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Category: World
February 25, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Economy
World

Putin Proposes Rival Rare Earth Minerals Deal with U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed an interest in selling rare earth minerals to the United States—including from annexed areas of Ukraine. The proposal comes after President Donald J. Trump and his administration look to negotiate a similar deal with Ukraine as a means to pay back the billions given to the country to fight the ongoing conflict with Russia.

President Putin stated that Russia could give the United States a better deal on resources than Ukraine, arguing it could provide around two million tons of aluminum, for instance. “We would be ready to cooperate with our American partners … if they showed interest in working together,” the Russian leader said, arguing his country has far more rare earth minerals than Ukraine.

President Trump sent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine earlier this month to begin negotiations with Ukraine. The goal was for the U.S. to get preferential access to rare earth minerals to pay back the billions of dollars in funding and equipment sent to Ukraine since 2022.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that he would refuse such a deal. He reportedly became angry during a meeting with Bessent, shouting at the Treasury Secretary. Since then, he has reportedly agreed to a watered-down deal on minerals, although it is not final. 

Vice President J.D. Vance has publicly criticized Zelensky’s behavior, telling The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam he finds the Ukrainian leader’s public attacks on President Trump “disgraceful.”

“He’s not dealing with Joe Biden and the Biden administration anymore. He’s dealing with Donald Trump and the Trump administration,” Vance said.

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed an interest in selling rare earth minerals to the United States—including from annexed areas of Ukraine. The proposal comes after President Donald J. Trump and his administration look to negotiate a similar deal with Ukraine as a means to pay back the billions given to the country to fight the ongoing conflict with Russia. show more
February 25, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Economy
War
World

Zelensky Caves, Agrees to a Minerals Deal: Report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly agreed to President Donald J. Trump’s deal on rare earth minerals for continued assistance after negotiating more favorable terms for Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is now ready to agree to the deal after the Trump administration reportedly made a concession on acquiring rights to $500 billion in revenue from mineral extraction as a way to pay the U.S. back for the billions of dollars given to Ukraine to fight its war against Russia.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister and justice minister, stated, “The minerals agreement is only part of the picture. We have heard multiple times from the U.S. administration that it’s part of a bigger picture.”

President Zelensky initially rejected the agreement, supposedly shouting at U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a meeting in Kiev when it was discussed. Zelensky was said to be angry at the prospect of having to pay back U.S. taxpayers. Under the new deal, Ukraine will contribute half of the proceeds from the future monetization of mineral extraction, as well as state-owned oil and gas, to a fund dedicated to investing in domestic projects. It is unclear what size stake the U.S. government will also have in this fund.

However, the deal does not contain any explicit security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky has been adamant about security guarantees from NATO and the United States, even demanding that U.S. troops be deployed in the country after a possible ceasefire with Russia. He has also demanded Ukraine be allowed to enter the NATO military alliance, going as far as threatening to acquire nuclear weapons if rejected.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to engage in bilateral talks with Russia in an effort to end its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly agreed to President Donald J. Trump's deal on rare earth minerals for continued assistance after negotiating more favorable terms for Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is now ready to agree to the deal after the Trump administration reportedly made a concession on acquiring rights to $500 billion in revenue from mineral extraction as a way to pay the U.S. back for the billions of dollars given to Ukraine to fight its war against Russia. show more
February 25, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
World

Over 240,000 Canadians Demand Country Withdraw Elon Musk’s Citizenship.

Over 240,000 Canadians have signed a petition demanding the Canadian government revoke the citizenship of Elon Musk over claims he is trying to “erase” the country. The petition was sponsored by Charlie Angus, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the leftist New Democrats (NDP) and a frequent critic of the billionaire owner of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), and SpaceX.

The text of the petition accuses Musk of being “engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada” and of using his money to influence Canadian elections. “He has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty,” it states, in reference to Musk’s role at President Donald J. Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk replied to the petition on his social media platform X, stating, “Canada is not a real country.”

Though the petition has a substantial number of signatories, it is unlikely Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, or his incoming replacement, will strip the billionaire of his Canadian passport.

While Musk has largely been silent on Canadian politics, talking far more about the United Kingdom and Germany online, President Trump has repeatedly suggested the country become the 51st state of the U.S.

President Trump also threatened double-digit tariffs on Canada but delayed the implementation after Prime Minister Trudeau agreed to increase border security and tackle issues around the deadly drug fentanyl.

Image by Bret Harman / TED.

