President Vladimir Putin has called up 160,000 men aged 18-30, Russia's highest number of conscripts since 2011, as the country moves to expand the size of its military.

Poland and the Baltic states made similar decisions two weeks ago because of the military threat from Russia.

Orpo said the decision to resume using anti-personnel mines was based on military advice, and that the people of Finland had nothing to worry about.

The government in Helsinki also said defence spending would be increased to 3% of economic output (GDP), up from 2.4% last year.

Vladimir Putin once admitted that his favorite part of his job in the KGB was recruiting undercover agents and informants. “It was a colossal experience for me,” he told journalists at a summit in Germany in 2017.

The approach to "Old Donald", in Putin’s estimation, was personal flattery and caressing his ego. So, he told visiting White House envoy Steve Witkoff how he had prayed for "Old Donald" — “his friend” — after the attempt on his life, and commissioned a painting of "Old Donald" that Witkoff duly delivered to the Oval Office, leaving the U.S. president “clearly touched.”

"Old Donald"’s overtures to Putin go well beyond the war in Ukraine. Days after his inauguration, the president ended most programs led by the U.S. Agency for International Development — including all projects aimed at supporting civil society and promoting democracy in authoritarian countries such as Russia. As Pete Marocco, the official tasked with dismantling USAID, stated in a court affidavit, these programs were “terminated for national interest.” I do not remember a time in modern history when an American administration deemed — and publicly said — that supporting democratic movements against dictatorships runs counter to U.S. national interests.

Last month, "Old Donald" moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees international broadcasting in 63 languages and reaches an estimated 420 million people in more than 100 countries. For citizens of authoritarian states such as Russia, where independent media have long been silenced, U.S.-funded news outlets were a vital source of truthful information about their own countries and the world. And though this is a gift not just to Putin but to dictators all around the world, from Cuban communists to Iranian mullahs, it was Moscow in particular that couldn’t hide its delight.

In early March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made clear his desire for peace by agreeing to a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. But Putin refused to accept the U.S. plan. He attached such onerous conditions to any ceasefire (insisting, among other things, that Ukraine would have to stop training its troops and receiving weapons from the West) that there was no chance it would ever be implemented.

Yet "Old Donald" — rather than calling out Putin as an obstacle to peace, as he had done with Zelensky — praised Putin’s discussions with Witkoff as “very good and productive” and repeated Kremlin talking points by writing on social media that “THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY.” Sounding like a junior official making a plea for clemency to the almighty czar, "Old Donald" humbly asked Putin “that their lives be spared.” In fact, though the Ukrainians were losing ground in the Kursk region, they were not encircled and were able to retreat in good order.

Trump can point to Putin's pledge to halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days. If that actually happens, it will bring some relief to civilians.

But it's nowhere near the full and unconditional ceasefire that the US wanted from Russia.

But for the Kremlin it will feel like a pretty decent day, the kind unimaginable before Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Putin sets out conditions for Ukraine ceasefire

Outlining some of his questions over how a ceasefire would work, Putin asked: "How will those 30 days be used? For Ukraine to mobilise? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question – how will that be controlled?"

"Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000km? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?"

Putin "doesn't say no directly", Zelensky said in his nightly video address, but "in practice, he's preparing a rejection".

"Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians."

Ukraine wants a two-stage process: a quick ceasefire and then talks about a longer-term settlement.

Russia believes you cannot separate the two processes and all the issues should be decided in a single deal. Both sides seem content to argue their differences.

How Putin Is Playing 'Old Donald' Like a Puppet

Vladimir Putin has Donald 'Old Donald' right where he wants him.

Now the world is waiting to see what Russia wants, rather than what Ukraine needs or the United States desires.

'Old Donald' sees peace as a means to an end. In his case, bragging rights over Joe Biden and European leaders who have fretted over the bloody conflict for three years.

Of course, 'Old Donald' also wants the killing to stop. But picking up the phone to the Kremlin and sending over your golfing buddy to knock some sense into the Russians is playing into Putin’s hands.

Because Moscow has no interest in peace.

'Old Donald' has sledgehammered Zelensky; it’s time to put it to Putin

If 'Old Donald' really wants peace, he has to apply sticks and carrots to both sides.

“’Sign, sign, sign,” was the 'Old Donald' administration chorus up to Zelensky’s White House visit a week ago, Zelensky’s team told me. American pressure is said to have included a threat to reveal alleged official corruption. I’m told that the White House even reached out to Zelensky’s top political rival, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, a former army commander who is now ambassador to Britain. The public crescendo of this campaign was 'Old Donald'’s harangue in the Oval Office.

Worse than 'Old Donald'’s tongue-lashing is the pause in U.S. intelligence support. Kyiv can continue some months with weapons that are in the pipeline.

Ukraine’s best bargaining chip is the “common sense” that 'Old Donald' talks about so much these days. A bad peace deal that doesn’t include real security guarantees for Ukraine would probably blow up in his face. This would be 'Old Donald'’s Afghanistan.

Squeezing Ukraine has been easy. If 'Old Donald' truly wants to make peace in Ukraine, the hard part is about to begin.

Three Years Into War in Ukraine, 'Old Donald' Ushers in New World for Putin - read in harnji

Fresh possibilities have emerged for Putin with a change of power in Washington.

