The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is leaving the Netherlands’ government, toppling the governing coalition, its leader Geert Wilders said on Tuesday.
Wilders, who is not himself part of government, presented the cabinet with an ultimatum last week to strengthen its asylum policy.
“No signature for our asylum plans,” he posted on X on Tuesday. “PVV is leaving the coalition.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Palestinians on their way to receive aid from a distribution site in southern Gaza have come under fire for a third consecutive day, with nearly 30 people killed and dozens wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and Nasser hospital.
The ministry said Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians as they made their way to the distribution site in Tel al-Sultan in Rafah early Tuesday.
The Israeli military said its forces opened fire multiple times after identifying “several suspects moving toward them, deviating from the designated access routes.”
“The troops carried out warning fire, and after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced toward the troops,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, which also said they are looking into reports of casualties.
At least 27 people were killed and dozens injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry and the director of Nasser hospital in Gaza.
The firing occurred west of Rafah in the area surrounding the Al-Alam roundabout, according to paramedics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, near the same location as shooting incidents the last two days.
Early Tuesday morning, a Facebook page which the controversial US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has used to publicize information about the opening of distribution sites said one location would be open in southern Gaza and warned residents to adhere to a designated corridor starting at 5 a.m.
“The IDF will be in the area to secure the safe passage,” the statement said.
The incident marks the third day in a row that people have been killed on their way to the GHF distribution point west of Rafah while attempting to secure food as famine conditions worsen in Gaza following an 11-week blockade by Israel.
Three Palestinians were shot dead and dozens wounded as they were on their way to access aid from the site on Monday morning, Palestinian and hospital authorities said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Israeli forces fired warning shots approximately a kilometer from the aid distribution site and that it was looking into the details of the incident.
On Sunday, dozens of Palestinians were shot dead by the Israeli military in the same area, according to Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses. Israel’s military denied that its troops fired “within or near” the aid distribution site.
Palestinian officials said 31 people had been killed and scores wounded in Sunday’s incident. An Israeli military source acknowledged that Israeli forces fired toward individuals about one kilometer (1093 yards) away before the aid site opened.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Highlights
– Discussions with multiple spodumene concentrate producers-both operational and near-term developers
– Substantial benefits (transport costs and tariffs) to supplying local convertor
– Supply estimated to commence around 2028
– Targeting 140,000 tpa SC6 spodumene supply once ramped up
– LU7 intends to purchase spodumene ore at benchmark prices from the market
– Targeting minimum supply of 10 years for project finance
The Company, as stated previously, have been in discussions with multiple spodumene concentrate producers-both operational and near-term developers-regarding long-term feedstock supply agreements for the Becancour Lithium Refinery. In these discussions, these parties recognise a real benefit in potentially supplying their spodumene product to a local lithium converter as opposed to shipping and selling their spodumene to Chinese operations for conversion. The spodumene transport costs could be as high as US$100 per dmt which represents US$800-900 per tonne of finished lithium carbonate product. If the final lithium carbonate must be shipped back to North America that adds another approximately US$200 per tonne of final product. Today, Canada has an import tariff of 25% on all Chinese lithium chemicals so the local conversion is an overriding advantage.
In these discussions, the Company is targeting a non-binding MoU for the full supply of 140,000 tonnes per annum for SC6 grade spodumene material. The target tonnes will proportionally increase if the grade is less than 6% LiO2. The supply agreement could be converted to a definitive agreement when the refinery becomes
funded, and construction commences. Ideally, LU7 is targeting a spodumene feed supply to be at least 10 years and rolling 5 years, to give security of supply for project financing. In these discussions, the Company is targeting supply commencing around 2028 at approximately 56,000 tonnes per year. The required supply tonnage will increase to 98,000 tonnes in 2029 and reach full capacity at 140,000 tonnes per annum from 2030 onward. The spodumene supply is targeted to be delivered to the Becancour Lithium Refinery storage shed on site. Whilst spodumene supply could be from anywhere in the North Atlantic region (including Brazil and Africa), a strategic domestic Canadian feedstock source would mitigate the Company’s risks and logistical challenges of overseas shipments and foreign processing. It is proposed that the spodumene concentrate will be refined into approximately 18,270 tonnes per annum of battery-grade lithium carbonate (as per DFS), supporting the expansion of Canada’s electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage industries.
