News
U.S. counterproductive practices are making troubles for political settlement of Ukraine crisis
By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily
NATO recently convened an summit as the Ukraine crisis entered its second month. Promoting peace and talks for an early ceasefire should have been a priority for the U.S.-led alliance. However, the messages sent by the summit were disappointing.
As the initiator of the crisis, the U.S. did not introspect about its responsibilities or try to prevent the war from further escalating. On the contrary, it was passing the buck and claimed that it would provide massive weapons for Ukraine and impose further sanctions against Russia.
This is merely pouring oil on the flames. It will erect greater obstacles to resolving the crisis through political means and bring bigger consequences for world and regional peace and prosperity. What the U.S. has done bears little resemblance to the responsibilities that a major country should shoulder. It was purely motivated by the habitual practice of a hegemonic country to reach its hegemonic goals through making crises.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once said that to be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal, which has been proven right repeatedly by the crises the country started and escalated around the world.
The following thread clearly illustrates the development of the Ukraine crisis – the U.S. made a cheap promise of NATO membership to Ukraine to trap the latter into confrontations with Russia, and then funded Ukraine hundreds of millions of dollars of military aid while shouting to be preserving peace. Such practice only exemplified the hypocrisy of the U.S.
The direction in which the Ukraine crisis developed is highly dependent on what the U.S. does. Former U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said that the war between Russia and Ukraine could have been avoided had the U.S. promised to not allow Ukraine to join the NATO.
However, this is not what the U.S. did. The U.S.-led military alliance expanded eastward five times, moving its strategic border to Russia’s gateway. This indicated that the U.S. has no intention of deescalating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but rather wishes to exacerbate it. The U.S. is taking Ukraine as a pawn on its geopolitical chess board, so as to contain Russia, suffocate Europe’s strategic independence, and shore up its collapsing hegemony in Europe.
For the European allies of the U.S., they are paying a tangible price for the war, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict at their doorsteps, inflows of refugees, and energy shortage. However, the U.S. that boasts rich gas and petroleum resources and sits on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, is profiting handsomely from the upheaval. After the World War II, the U.S. has always purported to be a guardian of world peace, but as a matter of fact, it’s more of a guardian of its private interests as a country that worships “America first.”
Putting the blame on other countries to safeguard its own hegemony is a usual practice of the U.S. From the onset of the Ukraine crisis, the U.S. accused China of not preventing the war knowing it was inevitable, made nonsense that Russia requested military assistance from China, and hypocritically called on all countries including China to safeguard international order.
On the Ukraine issue, China speaks for justice and works for peace with a long-term vision. It is always playing a constructive role. It supports all efforts that are conducive to easing the situation and seeking political settlement and opposes any act that is counterproductive to reaching diplomatic resolution or even leads to escalation.
By smearing and defaming China, the U.S. just aims to pass the duck and contain China. The U.S. practices reflect that the country, driven by Cold War mentality, is acting like a hegemon, a bully and boss of the world. The U.S. should understand that to resolve the Ukraine crisis, talks and negotiations are necessary. Defining “rule-based international order” with unilateral standards and forcing other countries to pick a side will never work.
The U.S. never cares about the general interests of the world as it pursues its own hegemony. At present, countries around the world are already having a hard time coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring economic development and livelihood. However, the U.S. is ignoring global stability and the work and life of billions of people around the world, arbitrarily imposing all-round and undifferentiated sanctions against Russia. It even claimed that if other countries do not cooperate with it on the sanctions, it may implement retaliatory measures.
Such an abuse of sanctions is a common practice of the U.S. Just in the past 20 years, the number of U.S. sanctions has increased tenfold. However, the world is not getting any better because of these sanctions.
A recent Newsweek article pointed out that sanctions on Russia would fail without diplomacy. The White House knows the point, too, but it is still imposing sanctions, not to ease the situation, but to economically contain Russia in the long run.
Both history and reality have proved that sanctions will not result in peace and security, but only lose-lose or no-win situations. They will only aggravate the sluggish world economy and further exacerbate separation and confrontation.
To create space for peace and political settlement should be an obligation of all responsible countries, especially the major ones. If the U.S. really wants to alleviate tensions in Ukraine, it should refrain from pouring oil on the flames, stop wielding the big stick of sanctions, stop slandering other countries, and stand with justice and peace.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)
News
“Nigeria’s Biggest Ever Coalition, Civil Groups, Professionals, Labour, Artisans, Declare for Bola Tinubu”
In what is being described as an unprecedented political development ahead of the 2027 general elections, a broad-based national coalition cutting across civil society organisations, professional bodies, labour groups, artisan associations, and other grassroots networks has announced plans to formally endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.
The coalition, spearheaded by the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, COCSON, now extends far beyond the traditional civic space, bringing together over 1,500 groups from diverse sectors of the Nigerian society. Participants include human rights organisations, medical and legal professionals, trade and artisan unions, community-based organisations, and influential labour leaders, reflecting a wide national spread and multi-sectoral backing.
