Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appears on CBS Face the Nation to discuss the position of the Russian Federation toward the ‘ceasefire’ in Ukraine.  The interview took place on Thursday April 24th and was broadcast today.

This interview also takes place one day before President Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkoff flew to Moscow for his fourth meeting with Putin to discuss the settlement of the war in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, the conversation between Witkoff and President Putin lasted about three hours.

Following the last meeting between President Putin and Ambassador Witkoff, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated President Putin is willing to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy without any preconditions. According to Peskov, the statement was made at a meeting with Trump’s special representative, Steve Witkoff. “Putin at the meeting with Witkoff confirmed Russia’s readiness for negotiations with Kyiv without any preconditions” according to the Kremlin.

In this interview, Sergey Lavrov dismisses the narrative building, maintains respect for the integrity of private negotiations, and outlines an optimistic view the terms of a ceasefire can be agreed between President Trump and President Putin.  It is the CIA and their operative Volodymyr Zelenskyy that represent the challenge that might cause President Trump and Marco Rubio to walk away.  WATCH: 

[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. Good morning, Minister Lavrov, I want to ask you about what happened in Kyiv. There was a large Russian attack on that capital city about one o’clock in the morning. President Trump has said publicly, the Russian strikes are not necessary and very bad timing. “Vladimir, STOP!” was his quote. What made it worth killing civilians when Ukraine says it’s ready for a ceasefire?

FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV: We only target military goals or civilian sites used by the military. President Putin expressed this for so many times, and this is not different this time as well. We never consciously target civilian sites unlike- unlike the Zelensky regime.

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I am trying to avoid my own confirmation bias, which is difficult in this case, because when Congressman Mike Waltz was announced as NSA to President-elect Donald Trump, immediately I thought he would be the first to exit the national security team; his ideology just doesn’t mesh right.

Following the fiasco with Signal and his Jeffrey Goldberg foul up, it looked like Waltz was pushed out of the immediate circle of influence and instead told to focus on restructuring the National Security Council.  His proximity still exists, but his immediate role appears -at least outwardly- to have shifted; he seems less influential as a direct emissary for President Trump to foreign intelligence peers and leaders.

I have this horribly annoying affliction to noticing small details and taking notes, and all indications point in that direction.  When you start to notice this shift, what becomes evident is within the verbiage used as a proximity person begins describing events as if they were an observer, not a direct participant. [The “we” is lost.] Listen to how Mike Waltz describes current geopolitical events, he sounds like a pundit not a participant.

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If my suspicion is accurate, President Trump has a National Security Advisor in name only.

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It is alarming how President Trump is calling for ceasefire talks while the U.S. government is simultaneously providing Ukraine with either fighter jets or M9 Reaper Drones to fly against Russia.

The stunning image captured in Arizona shows a Ukrainian Antonoff 225 the biggest transport plane, operated by Ukrainian transport company, being loaded with either M9 Reaper Drones (see picture below) or F-16/35 fighter jets.

In the background left (red tractor flatbed) you can see either an M9 Reaper drone or U.S. fighter ready for transport (white wrapped).  Toward the rear of the Antonoff cargo plane you can see another (black tractor flatbed).  Both aerial war assets are being loaded into the Antonoff 225 transport, and there are likely more not visible in the picture.

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President Donald Trump is the most transparent president in modern history, perhaps ever.  In a statement delivered from his truth social account, President Trump outlines his thinking on the current status of the Ukraine -v- Russia conflict.

[President Trump] – “No matter what deal I make with respect to Russia/Ukraine, no matter how good it is, even if it’s the greatest deal ever made, The Failing New York Times will speak BADLY of it. Liddle’ Peter Baker, the very biased and untalented writer for The Times, followed his Editor’s demands and wrote that Ukraine should get back territory, including, I suppose, Crimea, and other ridiculous requests, in order to stop the killing that is worse than anything since World War II.

Why doesn’t this lightweight reporter say that it was Obama who made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired. It was also Liddle’ Peter who wrote an absolutely fawning, yet terribly written Biography, on Obama. It was a JOKE! Did Baker ever criticize the Obama Crimea Giveaway? NO, not once, only TRUMP, and I’ve had nothing to do with this stupid war, other than early on, when I gave Ukraine Javelins, and Obama gave them sheets.

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[AUTHORS NOTE: Having attended the ASEAN conference to make contacts, after a brief respite at home I spent the past several weeks traveling Southeast Asia to research the likely impact from Trump’s tariff and global trade reset. Visits included manufacturing and distribution facilities in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and South Korea. What I will share with you in the next few months is an overview from direct first-hand discussions, contrast against the MSM financial media outline.]

The predictable doomsday Wall Street Journal narrative includes a forecast for a massive drop in exports from China as shipping conglomerates begin to outline a drop in trans-pacific sea cargo and container carriers.

