Iraq Held An Election In A War Zone. Why Hasn’t Ukraine?
Zelensky’s term expired more than two years ago. The longer he refuses to hold an election, the more he undermines Ukraine's defense.Zelensky’s term expired more than two years ago. The longer he refuses to hold an election, the more he undermines Ukraine's defense.Longtime Trump ally may run for the top job at the United Nations, WSJ claims
Viktor Orbán lost in Hungary. He may win at the United Nations.
Trump administration officials are urging the former Hungarian prime minister to run for U.N. secretary-general, according to the Wall Street Journal's editorial board on Sunday. Orbán would run as a joint candidate of the United States, Russia, and China.
'When the US, Russia, and China all want the same thing at the UN Security Council, they usually get it.'
Russia and China are believed to be backing Orbán as well, according to the Journal. No final decision has been made, and Blaze News was unable to independently confirm the Journal’s reporting in the op-ed.
"As officials from the U.S. and a second country told us, when the U.S., Russia, and China all want the same thing at the U.N. Security Council, they usually get it," the editorial reads.
The White House, the Kremlin, and Beijing have not confirmed the report to other outlets.
Current Secretary-General António Guterres’ second term ends Dec. 31. No viable contender has emerged as a replacement yet.
An Oct. 16 poll showed that none of the seven declared candidates had unanimous backing from permanent Security Council members the U.S., the U.K. China, Russia, and France, according to the Associated Press.
Each permanent Security Council member has wide-ranging veto powers over U.N. resolutions and actions.
The front-runners — U.N. trade chief Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica; U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina; and Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett — each drew two "discourage" votes from veto-wielding powers, according to two diplomats who spoke to the AP. It is unclear which Security Council states oppose their candidacies.
"This institution, after 80 years, has tried to become everything to everyone," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told reporters.
Waltz rejected a DEI approach to choosing a new secretary-general.
“We understand there is a desire for regional rotation,” Waltz said, according to the AP. “Of course, if the best candidate is a woman, we would welcome that — but we really just need the best candidate.”
A nominee needs nine of the Security Council's 15 votes and no veto. France and the United Kingdom, both holding veto powers, may present roadblocks for an Orbán candidacy.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk mocked the idea on Monday.
"Just a moment ago, he was a candidate for president of the European Commission. This seems to me just as funny as that first rumor," Tusk said, according to Politico.
The European Union was glad to see Péter Magyar's Tisza party win Hungary’s recent elections. Magyar, who ran an E.U.-friendly, center-right, and anti-corruption campaign, ended Orbán's 16-year rule in a landslide victory.
Trump previously called Orbán a "true friend" and endorsed him. Vice President JD Vance also campaigned for him in Hungary.
Since Tisza took power, Hungarian authorities have launched fraud and corruption investigations into former Orbán officials. Two former ministers and the former governor of Hungary's central bank were detained as part of ongoing inquiries, according to Euronews.
Orbán himself has not been charged with any wrongdoing. If Orbán actually become U.N. secretary-general, he could enjoy diplomatic immunity from any potential investigations or prosecutions.
Orbán's spokesperson previously dismissed reports about the U.N. deputy secretary-general post as "fake news."
Orbán's press office, the White House, and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment from Blaze News.
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First lady Melania Trump successfully negotiates ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for occupied city
Humanitarian aid will be arriving for the residents of a Ukrainian city thanks to the efforts of first lady Melania Trump.
The first lady said in a press release Friday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to cease military action in the city of Oleshky and allow a civilian evacuation.
'What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus. ... She wants to see babies come back to their families.'
"The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky’s remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water," she said in the press release.
"The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks," she added. "It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."
The limited ceasefire will begin Thursday.
President Donald Trump responded to the agreement during a question-and-answer period with reporters in Washington, D.C.
"What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus," he said. "Both sides are cooperating with her, so she's doing a very good job."
"She wants to see babies come back to their families. And that's between Russia and Ukraine," he added.
The first lady also said in her press release that the evacuation would allow people to leave for Russia as well as other parts of Ukraine.
"I have also secured an impartial American media organization to accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process," she added. "This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected."
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The war has been ravaging Ukraine since Russia invaded in Feb. 2022.
Oleshky was captured by Russia on its first day of the invasion and has been occupied since then. At one time it had about 24,000 residents.
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Corporate Media Construct Conspiracy Theories About Trump Bringing Down Diesel Prices
The possibility that the agreement might deliver relief is just a side note for the media, because their real objective is insinuating that Trump is really serving Putin.How Democrat Activists Conned The Country By Pretending To Be ‘Journalists’
The media are embedded in the machinery itself, performing functions every bit as important as those carried out by political operatives and intelligence officials.Zelenskyy accuses Trump of taking the 'wrong side,' complains of betrayal
Volodymyr Zelenskyy — the Ukrainian leader whose five-year presidential term officially ended over two years ago — is presently on a media blitz, trying to shore up British and European support.
So far, his efforts have been successful even in Germany, where an ex-Ukrainian special forces officer is on trial for allegedly leading the undersea bombings of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in September 2022 — bombings that NATO initially appeared ready to treat as Article 5-triggering attacks.
