As with all information during high-stakes negotiations, particularly ones covered in geopolitics, trillions at stake and power dynamics on this scale, it is prudent to ignore most media reporting and focus on the public statements from the negotiators.

German Chancellor Fredrich Merz seated right next to Zelenskyy, highlighting the oppositional nature of the U.S. vs EU position during negotiations.

STEVE WITKOFF – Official Readout: “The meeting in Berlin between President Zelenskyy, Special Envoy Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and delegations from the United States and Ukraine lasted over five hours. Representatives held in-depth discussions regarding the 20-point plan for peace, economic agendas, and more. A lot of progress was made, and they will meet again tomorrow morning.”

Official Readouts are the statements that all parties agree to.  The “readout” is not a shaping statement giving insight into the deal itself, but rather a status statement of the discussions surrounding the deal.

Team Zelenskyy have been waging a public relations campaign to retain support from echo-chambered EU politicians.  The focus is continuation of funding, essentially money. Team Trump have been less public and approaching the negotiations with prudent pragmatism; less PR more substance; their focus is an end to the killing.  These are two distinctly different priority sets.

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President Trump delivers remarks during a Christmas reception meeting at the White House.

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Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin to meet with President Trump emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of the previously scheduled Monday summit with the Coalition of The Willing, U.K, France and Germany.

The wording used by Zelenskyy tells the dynamic: “We are currently preparing for meetings with the U.S. side and our European friends in the coming days. Berlin will host many events.”

The “U.S side” and “European friends”, a notable distinction in the terminology as Zelenskyy notes his friendship with his European stakeholders.

Today, Sunday, Zelenskyy notes, “I am already in Germany. Today’s agenda includes a meeting with the American negotiating team. We are focusing on how to reliably guarantee Ukraine’s security so that the experience of the Budapest Memorandum and Russia’s invasion are never repeated. We are counting on constructive talks.”

For President Zelenskyy and his EU coalition, everything revolves around the security guarantees.  As noted by Politico:

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Two gunmen armed with long rifles and handguns opened fire at a crowd of people celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, Australia.  12 people were killed with approximately a dozen more wounded.  The attack went on for well over ten minutes as the terrorist shot randomly into the crowd from a park bridge near the beach.

(NEW YORK TIMES) – At least 11 people were killed by gunmen who targeted a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday, in what the authorities called a terrorist attack. One of the shooters was also killed, the police said.

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon of the New South Wales Police Force said on Sunday evening that officers had found what they believed to be several improvised explosive devices in a nearby vehicle linked to the suspect who was killed. Bomb disposal units were at the scene, he said. (MORE)

The shooting went on for ten minutes as police were extremely slow to respond.  Incredible footage has surfaced of a random civilian running to tackle one of the gunmen and wrestle his rifle away.  Alternate video shows the two men for over 10 minutes shooting from the area into the crowd.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller appears on Fox News to discuss the federal investigation that is taking place into a massive welfare and subsidy scam uncovered in Minnesota.  At the heart of the issue are thousands of Somali immigrants who were allowed into the U.S. and have abused various aid programs.

There are also reports indicating that 70% of the economy in the country of Somalia now comes from remittances sent by this same community, including money sent to al-Shabaab terrorist groups.  The scale of the fraud is jaw-dropping as almost every financial aid program is being abused by the Somali immigrant community. WATCH:

This year Federal and state prosecutors opened multiple investigations into fraud tied to Minnesota programs being abused by the Somali community.

An investigation into “Feeding Our Future” (a child‑nutrition nonprofit) led to dozens of indictments and it got worse as officials also began investigating Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services and alleged false autism diagnoses tied to reimbursements. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson has described the scope of the fraud as astonishing and labeled the issue a “crisis.”

President Trump announced the immediate termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somalis in Minnesota, citing fraud and “money laundering.” The DOJ, CMS and various cabinet agencies are also investigating various programs to determine the full scope of the financial fraud.

Meanwhile DHS and the FBI are reviewing remittance destinations to determine potential terrorist connections, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz blames President Trump for noticing the issue.

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The geopolitical baseline for Europe is often determined by the economics of their situation.  In 2024 approximately 408,000 cars from China were sold in Europe.  For 2025 that number is now expected to exceed 700,000 units despite tariffs.

Previously we highlighted the short-term ramifications of the European Union push to force the sale of electric vehicle (EVs) upon the consumer base.  {SEE HERE} EU automakers unable to meet the compliance goal began purchasing carbon credits to avoid stiff EU fines.  Many of those carbon credits were purchased from Chinese automakers, who then turned around and started using the extra EU revenue to discount Chinese cars sold in Europe.

In essence, EU car companies started subsiding China to undercut their own market. An outcome of the EU chasing the ridiculous green energy project throughout the European free trade zone.

Now reports are beginning to surface of how the non-EV segment of the industry is being lost to less expensive Chinese hybrid autos that: (1) are much cheaper, (2) not bad in quality, and (3) are not subject to the 35% EV tariff rate.

The EU tariff applied to gasoline powered cars or hybrids from China is 10%.  That tariff is not enough to stop the imports. The Chinese hybrid autos are substantially less than European car brands, and there’s no financial incentive for China to build auto plants in the EU zone especially when you consider the EU is subsidizing those cars by purchasing carbon credits.

When analyzed from a cost and consequence, the entire EU dynamic toward car companies is a little funny.  However, for Germany this is a serious issue, and with the German industrial economy already stagnant – every impact to their auto industry only makes the situation worse.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

(more…)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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