Katri Pynnöniemi
@katri.bsky.social
Professor, Mannerheim Chair of Russian Security Studies, University of Helsinki and National Defence University of Finland
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 7:52 PM
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Russia is directing a lot of resources to destabilize Ukraine from the inside.
But what motivates the Ukrainians willing to work against their own country?
🔗 politi.co/4pvYFjJ
But what motivates the Ukrainians willing to work against their own country?
🔗 politi.co/4pvYFjJ
November 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Russia is directing a lot of resources to destabilize Ukraine from the inside.
But what motivates the Ukrainians willing to work against their own country?
🔗 politi.co/4pvYFjJ
But what motivates the Ukrainians willing to work against their own country?
🔗 politi.co/4pvYFjJ
"Too many European governments still behave as if losing Ukraine would be unfortunate but manageable. This is fantasy. The destruction of Ukraine would reshape Europe’s security architecture for decades, and not in Europe’s favour."
"Europe’s problem is not that it lacks options. It is that it refuses to use them". Jade McGlynn skewers both the Dmitriev/Witkoff plan for Ukraine's destruction, & Europe's refusal to act decisively enough to prevent disaster. open.substack.com/pub/smalldee...
Circus
Amidst the absolute chaos of a Witkoff-stamped Russian psyop-as-peace plan, discussion is filled with anger at Washington and at Moscow.
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:03 AM
"Too many European governments still behave as if losing Ukraine would be unfortunate but manageable. This is fantasy. The destruction of Ukraine would reshape Europe’s security architecture for decades, and not in Europe’s favour."
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
When Ukraine is not just about Ukraine: Europe's leaders are rushing to ensure the US-led peace talks don't give Russia a chance to redraw the rules of the continent's security
“This is Russia changing Nato policy,” said @claudmajor.bsky.social. “Even Stalin didn’t achieve that.”
on.ft.com/44vYrkl
“This is Russia changing Nato policy,” said @claudmajor.bsky.social. “Even Stalin didn’t achieve that.”
on.ft.com/44vYrkl
Europeans scramble to protect their own security after jolt of Ukraine plan
[FREE TO READ] Elements of US peace proposal would give Russia sway over continent’s defence arrangements
on.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:47 AM
When Ukraine is not just about Ukraine: Europe's leaders are rushing to ensure the US-led peace talks don't give Russia a chance to redraw the rules of the continent's security
“This is Russia changing Nato policy,” said @claudmajor.bsky.social. “Even Stalin didn’t achieve that.”
on.ft.com/44vYrkl
“This is Russia changing Nato policy,” said @claudmajor.bsky.social. “Even Stalin didn’t achieve that.”
on.ft.com/44vYrkl
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
FT breaking news on the Ukraine peace deal once again: @christopherjm.ft.com & US colleagues revealing secret US-Russian-Ukrainian talks in UAE that started last night and continue this morning.
No Europeans present (or informed in advance)...
No Europeans present (or informed in advance)...
News: US holds secret Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi
US army secretary Dan Driscoll is in UAE for talks with Ukraine’s military intel chief Kyrylo Budanov and a Russian delegation as Washington pushes a peace deal to end the Kremlin’s war. @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com/43Og0fj
US army secretary Dan Driscoll is in UAE for talks with Ukraine’s military intel chief Kyrylo Budanov and a Russian delegation as Washington pushes a peace deal to end the Kremlin’s war. @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com/43Og0fj
US holds secret Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi
Army secretary Dan Driscoll meets delegations from Kyiv and Moscow in push for deal to end Kremlin’s invasion
on.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:55 AM
FT breaking news on the Ukraine peace deal once again: @christopherjm.ft.com & US colleagues revealing secret US-Russian-Ukrainian talks in UAE that started last night and continue this morning.
No Europeans present (or informed in advance)...
No Europeans present (or informed in advance)...
Good analysis: "The «chaos» concept performs a triple function: it records the already-accomplished changes in the rules of Russian foreign policy, supplies them with an intellectual explanation, and creates a broad context within which further unprincipled foreign-policy steps appear logical."
Check out how the concept of Chaos was developed and how it affects Russia's understanding of international processes and Russia's role in it.
ridl.io/witnesses-of...
3/3
ridl.io/witnesses-of...
3/3
Witnesses of Chaos – Riddle Russia
Anton Barbashin on the Five Postulates of Russia’s «Chaos Theory»
ridl.io
November 24, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Good analysis: "The «chaos» concept performs a triple function: it records the already-accomplished changes in the rules of Russian foreign policy, supplies them with an intellectual explanation, and creates a broad context within which further unprincipled foreign-policy steps appear logical."
"By leaping right to the idea that Russia should be rewarded rather than punished, the document executes a very typical Russian maneuver: crime for Russians without punishment, and punishment for others without crime."
“It looks a lot like that Russians are seeking to bribe Americans to allow Russia to win a war it would otherwise lose.”