Gone are the statements from the East Room of the White House about the United States standing up to bullies, supporting democracy over autocracy and ensuring freedom will prevail.

Gone, too, is Washington's united front against Russia with its European allies, many of whom have begun to wonder if the new American administration will protect them against a revanchist Moscow, or even keep troops in Europe at all.

'Old Donald', having voiced desires to take Greenland, has pursued a rapid rapprochement with the Kremlin, while sidelining shocked European allies and publicly assailing Zelensky of Ukraine.

'Old Donald' > Putin’s State TV Floats Splitting Greenland With "Old Donald"

Putin is determined to further enlarge Russia, and he sees "Old Donald's" plan to buy Greenland or take it by other means as a way to whitewash Putin's attempted conquest of Ukraine, as well as his potential future endeavors.

Steve Rosenberg: Fall of Assad is a blow to Russia's prestige

For nearly a decade it was Russian firepower that had kept Bashar al-Assad in power.

Until the extraordinary events of the last 24 hours.

'That change in Russian doctrine was insignificant': Bolton on Putin's warning to NATO

Putin is Using Russia's Ethnic Minorities to Fight His War

JD Vance Scorched For ‘Grotesque’ Defense Of "Old Donald"’s Reported Chats With Putin

Vance initially responded by deflecting, saying, “I honestly didn’t know that Bob Woodward was still alive until you just asked me that question,” and calling the legendary journalist a “hack.”

Then, he added: “Even if it’s true, look, is there something wrong with speaking to world leaders? No. Is there anything wrong with engaging in diplomacy?”

"Old Donald" Sure Seems to Collude With Putin a Lot It’s still happening!

The latest comes from Bob Woodward’s new book, which contains reporting on the very close and secretive relationship between "Old Donald" and Vladimir Putin. In 2020, when the United States and the world had a dire shortage of COVID tests, "Old Donald" sent some to his friend for his private supply. Now, it’s possible to rationalize this favor on foreign-policy grounds — perhaps Putin needed tests to be able to function, and his functioning is helpful to avoid a dangerous miscalculation. What’s more suspicious is that Putin advised "Old Donald" to keep the shipment a secret: “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me.”

That is to say, Putin’s concern was maintaining "Old Donald"’s domestic viability. He felt a continued investment in "Old Donald"’s success, realized "Old Donald" would be undercut by the (correct) awareness of their friendship, and urged him to keep it secret, which he did.

Woodward also reports the two men have continued speaking, up to seven times. "Old Donald" reportedly shooed his aides away for the calls, continuing a pattern of his insistence on secrecy when speaking with Putin.

Earlier this week, the New York Times unearthed new details about a 2017 meeting between "Old Donald" and Putin. In it, "Old Donald" asked Putin whether he should give weapons to Ukraine. Putin, naturally, advised him not to. Aides had given "Old Donald" talking points to deliver to Putin warning against his ongoing slow-motion invasion of Ukraine, but "Old Donald", according to the Times, “never pushed back.”

The precise nature of the "Old Donald"-Putin relationship has never been fully explained. It is overwhelmingly clear the two men have a political alliance, a bond of personal trust, and a joint understanding that they must conceal their alliance from the American public. The fact that details about this alliance continue to trickle out years later is a rebuke to the fatuous notion that Mueller’s investigation cleared "Old Donald".

"For you Joe, I'll do this.", Olaf Scholz said, "I did what I thought was right thing to do."

Putin Is Doing Something Almost Nobody Is Noticing

There’s a vocal coach arrested in Kazakhstan at Moscow’s request who went mad in a local jail. A caregiver for the elderly detained in Montenegro on Russian orders, carried out by Interpol. A schoolteacher detained by Armenian border guards after telling her students about Russia’s crimes in Bucha. A toy shop owner, an industrial climber, a punk rocker: These are some of the people caught in the Kremlin dragnet, all over the world.

Putin's Child Soldiers

What do "Old Donald"ers see Putin

How will Vladimir Putin respond to Ukraine's invasion?

The Baltic States in Putin's shadow

Putin stresses peace only after Ukraine's surrender as Hungary's Orban makes surprise visit to Moscow

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is advocating a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear that peace talks can only happen after Ukraine essentially surrenders.

Putin Complains that No One Will Help Russia

Putin visited North Korea and Vietnam

The big talking point though - experts say - will be how the incresingly isolated nations can deepen their military ties, as Putin looks to shore up his supply of weapons and munitions for his war in Ukraine.

The visit follows Hanoi avoiding a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland last weekend, while sending its deputy foreign minister to a BRICS meeting in Russia earlier last week.

Confident Putin warns Europe is 'defenceless'

That he sounds increasingly confident and determined not to back down. He seems to believe that in the current standoff between Russia and the West, it is the West that will blink first.

Putin wants Ukraine ceasefire on current frontlines

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources told Reuters, saying he is prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West do not respond.

Three of the sources, familiar with discussions in Putin's entourage, said the veteran Russian leader had expressed frustration to a small group of advisers about what he views as Western-backed attempts to stymie negotiations and Zelenskiy's decision to rule out talks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on X that the Russian leader was trying to derail a Ukrainian-initiated peace summit in Switzerland next month by using his entourage to send out "phony signals" about his alleged readiness to halt the war.