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Olga Nesterova

Olga Nesterova

Olga Nesterova is a journalist and founder of ONEST Network, a reader-supported platform covering U.S. and global affairs. A former White House correspondent and UN diplomat, she focuses on international security and geopolitical strategy.

Ukraine’s Gripen Deal Changes the Air War — But Not Overnight — Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen escort President Zelenskyy’s aircraft | Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy X

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Ukraine’s Gripen Deal Changes the Air War — But Not Overnight

Ukraine and Sweden have moved from political promise to defense architecture. In Uppsala, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson initiated a major agreement for Ukraine to acquire up to 20 new Gripen E/F fighter jets, financed with €2.5 billion from the EU-backed Ukraine Support

By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read

May 27: Hormuz Talks, Canada’s Defense Pivot, Digital Sovereignty, and Washington’s Secrecy Push

Daily Brief

May 27: Hormuz Talks, Canada’s Defense Pivot, Digital Sovereignty, and Washington’s Secrecy Push

KEY DEVELOPMENTS 1. The U.S.-Iran Hormuz talks are not settled. Iranian state media reported a possible framework to reopen commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. naval blockade, withdraw U.S. forces, and potentially formalize the deal through a UN Security Council resolution. The

By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read

Britain and Poland Are Building a Post-Brexit Security Bridge

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Britain and Poland Are Building a Post-Brexit Security Bridge

The United Kingdom and Poland are signing a new defence and security treaty designed to strengthen cooperation on Russia, border security, organized crime, cyber threats, and European defence. The treaty follows similar UK agreements with France and Germany, and it is part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s broader effort

By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read

The Quad’s Critical Minerals Push Is About China — Even When It Doesn’t Say China — Image shared on X by Ambassador Gor

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The Quad’s Critical Minerals Push Is About China — Even When It Doesn’t Say China

The United States, Japan, Australia, and India have announced a Quad Critical Minerals Initiative aimed at building more secure and diversified supply chains for minerals needed for advanced technology, industrial production, and defense. The framework says the four partners intend to mobilize up to $20 billion in public and private

By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read

Canada’s GlobalEye Decision Is About Defense — and Sovereignty

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Canada’s GlobalEye Decision Is About Defense — and Sovereignty

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada has entered negotiations to procure Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, built around the Canadian-made Bombardier Global 6500 platform. The aircraft would give Canada long-range air, sea, and land surveillance capability, including the ability to track objects and

By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read

The White House Builds a UFC Arena While Asking Federal Workers to Sign NDAs

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The White House Builds a UFC Arena While Asking Federal Workers to Sign NDAs

Two stories out of Washington today belong together. On one side, construction is underway on the White House South Lawn for a temporary UFC arena tied to President Trump’s 80th birthday and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The event is planned for June 14, with a scaled-down 5,

By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read

The Netherlands Says No to Trump’s America — and the Bigger Picture Is Now Unfolding

Explained

The Netherlands Says No to Trump’s America — and the Bigger Picture Is Now Unfolding

The Netherlands has blocked U.S. company Kyndryl from acquiring Dutch cloud provider Solvinity, citing the public interest and the protection of critical digital infrastructure. This is not just a business story. Solvinity hosts and manages DigiD, the digital identification system used by Dutch residents to access public services, medical

By Olga Nesterova • 5 min read

The Hormuz Deal Is Not a Deal Yet

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The Hormuz Deal Is Not a Deal Yet

A possible U.S.-Iran framework over the Strait of Hormuz is now being floated through Iranian state media — but Washington is already pushing back.

By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read

May 26: Power Without Accountability: Kyiv, Starlink, AI, Canada, Hungary, and Europe’s Heat Wave

Daily Brief

May 26: Power Without Accountability: Kyiv, Starlink, AI, Canada, Hungary, and Europe’s Heat Wave

Today’s Daily Brief begins in Kyiv, where Russia is not only escalating its attacks — it is trying to shape the psychology of the battlefield. Moscow warned foreign diplomats to leave Ukraine’s capital before planned “systematic” strikes. It then used the United Nations to reverse reality, presenting itself as

By Olga Nesterova • 8 min read

The UK Just Broke Its May Heat Record Twice

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The UK Just Broke Its May Heat Record Twice

The United Kingdom just broke its May heat record twice in two days. On May 25, Kew Gardens reached 34.8°C, breaking the country’s previous May temperature record of 32.8°C, set in 1922 and matched in 1944. On May 26, the record was broken again, with

By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read

Hungary’s New Leader Cuts His Salary. The Real Test Is Corruption Reform.

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Hungary’s New Leader Cuts His Salary. The Real Test Is Corruption Reform.

Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar is moving quickly to signal a break from the Viktor Orbán era. His government has pledged investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power under Orbán, including six investigative committees, possible constitutional reforms, an eight-year prime ministerial term limit, and the dismantling

By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read

The Pope’s AI Warning: Do Not Outsource Human Morality — Pope Leo XIV | Photo shared on X

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The Pope’s AI Warning: Do Not Outsource Human Morality

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, is not a rejection of technology. It is a rejection of surrender. The Pope is warning that artificial intelligence cannot be treated as morally neutral when it is designed by human beings, owned by powerful institutions, trained on human society, and deployed

By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read