This is edition 2025/34 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome back. It's 2025 and 20 years since I started writing about politics and anything else that took my fancy. Thank to my VIP members for making this site what it is today. In July we will be having a 20th birthday celebration. Stay tuned for more announcements.
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Breaking Point: How Zelenskyy’s ‘Own Goal’ Fractured U.S. Relations
Philip Crump
- 💥 The Oval Office confrontation on Friday escalated U.S.-Ukraine tensions over a rare earth minerals deal and a joint news conference.
- 🌍 It highlighted deep frustrations, diplomatic blunders, and clashing priorities between the parties involved.
- 🕊️ Brokering a Russia-Ukraine peace deal now faces significant challenges amid these tensions.
- 🤔 Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at a history of strained interactions, suggesting a backdrop to the public clash.
- 🔥 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the meeting as a diplomatic own goal due to Zelenskyy's refusal and combative stance.
- 🇺🇸 The U.S. administration's patience with Zelenskyy has been waning since Biden's outburst in 2021, indicating ongoing friction.
- 🗣️ Zelenskyy expressed optimism about salvaging relations with the U.S., emphasizing the historical and strong ties between the two nations.
- 🌐 World leaders, including New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, voiced support for Zelenskyy, contrasting with some U.S. Republican backing of Trump.
- ⚡ The proposed rare earth minerals deal was the immediate trigger, seen as pivotal in U.S. strategy to end the Ukraine-Russia War.
- 📉 Zelenskyy resisted the deal due to inadequate security guarantees, a stance rooted in safeguarding Ukraine from future Russian aggression.
- 🏛️ The upcoming summit hosted by UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer aims to gather European support for Kyiv, marking a pivotal moment for Zelenskyy's diplomatic efforts.
