Российские официальные лица продолжают демонстрировать непримиримую позицию Кремля накануне предложенных переговоров в Стамбуле, запланированных на 2 июня, что свидетельствует о крайне низкой вероятности достижения на этой встрече каких-либо существенных результатов в поддержку устойчивого мира в Украине.

Об этом говорится в очередном отчете Института изучения войны (ISW).

Как отмечается в отчёте, постоянный представитель России при ООН Василий Небензя заявил на заседании Совета Безопасности ООН 30 мая, что Россия готова воевать с Украиной "столько, сколько потребуется", и что Украина может либо принять мир на российских условиях, либо столкнуться с неизбежным поражением на поле боя. Небензя также сказал, что США якобы "открыли глаза" на "коренные причины" войны в Украине, и повторил требования президента России Владимира Путина о прекращении поставок вооружений ВСУ со стороны Запада и остановке мобилизации в Украине в качестве предварительных условий для прекращения огня.

Генеральный директор Российского фонда прямых инвестиций (РФПИ) и специальный представитель президента по инвестициям и экономическому сотрудничеству с иностранными государствами Кирилл Дмитриев также потребовал устранить "коренные причины" конфликта в Украине в англоязычном сообщении в социальной сети X 30 мая. Ранее министр иностранных дел России Сергей Лавров определил "коренные причины" войны в Украине как расширение НАТО на восток после распада Советского Союза в 1991 году и якобы дискриминацию русскоязычного населения и русской культуры со стороны украинского правительства.

Представитель МИД РФ Мария Захарова заявила 29 мая, что российская делегация на предстоящих двусторонних переговорах в Стамбуле 2 июня будет "той же самой", что и на предыдущих переговорах 15–16 мая. Россия тогда направила делегацию низкого уровня, которую возглавил помощник президента Владимир Мединский, в состав делегации также вошли заместитель министра иностранных дел Михаил Галузин, начальник Главного управления Генштаба ВС РФ (ГРУ) Игорь Костюков и заместитель министра обороны Александр Фомин.

Решение российских официальных лиц повторять старые требования и направить ту же делегацию низкого уровня на следующую встречу в Стамбуле указывает на отсутствие у России интереса к добросовестным переговорам. Институт изучения войны (ISW) по-прежнему считает, что Россия стремится затянуть процесс мирных переговоров, чтобы продолжить наступательные действия на территории Украины и добиться дополнительных уступок от Киева и Запада.

The wife of a top Trump confidant is leaving the White House to work for Elon Musk after her stint at DOGE.

Katie Miller - the wife of influential White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller - worked as spokeswoman and advisor for DOGE until this week when it was reported by CNN that she will be departing the cost-cutting group to work for Musk full-time.

At the start of President Donald Trump's second term she was, like Musk, a 'Special Government Employee,' which means her role at DOGE was always expected to come to an end and could not exceed 130 days.

The former DOGE spokeswoman will now reportedly help the billionaire owner of SpaceX and Tesla in setting up media interviews.  

Musk has done several interviews this week on a recent SpaceX rocket launch, possibly indicating that Miller could already be organizing the tech founder's media schedule. 

Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Miller has been involved in Republican politics since at least 2014, when she worked at the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) as a spokesperson. 

After her stint there, she went on to work for Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and former Arizona Republican Martha McSally.

Following her work on Capitol Hill she served in the first Trump administration in a variety of different roles in communications and press, often interfacing with journalists.

Miller was a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security and later the communications director for Vice President Mike Pence. 

During the first administration on February 16, 2020, she married Stephen Miller, then a senior adviser to the president.

The pair were married at the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C., a hotel later sold by the president that is just blocks from the White House. 

They reportedly began dating shortly after she began with the vice president's office, likely putting her in the same White House office working areas as her future husband.  

The two now share a daughter and two sons.  

The news that she will work with Musk comes days after Stephen Miller, 39, a key Trump aide for a decade, appeared to correct Musk in a post on X. 

After Musk called Trump's 'One big, beautiful bill' a 'disappointment,' the deputy chief of staff wrote a lengthy statement explaining why it could not include DOGE cuts.

Musk officially quit his position as the head of DOGE this month and announced Wednesday he was stepping down from his role alongside Trump.

He is now set to dedicate more time to his private sector ventures.

'I think I probably did spend a bit too much time on politics,' Musk told Ars Technica this week.