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
Russian Unreality and American Weakness
Notes from a bizarre moment of diplomatic history
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
"By leaping right to the idea that Russia should be rewarded rather than punished, the document executes a very typical Russian maneuver: crime for Russians without punishment, and punishment for others without crime."
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
The weekend on Kremlin TV: Russian commentators express profuse thanks to Donald Trump for proposing terms for peace in the Ukraine war that overlap 100% with Russia's demands. Unlike American news media, the Russian also accurately highlight the central role of "our man" JD Vance in the process.
Russian state TV praises Trump's 28-point peace plan
YouTube video by Russian Media Monitor
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The weekend on Kremlin TV: Russian commentators express profuse thanks to Donald Trump for proposing terms for peace in the Ukraine war that overlap 100% with Russia's demands. Unlike American news media, the Russian also accurately highlight the central role of "our man" JD Vance in the process.
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
💬 “The 28-point plan looks like a brainchild of the Kremlin” and “resembles more a demand for capitulation” @chathamhouse.org experts Keir Giles, Orysia Lutsevych, Mark Weller give their early analysis as Zelenskyy is pressured by Trump to accept a ‘peace deal’. www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/trum...
Trump pressures Ukraine to accept peace deal: Early analysis from Chatham House experts
Chatham House analysts give their initial analysis after Zelenskyy was pressured by Trump to accept a White House plan to end the war with Russia.
www.chathamhouse.org
November 24, 2025 at 1:56 PM
💬 “The 28-point plan looks like a brainchild of the Kremlin” and “resembles more a demand for capitulation” @chathamhouse.org experts Keir Giles, Orysia Lutsevych, Mark Weller give their early analysis as Zelenskyy is pressured by Trump to accept a ‘peace deal’. www.chathamhouse.org/2025/11/trum...
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
One plan. Six pillars of international law demolished.
Trump's Ukraine plan requires the US to violate 71 international commitments, @EerikNKross has calculated.
It systematically contradicts the legal order America built over 80 years—from the Geneva Conventions to NATO's founding treaty:
Trump's Ukraine plan requires the US to violate 71 international commitments, @EerikNKross has calculated.
It systematically contradicts the legal order America built over 80 years—from the Geneva Conventions to NATO's founding treaty:
November 23, 2025 at 11:08 PM
One plan. Six pillars of international law demolished.
Trump's Ukraine plan requires the US to violate 71 international commitments, @EerikNKross has calculated.
It systematically contradicts the legal order America built over 80 years—from the Geneva Conventions to NATO's founding treaty:
Trump's Ukraine plan requires the US to violate 71 international commitments, @EerikNKross has calculated.
It systematically contradicts the legal order America built over 80 years—from the Geneva Conventions to NATO's founding treaty:
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
From Le Monde's interview with Fiona Hill
November 24, 2025 at 5:23 AM
From Le Monde's interview with Fiona Hill
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Bloomberg unfolds the history of the Vance-Dmitriev initiative... Dmitriev put it to Witkoff and Vance in a meeting in Miami, Axios published it, Trump and Rubio knew nothing of it. But then Trump decided to simply bless Dmitriev's draft after the fact. A perfect biopsy of "diplomacy" under Trump.
Secret US-Russia Talks Led to Peace Plan That Blindsided Ukraine
The controversial 28-point plan dropped suddenly by the Trump administration to Ukraine as a take-it-or-leave it proposition mere days ago was mostly the result of several weeks of negotiations behind...
www.bloomberg.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Bloomberg unfolds the history of the Vance-Dmitriev initiative... Dmitriev put it to Witkoff and Vance in a meeting in Miami, Axios published it, Trump and Rubio knew nothing of it. But then Trump decided to simply bless Dmitriev's draft after the fact. A perfect biopsy of "diplomacy" under Trump.
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Fiona Hill, geopolitical strategist: 'The US is giving Russia tremendous influence over Europe'
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Fiona Hill, geopolitical strategist: 'The US is giving Russia tremendous influence over Europe'
According to the former Trump adviser, 'This White House wants Ukraine to capitulate to Russian demands to end this war, without proper consideration of all the factors at play.'
www.lemonde.fr
November 23, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Fiona Hill, geopolitical strategist: 'The US is giving Russia tremendous influence over Europe'
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Axios has a lot of explaining to do.
November 23, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Axios has a lot of explaining to do.
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
For 3.5 years, UK investigators had enough evidence to charge former Reform UK politician Nathan Gill with bribery, but held back. What explains the delay, and should we believe he was the only British politician who took money from (pro-)Russian agents? shekhovtsov.substack.com/p/uncovering...
Uncovering Ex-Reform UK Wales Leader's Russian Links
I did so five years before the UK moved to prosecute
shekhovtsov.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
For 3.5 years, UK investigators had enough evidence to charge former Reform UK politician Nathan Gill with bribery, but held back. What explains the delay, and should we believe he was the only British politician who took money from (pro-)Russian agents? shekhovtsov.substack.com/p/uncovering...
