Valerie Morkevičius
@vmorkevicius.bsky.social
Assoc Prof Political Science @ColgateUniv. Author of Realist Ethics: https://bit.ly/RealistEthics Ramblings here from a just war perspective on #security & #infowar. Personal views only.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
He continues to treat Russia like it didn’t start the war
REPORTER: What kind of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?
TRUMP: The big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land
TRUMP: The big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land
November 26, 2025 at 1:30 AM
He continues to treat Russia like it didn’t start the war
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
India formalizing shift away from most Russian oil.
Indian companies will now monitor which ships carry purchased oil, and Indian banks will only finance oil from unsanctioned sources.
Since few remaining sources are unsanctioned or non-shadow-fleet, this will be a big drop.📉
Indian companies will now monitor which ships carry purchased oil, and Indian banks will only finance oil from unsanctioned sources.
Since few remaining sources are unsanctioned or non-shadow-fleet, this will be a big drop.📉
November 26, 2025 at 7:13 AM
India formalizing shift away from most Russian oil.
Indian companies will now monitor which ships carry purchased oil, and Indian banks will only finance oil from unsanctioned sources.
Since few remaining sources are unsanctioned or non-shadow-fleet, this will be a big drop.📉
Indian companies will now monitor which ships carry purchased oil, and Indian banks will only finance oil from unsanctioned sources.
Since few remaining sources are unsanctioned or non-shadow-fleet, this will be a big drop.📉
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
On RTE’s 6-1 News I noted that core issues such as territorial integrity and the post-war security architecture remain unresolved
Officials in the Baltic states repeatedly stressed to me that the outcome in Ukraine is not localised. It will shape Europe’s strategic landscape for many years to come
Officials in the Baltic states repeatedly stressed to me that the outcome in Ukraine is not localised. It will shape Europe’s strategic landscape for many years to come
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
On RTE’s 6-1 News I noted that core issues such as territorial integrity and the post-war security architecture remain unresolved
Officials in the Baltic states repeatedly stressed to me that the outcome in Ukraine is not localised. It will shape Europe’s strategic landscape for many years to come
Officials in the Baltic states repeatedly stressed to me that the outcome in Ukraine is not localised. It will shape Europe’s strategic landscape for many years to come
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
The thread is compelling on the Trump portions, but misses on Russia and Putin.
Time is not on Putin's side, neither in the economy nor in politics. He is threatened by Ukraine because its path to decorruption and Westernization builds a prosperity that proves economic drag of the system in Moscow.
Time is not on Putin's side, neither in the economy nor in politics. He is threatened by Ukraine because its path to decorruption and Westernization builds a prosperity that proves economic drag of the system in Moscow.
Trump's hurry to check off the war hobbles the US position, especially as Putin believes time is on his side as he hacks off more of Ukraine and waits for Western allies to turn on each other. ⏳
November 26, 2025 at 7:33 AM
The thread is compelling on the Trump portions, but misses on Russia and Putin.
Time is not on Putin's side, neither in the economy nor in politics. He is threatened by Ukraine because its path to decorruption and Westernization builds a prosperity that proves economic drag of the system in Moscow.
Time is not on Putin's side, neither in the economy nor in politics. He is threatened by Ukraine because its path to decorruption and Westernization builds a prosperity that proves economic drag of the system in Moscow.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
NEW: My Udemy course 'Propaganda & Disinformation for Beginners' has helped students in 26 countries worldwide strengthen their armour against disinformation since it launched 2 years ago. Techniques Cambridge Analytica used to secretly profile millions have become a vastly profitable industry.. /1
November 25, 2025 at 6:06 PM
NEW: My Udemy course 'Propaganda & Disinformation for Beginners' has helped students in 26 countries worldwide strengthen their armour against disinformation since it launched 2 years ago. Techniques Cambridge Analytica used to secretly profile millions have become a vastly profitable industry.. /1
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Russia rolls out a surrender deal for Ukraine => Trump insists Ukraine must sign => An enormous joint diplomatic effort by Europe + Ukraine + some Americans is needed to transform the deal into something acceptable => Russia refuses to sign.
Rinse and repeat.
Rinse and repeat.
