Top Charities to Support Ukraine

Unicef USA – I don’t know why they add USA, because Unicef is international, and they are on the ground in Ukraine, supplying food, medicine and education for families that have fled their homes in eastern Ukraine.

International Rescue Committee – By far, my favorite, because refugees are caught in conflicts they did not create, and have had their homes and communities destroyed.

Razom for Ukraine – Another excellent charity, with all contributions going to the survival of Ukraine and its people.

There are many others. Charity Navigator lists 24 charities working to help the victims of war.

Update

Wars don’t shut down for holidays. I believe Russia is playing the long game, a 3 year war, where they control Kyiv and most of the country by the end of Trump’s term. They are counting on the purely political instincts of Trump to abandon his European allies, and basically ignore the huge humanitarian crisis caused by Putin, as he ravages Ukraine with missiles, bombs and infantry.

Drones, bought from Iran, are supplying Russia with the weapon of choice for the front line attack. But the war must be won on the ground, and Russia has no problem using troops from North Korea to fight their war.

Putin, I am certain, has Trump pretty much figured out. Trump liked playing the peacemaker, or really the ultimate deal maker, giving Russia the occupied territory including Crimea plus territory they had yet to occupy (around 20% of Ukraine) in exchange for a ceasefire. I think his message to Zelensky, is it’s a case of “Deal or No Deal” as if this was a game show. Putin doesn’t want 20% if he can get 100%.

Putin will bomb hospitals, apartments, schools and other civilian targets. Power stations will be bombed, because Putin doesn’t want Ukrainians to be able to have electricity for cooking, heat and light.

Trump is having trouble right now with his fragile majority in the Senate, with the budget bill, so military funding for Ukraine is, I guess, a low priority. He stated that the war between Russia and Ukraine is like two boys fighting, and they’ll just have to settle it themselves. Wrong in every way! Russia began an unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine, and military experts did not give Ukraine any hope of survival given Russia’s overwhelmingly superior army and air force. Ukraine deserves our support.

I suggest making a 3 year pledge to support Ukraine. Ukraine has to make it to the end of Trump’s term, then real assistance can come from Democrats, who understand the importance of keeping Ukraine out of Putin’s hand. He will not stop at Ukraine. There are military bases in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Mexico is a central hub for the Russian intelligence. (See link below). Despots like despots. El Salvador is strengthening its economic ties with Russia, and will turn a blind eye to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Brazil, I fear, is acting similarly and why not, they are really encouraged by Trump’s isolationist policies. The message to them, is do only what is in the short-term national interest of your country.

I have posted about Putin’s secret war inside Africa. Russia will continue to form alliances with corrupt leaders of Africa, who need protection from their own people.

Please don’t let Putin win. Contribute to the Ukrainian charities today.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Links:

Russia’s Changing Latin America Strategy

Trump’s isolation policies are a blessing to Putin’s ambitions.

Russia’s growing influence in Africa

I began this blog to add commentary to stories that I considered needed more attention. So, unlike many websites, I have not commented on many well covered and/or politically charged issues of our time. The media will always jump at a story that includes violence and is local.

Case in point is the fatal shooting of Minnesota’s Representative Melissa Hoffman and attempted assassination of John and Yvette Hoffman. I am glad the latter are recovering fine. It is tragic, but there isn’t much I can add to the story. It backs up the old adage, “if it bleeds, it leads.”

A president has enormous powers when it comes to foreign affairs. Trump has repeated many times, that the Ukraine war should never had happened, and if he was president at the time, instead of Biden, it would not have happened. This is pure bunk, as the aggressive military expansionary policies of Putin, were well known. The pre-text to the February 2022 attack was the insurrection in the Donbas region, supported by Russia.

Military expert General Jack Keane stated known intelligence suggested Putin anticipated his invasion of Ukraine would happen swiftly and with little resistance. Instead, Putin encountered a resolute Ukrainian military, backed by a strengthened NATO alliance.

Putin would prefer to buy out a country’s leader than invade it. This ultimately how Chechnya became subservient to Russia. Putin thought he could overtake Kyiv through an assault with tanks through Belarus in February 2022.

The Biden administration was clear eyed about Putin’s intention. It is to topple the government and control the country. For Biden, it was all about defending Ukraine through punitive sanctions and military coordination with the European countries.

Trump campaigned on this idea of being this great negotiator and bring Ukraine and Russia to some agreement. The talks in Istanbul are hopeless, as Russia only wanted to expand the territory it occupied and conducted a massive attack during negotiations. On June 14, Putin called Trump to wish him a well on his birthday, according to reports. Apparently, he told Trump that talks on a negotiated settlement should begin after the prisoner exchanges were complete. All Putin was trying to do, is keep the US to cut military aid to Ukraine, on the idea this would be harmful to possible settlements.

