International
Russia faces ‘decay’, Ukraine has ‘European future’: EU chief

AFP
Russia faces “decay” because of ever more stringent sanctions from the West while Ukraine has a “European future”, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Kyiv.
“Russia will descend in economic, financial and technological decay while Ukraine is marching towards a European future,” von der Leyen said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Your fight is also our fight. Im here in Kyiv with you today to send a very strong message that EU is by your side. We stand by your side,” she said.
Von der Leyen condemned civilian killings in the town of Bucha near Kyiv which Ukraine has blamed on Russian forces which were occupying the area at the time.
“Our humanity was shattered in Bucha,” she said, also condemning the deaths of dozens of people in a rocket attack on a train station in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine earlier on Friday as “appalling”.
“We are mobilising our economic power to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin pay a very, very heavy price,” she said.
Zelensky said that while he was “personally thankful” to von der Leyen for the five rounds of EU sanctions, “this is not enough”.
“They took many things from us, territory, people. We can retake the land but we will never be able to return the people,” he said.
“For all this, Russia needs to take responsibility. That is why I am asking to help us with your sanctions. They should only increase,” he said.
Addressing Ukraine’s ambitions to join the European Union, von der Leyen said: “We are with you as you dream of Europe”.
She handed Zelensky a questionnaire as a “basis” for discussion in the coming weeks.
“It is where your path towards Europe and European Union begins,” she said.
International
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.
The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.
The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).
“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.
Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”
International
Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.
Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.
A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”
According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.
International
Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.
Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.
“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.
“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.
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