'It's less than people would think, because the media is going to over-represent any political stuff, because political bones of contention get a lot of traction in the media.'

In addition to commenting on DOGE-related matters, Miller has been regularly posting about Musk's work at Tesla and SpaceX. 

It is unclear if she will be working at one of Musk's companies or through another venture.  

Israel’s laser weapons debut in combat as NATO eyes next-gen defenses. Low-cost, battlefield-proven tech—but geopolitics may block export deals.

The Defense Ministry’s confirmation that Rafael’s laser interception systems were used during the ongoing Swords of Iron war comes at a pivotal moment. NATO countries are preparing to raise their defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP), a shift expected to generate some €800 billion in procurement.

With Israeli companies Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems already embedded in NATO supply chains, their next-generation laser systems could become Israel’s next multi-billion-dollar defense export—if diplomatic friction doesn’t block the path.

Despite more than 10,000 successful interceptions since 2011, Israel’s Iron Dome air-defense system—developed by Rafael—has never been sold as a full system to any foreign country. While the United Kingdom purchased its battle management center and the United States Marine Corps acquired its interceptors, no nation to date has received the complete platform.

This contrasts with the international success of other Israeli air-defense systems. The Arrow 3, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was sold to Germany in a $3.5 billion deal. David’s Sling, another Rafael system, was sold to Finland for €317 million. Rafael’s Barak MX system has racked up roughly $10 billion in global sales. Despite Iron Dome’s strong brand recognition, it has lagged behind these systems in terms of foreign adoption.

Meanwhile, other Israeli-made weapons have already become NATO standards. Rafael’s Spike anti-tank guided missiles have been sold in the billions of dollars and are produced in Germany, with previous manufacturing in Poland.

In recent years, Elbit’s PULS rocket artillery system has gained momentum, with confirmed sales to Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark—alongside several undisclosed NATO members. Ukraine’s successful use of comparable systems against Russian targets has only added to the demand.

Israel's hopes for its defense technologies

Israel now hopes its laser-based interception technology will be next in line for global adoption—and it’s betting billions on it.

The Defense Ministry recently disclosed the existence of two laser systems: Magen Or (Iron Beam), a high-powered 100-kilowatt laser developed jointly by Rafael and Elbit Systems, and Lahav Barzel (Iron Sting), a smaller 30-kilowatt system designed by Rafael. Magen Or has intercepted short-range rockets at distances of up to 10 kilometers in tests. The IDF is expected to deploy an operational version by the end of the year.

Lahav Barzel, which was used in combat for the first time during Swords of Iron, is more compact and energy-efficient. Rafael and Israeli vehicle manufacturer Plasan have already developed a mobile version mounted on Plasan’s SandCat armored vehicle, enabling rapid redeployment between combat zones.

Footage released by the Defense Ministry showed Lahav Barzel successfully intercepting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched by Hezbollah. The laser doesn’t obliterate the drones in dramatic fashion—rather, it focuses heat on the drone’s wing or fuselage until the structural integrity fails and the UAV crashes. The cost per interception is just a few dollars, limited to the electricity required to power the laser.

By contrast, using interceptor missiles or air-to-air munitions can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per engagement. For American readers, that cost-efficiency could resonate strongly, particularly given current U.S. debates over defense budgets and aid allocations.

As warfare becomes increasingly reliant on drone technology—seen most visibly in Ukraine and Russia’s tit-for-tat strikes involving hundreds of UAVs each week—Israel’s laser defense systems offer something rare: proven battlefield results at a fraction of the price.

The case for Israel’s laser technology is not only tactical but financial. However, Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman acknowledged that export success also depends on geopolitical considerations—particularly growing European criticism of Israeli operations in Gaza.

France, for example, reportedly attempted to dissuade Germany from purchasing the Arrow 3 system, and other European countries have downplayed their acquisitions of Israeli-made systems in response to domestic political concerns. While some European defense ministries are eager to procure Israeli technologies, officials are increasingly constrained by the political environment.

Nevertheless, the security rationale remains persuasive. NATO states such as Finland, Sweden, Poland, and Germany—countries increasingly concerned about potential Russian aggression—view laser interception systems as a vital new layer of defense. While the United States has deployed 60-kilowatt laser systems on naval vessels, Israel appears poised to be the first country to field a land-based laser system in operational service.