Biden Was ‘Livid’ Over Leaks to Media About American Intel Used by Ukrainians: report
Biden Was ‘Livid’ Over Leaks to Media About American Intel Used by Ukrainians: report
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President Joe Biden was furious that senior U.S. officials went to the media about Washington sharing intel with Ukrainians that may have resulted in the sinking of Russia’s flagship and the killings of about a dozen Russian generals, according to a report.
Thomas Friedman, a columnist for The New York Times, wrote Friday that his sources in D.C. implied that the leaks were not “part of any thought-out strategy,” and Biden was “livid” when he learned about them. Friedman said Biden got on the phone with the head of national intelligence and CIA to demand that these leaks end because it was inching the U.S. closer to conflict.
Friedman wrote: Vladimir Putin surely has no illusions about how much the U.S. and NATO are arming Ukraine with material and intelligence, but when American officials start to brag in public about playing a role in killing Russian generals and sinking the Russian flagship, killing many sailors, we could be creating an opening for Putin to respond in ways that could dangerously widen this conflict — and drag the U.S. in deeper than it wants to be. (Click here to read more background on the leaks.)
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WANTS POPE FRANCIS TO KISS ZELENSKY’S RING
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board last week called out Pope Francis for hinting that NATO shared some of the blame for the Ukraine war when he accused the Alliance of “barking at Russia’s gate.”
Anyone with even an elementary understanding of what happened in Ukraine knows that the U.S. refused to negotiate in good faith with Russia over Moscow’s security concerns about Kyiv joining the Alliance. So it was not unreasonable to hear the pope point that out. But the Journal took several issues with the pope, including his hope to meet with Putin.
The paper wrote: The Pope said he has requested an audience with Mr. Putin but hasn’t heard back. Asked whether he’d visit Kyiv, he said he must go to Moscow first: “If Putin decided to leave the door open . . . ” This is a pattern. Recall that the Pope declined to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020, at least partly because of America’s opposition to the Vatican’s egregious deal-making with the Chinese Communist Party.
The paper seems to take personal offense that Francis believes it would be a more important trip to meet with Putin than the comedian, like all the political whores from the West.
PUTIN ONCE WANTED RUSSIA TO JOIN NATO
America The Jesuit Review wrote that Francis explores this idea in his book “Evangelii Gaudium.” When looking at conflict, the pope explains, some people ignore it while others get sucked into it. But imagine a third way: Face the problem head-on and make it the start of a new process. As the pope reassures us, “Trust what God is doing through you.”
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER $150M FOR UKRAINE TO FIGHT
The White House said it will send another $150 million worth of weapons to Ukraine – about 25,000 155mm artillery rounds and radar-jamming equipment – as the war with Russia continues in the country.
CNBC reported that the latest military aid package brings the U.S. military aid commitment to $3.8 billion since Moscow invaded its neighbor in late February.
President Joe Biden asked Congress to keep the war machine rolling last month and requested $33 billion in additional funding for Ukraine as Kyiv tries to fight back against the Russian invasion.
Biden, who has already armed Ukraine with a historic amount of weapons, said he wants $20.4 billion from the funding to go toward “military assistance” for the Ukrainians. Biden admitted that the price tag is “not cheap,” but essential if Washington is going to stand with Kyiv.
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