Pax Americana: This week in Ukraine-Russia News

Pax Americana: Episode 8 Recap

Thank you 💛 to everyone who tuned in to our latest episode of Pax Americana!

Julie Roginsky and I delved into some of the biggest Russia-related developments this week and how they intersect with the U.S. and Europe. If you missed it, here’s a recap of what we covered:

Show Notes

• Germany Foils Alleged Russian Plot to Mail Explosives: German authorities arrested 3 men—two in Germany, one in Switzerland—accused of plotting to send explosive-laden packages in a Russian-backed sabotage campaign targeting logistics operators. The suspects reportedly tested the scheme with GPS-tracked dummy packages. Source: Wall Street Journal

• A Guide to How to Deal with the Media: Donald Trump has taught me one thing about how to deal with the media, and I hope that Democrats learn from it

  A Guide to How to Deal with the Media

• The Rise of State Media in Trump’s America: The White House launches a taxpayer-funded “news wire” to push state propaganda

• U.S. Reportedly Opposes Zelensky’s Invitation to NATO Summit: The U.S. is reportedly blocking President Zelenskyy from attending the June NATO summit in The Hague. If true, it would be the first time Zelenskyy has been excluded from a NATO summit since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Source: The Kyiv Independent

• Putin, Trump to Skip Ukraine Peace Talks: Both Putin and Trump will not attend Thursday’s Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, despite Putin proposing the meeting and Trump previously signaling interest. Instead, Russia is sending senior aides, while Trump dispatches Secretary of State Marco Rubio and top envoys. Source: Reuters

• Will Russia Attack NATO? Experts Warn of Possible Invasion by 2027: A new report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) warns that Russia could rebuild its military and threaten NATO as early as 2027 if a ceasefire is reached in Ukraine. The report suggests Putin could test NATO’s Article 5 by targeting a Baltic state within two years. Source: The Times

• Poland Detects Foreign-Funded Election Ads Amid Russian Interference Fears: Poland’s National Research Institute uncovered foreign-funded Facebook ads ahead of the May 18 election. The ads weren’t linked to any official campaign and outspent all registered candidates while targeting multiple contenders. Source: The Kyiv Independent

• Poland Prepares for War: Poland is rapidly militarizing, spending nearly 5% of its GDP on defense—more than any other NATO country. It’s deploying Abrams tanks, laying mines and anti-tank barriers along its border, and training civilians for war. Source: NPR

• Trump ‘Weakened’ the West as Russian Threat Rises, Warns Former NATO Chief: Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned that Trump has significantly undermined Western unity and Ukraine’s defense by offering concessions to Russia and questioning U.S. NATO commitments. Rasmussen criticized Trump for weakening deterrence while Putin refuses to make meaningful compromises. Source: Politico

• Trump-Kushner Serbia Hotel Project Stalls After Forgery Scandal: A top Serbian official admitted to forging a government document that allowed a bombed-out defense complex in Belgrade to be demolished for a $500 million Trump-Kushner luxury hotel project. The fake document stripped the site of protected status, clearing the way for the controversial real estate deal backed by Trump’s family. Source: New York Times

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This is just the beginning. Each week on Pax Americana, we’ll expose Russia’s playbook and its dangerous intersections with U.S. politics. We’ll break down:

• Updates on Russia’s genocidal war in Ukraine

• Russia’s latest news and moves

• The latest on Moscow’s hybrid warfare tactics in the U.S. and Europe

• Sanctions, corruption, and Kremlin networks

• Disinformation and malign influence operations

• Tactics that Trump is using in the U.S. mirroring Russia’s system—politicizing law enforcement; attacking the press, universities, protesters, and opposition— and turning institutions into tools to consolidate power.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Julie’s Substack for amazing insights!

Tune in each week as we go beyond the headlines, delivering the unsanitized truth and exposing Russia’s playbook in real-time. From Ukraine to Washington, we’ll break down how Russia’s tactics—oligarchy, disinformation, propaganda, political repression, and institutional capture—are being mirrored in the U.S. and what it means for the future of America.

📅 Join us every Thursday at 11 AM ET on Substack Live!

Catch up on the last episode…