Photo: President Zelenskyy Office News Ukraine Pushes to Accelerate Patriot Air Defense Deal as Russian Missile Threat Grows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says an agreement to purchase additional Patriot air defense systems has already been reached “at the highest political level,” but implementation remains stalled due to unresolved financial, legal, and technical issues. In a statement following a meeting with Ukraine’s defense, foreign affairs, and national security By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
June 1: Who Pays, Who Pressures, and Who Controls the Next Crisis Today’s ONEST Newsroom looks at a world where leverage is shifting in real time — inside the UN, across the Middle East, in the South China Sea, in Armenia’s political future, and on the seas where Russia’s shadow fleet continues to fund its war. The common thread is By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
Nikol Pashinyan meeting with EU leadership | Photo: Shared on X Explained Putin Threatens, Trump Endorses: Armenia’s Choice Becomes a Geopolitical Test As Armenia moves closer to Europe, Russia is warning of economic consequences and invoking Ukraine, while Donald Trump openly endorses Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Armenia’s June 7 election is becoming a test of sovereignty in the South Caucasus. By Olga Nesterova • 5 min read
Explained France Intercepts Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker. But Can Europe Really Stop Russia’s Oil Trade? France intercepted a Russian-linked shadow fleet tanker in the Atlantic as Europe increases pressure on sanctions evasion. Here's how Russia's shadow fleet operates, how many vessels remain active, and how much oil revenue continues to fund the war in Ukraine. By Olga Nesterova • 3 min read
Donald Trump and Thomas Barrack | Photo: EA Worldview News Trump Turns Diplomacy Into Personal Leverage in the Middle East As Iran negotiations falter, fighting intensifies in Lebanon, and Tom Barrack assumes a larger regional role, the Trump administration appears to be shifting from diplomacy centered on agreements to diplomacy centered on leverage. By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
News Rubio Called the Philippines. The Real Message Was China. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sounded routine. It wasn’t. Here’s what the South China Sea, the Luzon Economic Corridor, energy security, and U.S.-China competition reveal about Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy. By Olga Nesterova • 3 min read
Explained Rubio Wants the UN to Act. China Is the One Paying the Bills. As the U.S. falls behind on nearly $2 billion in UN payments as it faces a growing cash crisis, China is increasingly positioning itself as a reliable financial contributor. The shift raises questions who holds leverage inside the UN when global crises reach the Security Council. By Olga Nesterova • 2 min read
Diplomatic Notes Diplomatic Note: Carney in New York, BlackRock in Japan, and the Quiet Race for Capital By Olga Nesterova • 1 min read
Photo: Pentagon Press Office Explained The New Indo-Pacific Message: America Is Turning Allies Into Buyers Washington says it is strengthening allies against China. But its new message is turning security into a marketplace — and opening a door Beijing knows how to use. By Olga Nesterova • 9 min read
Daily Brief Five Stories, Two Rubrics — and One Bigger Point Today’s Friday livestream is about the same pattern showing up again and again: the world is not short on warnings. It is short on leaders willing to act before those warnings become emergencies. We are talking about five major stories today: a new political rupture between Poland and Ukraine, By Olga Nesterova • 7 min read
Explained When Amazon Holds the Money How a change in Amazon's payout system is squeezing small businesses — and raising questions far beyond seller reserves By Olga Nesterova • 6 min read
Daily Brief May 28: Canada Rises, China Expands, Ukraine Rearms KEY DEVELOPMENTS 1. Ukraine is getting Gripens. Ukraine and Sweden launched a major defense agreement that includes the potential purchase of up to 20 Gripen E/F fighter jets and the future transfer of 16 Gripen C/D aircraft. Sweden also announced its largest military aid package to Ukraine to By Olga Nesterova • 3 min read
