Ukraine needs to double down on hitting Russian oil now

Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv – a bipartisan delegation – and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war. And today, there was a conversation between the leaders of America and Russia. A conversation that leads to something different. Recently, there was a European decision to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Since then, Russian strikes and the torment of people have only increased. This past week alone, there was a brutal Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, aerial bombs were dropped on Kramatorsk – on ordinary city buses – and there have been constant attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure and on the life-sustaining infrastructure in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and our other cities. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds wounded. The Russians are compensating for their inability to achieve their objectives on the battlefield with this kind of terror. This year, Russia is weaker on the battlefield than at any other point in the war. That is why Putin is relying on terror. That is why he is relying on attempts to strike backroom deals to secure some form of pressure relief for Russia, in order to buy more time and more opportunities for war. Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world. Ukraine is ready to take symmetrical de-escalatory steps, and the American team knows our position. Our strikes on Russian oil refineries and other oil facilities are a response to Russia’s years-long campaign of terror against Ukraine’s energy sector. Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise. Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will “repay” the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis. We count on America’s fair support for our defense of life, for our defense of people in Ukraine – and on the United States having a correspondingly strong conversation with Russia. A strong one, not a weak one.

lol, 500 kt in November is only 125 kbpd of diesel. Russia usually exports nearly ten times that volume when its refinery fleet isn't getting bombed by Ukrainian drones

for a lot of people, another piece of our childhood has gone away with the passing of Mike Ditka. You didn't have to be a Bears fan to know - or like - him. That 85 Bears team was iconic, the kind you'll never forget. Ditka quickly became a pop figure that transcended sports..

RT @Serranosisters: Thank You guys for all the Birthday wishes. Love you All 🙏😘❤️

Removing the payroll tax cap will solve half of the Social Security problem. It's a no-brainer.

Gonna be a super sad weekend in Chicago.

Today marks three years since Hamas perpetrated the October 7 terrorist attack that killed nearly 1,200 Israelis, took 251 more hostage, and set off a chain of events that those in the Middle East — and back home in Michigan — are still grappling with. Today, I’m thinking about the families who lost loved ones that day, the hostages and their families who endured years of uncertainty, and the communities that are still carrying the scars of that attack.

You can have just a post marking the tragic October 7th massacre. You could save your selective ahistorical biased opinions on the whole history of Israel and Palestine (seemingly justifying October 7th) until say tomorrow. Your empathy could exceed your biases.

Seriously people. Just stop. Don’t equate human made computer systems with the consciousness of biological organisms.

I've had two experiences with AI tech support and both were absolute fucking hell. It was a thousand times worse than any human customer support I've ever received, ever, from even the worst company you've ever encountered. Just a kafkaesque loop of infuriating non-responses.

Let me explain it like you are 5 Farmer take long time to plow field - plowing hard + slow Farmer buy plow - plowing now easy and fast I take 3 minutes to book flight - not hard, not slow I no want to pay money for easy thing that not take much time Me keep my money to afford more flights Me hope this helps :)

So this cycle’s “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me” grifting consultant — and there is indeed one every single cycle — that no one working in Democratic politics had ever heard of before a few weeks ago thinks Democrats should focus on…Missouri?

How is this "almost naked?"

The timing seems....indelicate?

No Sopranos? No way

This shouldn't have been sanctioned.

34 time felon is running the country broski

She's a sharp one.

JUST IN: Study reveals people who drink 5+ cups of coffee per day have less body fat, more muscle, & higher testosterone.