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Over 240,000 Canadians have signed a petition demanding the Canadian government revoke the citizenship of Elon Musk over claims he is trying to "erase" the country. The petition was sponsored by Charlie Angus, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the leftist New Democrats (NDP) and a frequent critic of the billionaire owner of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), and SpaceX. show more
German Parliament
February 24, 2025
News
Politics
World

Despite Right-Wing Triumph in Germany, Coalition with Left Likely.

Preliminary results for Germany’s national elections, released by the Federal Returning Officer in Berlin on Monday, have confirmed a significant shift to the right. The nominally center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) formerly led by Angela Merkel emerged as the leading party, securing 28.5 percent of the vote and 208 seats in the 630-seat parliament. The populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) made historic gains, doubling its vote share from 10.4 percent in 2021 to 20.8 percent and increasing its seats from 83 to a provisional 152—the best result in the party’s history.

Despite a theoretical majority with the AfD, it remains unlikely the CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, will form a coalition with them. The CDU is part of a long-standing effort by establishment political parties to marginalize the AfD. Instead, a so-called “grand coalition” government alongside left-wing parties, such as the Social Democrats led by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is far more likely.

The liberal Free Democrats (FDP), who were part of the last governing coalition, failed to meet the required five percent threshold to enter parliament, losing all of their 91 seats. The newly-founded left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) also failed to win any seats.

Prior the to German elections, U.S. President J.D. Vance argued the German establishment should not shut out the AfD, given its level of popularity. “It’s really about censorship and about migration, about this fear that President Trump and I have, that European leaders are kind of terrified of their own people,” he said.

Image by Norbert Nagel.

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Preliminary results for Germany's national elections, released by the Federal Returning Officer in Berlin on Monday, have confirmed a significant shift to the right. The nominally center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) formerly led by Angela Merkel emerged as the leading party, securing 28.5 percent of the vote and 208 seats in the 630-seat parliament. The populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) made historic gains, doubling its vote share from 10.4 percent in 2021 to 20.8 percent and increasing its seats from 83 to a provisional 152—the best result in the party's history. show more
February 24, 2025
Jack Montgomery
World

German Election Winner Vows to Prioritize European ‘Independence’ from Trump’s America.

Following his party’s first-place finish in the German federal elections on Sunday, Germany’s likely new chancellor (prime minister), Friedrich Merz, is emphasizing that his “absolute priority” is for “Europe” to gain “independence from the USA.” Merz likely means to increase the power of the European Union (EU) at the expense of its members’ national governments—which is generally EU supporters’ proposed solution to any given crisis.

“Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe,” Merz argued—despite the U.S. doing far more to assist Ukraine and to prop up NATO generally than Germany, which chronically neglects its defense spending obligations and enriched Russia via various energy deals for decades.

“I am very curious to see how we are heading toward the NATO summit at the end of June,” said Merz, suggesting that Europe may need to accelerate the establishment of a self-reliant defense capability if NATO’s future remains uncertain.

While the comments imply criticism of President Donald J. Trump, he may not have an issue with Europe—which has a far larger population than the U.S.—taking meaningful steps towards securing its own defense, with the continent’s overreliance on American largesse being a central sticking point for him.

Earlier this month, Vice President J.D. Vance publicly accused Europe of suppressing free speech during an address in Germany. Speaking to Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, following the summit, he stressed: “American troops do not sacrifice to protect censorship. They do not sacrifice in order to create a world where you get thrown in prison for posting an Internet meme. If you want American hard power to continue to support the so-called rules-based order, then you actually have to respect the values of the people who are sacrificing for that hard power.”

Image by Steffen Prößdorf.

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Following his party's first-place finish in the German federal elections on Sunday, Germany's likely new chancellor (prime minister), Friedrich Merz, is emphasizing that his "absolute priority" is for "Europe" to gain "independence from the USA." Merz likely means to increase the power of the European Union (EU) at the expense of its members' national governments—which is generally EU supporters' proposed solution to any given crisis. show more
February 24, 2025
Wake Up Right
World

The Right Rises in Germany.

Germany took a big step to the right as voters went to the polls over the weekend, rebuking years of poor economic growth and unchained illegal immigration under the existing leftist government led by Olaf Scholz.

The details: The big winner was the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) led by Friedrich Merz, which took 28 percent of the vote. The CDU ran a coalition with its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU).