LU7 intends to purchase spodumene ore at benchmark prices from the market, and LU7 will retain full ownership of the resulting lithium carbonate, with the right to sell it either to the open market at benchmark prices or directly to an OEM offtaker. To clarify, the Company is not searching for a tolling arrangement.
Executive Chairman Iggy Tan said ‘There are several interested potential spodumene suppliers that could meet the 2028 timeframe and discussions are ongoing. There is real interest in the market. The Company will continue to keep the market informed concerning progress of these discussions and negotiations. Once we can secure feedstock supply for the refinery the focus will shift to getting a strategic OEM on board the project in exchange for the valuable battery grade lithium carbonate offtake’.
About Lithium Universe Ltd:
Lithium Universe Ltd (ASX:LU7) (FRA:KU00) (OTCMKTS:LUVSF), headed by industry trail blazer, Iggy Tan, and the Lithium Universe team has a proven track record of fast-tracking lithium projects, demonstrated by the successful development of the Mt Cattlin spodumene project for Galaxy Resources Limited.
Instead of exploring for the sake of exploration, Lithium Universe’s mission is to quickly obtain a resource and construct a spodumene-producing mine in Quebec, Canada. Unlike many other Lithium exploration companies, Lithium Universe possesses the essential expertise and skills to develop and construct profitable projects.
Source:
Lithium Universe Ltd
Contact:
Alex Hanly
Chief Executive Officer
Lithium Universe Limited
Tel: +61 448 418 725
Email: info@lithiumuniverse.com
Iggy Tan
Chairman
Lithium Universe Limited
Email: info@lithiumuniverse.com
News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia
Cardiex Limited (CDX:AU) has announced Cardiex Receives TGA Approval for CONNEQT Pulse Device
Download the PDF here.
Ioneer Ltd (ASX: INR, Nasdaq: IONR) (Ioneer) is pleased to announce a 308% upgrade to the Ore Reserve estimate for its 100%-owned Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project (‘Rhyolite Ridge’ or the ‘Project’) in Nevada, USA, alongside updated Project economics.
The Ore Reserve has increased by 186.6 million tonnes (Mt) and approximately 48% of the Mineral Resource has been converted into Reserve, now estimated at:
“Today’s updated Reserve and Mine Plan reinforces the importance of Rhyolite Ridge’s remarkable mineralogy. Our Ore Reserve estimate of 247 Mt containing a total of 1.92 Mt LCE and 7.68 Mt BAE make it the largest lithium-boron Reserve in the world,” said Bernard Rowe, Managing Director, Ioneer. “It allows Ioneer to match prevailing market conditions and blend or prioritise ore to produce a valuable boric acid co- product, whose market is uncorrelated with the Project’s primary lithium product. No other lithium project offers this level of flexibility and economic advantage. In periods of low cycle lithium pricing, like today, we plan to prioritize the high-boron ore production to optimize the relative proportion of total revenue derived from boric acid.”
By prioritising High-Boron (Hi-B) ore in the first 25 years of production, the Project is poised to produce an average of ~19,200 tonnes per annum (tpa) of LCE, and 116,400 tpa of boric acid (see Table 1).
The updated Ore Reserve estimate, 95-year mine plan for stage one operations, and Project economics reaffirms Rhyolite Ridge as a highly attractive global Project to produce lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide and boric acid. The updated findings position Ioneer, on an LCE basis, in the lowest cost quartile for lithium production globally with an estimated all-in sustaining cash cost to produce battery grade lithium hydroxide of US$5,745 and a cash cost of C1 $3,858 per tonne net of expected boric acid revenue in the first 25 years.
The Project has a stable overall operating cost structure to produce lithium carbonate and battery grade lithium hydroxide due to the scale and reliability of its boric acid credit. Boron remains one of the most stable natural resource commodities over many decades.
