"Propagandist of the Year" in the White House and a diplomat against a dictator. Why is FIFA renting empty floors in Trump Tower?

— Mr. President, after every statement you make, Zelenskyy’s rating in Ukraine and Europe grows by another 25%!

Trump thinks for a moment, then frowns and says:

— Right, urgently send him an invoice for campaigning and consulting services!

As opposition MP Mykola Knyzhnytskyi ironically noted: «You couldn't find a better campaigner for Zelenskyy than Donald Trump. After every such conflict, Zelenskyy’s rating rises both in Ukraine and among our allies, especially in Europe».

Zelenskyy’s Dilemma on Trump: Fight Back or Back Down? (Politico): Facing pressure from Donald Trump over continued strikes on Russian oil refineries and a controversial US-Russia diesel deal, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walks a dangerous tightrope. While Ukraine's military resilience emboldens Kyiv to stand its ground, analysts warn that defying Washington risks critical losses in intelligence sharing, Starlink access, or vital weapons supply programs, though a weakened Trump also carries unpredictable fallout.

Threat to Poland’s Top Leadership: Polish security forces arrested a 60-year-old suspect from Lower Silesia over a potential assassination plot targeting Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamyak. Experts suggest possible Russian involvement echoing past European hybrid operations, while stressing the need for a total overhaul of Poland's early-warning security infrastructure.

Crypto Interests & Ethics. Trump Family Scrutiny (AP News): A new poll highlights deep public concern in the US over Donald Trump’s family cryptocurrency projects. A majority of respondents believe profiting from digital assets while in office creates severe conflicts of interest, potentially influencing federal financial regulations despite White House denials.

"The Putin Regime Must Be Eliminated" (NZZ): In a sweeping interview with Swiss media, former Russian UN diplomat Boris Bondarev slammed Western leaders for naive phone diplomacy with Moscow. He argued that Putin's mafia-like regime relies entirely on internal repression and external aggression, insisting the war will only end through a decisive battlefield defeat.

Marine Le Pen Questions EU Funding for Ukraine. In an interview with the Financial Times, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen questioned whether Paris will continue supporting EU funding for Kyiv if she wins next year's presidential election. Leading in public opinion polls, Le Pen pledged to halt bilateral aid to Ukraine—aside from basic operational support and soldier training—claiming France can no longer afford it. Furthermore, she intends to block any EU seven-year budget agreement regarding a proposed €100 billion funding mechanism for Ukraine by withholding half of France's financial contribution.

French Left's New Hope: Raphaël Glucksmann Wins Primaries (RFI): Center-left European lawmaker Raphaël Glucksmann secured a landslide victory in France's primary elections with 66.13% of the vote. Positioning himself as a staunch pro-European alternative against both the far-right and macronism, Glucksmann promises unyielding support for Ukraine and aggressive defense against Kremlin hybrid threats.

EU Accession Squeeze: Optimism in Ukraine vs. Skepticism in the West (BILD): While 83% of Ukrainians hope for rapid EU membership in the coming years, a Bertelsmann Foundation survey shows only 47% of EU citizens share that view, with a 53% majority opposed. Germany and Romania display the highest public skepticism regarding an accelerated timeline, whereas Sweden leads in support.

FIFA’s Empty Offices at Trump Tower Stir Ethics Debate (The New York Times): FIFA’s decision to rent largely vacant office space on the 17th floor of Trump Tower has sparked international scrutiny. Critics view Gianni Infantino’s personal push for the deal as an overt bid to curry political favor with the White House, fueling severe conflict-of-interest concerns.

Do AIs Feel Pain When "Tortured"? (NZZ): Tech circles are debating whether advanced Large Language Models can experience suffering when subjected to stress tests. Ethics experts dismiss the notion, clarifying that neural networks merely mimic human pleading based on vast training data, urging researchers to refocus on real-world AI threats like autonomous weapons and data security.

Read more in the Ukrainian edition....