What I would say to concerned Americans is to filter out the political narrative and remind yourself of the expanded footprint throughout SE Asia that Beijing has already established.  Chinese companies, many of them subsidized by the CCP, are pre-positioned to begin transnational shipping. I have witnessed it first-hand.  However, here’s the WSJ narrative as it begins.

WSJ – The number of ships sailing from China to the U.S. laden with clothes, electronics, furniture and other goods is plunging, as an accelerating number of cargoes are canceled.

The scrapped sailings come after the Trump administration ratcheted up tariffs on China while giving a three-month reprieve on punitive levies for much of the rest of the world.

At the Port of Los Angeles, one of America’s biggest gateways for imports from China, executive director Gene Seroka told port officials Thursday that he expects a 35% drop in import volumes in two weeks “as essentially all shipments out of China for major retailers and manufacturers has ceased.”

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Attorney General Pam Bondi makes her 78th appearance on Fox News to outline the reasoning why Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by FBI agents earlier today for interfering with the arrest of a criminal illegal alien.

This is the second judge arrested for harboring and assisting a criminal illegal alien.  WATCH:

WISCONSIN (AP) – The FBI on Friday arrested a Milwaukee judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, escalating a clash between the Trump administration and the judiciary over the Republican president’s sweeping immigration crackdown.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced on social media the arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, who he said “intentionally misdirected” federal agents away from a man they were trying to take into custody at her courthouse last week.

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An interesting report from the U.K reflects British government officials who feel their legal position against ‘free speech’ in Great Britain is now part of the negotiations for President Trump’s tariffs.  Essentially, the tariff discussion is encompassing more than just tariffs; if the nation does not support traditional freedoms and liberty, they could face stronger tariffs from the USA.

The messenger for this dynamic is not coincidentally Vice President JD Vance, who aligns closely with the tech platforms.  The tech control agents are bitterly opposed to President Trump’s tariff position, and this nuance is quite possibly a way to give the tech platforms an ancillary benefit, vis-a-vis free speech support.

The tech industry is facing pressure from the EU and British government to censor and control information content on their platforms.  By adding the importance of free speech to the leverage of tariff pressure, President Trump gives both Main Street companies and American Tech Titans something important to their business interests.  This is both a smart and righteous approach.

(Via The UK Independent) Sir Keir Starmer must embrace Donald Trump’s agenda by repealing hate speech laws in order to get a trade deal over the line, a Washington source has told The Independent.

The warning came after the US vice-president suggested a UK-US agreement may be close, with the White House “working very hard” on it.

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As most of you know I have been traveling extensively. However, a strange thing happened today upon return through the airport.

Apparently, all of the test pilots for biometrics, real ID etc. are now linked and active.  As I approached the passport control kiosk with my passport in hand, the gentleman said “welcome back, enjoy the rest of your day,” and that was it.

I stood there for a second, asked if he needed my passport and he said, “no, you’re good. Go on through.”  It seems the facial recognition software is live.  You no longer need to show your U.S. passport or any ID when arriving through U.S. international passport control.

Now, I should say I have never signed up for TSA pre-check, Fast Track, or any other kind of Global Travel authentication.  I have always opted to just be a grey traveler with as little a footprint as possible.  I reentered the U.S. the same way in February and needed to show the traditional passport, etc. However, this time in April it was totally different. There is no longer any paperwork or documentation needed.  It actually, seemed a little weird.

I should also note the U.S. “opt-out” for facial scans is a little bit of a ruse; the reason is when you depart from a foreign country, destined to the USA, the facial recognition is mandatory.  The U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, TSA and Border Control, require all countries to authenticate the U.S. destined traveler at the point of exit.  It’s not optional in other countries, you either comply or you don’t get to come home to the USA.

Because it’s not optional in other countries, and because the database is connected to the U.S. border entry system, the fact you can opt-out of having your picture taken inside the USA is moot; your facial impression is already captured at your point of departure from the foreign country and shared with U.S. homeland security.

This appears to be how the interconnected systems are now recording travel.  By the time you reach the U.S. entry point, they already have a database of your biometrics to match your entry.  Cameras located facing toward the traveler as they approach the kiosk, cross reference the data and the passport control officer knows exactly what authorities for entry you carry as you approach.  Showing documentation such as your passport is no longer needed.

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Wednesday, President Trump held an executive order signing ceremony in the oval office and took questions from the media on current topics.  Video Prompted:

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President Trump notes the economic team have been in contact with 90 countries from around the world who have called to renegotiate trade agreements.  Additionally, Trump notes that 11 new automotive assembly plants have been announced by car companies in order to avoid U.S. tariffs.  That’s a lot of American jobs.

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President Trump’s patience with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is obviously wearing thin.  However, the key for President Trump to change the dynamic; the thing he is inarguably trying to avoid; is a full U.S withdrawal and subsequent isolation for Zelenskyy.

President Trump via Truth Social:

“Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.”

This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion. Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The area also houses, for many years before “the Obama handover,” major Russian submarine bases.

It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country.

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