Ioneer has refined Project plans over the past four years and updates now include an Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE) Class 2 capital cost estimate (-10%, +15%) with approximately 70% of the Project’s engineering complete. As a result of this and other engineering work including RAM analysis and detailed engineering design, Ioneer has adopted a more conservative approach to plant availability, equipment downtime and maintenance strategies. While this approach reduces bottom line economics, the Company believes it is appropriate for a Project of this type and scale.
The Company now estimates total capital expenditure to complete the Project will be US$1,667.9 million, including a 10% contingency.
Click here for the full ASX Release
Canada’s mining sector is gaining momentum, with over 130 projects with a total value of C$117.1 billion now planned or in construction, according to Natural Resources Canada’s 2024 inventory. That’s an increase of nine projects and C$23.5 billion from the previous year, signaling strong interest in resource development.
Yet despite this growth, the path to production remains slow. A study published in FACETS and cited by the Mining Association of Canada shows that the average timeline from discovery to production exceeds 17 years, highlighting the pressing need to streamline Canada’s complex and often lengthy permitting process.
Although miners, explorers and developers have long criticized the decades-long process, Canada’s federal and provincial governments have only recently begun working to expedite the process in an effort to harness the country’s vast critical minerals potential and assert the nation’s dominance in resource extraction.
The federal government has committed to expediting and streamlining the permitting process, laying out ambitious targets in its 2024 budget. Those goals include completing federal impact assessments and permitting for designated mining projects within five years, and within two years for non-designated projects.
Achieving these targets will involve establishing a federal mining permitting coordinator, enhancing funding for federal review authorities and promoting concurrent regulatory reviews to reduce duplication and delays
Provincial governments also play a significant role in mining project approvals.
A May 2025 report from the Mining Association of BC, outlines the economic potential of 27 advanced-stage mining projects in the province totaling more than C$90 billion. The projects highlighted in the report are described as new; however, there are several past-producing assets that are being offered a new lease on life.
One of those projects is Blue Lagoon Resources’ (CSE:BLLG,OTCQB:BLAGF) Dome Mountain gold project.
Located 50 minutes from Smithers, the 22,000 hectare property hosts the historic Dome Mountain mine, where past exploration and development were focused on the Boulder Vein, initially discovered in the 1980s.
In February, Blue Lagoon secured the final permit needed to advance its Dome Mountain project, clearing the way for production to begin in Q3 2025. The permit — one of just nine mining permits granted in BC since 2015 — marks a significant milestone for the junior miner, and positions the company to transition from an explorer to a gold and silver miner.
Although Dome Mountain was in production between 1980 and 1993 under different management, securing permits to restart activity at the 30 year old brownfield proved as complex as starting up a greenfield project.
“It wasn’t easy at all,” said Vig. “They say that it takes over 15 years to get a mine permit in BC, and people are congratulating us that we got it in just under five. And personally, I thought it was four years too late.”
He went on to note, “Imagine being in any business that you have to wait. You know, you open up your restaurant, but then you have to wait for five years to open it. I mean, it’s incredibly difficult to get a mining permit”
Indeed, BC has one of Canada’s longest permitting processes. A 2019 report from Resource World notes that it takes six months on average to get an exploration permit in Canada. However, in BC, it can take 15 to18 months.
National and provincial critical minerals strategies have been established over the last six years, and parties on both sides of the aisle have promised policy reforms. But Vig underscored the challenges that remain.
“I think we want to believe that,” he said of the notion that the permitting process will be expedited through the critical minerals push. “I think the politicians are certainly saying that, but I’m not so confident that the execution can be there,” he continued. “Because, you know, you’ve got many factors. You’ve got the infrastructure of the government itself, the bureaucracy. There are only so many people that are able to process these applications.”
A key requirement in the permitting process is Indigenous community consultation, engagement and approval, an area provincial governments have struggled to seamlessly integrate into the process.
For Blue Lagoon, communication and consultation with the Lake Babine Nation started early and remains a key tenet.
