by Oui
Sun Jul 13th, 2025 at 08:26:59 PM EST
Exclusive War Talk In Europe
Mittel der Diplomatie Sind Ausgeschöpft!
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French President Emmanuel Macron lays a wreath at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill | Sky News |
King Charles and Queen Camilla take the Macrons on a tour of Windsor Castle before the French President and First Lady head to London for lunch with Keir Starmer
The King and Queen were seen warmly greeting Mr Macron and First Lady Brigitte on a sunny Wednesday morning in the grounds of the castle after a dazzling State Banquet last night.
The personal tour of Windsor Castle's grounds is thought to be a State Visit first, and saw the King show Mr Macron areas of work on nature restoration and biodiversity within the gardens and the wider Great Park - reflecting his personal passions.
As the King and Mr Macron strolled through the South Garden of the centuries-old Royal residence, Mrs Macron was accompanied by the Queen as she visited grey gelding Fabuleu de Maucour.
The horse, previously a standard-bearer for France's Republican Guard, was gifted to Queen Elizabeth II to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, and was hailed by diplomats as 'epitomising French horse-breeding'.
It had been gifted to the late monarch in recognition of her love of horses. Mr Macron was also seen to inspect his gift to the late Queen, alongside the Charabanc carriage, which was gifted to Queen Victoria by King Louis-Philippe of France in 1844.
My recent diaries ...
Ambition to Inflict Strategic Defeat on Russia
Dmitri Trenin, Director of the Institute of World Military Economics and Strategy at the Higher School of Economics, wrote an op/ed for Kommersant.
The War Will Be Long
Dmitry Trenin on the interim results of the "special diplomatic operation" The verbal vacillations of the current American president are Donald Trump's signature style. They need to be monitored, but not overestimated: neither in a more favorable nor in a less favorable direction for us. We must also understand that Trump is not the "tsar" of America and that the "Trump revolution" that was talked about at the beginning of the year seems to have been replaced by the evolution of Trump himself towards rapprochement with the American establishment.
From this position, it makes sense to look at the interim results of our "special diplomatic operation" - six telephone conversations between presidents, negotiations between foreign ministers and foreign policy assistants to heads of state, as well as communication at other high levels.
The positive part includes, first of all, the restoration of dialogue between Russia and the United States, interrupted by the Joe Biden administration.
It is also important that this dialogue is not limited to discussing the war in Ukraine. Potential opportunities for cooperation in a number of areas have been identified - from geopolitics to transport and sports. This is not very relevant for now, but it may be useful in the future. After all, the renewed dialogue will most likely not be interrupted under Trump, although its intensity and tone will change.
The dialogue with the US led to the resumption of negotiations with the Ukrainian side in Istanbul. The negotiations themselves have no political meaning now, and prisoner exchanges took place without them. It is important, however, that the fact of direct contact with Kiev has reinforced the key thesis of our diplomacy about Russia's readiness for a political solution to the conflict. These gains are, of course, technical and tactical in nature.
It was obvious from the very beginning that it would not be possible to reach an agreement with Trump on Ukraine on terms that would satisfy Russia's security requirements.
And of course, no one would agree with Trump at the expense of Russia's security. It would be equally naive to assume that Trump would completely "give up" Ukraine, unite with the Kremlin against the European Union and go to a "new Yalta" in the form of a renewed Big Three, consisting of the US, Russia and China.
The European Union is not a partner in global diplomacy and with BreXit has lost all credibility to be a player on foreign policy. Who to call?
The 5th wheel on a wagon in the proxy war between the West (NATO) and the Russian Federation.
Britain Between Two Worlds: Imperial Legacy and Post-Brexit Possibilities | Modern Diplomacy - June 2025 |
Throughout modern history, Great Britain has consistently stood as the most influential political and economic power in the world.
Throughout modern history, Great Britain has consistently stood as the most influential political and economic power in the world. The country led the Industrial Revolution, established global trade routes, and was the ruler of a vast colonial empire; thus, Britain not only significantly changed the nature of the state but also laid the foundations of the international economic systems. London was the center of the world market, Westminster was the paragon for parliamentary democracy, and British influence was everywhere, from Canadian institutions to Indian railways. The phrase "the empire on which the sun never sets" was not just a catchy phrase--it was a metaphor that captured the essence and objective of a country that was powerfully in control of the global order.
Britain's power and prestige were still quite high even after the empire lost its dominance, through diplomatic leadership, institutional sophistication, and cultural influence. The fact that after World War II the British Empire had formally been dissolved does not mean that the UK has lost its relevance. On the contrary, it has redefined and repositioned itself, playing a significant role in NATO, the United Nations, and later, the European Union. The UK's multifaceted presence on the global stage has enabled it to maintain its character as both the champion of liberal internationalism and the clever negotiator of global political affairs.
The United Kingdom is now at a turning point in its history. It was the center of a huge global empire and then the key player in the European Union, but now it is facing the difficult task of finding its place in the world after Brexit. Leaving the EU was not just a change of the legal or economic status--it was a symbol of the disintegration of the relationship between the UK and the European project. The question that still needs an answer is this: can the UK still be a major global power, or has it become a fading force whose presence is now more symbolic than real?
EU membership meant that Britain had more influence in the world. As a leading member of the bloc, the UK could go beyond just having a voice; it could even become the most influential player on the world stage while still playing the role of a bridge between Europe and the transatlantic sphere. This dual positioning thus enabled it to use its influence in the EU, which is far beyond its shrinking material power. Within the EU, it was a major player in determining the direction of policies on trade, enlargement, and foreign policy--most of the time it acted as a counterweight to more federal integration while it was still on the side of liberal economic principles.
Trump appointed a warmonger as envoy for Ukraine and the Middle East to solve Iranian terror
[Update-1]
On your point 3, my investigations into Russia's political-econmy under Putin has led me to write several essays about his/its ideological basis that from the outset it's always been about uplifting all Russians--people centered development--which is socialist in its essence. If you look at the institutions Putin's created, they are all socialist. When you examine how Russia's funding its investment and development, it's a hybrid mixture but heavily socialist. As with China, Russia has allowed and promoted entrepreneurial creativity, some of which is fashioned by the state and thus is socialist. An analysis of what's being done to try and solve Russia's demographic problems shows a socio-psychological approach that's heavily dependent on the socialist development of the economy and social sphere.
As with any government, you must look at deeds to see if they match the words. Putin's and the Russian government's deeds clarify what their fundamental ideology is, and it's no coincidence that the Russian Communist Party supports the vast majority of Putin's initiatives because they have a socialist basis, and I would add they also have a basic Christian, Islamic, and Buddhist nature too. The aim of the Russian state is to promote the wellbeing of all, not just the wellbeing of a tiny elite as in Neoliberal dominated nations.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 14 2025 17:00 utc | 93
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