@portnikov.bsky.social
Ukrainian author and journalist. Espreso TV. Radio Liberty. Visegrad Insight Fellow. Ukrainian PEN
Putin made mistakes — classic Putin-style mistakes.
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And to restore the Soviet Union, Russia first and foremost needs Ukraine. We see it clearly — in the war now raging on Ukrainian soil. Without Ukraine, the Russian Federation does not see itself as a European power. open.substack.com/pub/portniko...
26.07.2025 15:00 — 👍 6 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0
From the Kremlin’s point of view, Azerbaijan is a territory that will eventually lose its statehood and become part of an empire that Russia is actively trying to resurrect. Not as a fantasy — as a concrete political project.
open.substack.com/pub/portniko...
I keep wondering whether this is due to political short-sightedness and incompetence — or if it’s simply the result of vested business interests,with certain circles eager to profit from deals with China, even if it means sacrificing Ukraine’s sovereignty and future open.substack.com/pub/portniko...
21.07.2025 09:09 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
So yes — Trump’s frustration with the “set” he built around Putin is our opportunity. And it would be a sin not to take advantage of it. open.substack.com/pub/portniko...
15.07.2025 09:07 — 👍 8 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
If the West again chooses “peace” over justice, we will end up like Bosnia — fractured, dysfunctional, forever haunted. If Russia is rewarded for its crimes, if Putin gets to dictate terms, then Bucha becomes our Srebrenica. And the world will forget us too.
open.substack.com/pub/portniko...
Today, the scale of Putin’s bombing campaign seems designed to push the West toward legitimizing the results of Russia’s crimes and annexations as well. But even if concessions to Putin turn Ukraine into another Bosnia, it won’t prevent another war. open.substack.com/pub/portniko...
11.07.2025 14:34 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
The main thing about the meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan is that bilateral negotiations without mediators took place at all. And that there was no shadow of Putin behind both participants.
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Putin wants not only to occupy more Ukrainian territory, but also to force the Ukrainians to surrender. This is the main goal of shelling peaceful Ukrainian cities.
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Marco Rubio's first meeting with Sergey Lavrov after Trump's disappointment with Putin ended with talks about some new approach to war
«Новий підхід» до війни | Віталій Портников
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Vitalii’s Substack
portnikov.substack.com?r=mrti1&utm_...
Russia’s summer offensive stalls across all fronts. Is Putin's grand plan collapsing before our eyes?
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Donald Trump is ready to come to his country to meet with Vladimir Putin to resolve the issue of ending the Russian-Ukrainian war. However, it is unlikely that Putin needs such a meeting.
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Putin continues to feign readiness for negotiations and insist on the legality of the occupation of Ukrainian territories. This is his tactic towards Trump.
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The second day of war in the Middle East marks a dangerous turning point. Iran threatens retaliation against Western forces, while proxy groups and missile strikes raise fears of a wider regional conflict.
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What Israel and Ukraine have demonstrated is not simply ingenuity. It is necessity. And the longer Western democracies fail to absorb this lesson, the more fragile their own security will become. blogs.timesofisrael.com/ukraine-isra...
13.06.2025 14:36 — 👍 9 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
The world is on the brink of a major war in the Middle East, with rising tensions between the U.S., Iran, and Israel. As nuclear risks escalate and diplomacy collapses, global attention may shift away from Ukraine — just as authoritarian regimes like Russia stand to benefit.
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A top Russian negotiator revives threats of territorial losses for Ukraine if it rejects ultimatums.But behind this narrative lies a deeper obsession — a false imperial myth about “one people,”used to justify war,deny Ukrainian sovereignty,and rewrite history to suit propaganda
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Putin’s virtual meeting of Russia’s Security Council, framed as a response to Ukraine but focused on “traditional values.” Behind this rhetoric lies a deeper message: an appeal to the far right in the West and a warning — choose Russia as a partner, or face war.
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when the Israeli ambassador in Ukraine speaks of help, he voices the views of genuine allies—those willing to identify the enemy by name. If some in Jerusalem fear those truths—that’s their problem, not Brodsky’s. blogs.timesofisrael.com/israel-ukrai...
10.06.2025 16:06 — 👍 5 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Russia presented Ukraine with a so-called “memorandum” during the Istanbul negotiations. This video analyzes why the proposed terms have nothing to do with real peace and only confirm that the Kremlin has no intention of ending the war.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan does not rule out the possibility of a meeting between the presidents of the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey following the talks in Istanbul. However, the substance of the negotiations remains shrouded in mystery.
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Donald Trump is giving Putin two more weeks to negotiate with Ukraine, while Sergey Lavrov proposes a new round of talks on June 2 in Istanbul. Putin is stalling for time — and Trump is giving him the opportunity to do so.
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King Charles III delivered a traditional throne speech in Canada's Parliament. It was a clear signal to Donald Trump, who once called Canada “the 51st state” of the U.S., and an attempt to reassure Canadians themselves.
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Putin's terror - the desire to intimidate Ukraine and ridicule Trump
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Ukraine's victory is not only our victory. If we survive, democratic Europe will survive. If we survive, Russians will have a chance to become a civilized nation. If we survive, we will give hope for development to other nations that have so far lived in the shadow of empire. zbruc.eu/node/121503
25.05.2025 09:44 — 👍 12 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied reports of a possible Vatican talks. Moscow would simply be stalling for time.
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Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki has promised to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. This is a clear rejection of the traditional consensus in Polish foreign policy and a play to Putin.
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Finnish President Alexander Stubb has promised peace talks at the Vatican next week, but that will require Russia to come up with a constructive ceasefire plan.
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Trump hopes to reach an agreement with Russia, but wants Ukraine and Europe to make this task easier for him.
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