The Lake Babine Nation is one of BC’s largest Indigenous communities, with over 2,500 registered members. Its traditional territory surrounds Babine Lake, the province’s longest natural lake.
“We have a great relationship with the Lake Babine Nation,” said Vig. “You know, honestly, it was a very simple process. It’s a philosophy, that is very rudimentary, certainly in my culture.” Vig, who is of Indian heritage, moved to Canada in 1972 with his family, credits those formative years for fostering his deep sense of respect.
“My whole upbringing is all about respect. So for us, it was very simple — respect the people, respect the land,” he said, adding that a lot of it was common sense. “Protect the water, protect the land and make sure you don’t damage it as you go along (are) good practices (for) any business,” Vig emphasized.
Water conservation and protection is especially important to Blue Lagoon, an issue Vig described as “a way of life” due to its significance for fishing and cultural practices.
‘You don’t wait to be asked — you take the initiative to understand what matters most,” he said.
As he explained, provincial regulatory requirements called for water testing at five sites along a specific stream, and Blue Lagoon chose to conduct testing at nine locations instead.
“It’s really unheard of in our industry, to the best of my knowledge. We didn’t just do what was required of us. We like to go above and beyond to make sure. And when you do things like that, I think the sincerity comes across,” he said.
Another challenge junior miners are facing is accessing funding. Investors who once used added liquidity to the space have moved to other sectors like tech, leaving mining coffers on the decline.
Blue Lagoon has been fortunate in terms of capital raising; the company completed the final tranche of its most recent private placement in late April, raising C$2.23 million through the issuance of 8.9 million units at C$0.25 each.
The full offering brought in C$4.87 million over four tranches, fully funding Dome Mountain to production.
Blue Lagoon’s ability to fast track its permitting and funding process were praised by mining committee chair Yannis Tsitos, who has more than two decades of experience in the mining sector working for companies like global commodities giant BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP). Drawing on his history with large-scale operations, Tsitos described the Blue Lagoon’s approach as unusually nimble and disciplined.
“We haven’t cut a single corner,” he said, noting that while major players can afford to raise hundreds of millions upfront, most juniors must build organically. “What’s impressive is how this team — led by Rana — used creativity and persistence to move forward without delay,” he added. “It’s not about size; it’s about profitability and execution.”
He emphasized that Dome Mountain’s 15,000 ounce per year potential is just the beginning.
“Every major company started with one mine,” said Tsitos. “This could be the first step in something much bigger, and it’s happening right here in BC, which is hungry for investment.”
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Harmony Gold Mining Company’s (NYSE:HMY,JSE:HAR) wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Harmony Gold (Australia), has entered into a binding agreement to acquire MAC Copper (NYSE:MTAL,ASX:MAC).
MAC is the owner of the CSA copper mine in New South Wales. Its annual production comes to approximately 40,000 metric tons of copper, with 2024 output totaling 41,000 metric tons of the red metal.
The transaction is priced at US$12.12 per MAC share in cash, implying a total equity value of US$1.03 billion for MAC.
“(This acquisition) is significant as it introduces a high-quality, established underground producing copper asset to the Harmony portfolio,” said Harmony Gold CEO Beyers Nel in a Tuesday (May 27) press release.
“The operation is a logical fit with the portfolio given it meets Harmony’s core investment criteria, including increasing free cash flow generation while improving margins at long-term expected commodity prices.”
Located 700 kilometers west-northwest of Sydney in the Cobar region, CSA has a history that stretches back at least 150 years. Its reserve life stands at over 12 years, and it has maintained a stable resource over the last decade.
Harmony believes CSA will be a valuable addition to its sole Australian asset, Eva, in Northwest Queensland. Harmony acquired Eva in December 2022, and believes it is set to become the state’s biggest copper mine.
According to the company, Eva and CSA could together boost its copper production on the east coast of Australia to 100,000 metric tons annually over the course of the next five years.
The transaction remains subject to certain conditions, but MAC’s board has unanimously recommended that shareholders vote in favor of the scheme. Should everything follow to schedule, the deal is expected to close in Q4.