  • A close second: The “far right“ Alternative for Germany (AfD) party had an impressive turnout with 20.8 percent of the vote.
  • The big loser was the current ruling liberal party, headed by Olaf Schultz — the Social Democratic Party, which only captured 16 percent percent of the vote.

How we got here: The German economy has been ravaged by bad policies like overregulation and green energy mandates—with industrial production (think automakers) down 20 percent since 2017.

  • Energy prices: Additionally, the war in Ukraine has led to rising energy costs, as the country has relied on Russian natural gas. Wholesale electricity is nearly four times higher than it was pre-war.
  • Immigration: Between 2014-2022 Germany imported nearly three million people from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Ukraine. And as of 2022, about 28 percent of its population were foreign-born.

Germany’s new leader: Friedrich Merz is seen as an establishment conservative, and his CDU is the same party as former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was the godmother of unchecked immigration into Germany. The twist is that while Merkel lurched the party to the left, Merz seeks to set it back towards the right—specifically on combatting immigration, lowering taxes, and removing regulations on businesses.

Winners and losers: The real winner was the global right-wing populist movement. The losers were the mainstream media. The AfD, just like Trump, was slandered by the mainstream media as “far right” and frequently slandered as Nazis and authoritarians. But again and again, voters are tuning out the noise.

Be sure to subscribe to the Wake Up Right newsletter! 

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Germany took a big step to the right as voters went to the polls over the weekend, rebuking years of poor economic growth and unchained illegal immigration under the existing leftist government led by Olaf Scholz. show more
February 21, 2025
News
World

China Executes Rare Naval ‘Live-Fire’ Drills Off Australia’s Coast in Significant Provocation.

Civilian and commercial aircraft flying off Australia’s east coast have been diverted due to Chinese naval vessels performing live-fire drills. The Chinese communist regime describes the drills as routine training exercises compliant with international law. However, conducting such military drills so close to Australia is exceptionally rare and represents a potential escalation against the United States and its allies’ maritime dominance in the Pacific Ocean.

Australia’s defense department has been tracking three Chinese naval vessels, including the frigate Hengyang, cruiser Zunyi, and replenishment vessel Weishanhu, following their recent sightings. Leftist Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claims that the activities are in accordance with international law and pose no immediate threat to Australian or New Zealand assets.

Currently, the three Chinese vessels are approximately 340 nautical miles east of the coast of New South Wales. However, at one point, they were within 150 nautical miles of Syndey—suggesting the drills are intended as a form of intimidation or provocation. In response to inquiries about the drills, China’s foreign ministry emphasized that the exercises would be conducted safely and professionally, adhering to global legal standards.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed concerns and indicated plans to address the issue with Chinese officials. Speaking from a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, she reiterated Australia’s intention to engage in discussions regarding the exercises. In the wake of the announcement, Airservices Australia, responsible for air traffic management, issued a caution for commercial aircraft to adjust their flight paths to avoid the affected area. The agency stated that it is collaborating to provide guidance to air operators and pilots.

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Civilian and commercial aircraft flying off Australia's east coast have been diverted due to Chinese naval vessels performing live-fire drills. The Chinese communist regime describes the drills as routine training exercises compliant with international law. However, conducting such military drills so close to Australia is exceptionally rare and represents a potential escalation against the United States and its allies' maritime dominance in the Pacific Ocean. show more
February 20, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Immigration
World

French Senate Backs Bill Banning Illegals from Marrying.

France’s Senate voted Thursday to support a bill prohibiting illegal aliens from marrying in the country as the government intensifies a crackdown on illegal immigration. The measure—which the left labels unconstitutional—cleared its first reading in the upper house with 227 votes in favor and 110 opposed and is championed by immigration hardliners Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin.

The legislation now heads to the National Assembly, France’s lower house, for further debate. The move underscores a rightward shift in French politics, spurred by last summer’s legislative elections that left parliament deadlocked, with Marine Le Pen’s populist National Rally (RN) winning the most seats of any single party.

The French authorities aim to curb sham marriages and seal loopholes that illegal immigrants exploit to secure residence permits or citizenship through matrimony.

This push defies a 2003 ruling from the French Constitutional Council, which declared that a foreigner’s illegal status alone cannot block their right to marry. Green Senator Melanie Vogel slammed the bill as “a blatant assault on the Constitution,” while Socialist Corinne Narassiguin accused it of fueling “a toxic atmosphere of xenophobia and racism.”

The proposal gained traction after a northern French mayor faced legal action from a former mosque leader, whom he refused to marry in 2023. That leader was later deported. French law mandates that all marriages occur in city halls, amplifying the stakes of such disputes.

