We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
🇪🇺🇺🇸🇷🇺 I had hoped I was wrong with my post 4 days ago but it looks like we are indeed on the edge of Europe's most humiliating moment in history.
I went in detail through all the 28 points of Trump's proposed "peace" plan for Ukraine, as well as Europe's counterproposal, and some of the clauses proposed by the U.S. are just unbelievable.
Take points 4 and 15 of the Trump plan for instance:
-
Point 4: "A dialogue will be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the United States, to resolve all security issues and create conditions for de-escalation in order to ensure global security and increase opportunities for cooperation and future economic development."
-
Point 15: "A joint American-Russian working group on security issues will be established to promote and ensure compliance with all provisions of this agreement."
Taken together what they actually say is that the U.S. won’t act as a NATO member anymore but as a “mediator” outside NATO who, as per point 15, will work with Russia - but not with Europe - within an “American-Russian working group on security issues” in charge of enforcing the agreement.
In effect what this means is that Trump is proposing that Washington and Moscow become co-managers of European security - with Europe itself excluded from the mechanism.
As such, this is an agreement that would redraw the entire European security architecture, over Europeans’ heads. This isn’t exaggeration, when asked about European involvement, the White House reportedly said: “We don’t really care about the Europeans” as I referenced in the post below. The document merely formalizes that sentiment.
The tragedy is the US plan, whatever its flaws, is a deal. It offers Russia things Russia wants (territory, sanctions relief, NATO freeze, denazification in Ukraine) in exchange for things the US wants (profit extraction, resource deals, geopolitical repositioning). It’s cynical but coherent. Both parties get something.
The European counter-proposal, however, is not a deal. It’s a list of objections that makes the arrangement worse for both parties who actually hold the cards. Russia gets less. America gets less. Their “counterproposal” - which, tellingly, nobody even asked them for (remember, they "don’t really care about the Europeans" ) - is simply them editing someone else’s document and hoping to be included.
As I told my daughters over dinner, if you have a deal with someone and someone else asks to be included in the deal, but that makes it worse for both of you, would you have them join? "No, duh!" was their answer. Yet that's essentially Europe's counterproposal...
Europe could force the US and Russia to change their deal if it has significant leverage but, that's the other tragedy here from a European standpoint: when push comes to shove there really isn't much one can do against a party that provides your security umbrella, your financial plumbing, your digital infrastructure, and even the LNG that heats your homes since you sanctioned Russian gas.
Hubert Védrine, France’s former Foreign Minister, has this expression where he accuses Europeans of thinking they inhabit a “world of Care Bears” ("bisounours" in French) whereas the world actually is closer to being “Jurassic Park.” And Europe is anything but an apex predator, it's not even one of those large herbivorous dinosaurs: in this analogy it's closer to being the goat tied to the post.
🔗 Arnaud Bertrand
Ukrainian forces have begun training and testing exoskeletons for battlefield use. Soldiers from the 147th Separate Artillery Brigade are using them in the Pokrovsk sector for both logistics and frontline operations. The goal is to reduce physical strain, especially when loading heavy artillery shells into howitzers without automatic loaders. Artillery crews can handle up to 1200 kg of ammunition per day, and early tests show that exoskeletons help them work faster and with less fatigue Above all, by improving the conditions for those soldiers on the front lines who handle such heavy loads, plus the stress of work. Seeking to reduce overall fatigue in the troops
🌆 Market News Digest
April 6, 2026 EST
🔥 Top Stories
• Trump warns Iran of imminent destruction of bridges & power plants by Tuesday midnight — escalating tensions with potential for severe infrastructure strikes.
• Oil prices rise as Trump deadline nears; US crude settles at $112.41/bbl — geopolitical uncertainty boosts energy markets.
• US stocks gain amid optimism over Iran ceasefire; S&P up 0.41% — markets react to diplomatic signals and oil price stability.
• IMF warns prolonged Middle East war will slow global growth & boost inflation — economic outlook darkens with conflict escalation.
• Trump claims Iran is at its weakest; threatens to decimate Iranian infrastructure — aggressive stance amid ongoing negotiations.
⛽ Oil & Energy
• US crude at $112.41/bbl, Brent at $109.77/bbl — energy markets volatile on Iran conflict fears.
• US considers charging tolls in Strait of Hormuz; free passage part of Iran deal — strategic move to control shipping lanes.
• ...
🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱 - WAR IN IRAN | APRIL 5th, DAY 37 RECAP:
🇺🇸🇮🇷 - The NYT reports that during the operation in Iran, two U.S. transport aircraft intended to carry the airmen were disabled and abandoned, then blown up. Two MC-130J Combat King II rescue aircraft and four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters were deliberately destroyed by U.S. forces during the search and rescue mission in Iran, according to ABC News, citing U.S. officials.
🇮🇷🇦🇪 - Several fires have broken out at Abu Dhabi’s Borouge petrochemicals factory, with damage currently being assessed following an Iranian missile and drone attack. This comes less than 24 hours after Israel struck Iran’s largest petrochemical facility.
🇮🇷🇮🇱 - An Iranian ballistic missile impacted the Neot Hovav industrial zone near Beersheba in the first wave, the third time this industrial zone has been hit during the war.
🇺🇸🇮🇷 - "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. ...
F15E SHOOTDOWN AND CSAR OPERATION — FULL VERIFIED BREAKDOWN
APRIL 3 — THE SHOOTDOWN
F15E from the 494th Fighter Squadron out of RAF Lakenheath is hit over southwestern Iran.
Crash site confirmed in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province near Dehdasht.
Wreckage includes ACES II ejection seat and tail section matching the squadron.
Cause
Iran claims it used a new IRGC air defense system.
Exact weapon system remains unconfirmed.
HOUR 0
Both crew eject.
Pilot activates survival radio and PRD immediately.
Contact established with U.S. aircraft overhead.
Pilot recovered within hours.
WSO lands separately in mountainous terrain.
WSO beacon briefly detected by satellites, then goes silent.
Reason unknown.
HOURS 1 TO 12
WSO begins evasion using SERE training.
Maintains intermittent encrypted communication with U.S. forces.
IRGC launches large scale search operation.
Iranian state TV urges civilians to report or capture the pilot.
Rewards up to $60,000 reported.
Public messaging includes calls to shoot on sight.
HOURS 12 TO 24
WSO moves into high ...