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Mongolia has been thrown into fresh political crisis with protesters calling for the resignation of the country’s prime minister over his family’s lavish displays of wealth.
For two weeks, young Mongolians have taken to the streets of the capital putting pressure on Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai who will face a vote of confidence in his government on Monday.
Democratic Mongolia is a landlocked nation of just 3.5 million people sandwiched between authoritarian giants China and Russia, and the latest political crisis has put renewed scrutiny on the stability of the country’s democracy.
Here’s what to know:
The protests were triggered by social media posts that went viral showing the prime minister’s 23-year-old son’s lavish engagement proposal and their apparent extravagant lifestyle including helicopter-rides, an expensive ring, designer handbags and a luxury car.
Suspicion grew over how the son accumulated such wealth – especially as Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene campaigned on being from a rural, not wealthy family.
“With no visible sources of income, their display of luxury bags, private travel, and high-end living was a blatant slap in the face to the average Mongolian citizen,” said Amina, 28, a member of protest group Ogtsroh Amarhan (Resigning is Easy).
Amina, who wanted to go by one name for security reasons, said the protests go beyond the social media posts flaunting wealth, which she said were symptomatic of a widening disconnect between the ruling elite and everyday people.
Deeping the anger is the rising cost of living, soaring inflation in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and choking pollution in the capital that’s home to half the population.
“The cost of living in Mongolia has skyrocketed — many people are paying nearly half of their monthly income in taxes while barely making enough to cover food, rent, or utilities. Most are not living paycheck to paycheck anymore — they’re living loan to loan, debt to debt,” she said.
Protesters have gathered in the capital Ulaanbaatar’s central Sükhbaatar Square, in front of the Government Palace, almost daily for two weeks, calling for Oyun-Erdene to release his finances and resign.
The Prime Minister’s office called the allegations of financial impropriety “completely unfounded.”
For decades, Mongolia has struggled with endemic graft and protests often break out over allegations that corrupt officials and business leaders were enriching themselves with public funds.
Mass protests erupted in 2022 over a corruption scandal involving the alleged embezzlement of billions of dollars’ worth of coal destined for China.
Though analysts say there is no evidence of corruption by Oyun-Erdene, his son’s social media posts deepened the frustration of a public long wary of their elected officials misusing public resources.
“I want a fair society where ordinary people have a voice, and where government officials are held accountable. Seeing so much inequality, injustice, and arrogance from those in power pushed me to speak up,” said Ariunzaya Khajidmaa, 23, a resident of Ulaanbaatar who joined the protests with her 2-month-old baby.
Part of public frustration is that even when corruption cases are prosecuted, they are slow to work their way through the judicial system, leading some to question the independence of the judiciary.
The 2024 Freedom House index said “corruption and political influence in the daily work of judges remain concerns.”
“If you look at the corruption index, it has gone down. And one explanation is that, even though the Prime Minister has exposed a lot of the corruption cases, nothing has been done. So now everybody’s looking at the judiciary,” said Bolor Lkhaajav, a Mongolian political analyst and commentator.
The Prime Minister is trying to save his coalition government and parliament, called the State Great Khural, is holding a vote of confidence on Monday.
Oyun-Erdene and his son have submitted themselves to Mongolia’s anti-corruption agency and the prime minister said he would resign if the investigation uncovered any irregularities.
His Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) is the largest in the 126-seat parliament, holding 68 seats. But complicating the confidence vote is that the ruling coalition appears to be breaking up. The MPP kicked out its junior partner, the Democratic Party – which controls 43 seats – after some of its members supported the protesters.
The protests are just “the tip of the iceberg,” said Jargalsaikhan Dambadarjaa, a Mongolian broadcaster and political commentator, who pointed to some of the major economic shifts in the country.
Oyun-Erdene, who was re-elected to a second term in 2024, had promised to diversify the country’s economy, which is dependent on the mining industry accounting for about a quarter of GDP.