November 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Russia rolls out a surrender deal for Ukraine => Trump insists Ukraine must sign => An enormous joint diplomatic effort by Europe + Ukraine + some Americans is needed to transform the deal into something acceptable => Russia refuses to sign.
Rinse and repeat.
Rinse and repeat.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Really looks like the United States is about to launch a regime change war against Venezuela with:
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
November 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Really looks like the United States is about to launch a regime change war against Venezuela with:
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
They're not even fully keen on the 28 plan they wrote themselves. It needs to be worked out in more detail he says, i.e. "make Ukrainian capitulation complete, as we demanded in Alaska". This is how Ru ...erm... negotiates. No compromise; trying to achieve its elusive military victory diplomatically
Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov says the European "counter-proposal" peace plan is "not constructive and not acceptable to Russia."
November 24, 2025 at 2:55 PM
They're not even fully keen on the 28 plan they wrote themselves. It needs to be worked out in more detail he says, i.e. "make Ukrainian capitulation complete, as we demanded in Alaska". This is how Ru ...erm... negotiates. No compromise; trying to achieve its elusive military victory diplomatically
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Russia has destroyed the last functioning power unit in Chernihiv region, The Guardian reports. The facility was hit directly, its equipment completely obliterated. Concrete walls were in place, but the roof was unfinished, and a full underground shelter would have required months of work.
November 23, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Russia has destroyed the last functioning power unit in Chernihiv region, The Guardian reports. The facility was hit directly, its equipment completely obliterated. Concrete walls were in place, but the roof was unfinished, and a full underground shelter would have required months of work.
And here's naïve little old me thinking that SCOTUS made decisions based on the law.
Lutnick on the tariffs case before SCOTUS: "You're gonna watch the Supreme Court back this president because this president has proven that he can protect America. We're gonna win this case. You heard it from me."
November 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM
And here's naïve little old me thinking that SCOTUS made decisions based on the law.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Once again, an overwhelming majority of Americans don't want to get involved in Venezuela
November 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Once again, an overwhelming majority of Americans don't want to get involved in Venezuela
And, one might ask, how stable is a ceasefire when one of the parties has already violated all of its previous legal promises to respect Ukrainian sovereignty and borders?
The Budapest Memorandum, the Minsk Agreement -- they failed to dissuade Russian aggression. Why would this be any different?
The Budapest Memorandum, the Minsk Agreement -- they failed to dissuade Russian aggression. Why would this be any different?
Finally, we hear actual legal terms. Thank you @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu
As someone who studied EU Policy, I appreciate this.
My question is though - how stable is any ceasefire if Russia is entitled to keep what they occupied even if the change to actual, legal UA borders isn’t recognized?
As someone who studied EU Policy, I appreciate this.
My question is though - how stable is any ceasefire if Russia is entitled to keep what they occupied even if the change to actual, legal UA borders isn’t recognized?
November 24, 2025 at 9:02 AM
And, one might ask, how stable is a ceasefire when one of the parties has already violated all of its previous legal promises to respect Ukrainian sovereignty and borders?
The Budapest Memorandum, the Minsk Agreement -- they failed to dissuade Russian aggression. Why would this be any different?
The Budapest Memorandum, the Minsk Agreement -- they failed to dissuade Russian aggression. Why would this be any different?
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
This article is from @markhertling.bsky.social - a retired three-star Army general - and everyone should read it.
November 24, 2025 at 2:40 AM
This article is from @markhertling.bsky.social - a retired three-star Army general - and everyone should read it.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
The post is from Alexander Dugin in telegram, the Kremlin's chief ideologue, a self-proclaimed "intellectual," a prominent russian nazi, and a happy father.
The post was written today.
The post was written today.
November 23, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The post is from Alexander Dugin in telegram, the Kremlin's chief ideologue, a self-proclaimed "intellectual," a prominent russian nazi, and a happy father.
The post was written today.
The post was written today.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Seemingly positive statements from both Ukrainians and US delegates from Geneva. Nothing of substance out. meduza.io/news/2025/11...