The summer offensive by Russia is likely to be brutal. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth has likely given Russia assistance, by diverting the “proximity fuzes” needed to shoot down Russia drones to the US military stationed in the Middle East. This was equipment was part of a 61 billion dollar package approved by Congress for Ukrainian defense.

Further, Secretary Hegseth turned over leadership to NATO’s Contact Group Ukraine Defense Group to Germany and the UK and skipped the June 3 meeting at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. Hegseth is expected to speak at the June 24 to 25 NATO Summit, and Russia will be listening very closely, to tell whether his statements are strengthening or weakening the military support needed to defend Ukraine.

If he gives similar statements as in February, Russia will know that Trump will, once again, use the idea of a possible negotiated settlement, to deny Ukraine the desperately needed military and humanitarian assistance. I call it a Trump fantasy, good for his supporters, and awful for Ukraine and European defense.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Every day, Russia is in control of key territory, and ultimately this is what Putin wants. It a matter of square kilometers of territory under control, rather than casualties on the ground or successful assaults using missiles and drones, that demonstrates Russia’s success.

The initial occupation took place in the Donetsk region. Russia solidly controls Crimea as well. They have now extended their reach further to central Ukraine by occupying parts of the Dnipropetrovsk region, or Dnipro for short. So, their strategy is fairly easy to see on a map, taking Ukraine, bit by bit, with Sumy and Kharkiv in the north, Dnipro in the central region and Odesa in the south.

Ukraine military denies the Russian advance into Dnipro, so nothing is known for certain. See link:

Putin’s negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, in the so-called “Peace Memorandum” is asking for Ukraine to cede more territory than the 20% controlled by Russia and a guarantee from the US that Ukraine will never join NATO. It demands that Ukraine recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea, as well as Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts — none of which are fully under Moscow’s control.

I would suggest Putin’s negotiator told Zelensky, that he knew it would be extreme difficult to accept the terms, but this might be his only option, since the goal is total occupation.

Russia admitted its ‘peace memorandum’ is an ultimatum Kyiv won’t accept, Zelensky says

The talks are now focus on prisoner exchanges, return of Ukrainian children and remains of dead soldiers rather than a solution to the conflict.

Russia is getting support for their invasion from Iran, which is selling them drones. North Korea has sent troops to help Russia win. China is also supplying military equipment.

Interestingly, the Israel-Iran conflict may mean fewer drones being sent to Russia.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Links:

The Institute of the Study of War, continues to be the best source of detailed information.

See latest update:

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 13, 2025

The massive bombing attacks occurred in Kyiv and the port city of Odessa using missiles and drones. They destroyed mainly civilian targets. The drones can not carry much payload, so the death toll was low. But, they carry a message to all Ukrainians, to leave because we are coming with tanks.

CNN: Massive Russian drone attack slams Kyiv and hits maternity hospital in Odesa, Ukrainian officials say

Ukrainian officials claim a maternity hospital was hit by missiles and drones. It is too soon to know the full extent of damage. The particular drone used by the Russians is the Iranian Shahed 136. It was a massive attack with 315 drones. Pictures of injured Ukrainians from broken glass from a maternity ward were really terrible.

Link: Wikipedia HESA Shahed 136 drone

So both Iran and Russia must be overjoyed to know that Secretary Hegseth will not deliver to Ukraine the essential component of anti-drone defense, namely the proximity fuzes so they can defend themselves.

Russia must be very happy with Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth as he failed to attend the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on June 5-6 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels. His opening remarks on February 12, 2025 were pretty bad, because he said laid fault with Ukraine for not conceding occupied territory in advance of “Peace Talks” which had nothing to do with peace.

Link: Hegseth to skip Ukraine meeting at NATO headquarters

Instead, Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO went in his place. He has been on the job exactly two months and zero experience in the military. See video clip at end, of why Matt Whitaker should never been approved as Ambassador to NATO. See link at end of this post.

I applaud the Secretary General Mark Rutte, as he stated shorty after the meeting, “Wishful thinking will not keep us safe. We can not dream away the danger. Hope is not a strategy. So NATO has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.” His comments on increased spending should have been music to Donald Trump, as he stated, “America has carried too much of the burden for too long.”

It is clear, that Ukraine is struggling to defend itself. Putin can talk peace, but it is only to keep Trump happy, which he has managed to do quite well. He wants control of Ukraine. The next important date will be June 24-25, 2025 for the NATO Summit. I expect if Secretary Hegseth shows up, it will only be to praise Trump and congratulate certain nations on paying their fair share of NATO expenses.

The war could end tomorrow, if Russia simply respects the agreed upon borders of Ukraine. Ukraine’s only chance for long term survival is membership within NATO. It can only happen after the war is over.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Links:

Video clip by Rachel Maddow on Matt Whitaker, our Ambassador to NATO. Apparently, singing high praises to Trump is enough.

