Putin’s war machine ‘burns’ as Russia strips frontlines to shield Moscow & Biden accuses Trump of ‘appeasement’

Day 1,169.

Today, as – for the third day running – Ukrainian drones sow chaos in the skies above Moscow, we analyse the final preparations for Putin’s Victory Day parade, and discuss President Biden’s first interview since leaving office, hours after Friedrich Merz finally became Chancellor of Germany at a pivotal moment in modern European history.

Contributors:

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X

James Kilner (Editor of The Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin and The Russia Morning Memo). @jkjourno on X

Content Referenced:

James Kilner’s Bulletins -

The Russian Memo: https://www.thememo.news/

The Central Asia and South Caucasus Bulletin: https://www.thememo.news/

Battle Lines episode on India-Pakistan fears:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/28/battle-lines-global-rearmament-india-pakistan-kashmir/

Interview with Biden Advisor Mike Carpenter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2DeReNhsKg

Biden: Trump is appeasing Putin, that’s not who we are (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/07/biden-trump-is-appeasing-putin-that-is-not-who-we-are/

Merz becomes chancellor of ‘unstable’ Germany after first vote humiliation (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/05/06/merz-unexpectedly-fails-not-elected-as-german-chancellor/

Europe vows to halt all Russian gas imports (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/05/07/europe-vows-to-halt-all-russian-gas-imports/

What If America Abandons Ukraine? (Foreign Affairs):

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/what-if-america-abandons-ukraine

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Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

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