’s top steel maker.
United Arab Emirates-based DAMAC Properties announced a $20 billion investment in new U.S.-based data centers.
France-based CMA CGM, a global shipping giant, announced a $20 billion investment in U.S. shipping and logistics, creating 10,000 new jobs.
Thermo Fisher Scientific announced it will invest an additional $2 billion over the next four years to enhance and expand its U.S. manufacturing operations and strengthen its innovation efforts.
Merck & Co. announced it will invest a total of $9 billion in the U.S. over the next several years after opening a new $1 billion North Carolina manufacturing facility — including in a new state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing plant in Delaware, which will create at least 500 new jobs.
Clarios announced a $6 billion plan to expand its domestic manufacturing operations.
Stellantis announced a $5 billion investment in its U.S. manufacturing network, including re-opening its Belvidere, Illinois, manufacturing plant.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in biotechnology, announced a $3 billion agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to produce drugs at its North Carolina manufacturing facility.
NorthMark Strategies, a multi-strategy investment firm, announced a $2.8 billion investment to build a supercomputing facility in South Carolina.
Corning announced it is expanding its Michigan manufacturing facility investment to $1.5 billion, adding 400 new high-paying advanced manufacturing jobs for a total of 1,500 new jobs.
Chobani, a Greek yogurt giant, announced a $1.2 billion investment to build its third U.S. dairy processing plant in New York, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs — adding to the company’s earlier announcement that it will invest $500 million to expand its Idaho manufacturing plant.
GE Aerospace announced a $1 billion investment in manufacturing across 16 states — creating 5,000 new jobs.
Amgen announced a $900 million investment in its Ohio-based manufacturing operation.
Schneider Electric announced it will invest $700 million over the next four years in U.S. energy infrastructure.
GE Vernova announced it will invest nearly $600 million in U.S. manufacturing over the next two years, which will create more than 1,500 new jobs.
Abbott Laboratories announced a $500 million investment in its Illinois and Texas facilities.
AIP Management, a European infrastructure investor, announced a $500 million investment to solar developer Silicon Ranch.
London-based Diageo announced a $415 million investment in a new Alabama manufacturing facility.
Dublin-based Eaton Corporation announced a $340 million investment in a new South Carolina-based manufacturing facility for its three-phase transformers.
Germany-based Siemens announced a $285 million investment in U.S. manufacturing and AI data centers, which will create more than 900 new skilled manufacturing jobs.
The Bel Group announced a $350 million investment to expand its U.S.-based production, including at its South Dakota, Idaho and Wisconsin facilities — which will create 250 new jobs.
Clasen Quality Chocolate announced a $230 million investment to build a new production facility in Virginia, which will create 250 new jobs.
Fiserv, Inc., a financial technology provider, announced a $175 million investment to open a new strategic fintech hub in Kansas, which is expected to create 2,000 new high-paying jobs.
Paris Baguette announced a $160 million investment to construct a manufacturing plant in Texas.
TS Conductor announced a $134 million investment to build an advanced conductor manufacturing facility in South Carolina, which will create nearly 500 new jobs.
Switzerland-based ABB announced a $120 million investment to expand production of its low-voltage electrification products in Tennessee and Mississippi.
Saica Group, a Spain-based corrugated packaging maker, announced plans to build a $110 million new manufacturing facility in Anderson, Indiana.
Charms, LLC, a subsidiary of candymaker Tootsie Roll Industries, announced a $97.7 million investment to expand its production plant and distribution center in Tennessee.
Toyota Motor Corporation announced an $88 million investment to boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia factory, securing employment for the 2,000 workers at the factory.
AeroVironment, a defense contractor, announced a $42.3 million investment to build a new manufacturing facility in Utah.
Paris-based Saint-Gobain announced a new $40 million NorPro manufacturing facility in Wheatfield, New York.
India-based Sygene International announced a $36.5 million acquisition of a Baltimore biologics manufacturing facility.
Asahi Group Holdings, one of the largest Japanese beverage makers, announced a $35 million investment to boost production at its Wisconsin plant.
Cyclic Materials, a Canadian advanced recycling company for rare earth elements, announced a $20 million investment in its first U.S.-based commercial facility, located in Mesa, Arizona.
Guardian Bikes announced a $19 million investment to build the first U.S.-based large-scale bicycle frame manufacturing operation in Indiana.
Amsterdam-based AMG Critical Minerals announced a $15 million investment to build a chrome manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.
NOVONIX Limited, an Australia-based battery technology company, announced a $4.6 million investment to build a synthetic graphite manufacturing facility in Tennessee.
LGM Pharma announced a $6 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in Rosenberg, Texas.
ViDARR Inc., a defense optical equipment manufacturer, announced a $2.69 million investment to open a new facility in Virginia.
That doesn’t even include the U.S. investments pledged by foreign countries:
United Arab Emirates announced a $1.4 trillion investment in the U.S. over the next decade. Saudi Arabia announced it intends to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. Japan announced a $1 trillion investment in the U.S. Taiwan announced a pledge to boost its U.S.-based investment.
Posted originally on CTH onApril 29, 2025 | Sundance
After spending three months riding his bicycle in slow circles at the bottom of the White House driveway while staring in the windows, it was reported this morning that a frustrated Jeff Bezos would announce his Amazon company would start to label the tariff impact on all products sold by the company.
However, in the angered reaction to President Trump’s tariffs against the majority of his suppliers, what Jeff Bezos likely didn’t realize is the tariff label acts as a “Country of Origin Label” (COOL).
All of the products sold on Amazon that would have tariff cost labeling, are not made in the USA. All of the products without tariff labels would be made in the USA.
Given the nature of American preference toward higher quality products, the “Tariff Label” becomes a DeFacto blacklist. Purchase reviews would proceed accordingly.
WASHINGTON – [T]he e-commerce giant will soon show how much Trump’s tariffs are adding to the price of each product, according to a person familiar with the plan. The shopping site will display how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs – right next to the product’s total listed price. (source)
How Amazon could possibly calculate this ‘cost’ given the complex nature and changing dynamics of total cost of production, currency evaluations, subsidies, and countervailing duty offsets, was an unknown. However, as would be predicted, shares of Amazon stock started to plummet, which led to Amazon quickly denying the report.
WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) – Amazon.com denied a report on Tuesday that it planned to disclose the cost that U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump were adding to its products, after the White House blasted the initial story.
Amazon said Tuesday it never considered listing tariffs on its main retail site, and nothing was implemented on any company site. “The team that runs our ultra-low cost Amazon Haul store has considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” a company spokesperson said. (more)
I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
Centinel2012 