The Senate’s decision also follows a recent incident where prosecutors called in Beziers mayor Robert Menard for rejecting a 2023 wedding between a French citizen and an Algerian illegal, spotlighting the growing tension over immigration controls in France.

Image by Mighty.Germany.

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France’s Senate voted Thursday to support a bill prohibiting illegal aliens from marrying in the country as the government intensifies a crackdown on illegal immigration. The measure—which the left labels unconstitutional—cleared its first reading in the upper house with 227 votes in favor and 110 opposed and is championed by immigration hardliners Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin. show more
February 20, 2025
Jack Montgomery
1A
World

Vance Warns Europe: American Taxpayers Will Not Subsidize the Defense of Countries That Jail People for ‘Mean Tweets.’

Vice President J.D. Vance has warned that American taxpayers and military servicemen may not continue to underwrite Europe’s defense if European governments continue pushing censorship. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, he said, “Think about this: Germany’s entire defense is subsidized by the American taxpayer. There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today. Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet? Of course they’re not.”

Referring to his recent speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, the Vice President explained that “the point that I tried to make to our European friends… is that [our] friendship is based on shared values. You do not have shared values if you’re jailing people for saying we should close down our border; you don’t have shared values if you cancel elections because you don’t like the result—and that happened in Romania—[and] you do not have shared values if you’re so afraid of your own people that you silence them and shut them up.”

“So, let’s have shared values. Let’s defend democracy; let’s have free expression, not just in the United States but all over the Western world. That is the path to strong alliances in Europe.” he concluded.

Vice President Vance made a similar point in an exclusive interview with Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, on Wednesday, saying, “American troops do not sacrifice to protect censorship. They do not sacrifice in order to create a world where you get thrown in prison for posting an Internet meme. If you want American hard power to continue to support the so-called rules-based order, then you actually have to respect the values of the people who are sacrificing for that hard power.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Vice President J.D. Vance has warned that American taxpayers and military servicemen may not continue to underwrite Europe's defense if European governments continue pushing censorship. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, he said, "Think about this: Germany's entire defense is subsidized by the American taxpayer. There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today. Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet? Of course they're not." show more
February 18, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Economy
World

Germany’s Next Chancellor Warns of European Financial Crisis.

Friedrich Merz, poised to become Germany’s next chancellor (prime minister), warns he is “very worried” the European Union (EU) is barreling toward another financial crisis, blaming excessive debt. “We can’t play fast and loose with public finances like some others do—and even those others are starting to alarm me,” said the nominally conservative politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) formerly led by Angela Merkel.

Six EU nations—France, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal—carry debt loads exceeding their annual economic output. “A financial crisis is coming, no question,” Merz told POLITICO. “It’ll hit as a sovereign debt crisis. We can’t pinpoint the when or the where, but it’s on its way.”

Germany is just five days from a general election. Merz’s party is expected to win first place comfortably, with the right-populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in second, ahead of the governing Social Democrats and their current and former coalition partners in the Green and Free Democratic parties. However, Merz is far more likely to seek a so-called “grand coalition” with leftist parties than a stronger center-right coalition with the AfD, which is largely shut out of positions of influence by establishment consensus.

Merz’s warnings on a European debt crisis come as the U.S. presses the EU to shoulder more of its defense costs. Germany faces a steep climb to meet its NATO spending obligation of 2 percent GDP defense spending post-2027. Berlin pumped €100 billion into a special fund to revamp its military after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, but most of that cash is already spoken for—leaving a €30 billion annual gap.

“We need to sort out our priorities—first, how much room do we have to cut costs?” Merz mused, stressing, “Economic growth is the answer to everything. That’s my top focus before we dive into anything else.” Neither the Social Democrats nor the Greens agree, arguing Germany must instead loosen borrowing limits.

Migration splits the CDU and the left, too. Despite his party’s history of encouraging mass migration under Merkel, Merz promised to close Germany’s borders on day one. “We must slash the number of people flooding in, and fast,” Merz said, adding, “Other countries prove it’s doable, why not Germany?”—a possible reference to U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

Image by Steffen Prößdorf.

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Friedrich Merz, poised to become Germany’s next chancellor (prime minister), warns he is “very worried” the European Union (EU) is barreling toward another financial crisis, blaming excessive debt. “We can’t play fast and loose with public finances like some others do—and even those others are starting to alarm me,” said the nominally conservative politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) formerly led by Angela Merkel. show more