Mongolia has huge deposits of coal, copper, gold and phosphorite, and about 90% of Mongolia’s coal exports go to China.
Oyun-Erdene’s coalition government last year announced 14 new mega projects to boost economic growth, including cross-border railway connections and a major expansion of renewable energy.
And one of Oyun-Erdene’s signature policy centerpieces was establishing a national wealth fund, which the government said aimed to redistribute the country’s assets to the people.
The Sovereign Wealth Fund law, approved by parliament in April, allows the government to take a 34% stake in mines considered to have strategic mineral deposits, meaning they are vital for the country’s economy and development.
There are currently 16 such sites and the profits will go into the fund, with portions allocated to benefitting Mongolian people including through financial assistance, healthcare, education, and housing, according to public broadcaster Montsame.
The move has not sat well with the country’s wealthy and powerful mining elite.
“These people, they are now at the edge of losing their power – huge money – which created huge inequality in the country. So they are fighting to the death against this government,” said Jargalsaikhan.
Mongolia has been a parliamentary democracy since its democratic revolution in 1991. But the years since have seen multiple governments toppled, or leaders shuffled.
This instability has led some Mongolians to believe the powers of President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, who is head of state, should be extended. Currently, the president can only serve one six-year term.
“In this mosaic, those who are supporting presidential power argue that, look at Russia and China, they are one-man presidential powers and they are very stable. They say, we tried this parliamentarian system and it looks like it doesn’t work. That’s their idea,” Jargalsaikhan said.
Khurelsukh has repeatedly said he does not want to change Mongolia’s parliamentary democracy. However, some believe amending the constitution to extend presidential term limits is on the table.
“It’s a very crucial time, a very delicate time, and it’s another test to our democracy,” said Jargalsaikhan. “Freedom comes only with the parliamentary system… If we don’t do that, we will be another failed economy, a failed nation.”
In a statement, the prime minister’s office said, “there has been a deliberate attempt to undermine” the reforms of the coalition government by a “hostile campaign” that would “turn Mongolia away from a parliamentary democracy and return power and wealth to a small group driven by self-interest.”
Analysts say Mongolia needs to show it can have stable governance so it can attract broader foreign investment and reduce its economic dependence on China and Russia.
Khurelsukh last year welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin for an official visit to Mongolia, a trip condemened by Ukraine. The visit was Putin’s first to a member country of the International Criminal Court which had issued an arrest warrant for Putin on charges on war crimes.
“A lot of the governments that are looking at Mongolia as an oasis of democracy between Russia and China, so they want to trust us, but at the same time, you have to show some accountability and stability for other governments to say, okay, Mongolia is getting better,” said Bolor.
Those on the streets say they are tired of political games and want to see tangible improvements to their daily lives.
“We want stronger anti-corruption measures, public officials who are held to ethical standards, and a system that ensures no one is above the law,” said Ariunzaya.
“It’s time for the government to listen to its citizens and take meaningful, lasting action—not just offer words.”
It was already hard to imagine a breakthrough emerging from the direct talks between Russia and Ukraine set to be renewed in Istanbul on Monday.
But in the aftermath of what appear to have been multiple large-scale Ukrainian drone strikes against strategic bases across Russia, it’s even less likely either side will be prepared to shift their red lines.
Even before the latest strikes, which targeted Russian strategic aircraft thousands of miles from the Ukrainian border, the Kremlin had declined to formally set out, in the form of an agreed-to memorandum, what exactly it wants in return for ending what it refers to as its “Special Military Operation”.
But Russian officials have made no secret about their hardline terms, including sovereignty over all annexed territories, the demilitarization of Ukraine, immediate sanctions relief and what the Kremlin calls “de-Nazification”, involving things like guaranteeing the rights of Russian-speakers.
Concerns about further NATO expansion toward Russian borders – especially Ukraine, but other countries too – have also been a consistent Kremlin grievance, as has the fate of hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets abroad.
There’s been speculation in the Russian and Western media about areas for possible negotiation, and the outcome of the Istanbul talks are being closely watched for any hints of flexibility.
