Anne Applebaum
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anneapplebaum.bsky.social
Anne Applebaum
@anneapplebaum.bsky.social

staff writer @theatlantic.com and senior fellow @snfagora.bsky.social. author of GULAG, IRON CURTAIN, RED FAMINE, TWILIGHT OF DEMOCRACY and AUTOCRACY INC
https://linktr.ee/anneapplebaum

Anne Elizabeth Applebaum is an American journalist and historian. She has written about the history of Communism and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe. She became a Polish citizen in 2013. .. more

Political science 48%
Sociology 16%
Pinned
Paperback, with new preface, available TODAY
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725302...

Reposted by Kori Schake

Russian propaganda in full force for the Witkoff visit: Putin is claiming to have captured Ukrainian cities that he doesn't control, and having himself photographed in military uniform
kyivindependent.com/putin-claims...
Putin claims Russian capture of Pokrovsk, Vovchansk as Kyiv warns of Kremlin propaganda blitz amid peace talks
"All of this is done exclusively for Western audiences and to raise the stakes in diplomacy," said Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation.
kyivindependent.com

Trump’s echo chamber:

Very little U.S travel

No rallies or contact with supporters

Right-wing media

Dinners with rich donors and billionaires

Truth Social

Lack of staff to tell him no www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The Bubble-Wrapped President
Trump surrounds himself with those who flatter him in places where he is comfortable.
www.theatlantic.com

They aren't working on behalf of Americans, just for themselves

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/t...
Silicon Valley’s Man in the White House Is Benefiting Himself and His Friends
www.nytimes.com
There is absolutely no bottom. They will kill and murder and steal and break the law and laugh at every rule and institution until they are stopped. They think they are all-powerful and all conventional rules of morality and legality do not apply to them.

Reposted by Anne Applebaum

We have a cabinet level Secretary of State, a diplomatic corps, Special Envoys, and Defense team to do this work.

“Son-in-law” is not a government job. Kushner does not represent us.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian sea drones disabled two of the "shadow fleet" tankers carrying Russian oil. No doubt the start of a campaign
kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-na...
'Successful' Ukrainian naval drone strike disables 2 Russian shadow fleet tankers, source says
The operation targeted ships that, according to the source, could have transported nearly $70 million worth of oil and helped Moscow bypass international sanctions.
kyivindependent.com

Reposted by Anne Applebaum

The Ukrainian front is not about to collapse. But the Russians want you to think that
understandingwar.org/research/rus...
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 28, 2025
The frontline in Ukraine is not facing imminent collapse despite recent Russian gains and Kremlin assertions.
understandingwar.org
The US government is totally audience-captured by a tiny faction of internet fascists, and spends huge amounts of time trying to impress them, dedicating official communications channels to barely-concealed in-group references, and making horrific, murderous policy decisions to thrill this group

Time to ask: In whose interests is American foreign policy being conducted?
"By dangling multibillion-dollar rare-earth and energy deals, Moscow could reshape the economic map of Europe—while driving a wedge between America and its traditional allies"

Read this excellent @wsj.com account of the business deals behind the "peace"negotiations

www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com

Extraordinary WSJ reporting today that unveils the extent to which Trump, Witkoff, Kushner and US business executives are salivating over business deals with Russia while Putin’s forces kidnap Ukranian children and bomb civilians in their apartments.

🎁 www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Five-byline alert: 🚨

“.. the full scope of [Witkoff’s talks] went much further, according to people familiar .. They were privately charting a path to bring Russia’s $2 trillion economy in from the cold—with American businesses first in line .. to the dividends. 🇺🇦

www.wsj.com/world/russia...