William Courtney

"The new law came after Zelenskyy & senior aides launched raids on prominent critics & activists ... this followed sanctions earlier this year targeting high-profile figures, including former president Poroshenko." Worrisome pattern. on.ft.com/456RlCF via @FT

"Zelenskyy said a new draft law would ensure independence of all the country’s anti-corruption institutions." This may not be enough, for Ukrainians or for the West. Trust has been broken. Deeper reforms may be needed to strengthen democracy. washingtonpost.com/world/2025/07/…

"Lawmakers passed a bill to effectively destroy two of Ukraine's key anti-corruption bodies, in the first country-wide protests since Russia's full-scale invasion." Unless the law is vetoed or reversed, US isolationists may sense victory in their cause. kyivindependent.com/veto-the-law-w…

"Security services raided offices of two (indepedent) agencies, which have been looking into people in Zelensky’s circle." Support in the West for a previous Ukrainian president declined when he weakened anti-corruption efforts. A lesson for today. nytimes.com/2025/07/22/wor…

"A bill that punishes online searches for information deemed 'extremist,' the latest move the relentless crackdown on dissent." The Kremlin seems to fear a growing risk of unrest over a war on which the public is souring & high inflation to finance it. apnews.com/article/russia…

"The Economic Security Bureau is key to creating a favorable investment climate, de-shadowing the economy, and strengthening trust in government." A revitalized, independent Bureau could help Ukraine mobilize & attract investment & spur economic growth. kyivindependent.com/civil-society-…

"Kyslytsya on July 7 said the Istanbul meetings could not be considered genuine negotiations, citing Russia's ultimatum-style positions." Yes. At this point, any summit with Putin might build false hopes in Ukraine & the West for diplomatic success. kyivindependent.com/erdogan-putin-…

"Komleva volunteered at the regional branch of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation before it was outlawed as 'extremist.'" Cruel punishments like this show the depth of Kremlin fear of a public uprising against corrupt rulers waging an unpopular war. themoscowtimes.com/2025/07/18/pro…

"Limited wars rarely offer a permanent resolution, but they can buy time, shift the geopolitical dynamic, and, in doing so, pave the way to something more enduring." rand.org/pubs/commentar… via @RANDCorporation

"Mayor of Moscow said three drones flying toward it were destroyed. A district east of St. Petersburg was targeted." Ukraine, unlike Russia, aims at military targets, not civilian. Both cities have many military facilities. wsj.com/world/russia-s… via @WSJ

"Even at the accelerated rate of 15sq km a day, Russia would need 89 years to capture the rest of Ukraine." In essence, Russian forces in eastern Ukraine are stalemated. This & growing economic stresses are danger signs for the Putin. aje.io/z2n6bm via @AJEnglish

Reliance on vigilante groups to maintain order hints at decay in the authority and effectiveness of a government. Such groups often go on to make political demands or turn on their masters. The Prigozhin "revolt" revealed some of these vulnerabilities. wsj.com/world/russia/n…

"Decision in Washington, NATO countries, and Brussels is perceived by Ukraine not as a signal for peace but for continuation of war." For once, Peskov is right. Putin says Russia will keep fighting, & so Ukraine must as well. washingtonpost.com/world/2025/07/…

"Providing more long-range weaponry would allow Kyiv to strike further into Russian territory, which some in Ukraine and the U.S. say could help push Putin toward negotiations." The US may have 4,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, range 1,000 milies or so. apnews.com/article/trump-…

"Russia called for continued negotiations and insisted that the invasion ordered by Putin would continue until its goals are achieved." A contradiction, underlining that negotiations at this point are of no value. cbsnews.com/news/russia-tr…

This "senior Ukrainian official" is not doing his country any favor by leaking content from the Trump-Zelenskyy call. Some in Washington could be angered. Traditionally in international diplomacy, head of state conversations are treated as sensitive. wsj.com/world/russia/t… via…

"Satellite photos show Russia is upgrading & modernizing several nuclear bases for European & Pacific forces." Further reason for the US & @NATO to take bolder steps to redress the risky imbalance in theater nuclear forces. businessinsider.com/satellite-phot… via @Mrz37

On @CNBC Asia, I said Ukraine needs more military muscle, such as the US Tomahawk. Russia’s not having helped Assad’s Syria and now Iran suggests it may be weaker than thought. The US could apply secondary sanctions, but a 100 percent tariff is a lot. cnbc.com/video/2025/07/…

"Ukrainians asked for Tomahawk cruise missiles (range 1,600km). But the Trump administration - like Biden's - had concerns about Ukraine’s lack of restraint." No reason for worry. Ukraine aims for military, not civilian, targets in Russia. on.ft.com/3UcS4wQ via @FT

On @AJEnglish, I said three factors help explain the US shift on Ukraine: Putin’s opposition to a 30-day ceasefire, attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine, and a hardening of US Senate policy. Tougher sanctions could penalize buyers of Russian oil mediaview.aljazeera.com/video/8MRsfFQi…