‘If Ukraine Loses, It’s All Over for Civilization’ – Ukraine at War Update for June 17

At a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan, over the weekend, US Republican presidential candidate, Kremlin apologist and convicted felon Donald Trump promised that he would put an end to Ukraine’s requests for military aid if he were elected president.

“I think Zelensky is maybe the greatest salesman of any politician that's ever lived. Every time he comes to our country, he walks away with $60 billion,” he roared to his assembled base.

“He just left, four days ago, with $60 billion. And he gets home and announces that he needs another $60 billion. And it never ends, it never ends. I will have that settled before taking the White House as president-elect. I will have that settled,” Trump said.

Trump lost the 2020 presidential elections by a significant margin and then attempted to foment a coup against the American government to have those certified results overturned. Previously, he had tried to blackmail Kyiv into finding unfavorable information about his opponent, now-President Joe Biden, by threatening to withhold already-promised Ukrainian aid.

“F-16s, please” for Ukraine, says pop star, but German concert boos Sir Rod’s pleas

British pop legend Rod Stewart was booed at a concert in Leipzig, Germany, on Friday for voicing his support for Ukraine, according to German news outlet Tag 24.

Sporting the blue-and-yellow colors, he introduced “Rhythm of My Heart” by profanely insulting against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Agence France Presse quoted Tag 24 as saying, as images of the war, the Ukrainian flag and President Volodymyr Zelensky were shown on the screen behind him. 

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According to a number of media outlets, the audience responded with a chorus of loud boos and whistles. European elections over the last week recorded a rise in support for right-wing candidates, especially those German parties who oppose more financial support for Ukraine.

Stewart has been vocal in his support for Ukraine – garnering large support for his views at concerts in Copenhagen and Amsterdam - and reportedly rented a house for Ukrainian refugees in Britain, AFP wrote.

Another Russian journalist allegedly hit by enemy fire, Kremlin says

Russian media claimed that one of their journalists, Nikita Tsistagi, was killed on in a drone attack in eastern Ukraine, according to News.Ru. Two days earlier, another Russian journalist was reportedly killed on nearby front lines as well.

On Thursday, a reporter for Russian state TV was killed and another wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike in Golmivsky, a Russian-controlled village close to the Donetsk front, Agence France Presse reported.

The online Moscow-censored news group said Sunday’s attack happened around the Saint-Nicolas monastery near the town of Vugledar, where fighting has been fierce over the past three months.

“This is the second attack on media workers in a week, bearing the same signature,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Peace Summit complete, Switzerland will initiate talks with Russia and China

Wrapping up a two-day world summit near Lucerne Switzerland examining ways to bring Russia’s more than two-year invasion of Ukraine to an end, the Swiss Foreign Minister announced he would continue these discussions with both Russia and China, two countries which did no attend. (The former was not invited.)

“We have a working embassy in Moscow, and every two weeks, we communicate with Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and we also have an intention to discuss the results of this conference with Russia,” said Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.

He added that Switzerland will hold a detailed discussion of the summit’s results with countries “on whose doors we knocked but they did not come, like, for instance, China.”

Beijing had suggested mutual support during the first stage but declined after finding out that Russia couldn’t be involved at the first stage, Ukrainska Pravda wrote.