Opening Comments at February 12, NATO Group by Peter Hegseth

Excerpt for a Feb 13, 2025 article by Ivana Strader, Foundations for the Defense of Democracies, Ivana Strader

The original Minsk agreements were failures precisely because they provided no real backing for Ukraine, only a phony ceasefire and endless talks while Russia continued to bolster rebels in the Donbass. The Trump administration is right that the new negotiations must not become a third Minsk, but it is wrong to take Ukrainian Nato membership off the table. No matter what Putin’s propaganda may say, it is clear that he fears the Western alliance. In its imperial quest to rebuild the Soviet “sphere of influence” Russia has attacked Moldova, Georgia, and now Ukraine, all countries lacking the protection of Nato membership. Clearly, Nato membership is a powerful deterrent; it is also one which Russia has no grounds to object to. After all, the United States makes no demands as to the membership of Russia’s Collective Security Treaty Organisation. The Trump administration risks disarming itself of a key source of leverage before negotiations even begin.

Full article

You may have to sign up for a free 7 day subscription to read this article.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HESA_Shahed_136

Forget the old movies, with many bombs being dropped from large bombers flying at high altitudes at night. Drones don’t work that way. Drones are incredibly small, quiet and precise. Drones were smuggled into Russia and flown at low altitudes to avoid radar. The target aircraft could be seen from satellites. The drones used by Ukraine could not fly far, so Ukraine smuggled them into Russia close to the airfields. See link:

New footage reveals the impact of Ukraine’s audacious drone attack on Russian air bases

As pointed out in the article below, Russia has clear air superiority. In a phone call between Trump and Putin, Putin says he will retaliate.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Biden’s policy was quite simple. We would help arm Ukraine so they could defend their country against the Russian invasion. We would never put our troops in Ukraine. As Biden stated, when US and Russians meet on the battlefield, this is the start of World War III. However, the US and European leader would ultimately convince Putin through sanctions and arms that Ukraine was not theirs.

Trump’s One Day Solution

Trump on the other hand just had sound bites. The Russian invasion would never had happened if he had been president. Sure, he would get on the phone and tell Putin that invasion of another country was really stepping over the line. He even blamed the invasion on Kamala Harris, saying she met with Putin days prior to the invasion in 2022. This was a lie.

Trump’s False Claim That Harris Met with Putin

And of course, his most famous line was that he would end the Ukraine war on the first day of his administration. On April 25, he said it was just a figure of speech. “Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended,” he added.

A lot of supporters thought all that was needed was to elect Trump as the master in making the “deal” between Ukraine and Russia. Now we know, he had nothing in his hip pocket to offer Putin to withdraw.

The peace talks are a joke. The constant bombing of the northeastern city of Sumy in Ukraine shows Russia is clearing the area so Russian forces can capture Kyiv. They are also bombing targets including residential areas in the south and west of Ukraine, where there are few defenses.

Sumy city under threat as Russian forces advance, Ukraine says (Attack on June 3)

Ukraine has retaliated by bombing military targets deep within Russia. See link below:

Ukraine’s drone attack on Russian warplanes was a serious blow to the Kremlin’s strategic arsenal

This was followed by an attack of the Kerch Strait Bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea. The extent of damages is unclear at present. Early reports indicate that the bridge is operational.

As Russia reels from drone attack, Ukraine targets vital Crimean Bridge

US gives Russia incentive to continue military attacks

The last “Peace Talks” lasted just one hour. The discussion was only about the exchange of prisoners.

Under Biden administration, the policy was to form a united front in confronting Russia’s invasion and continue to put pressure on through isolating Russia with tough economic sanction. Trump’s policy has boiled down to a “head in the sand” approach.

US Defence Secretary Hegseth to skip NATO-led meeting on Ukraine military support

Drought in Military Aid to Ukraine Enters Uncharted Territory

The NATO Summit (June 24-25, 2025) will be watched closely by Russia, in deciding more attacks on Ukraine. Military experts indicate that the European leaders, like France and Germany, can make up for the lack of support from the US. However, there are certain critical parts in the military arsonal which Ukraine depends on the US.

The Walk Away Option

I like the way a recent opinion post in CNN put it:

What Trump says he is tempted to do, though, is simply walk away from the whole mess. This is Biden’s war, he insists, or Putin’s and Zelensky’s.

But walking away – and it is unclear what that means in terms of US policy – may no longer be an option. At least not walking away unscathed.

His own insistence on ending the Ukraine conflict, along with his personal interventions with the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, means that Trump and the United States are now inextricably linked with the outcome.

That’s why events on the battlefield and at the negotiating table in Istanbul are being watched so closely.

Despite his regular attempts to disown it, the Ukraine war has very much become Trump’s war on which US credibility now hangs by a thread.

Of course, with Ukraine’s successful attacks on the airfields, Putin is characterizing Ukraine as the aggressor, lead by US and European countries. This is nonsense. Trump liked to say that Russia held all the cards in securing peace on their terms. Now, Ukraine has shown it has a few cards to play as well.

Stay tuned,

Dave