«Возможно, самая продуктивная встреча во всем этом процессе». Переговоры украинской и американской делегаций в Женеве завершились — Meduza
Встреча украинской и американской делегаций в Женеве, на которой обсуждался мирный план США, завершилась, сообщили госсекретарь США Марко Рубио и глава офиса президента Украины Андрей Ермак.
meduza.io
November 23, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Seemingly positive statements from both Ukrainians and US delegates from Geneva. Nothing of substance out. meduza.io/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
TBH, the Russian politics of the negotiation with Witkoff are more interesting than the American politics.
Why Dmitriev? So that any outcome is deniable? To tar Dmitriev with a failure to punish him for challenging Lavrov?
Why the arms control proposal (#18)? Do the Russians feel they need it?
Why Dmitriev? So that any outcome is deniable? To tar Dmitriev with a failure to punish him for challenging Lavrov?
Why the arms control proposal (#18)? Do the Russians feel they need it?
November 22, 2025 at 11:13 PM
TBH, the Russian politics of the negotiation with Witkoff are more interesting than the American politics.
Why Dmitriev? So that any outcome is deniable? To tar Dmitriev with a failure to punish him for challenging Lavrov?
Why the arms control proposal (#18)? Do the Russians feel they need it?
Why Dmitriev? So that any outcome is deniable? To tar Dmitriev with a failure to punish him for challenging Lavrov?
Why the arms control proposal (#18)? Do the Russians feel they need it?
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
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-...
This.
I see a lot of Paidchecks on X didn’t realize that a whole lot of people on social media lie about their location to grift off the naïveté of the rage-addled American right.
Turns out this problem is real and it’s a thing those of us who worked on “disinformation” pointed out.
Turns out this problem is real and it’s a thing those of us who worked on “disinformation” pointed out.
November 23, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Here is my read of the "peace plan" and how Kirill Dmitriev played the American media to force this thing into being -- with an incompetent White House scrambling to make it seem like this was somehow coordinated and well-planned. open.substack.com/pub/macspaun...
“He Must Have Got This From K.”
How a Russian operative used the American media to force a risible “peace deal” into existence
open.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Here is my read of the "peace plan" and how Kirill Dmitriev played the American media to force this thing into being -- with an incompetent White House scrambling to make it seem like this was somehow coordinated and well-planned. open.substack.com/pub/macspaun...
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
detailed WashPost account of how Trump and Stephen Miller sidelined serious lawyers so they could fabricate a justification for committing murder
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats
The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:23 PM
detailed WashPost account of how Trump and Stephen Miller sidelined serious lawyers so they could fabricate a justification for committing murder
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
"To win all of Ukraine back in its original form," — as Trump put it — is not a maximalist aim but the prerequisite for peace.
kyivindependent.com/why-russia-c...
kyivindependent.com/why-russia-c...
Why Russia cannot help but invade
The planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest has been shelved. The White House says there's no point meeting unless "we're going to make a deal." Some view this as a setback for diplomacy, but it may we...
kyivindependent.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"To win all of Ukraine back in its original form," — as Trump put it — is not a maximalist aim but the prerequisite for peace.
kyivindependent.com/why-russia-c...
kyivindependent.com/why-russia-c...
Chicago peeps:
Rally for Ukraine tomorrow Sunday 2PM, 410 N. Michigan, Chicago
Ukraine is not for sale
Occupation is not peace
Ukraine is not for sale
Occupation is not peace
November 22, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Chicago peeps:
Today the First Deputy Chairman of the Duma Defense Committee says only a military victory would definitively end the war; yesterday Putin said he was "satisfied with the current dynamics” of the war.
Something tells me the Kremlin isn't committed to peace.
united24media.com/latest-news/...
Something tells me the Kremlin isn't committed to peace.
united24media.com/latest-news/...
November 22, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Today the First Deputy Chairman of the Duma Defense Committee says only a military victory would definitively end the war; yesterday Putin said he was "satisfied with the current dynamics” of the war.
Something tells me the Kremlin isn't committed to peace.
united24media.com/latest-news/...
Something tells me the Kremlin isn't committed to peace.
united24media.com/latest-news/...
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
This young man has it exactly right.
November 21, 2025 at 11:30 PM
This young man has it exactly right.
Reposted by Valerie Morkevičius
Make a pause
and spend 40 seconds in Kyiv.
and spend 40 seconds in Kyiv.
November 21, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Make a pause
and spend 40 seconds in Kyiv.
and spend 40 seconds in Kyiv.