But in the aftermath of what appears to have been a spectacular Ukrainian success, talk of Kremlin compromises may, for the moment, be off the table.
Ukraine goes into this second round of direct talks bolstered by its apparent destruction of Russian strategic bombers and other crucial air assets.
On Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky set out some of Ukraine’s positions, including an unconditional ceasefire and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
But Russian demands for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from territory it claims but has not even conquered remain unpalatable, even more so now Ukraine has shown it can still strike deep behind the front lines.
Even before the latest Ukrainian drone strikes, amid preparations for the peace talks in Istanbul, Russia was stepping up attacks on Ukraine in what seems to be the early stages of a new summer offensive.
Overnight Saturday, Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the war – involving 472 drones. On Sunday, a Russian missile strike killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 60 at a training site for the Ukrainian military.
As all this unfolds, an increasingly frustrated US President Donald Trump, who used to brag he could end the Ukraine war in short order, is now watching from the sidelines as a cornerstone of his stated foreign policy looks decidedly shaky.
Neither his pressure on the Ukrainian leader, who Trump lambasted in the Oval Office, nor his recent scolding of the Kremlin ruler appear to have pushed the two sides any closer to a peace deal.
Trump still has powerful levers to pull if he chooses, like imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate, or adjusting US military aid in a way that would dramatically increase the costs of fighting on. The measures may not be decisive, but they would send a message of US commitment.
What Trump says he is tempted to do, though, is simply walk away from the whole mess. This is Biden’s war, he insists, or Putin’s and Zelensky’s.
But walking away – and it is unclear what that means in terms of US policy – may no longer be an option. At least not walking away unscathed.
His own insistence on ending the Ukraine conflict, along with his personal interventions with the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, means that Trump and the United States are now inextricably linked with the outcome.
That’s why events on the battlefield and at the negotiating table in Istanbul are being watched so closely.
Despite his regular attempts to disown it, the Ukraine war has very much become Trump’s war on which US credibility now hangs by a thread.
Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and other 11 activists set sail on Sunday afternoon for Gaza on a ship aimed at “breaking Israel’s siege” of the devastated territory, organizers said.
The sailing boat Madleen – operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition — departed from the Sicilian port of Catania, in southern Italy.
It will try to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip in an effort to bring in some aid and raise “international awareness” over the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the activists said at a press conference on Sunday, ahead of departure.
“We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,” Thunberg said, bursting into tears during her speech.
“Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,” she added.
Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an antisemitic “blood libel.”
In mid-May, Israel slightly eased its blockade of Gaza after nearly three months, allowing a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the territory.
Experts have warned that Gaza is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in.
UN agencies and major aid groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza’s roughly two million Palestinians.
Among those joining the crew of the Madleen are “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent. She has been barred from entering Israel due to her active opposition to the Israeli assault on Gaza.
The activists expect to take seven days to get to their destination, if they are not stopped.
Thunberg, who became an internationally famous climate activist after organizing massive teen protests in her native Sweden, had been due to board a previous Freedom Flotilla ship last month.
That attempt to reach Gaza by sea, in early May, failed after another of the group’s vessels, the “Conscience”, was attacked by two alleged drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta.
The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship, in the latest confrontation over efforts to send assistance to the Palestinian territory devastated by nearly 19 months of war.
The Israeli government says the blockade is an attempt to pressure Hamas to release hostages it took during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Hamas-led militants assaulted southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 58 hostages, 23 of whom are believed to be alive.
In response, Israel launched an offensive that has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of the territory and left most of its population homeless.
The Flotilla group was only the latest among a growing number of critics to accuse Israel of genocidal acts in its war in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies the allegations, saying its war is directed at Hamas militants, not Gaza’s civilians.
“We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that’s part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land,” said activist Thiago Avila.
Avila cited the upcoming Global March to Gaza – an international initiative also open to doctors, lawyers and media – which is set to leave Egypt and reach the Rafah crossing in mid-June to stage a protest there, asking Israel to stop the Gaza offensive and reopen the border.
