Mark MacKinnon

Duelling peace plans show relief for Ukraine remains a long way off Britain, France and Germany’s proposal aims to fill gaps in 28-point U.S.-Russian plan

Giant gaps between the Witkoff-Dmitriev “peace plan” for Ukraine, which was unacceptable to Kyiv, and a new European draft, which the Kremlin won’t discuss, make it clear the war is unlikely to end soon.

My analysis

Israel's military has bombed Beirut for the first time since June, claiming to target a Hezbollah member in the southern suburb of Dahiyeh.

It's the latest violation of a ceasefire Israel signed with Hezbollah a year ago, which Israel has broken with near-daily attacks on southern Lebanon.

Trump’s Peace Plan Favors Russia. Putin Still Won’t Accept It. - The Moscow Times Opinion | The Ukraine war peace plan proposed by the Trump administration has, unsurprisingly, triggered a storm of reactions across the press, social media and among experts.

"Moscow seeks unconditional surrender, not a mediated compromise, and certainly not subordination to Trump’s oversight."

Former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev on why he thinks the Witkoff-Dmitriev "peace plan" is doomed to fail...

In Putin’s Russia, musicians face arrests for protest songs Teenager’s alleged crimes were in anti-war lyrics she sang publicly at a dangerous moment for dissent

Here's my (suddenly out-of-date) report on the Stoptime case, and the widening Kremlin crackdown on anything that smells like dissent...

www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...

Наоко и гитарист Stoptime Александр Орлов освободились после «карусельных» арестов и покинули Россию Певица уличной группы Stoptime Диана Логинова (Наоко) и гитарист группы Александр Орлов покинули Россию после освобожден...

When I interviewed @olgaborisovauk.bsky.social about the Naoko/Stoptime case last week she predicted that by repeatedly re-arresting them, the Kremlin was trying to pressure the band into leaving "as soon as there's a gap between this arrest and the next one."

They reportedly left Russia on Sunday.

In Putin’s Russia, musicians face arrests for protest songs Teenager’s alleged crimes were in anti-war lyrics she sang publicly at a dangerous moment for dissent

“Putin’s propaganda has lost this generation of people.”

How an 18-year-old street musician became a threat to the Kremlin - in a crackdown that had seen even one of Putin’s former advisors labelled a “foreign agent.”

My report

The women that brought him to power might be raising their collective eyebrows.

Canada's view on Africa also bears reporting.

Important coverage from the G20 @geoffreyyork.bsky.social

Iran president says capital move now a necessity as water crisis deepens Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has mad...

'Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has made Tehran impossible to sustain'

#Iran 🇮🇷

Kyiv’s allies insist more work is needed on US-Russian peace plan EU and Nato leaders warn they must be given a voice on the most pivotal moment in the war

Kyiv’s allies insist more work is needed on US-Russian peace plan on.ft.com/486onFL

Trump says Zelenskyy “should like” peace proposal or “keep fighting” Donald Trump responded to Volodymyr Zelensky's concerns about the U.S. "peace plan" by saying the Ukrainian president should either accept the proposal or "keep fighting."

Trump responded to Volodymyr Zelenskyy's concerns about the US" peace plan" by saying the Ukrainian president should either accept the proposal or "keep fighting."
euromaidanpress.com/2025/11/22/t...

The Christian converts the US is deporting back to Iran While Donald Trump admonishes Nigeria for persecuting Christians, Christian converts tell the BBC they live in fear of being deported to Iran from the US.

#BBCNews - The Christian converts the US is deporting back to Iran
www.bbc.com/news/article...

U.S. peace plan for Ukraine bears strong resemblance to Putin’s terms The 28-point proposal finds Zelensky in a vulnerable political position, hurt by a corruption scandal

The Witkoff-Dmitriev plan puts Zelensky in a familiar spot. He can accept Moscow’s terms, or Ukraine can keep fighting a war few think it can win.

It’s the same choice Ukrainians faced in February 2022 - so don’t expect the answer from Kyiv to be any different this time.

My analysis

Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in Lebanon, photos of remnants suggest Exclusive: Images are first indication that Israel has used cluster munitions in nearly 20 years Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in its recent 13-month war in Lebanon, photos of munition remnants in south Lebanon seen by the Guardian suggest. The images, which have been examined by six different arms experts, appear to show the remnants of two different types of Israeli cluster munitions found in three different locations: south of the Litani River in the forested valleys of Wadi Zibqin, Wadi Barghouz and Wadi Deir Siryan. Continue reading...

Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in Lebanon, photos of remnants suggest

'A source in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said the plan was delivered to Mr. Zelensky only “after Witkoff agreed it with the Russians” and that the White House was now urging Mr. Zelensky to accept it.'

U.S. peace plan calls on Ukraine to give up land, receives negative reaction from Kyiv Peace plan was drafted by U.S. and Russian officials without any involvement from Kyiv

“It's positive only for Russia" - a source in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office tells me Kyiv isn't impressed by the 28-point plan cooked up by Steven Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev.

www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...

"Dmitriev expressed optimism about the deal's chances of success because, unlike past efforts, 'we feel the Russian position is really being heard.'"

Great questions.

The answers are so very dark.

Two in One Shoe Story - The Shoe Project Stories Summary: Story: More Stories from Toronto 2014

When in Canada Hind Kabawat , now Syria's Minister of Social Affairs, participated in The Shoe Project I ran for 12 years. Wrote a great story about her visit to the refugee camp. @markmackinnon.bsky.social theshoeprojectstories.com/stories_sess...

Syrians with close Canadian ties play outsized role in postwar government Syrian-Canadians in President al-Sharaa’s cabinet say they look to Canada as a model for peaceful, multicultural society

"The good octopus" - a decade after Canada opened its doors to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, four key members of Syria's postwar government are either citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Can those ties influence the direction of the new Syria?

My report from Damascus

US: Prioritize Rights During Saudi Leader’s Visit The United States government, including Congress, should address Saudi human rights abuses during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s expected visit to Washington on November 18, 2025.

The Trump administration will welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the US this week.

This is the crown prince's first visit since he approved the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and oversaw an unprecedented rights crackdown in Saudi Arabia.

'A new tragedy caused once again by the Kremlin' — Widow of Chornobyl's first victim killed by Russian attack on Kyiv 39 years later Nataliia Khodemchuk, the widow of Valerii Khodemchuk, the first victim of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster, died in Kyiv overnight on Nov. 14–15 after suffering severe injuries in a mass Russian attack on ...

"A new tragedy caused once again by the Kremlin."

Nearly four decades later, the widow of the first victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster is killed by a Russian drone attack...

kyivindependent.com/natalia-khod...

Corruption scandal in Ukraine raises fears the West will abandon it to its fate Alleged mastermind of the scheme is a close associate of Zelensky

The corruption scandal rocking Ukrainian politics is bad. The timing - as Russian troops enter Pokrovsk, and the energy grid buckles under the strain of attacks - is even worse.

My analysis

One former political prisoner, Vladimir Kara-Murza, honours another, Siarhei Tsikhanousky (along with his wife, Belarusian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya), at tonight’s Magnitsky Awards in London.

Notable from France's Foreign Minister:

"We have observed with concern the military operations in the Caribbean region, because they violate international law."

www.reuters.com/world/americ...

Al-Sharaa meeting Trump.

Bizarre timeline

The goal is to make all of us afraid to speak up about (or report on) whatever he does next...