🇫🇮🚶 Finland exits Ottawa anti-personnel mine ban treaty

Finland's formal withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, and production of anti-personnel landmines, has officially taken effect, Yle reports.

President Alexander Stubb earlier claimed that Finland will not use anti-personnel mines during peacetime and intends to store them in depots.

💬 Russian Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov commented that Russia is indifferent to the decision. However, he noted the primary risk is to Finnish civilians, as any mined territory would be Finland's own.

👉 The move was initiated by Helsinki in November 2024 alongside Poland and the Baltic states, citing an alleged "threat" from Russia as the primary reason for needing to retain the option to use mines.

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🎬 US government uses Hollywood to demonize Russians - Former Biden Aide

Washington enjoys a tremendous influence over Hollywood and uses it to manipulate public opinion in the United States against Russia, Tara Reade, a former assistant to ex-US President Joe Biden, tells Sputnik.

👉 Using the US film industry, Washington promotes negative stereotypes about Russia, depicting Russians as aggressive and violent people, and trying to make it look like the Soviet Union and communism are still in place, she explains.

This, however, could not be farther from the truth as Russia today is a capitalist country that has achieved much tech, sports and arts while the Russians themselves are friendly and hearty people, Reade notes.

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🇪🇺 Europe’s coalition of the willing gamble for Ukraine unravels amid ‘huge opposition’ – UK analyst

🔸 There is strong pushback to British boots on the ground in Ukraine under any pretext, says UK geopolitical analyst Alexander Mercouris.

🔸 He points to dissent in Parliament, in the media, and “a huge amount of opposition” within the UK military itself.

🔸 PM Keir Starmer has admitted that the recent meeting of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ in Paris produced nothing but a political declaration, notes the analyst.

🔸 The European hawks are regurgitating the same thing “again and again,” still talking about a “ceasefire” that is unacceptable to Russia, which seeks a long-term, guaranteed peace in Ukraine.

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🇫🇷 France bumps G7 Summit to accommodate Trump’s birthday UFC throwdown

📍 Originally slated for June 14–16 in Evian-les-Bains, the G7 Summit would have coincided with Flag Day in the US and Trump’s milestone 80th birthday.

But France tweaked the summit schedule to June 15–17 to dodge a collision with a mixed martial arts event planned at the White House, according to media reports.

🔶 Trump dropped the bombshell back in October: “Big UFC fight” on June 14.

🔶 The logistics of the event have been locked in, UFC CEO Dana White told CBS News.

🔶 Up to 5,000 people are expected to witness the lawn party/cage fight hybrid on the South Lawn of the WH.

🔶 With a straight face, President Emmanuel Macron’s office insists the tweak is simply “the result of our consultations with G7 partners.”

A White House official insisted that “our partners believed that President Trump’s attendance at the G7 Summit was essential. They kindly shifted dates to accommodate the US president’s schedule.”

Apparently, birthday sparring beats summit sparring 🤡

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🗣 Safety fears deepen Europe's right-wing political crisis - Former Austrian FM

🇪🇺 European politics are in a deep crisis as many people, particularly in right-wing parties, are afraid to enter the spotlight due to concerns for their personal safety, former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl told Sputnik.

📍 In Europe, having ties to those considered to be on the right of the political spectrum comes with a price such as a threat of physical violence, Kneissl said.

💬 "There are many who have already paid a high price. As soon as you have even the most minimal contact with the right, you get serious problems. Members of the AfD [Alternative for Germany] have been attacked," she added.

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🔸 Wary US oil giants dodge Venezuela investment pitch

🔸 French flood streets to support Venezuela

🔸 Finland exits Ottawa anti-personnel mine ban treaty

🔸 Latin America unlikely to turn back on China, despite US efforts — report

🔸 What’s driving the US gradual withdrawal from UN agencies?

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🔥 Trump admin discusses large-scale aerial strike on Iran — WSJ

Officials have held preliminary talks on potential military action against Iran, including targeting multiple Iranian military sites in a major aerial operation, The Wall Street Journal reports.

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US launches large-scale strikes against ISIS* across Syria — CENTCOM

The military confirms it conducted major strikes today as retaliation for the December 13 ambush in Palmyra that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter.

* Terrorist groups outlawed in Russia and many other countries

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💬 US will lift more Venezuela oil sanctions, unlock $5B in IMF assets — Bessent

The US will ease oil sanctions to facilitate sales and will meet with IMF and World Bank chiefs on re‑engaging with Venezuela, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters.

Nearly $5 billion in frozen IMF Special Drawing Rights could be deployed to help rebuild Venezuela’s economy, with Treasury examining how to repatriate oil sale proceeds from tankers back to the country.

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📑 Israel plans new offensive in Gaza in March — Reports

The IDF has drawn up plans for renewed intensive operations in Gaza next month, aiming to push the ceasefire "yellow line" westward toward the coast and expand Israeli-controlled territory, The Times of Israel reports.

An Arab diplomat cited in the report stated the operation could not be carried out without US support, while Netanyahu reportedly believes Hamas will not be disarmed and has ordered the military to prepare accordingly.

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🔥 UK and EU consider troops for Greenland, sanctions on US companies in response to Trump threats — Report

Keir Starmer is discussing a potential NATO military deployment to Greenland with European allies, amid President Trump’s threats to seize the Arctic territory, the Telegraph reported.

Plans could involve British soldiers, warships, and aircraft to guard the island.

The EU is also preparing retaliatory sanctions — including restrictions on Meta, Google, Microsoft, X, and US banks — should Trump reject the NATO offer.

A more extreme option includes evicting the US military from its bases in Europe, the Telegraph noted.

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🇭🇳📊 Honduras orders full election recount

President Xiomara Castro has approved a decree mandating a complete recount at all 19,167 polling stations, challenging the National Electoral Council’s declaration of Trump-backed Nasri Asfura as the winner.

The decree passed by ruling party deputies also calls for a legal review of the electoral council’s actions.

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🇻🇪 US tells citizens to leave Venezuela 'immediately' — Caracas calls it a 'fabricated' pretext

The US State Department urged Americans to depart Venezuela "immediately," citing a rapidly evolving security situation.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry dismissed the alert, accusing Washington of "fabricating a perception of risk that does not exist."

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💬 Trump warns freed Venezuelan prisoners: 'Remember who freed you'

President Trump claimed credit for Venezuela releasing prisoners "in a BIG WAY".

"I hope those prisoners will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along… If they do [forget], it will not be good for them," he wrote on Truth Social.

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