'We are losing [a] strong partner.'
Zelenskyy has, however, also used his trip abroad to complain about Elon Musk and the United States as well as about President Donald Trump, who suggested on Saturday that Ukraine "should get a new leader who can make a deal."
In an interview that aired on Wednesday, the eponymous host of "Piers Morgan Uncensored" concern-mongered about Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel and his call for an energy ceasefire.
Morgan claimed that Trump had "thrown [Zelenskyy] under the bus," then asked Zelenskyy whether he felt "betrayed."
"Really, yes, really, between us," replied Zelenskyy. "But I mean, it's a little bit more complicated than just my emotions or my feelings."
"Our country has to survive, and we count on our real partners, strategic partners — United States," continued the Ukrainian leader. "And President Trump, they wanted us not to attack [Russian oil refineries]. My opinion was, it is not fair."
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On Saturday, Trump said that Ukraine "better damn well stop" attacking Russian oil refineries and stated, "Zelenskyy could have settled this war many times. Many, many times. And he chooses not to."
The following day, he announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
On Monday, Kyiv claimed that Moscow had violated the ceasefire. Kyiv has since resumed its strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Zelenskyy told Morgan that Russia wants Trump to be "weak" and said with regard to the Russo-American diesel deal, "It's a pity that we are losing, we are losing [a] strong partner."
When asked whether he was "losing America," Zelenskyy answered in the affirmative.
"It's painful when President Trump chooses one side — not our side," said Zelenskyy. "We are okay that he's in the middle, but if you're in the middle, you have to stay in the middle, not on the wrong side. I think his advisers are wrong."
While the Ukrainian president insinuated that the U.S. is a fence-sitter, America has poured a fortune into Ukraine's defense and provided military and intelligence support to the beleaguered nation.
Zelenskyy further suggested that Trump was being pushed away from the "right side of history."
When asked about Zelenskyy's remarks, a White House official told Blaze News that President Trump "wants this war settled so the senseless killing ends. The president and his team remain committed to continuing to play a constructive role in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, and he remains optimistic that we’ll ultimately get a peace deal done."
"The United States continues to play a constructive role in speaking to both sides in working towards bringing the war to an end," continued the official. "We are the only country in the world that can play that role."
Neither the Department of War nor the State Department responded to Blaze News' request for comment.
On the theme of betrayal, Zelenskyy also alleged to Morgan that Kyiv had missed warnings from allies about imminent missile attacks because Starlink connectivity was deliberately restricted, "blocked of course by the SpaceX and of course by the United States."
"This decision will bring a lot of human losses," said Zelenskyy.
"Of course, people will die."
SpaceX did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.
Musk emphasized on Thursday that "Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company."
Musk noted further that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS."
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's former minister of defense, noted on Wednesday that "Starlink connectivity at speeds of up to 160 km/h is being restored. Removing Starshield’s speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine’s defense. Thank you, @elonmusk . We hope for your continued support."
When asked whether he plans to step down, Zelenskyy — who has dissolved rival parties and consolidated Ukraine's media outlets — said, "Not, of course. This is my responsibility."
The Ukrainian president emphasized that his ouster would be a "decision, of course, of our people, not Trump, not Musk, not anyone."
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, said that Zelenskyy has proven incapable of making the "very difficult decisions to stop this war," adding that "either Zelenskyy takes on that responsibility and demonstrates that political will, or he does not," reported the Kyiv Post.
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A dead scientist, quarantines, and a plague lab: Here we go again?
A researcher at a Russian plague laboratory is dead, dozens of people have reportedly been quarantined, and several hospitals have been shut down.
Naturally, people are starting to ask questions.
And BlazeTV hosts Stu Burguiere and Dave Landau are a little concerned.
“Dozens have been quarantined after a researcher at a Russian plague laboratory dies of an unknown infection,” Stu says. “I will say, I don’t really want there to be Russian plague factories or observatories anymore.”
“No,” Dave agrees, “but what will be exciting is when we find out that our tax dollars have somehow been funding it.”
However, while dozens have been quarantined, Stu believes “it’s important to note, quarantine does not mean you have the virus or disease.”
“Being quarantined means they’re worried that you had contact with someone or contact with someone who had contact with this particular woman,” he says.
“So, it doesn’t mean all these people have the illness. However, it’s the freaking plague. So, we better be pretty careful,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Russia is saying it “had nothing to do with that.”
“It was just a normal illness. It’s no big deal. This is all out of a massive precaution,” Stu says, mimicking Russia. “Which may be true, but they did close down four different hospitals, three of which they have direct evidence of a contact tracing to those hospitals. The fourth one just kind of being out of extra, extra special security measures.”
The outbreak bears a striking resemblance to the Wuhan lab leak preceding the COVID pandemic, which Dave points out is “kind of terrifying.”
“Especially because this is, you know, a replay of things that have happened in the past,” he adds.
“You mean conspiracy theories about COVID-19?” Stu asks.
“Conspiracy theories about things that were proven correct. That’s what I mean,” Dave says.
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