[M T]

I see that Putin and Xi had a video call on 1/21/25, hours after Trump took office.   I presume no one outside the White House is informed if the Moscow-Waashington hotline is used.  Does anyone know if there is any accounting to Congress of its use? 

1/22/25 08:00 PST:  The US President has made a social media post, allegedly directed at Putin, with a threat(??) of "high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions".  And, it seems everyone is wondering what there is to tax or tariff, considering current sanctions.  Why didn't he issue another edict, if there was really something he could do along these lines.  Considering the weakness of this threat and the public nature of it, I'd guess his intended audience is not Putin.   If Putin replies, I would have to guess this would be choreographed.

Well, that was quick (before I finished my post)
1/22/25 10:30 PST (9:30 PM Moscow):  Russia responds with  "Polyanskiy said the Kremlin would need to know what Trump wants in a deal to stop the war before the country moves forward. "It's not merely the question of ending the war," Polyanskiy told Reuters. "It's first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis."

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The BBC reports "Western officials have told the BBC that North Korean troops have already suffered nearly 40% casualties in the fighting in Russia's western Kursk region, in just three months."  That's 4,000 of the 11,000, with 1,000 dead.  I'm guessing since it says "Western officials" rather than "Ukrainian officials" this isn't just straight propaganda.  But, BBC doesn't verify the numbers or give other support.

[M T]

I see that Putin and Xi had a video call on 1/21/25, hours after Trump took office.   I presume no one outside the White House is informed if the Moscow-Waashington hotline is used.  Does anyone know if there is any accounting to Congress of its use? 

1/22/25 08:00 PST:  The US President has made a social media post, allegedly directed at Putin, with a threat(??) of "high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions".  And, it seems everyone is wondering what there is to tax or tariff, considering current sanctions.  Why didn't he issue another edict, if there was really something he could do along these lines.  Considering the weakness of this threat and the public nature of it, I'd guess his intended audience is not Putin.   If Putin replies, I would have to guess this would be choreographed.

Well, that was quick (before I finished my post)
1/22/25 10:30 PST (9:30 PM Moscow):  Russia responds with  "Polyanskiy said the Kremlin would need to know what Trump wants in a deal to stop the war before the country moves forward. "It's not merely the question of ending the war," Polyanskiy told Reuters. "It's first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis."

----
The BBC reports "Western officials have told the BBC that North Korean troops have already suffered nearly 40% casualties in the fighting in Russia's western Kursk region, in just three months."  That's 4,000 of the 11,000, with 1,000 dead.  I'm guessing since it says "Western officials" rather than "Ukrainian officials" this isn't just straight propaganda.  But, BBC doesn't verify the numbers or give other support.