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Unfortunate that @christogrozev.bsky.social has not shared here the remarks he published on X about the Trump-Putin plan for Ukraine.
I'm taking the liberty of doing it for him.
I'm taking the liberty of doing it for him.
November 23, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Unfortunate that @christogrozev.bsky.social has not shared here the remarks he published on X about the Trump-Putin plan for Ukraine.
I'm taking the liberty of doing it for him.
I'm taking the liberty of doing it for him.
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
If you're looking for a Sunday morning read, our website team spent a lot of time writing code to make the animations on this article work, so give it a look, will ya?
www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-...
www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-...
Building on Ruins: The Russification of Mariupol, One Apartment Block at a Time - bellingcat
Bellingcat has identified 23 multi-storey housing complexes being built in occupied Mariupol and advertised for sale to Russian citizens.
www.bellingcat.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:47 AM
If you're looking for a Sunday morning read, our website team spent a lot of time writing code to make the animations on this article work, so give it a look, will ya?
www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-...
www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-...
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
The Nordic-Baltic Joint Statement - we will continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen Europe's defence. To the Ukrainian people: you are not alone🇺🇦
November 23, 2025 at 4:26 AM
The Nordic-Baltic Joint Statement - we will continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen Europe's defence. To the Ukrainian people: you are not alone🇺🇦
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
🇺🇸‼️ Key Trump administration officials knew nothing about the peace plan, it was secretly developed only by Witkoff and Putin's envoy Dmitriev, and then shown to Trump, — Bloomberg
November 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
🇺🇸‼️ Key Trump administration officials knew nothing about the peace plan, it was secretly developed only by Witkoff and Putin's envoy Dmitriev, and then shown to Trump, — Bloomberg
"Todellinen uhka ei tule Ukrainan laeista. Se tulee miehestä, joka kutsuu itseään paimeneksi mutta toimii sodankäynnin profeettana. Patriarkka Kirill on tehnyt ”pyhän sodan” retoriikallaan kirkosta Kremlin aseen – ja rististä miekan."
ort.fi/news/arkkipi...
ort.fi/news/arkkipi...
Arkkipiispa Elian kannanotto ehdotettuun Ukrainan rauhansuunnitelmaan - Suomen ortodoksinen kirkko
KuunteleYhdysvalloissa hahmoteltu Ukrainan rauhansuunnitelma on herättänyt aiheellista huolta. Kirkkona olemme rukoilleet jo yli kolme vuotta kestävän ja oikeudenmukaisen rauhan puolesta. Nyt esitelly...
ort.fi
November 22, 2025 at 3:19 PM
"Todellinen uhka ei tule Ukrainan laeista. Se tulee miehestä, joka kutsuu itseään paimeneksi mutta toimii sodankäynnin profeettana. Patriarkka Kirill on tehnyt ”pyhän sodan” retoriikallaan kirkosta Kremlin aseen – ja rististä miekan."
ort.fi/news/arkkipi...
ort.fi/news/arkkipi...
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace
Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:11 AM
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
The Moscow Times: „The very emergence of such a U.S. initiative signals, in Putin’s view, that Washington is capitulating. And capitulating not because it has suffered losses — it has lost neither tanks nor aircraft nor soldiers — but because it is tired,frightened and eager to avoid involvement.“
November 22, 2025 at 5:28 AM
The Moscow Times: „The very emergence of such a U.S. initiative signals, in Putin’s view, that Washington is capitulating. And capitulating not because it has suffered losses — it has lost neither tanks nor aircraft nor soldiers — but because it is tired,frightened and eager to avoid involvement.“
Reposted by Katri Pynnöniemi
Europe's strongest response — and a powerful card it has — is to use frozen russian assets for Ukraine. Otherwise, sooner than later, those assets will end up feeding the russian war machine.
Now it's time to adopt the Reparation Loan.
Now it's time to adopt the Reparation Loan.
November 22, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Europe's strongest response — and a powerful card it has — is to use frozen russian assets for Ukraine. Otherwise, sooner than later, those assets will end up feeding the russian war machine.
Now it's time to adopt the Reparation Loan.
Now it's time to adopt the Reparation Loan.
What a shame - with the current 'plan' Vance et all will maximise chances of Russia's forever war against Ukraine & Europe
JD Vance: 'There is a fantasy that if we just give more money, more weapons, or more sanctions, victory is at hand. Peace won't be made by failed diplomats or politicians living in a fantasy land'.
(Do note that the US no longer provides ANY weapons nor money to Ukraine, hdv)
(Do note that the US no longer provides ANY weapons nor money to Ukraine, hdv)
November 22, 2025 at 7:33 AM
What a shame - with the current 'plan' Vance et all will maximise chances of Russia's forever war against Ukraine & Europe