Manuel Erhardt @erhardt@librem.one

Another great post by Polish analyst Daniel Szeligowski, about “Russian security concerns” related to #NATO and #Ukraine. All following text is Daniel’s, written originally in English, with no quote block for readability.

In early 2014, Ukraine was a neutral country, with a pro-Russian president, and with 70% of Ukraine’s population against NATO membership. Yet Russia violated Ukraine’s neutrality and annexed Crimea, then launched a covert invasion of Ukraine in the east.

Petro Poroshenko won the presidential election in 2014 having promised a settlement with Russia, keeping a special status of the Russian language in Ukraine. He was initially sceptical regarding NATO accession, underlined Ukraine must rely on its own strength to provide security.

Zelensky also won the presidential election promising to compromise with Russia - to stop shooting, sit down with Putin and talk. He was even more sceptical regarding NATO accession. Asked about NATO, he once famously said he never pays anyone a visit if he has not been invited.

Zelensky was ready to drop Ukraine’s NATO membership bid in an exchange for the Russian troops withdrawing from Ukraine, and the talks were held already before 2022. And yet Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In the first weeks of the invasion, Zelensky was yet again ready to drop Ukraine’s NATO bid. But he wanted to obtain international security guarantees. So Putin put forward demands that Russia must be consulted before any aid would be given to Ukraine in the event of aggression.

Both Poroshenko and Zelensky were initially sceptical regarding Ukraine’s accession to NATO. Both wanted to get a deal with Putin. And Putin himself pushed both of them to seek NATO membership out of no other viable alternatives.

Putin has shown no willingness to compromise with Ukraine. His war aims remain maximalist - subjugating Ukraine and changing its regime. He seeks Ukraine’s partition, and will turn what is left of Ukraine into a Russian protectorate. Nothing to do with his “feelings” about NATO.

Regrettably, Russia’s imperial self-conception is that of Russian elites at large, not just Putin. Russian leadership simply cannot reconcile with the existence of a sovereign Ukrainian statehood. So any sustainable Ukrainian-Russian compromise is currently not within reach.

Ukraine to further support Syria with humanitarian aid, says Zelenskyy

Hundreds of tonnes of grain have been sent to Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad as part of the "Grain from Ukraine" humanitarian programme launched by the Ukrainian leader.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/02/ukraine-to-further-support-syria-with-humanitarian-aid-says-zelenskyy

Das ist völlig entgleist #38C3

Der #CCC unterstützt die drei Hacker, die auf dem #37C3 detailliert darlegten, wie der polnische Schienenfahrzeughersteller Newag seine Züge ab Werk so manipuliert hatte, dass sie nur noch in firmeneigenen Werkstätten repariert werden können.

https://www.ccc.de/de/updates/2024/das-ist-vollig-entgleist

Witaj, Polsko! Welcome, Poland!

With the Polish EU Council Presidency, we will challenge current uncertainties and build a stronger, united Europe for all.

To achieve that, Poland will focus on:

⬜Defence and security
🟥Protection of people and borders
⬜Resistance to foreign interference and disinformation
🟥Ensuring security and freedom of business
⬜Energy transition
🟥Competitive and resilient agriculture
⬜Health security

ℹ️ https://poland25.eu

UN Generalversammlung winkt den globalen Überwachungspakt durch – am 24. Dezember!

Auch wir haben es erst Tage später gemerkt. Klangheimlich hat die UN-Generalversammlung ohne Abstimmung, sondern nur mit einer Laudatio der russischen Vertretung die UN #CybercrimeConvention durchgewunken.

Unsere Medienmitteilung:
https://www.piratenpartei.ch/2024/12/31/un-generalversammlung-winkt-den-globalen-ueberwachungspakt-durch-am-24-dezember/

Unterschreibe unsere Petition. Wir fordern, dass die Schweiz die Konvention nicht ratifiziert!
https://act.campax.org/petitions/un-cybercrime-convention-stoppen-arreter-la-convention-des-nations-unies-sur-la-cybercriminalite

⚡Poland prepared to increase energy exports to Ukraine in place of Slovakia, Bloomberg reports.

Poland has expressed willingness to increase electricity exports to Ukraine if Slovakia halts its supply, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 29, citing an unnamed Polish official.

Poland is ready to increase domestic electricity production if Slovakia halts the delivery of backup power supplies to Ukraine, an unnamed Polish official said.

🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/poland-ready-to-help-ukraine-if-slovakias-fico-cuts-electric-grid/

TIL Kim Dotcom, founder of the controversial Megaupload, was once the world’s top-ranked Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 player. Before his 2012 arrest in New Zealand, he achieved the highest cumulative score in free-for-all mode out of over 15 million players worldwide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Dotcom
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ho4t4r/til_kim_dotcom_founder_of_the_controversial/

TIL that many printers secretly add microscopic yellow tracking dots to every printed page, encoding the date, time, and printer's serial number to trace documents back to their source.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170607-why-printers-add-secret-tracking-dots
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1hmj8w3/til_that_many_printers_secretly_add_microscopic/