The historic convention is scheduled to hold on May 17, 2026, where leaders and representatives of the various groups are expected to converge in what organisers say will be the largest endorsement gathering in Nigeria’s history. The event will serve as the official platform for the coalition to collectively declare support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
In a major demonstration of grassroots mobilisation, the coalition also revealed plans to submit a compiled total of 20 million signatures of Nigerians who have endorsed the President’s candidacy. The signatures, gathered through extensive nationwide engagement, are being positioned as a clear indication of public support cutting across regions, professions, and social strata.
Organisers of the event stated that the decision to back President Tinubu is driven by what they described as tangible strides in economic reforms, governance, and national stability. They emphasised that the inclusion of non-traditional actors such as artisans, market groups, and labour unions underscores a broader national consensus that transcends the usual civil society framework.
Political analysts say the scale and diversity of this coalition mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape, where support structures are no longer confined to political parties and elite stakeholders but are increasingly driven by a fusion of grassroots and professional constituencies.
As momentum builds towards the May 17 convention, observers are keenly watching how this expansive alliance will shape political narratives and influence voter sentiment in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
Further details on the convention and breakdown of participating groups are expected to be unveiled in the coming days.
In what is being described as an unprecedented political development ahead of the 2027 general elections, a broad-based national coalition cutting across civil society organisations, professional bodies, labour groups, artisan associations, and other grassroots networks has announced plans to formally endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.
The coalition, spearheaded by the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, COCSON, now extends far beyond the traditional civic space, bringing together over 1,500 groups from diverse sectors of the Nigerian society. Participants include human rights organisations, medical and legal professionals, trade and artisan unions, community-based organisations, and influential labour leaders, reflecting a wide national spread and multi-sectoral backing.
The historic convention is scheduled to hold on May 17, 2026, where leaders and representatives of the various groups are expected to converge in what organisers say will be the largest endorsement gathering in Nigeria’s history. The event will serve as the official platform for the coalition to collectively declare support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
In a major demonstration of grassroots mobilisation, the coalition also revealed plans to submit a compiled total of 20 million signatures of Nigerians who have endorsed the President’s candidacy. The signatures, gathered through extensive nationwide engagement, are being positioned as a clear indication of public support cutting across regions, professions, and social strata.
Organisers of the event stated that the decision to back President Tinubu is driven by what they described as tangible strides in economic reforms, governance, and national stability. They emphasised that the inclusion of non-traditional actors such as artisans, market groups, and labour unions underscores a broader national consensus that transcends the usual civil society framework.
Political analysts say the scale and diversity of this coalition mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape, where support structures are no longer confined to political parties and elite stakeholders but are increasingly driven by a fusion of grassroots and professional constituencies.
As momentum builds towards the May 17 convention, observers are keenly watching how this expansive alliance will shape political narratives and influence voter sentiment in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
Further details on the convention and breakdown of participating groups are expected to be unveiled in the coming days.
☆☆☆As Troops Foil Series of Ambushes.
Troops of the Nigerian Army under operation Hadin Kai have foiled a series of ambush by suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (I SWAP) terrorist along the Monguno in Borno state.
Islamic state of West Africa province (ISWAP) have attacked the Nigerian army from Monguno 242 Battion Barrack in Borno State on their way to reinforce the camp.
A serving Nigerian Army Colonel was reportedly killed in an ambush by insurgents in Monguno, Borno State, during a reinforcement mission
Source added said that colonel I.A. Muhammad was ambushed by ISWAP and killed along with four other soldiers.
Community confirmed that the troops who were on a fighting patrol as part of operation,came under fire from suspected terrorists
As of the time of felling this report, there has been no official statements from the Nigerian Army regarding the accident.
Hon. Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC), has joined Nigerians and the global business community in celebrating Alhaji Aliko Dangote on his 69th birthday. In a detailed tribute, Dogara described Dangote as “a visionary whose life’s work has become a cornerstone of Africa’s economic transformation.”
Dogara emphasized that Dangote’s entrepreneurial journey is one of resilience and foresight. From humble beginnings, he built the Dangote Group into Africa’s largest conglomerate, with investments spanning cement, sugar, salt, fertilizers, and the landmark Dangote Refinery. These ventures, Dogara noted, have not only revolutionized industries but also created millions of jobs, strengthened Nigeria’s economy, and reduced dependence on imports. “Alhaji Dangote is not just an entrepreneur; he is a nation-builder whose vision has redefined what is possible for Nigeria and Africa,” Dogara said.
He pointed out that the Dangote Refinery, in particular, represents a turning point in Nigeria’s energy sector, offering the promise of self-sufficiency in petroleum products and positioning the country as a major player in global energy markets. “This singular achievement underscores his commitment to solving Africa’s most pressing challenges through bold and innovative solutions,” Dogara remarked.
Beyond his industrial empire, Dogara praised Dangote’s philanthropy through the Dangote Foundation, which has invested heavily in healthcare, education, and humanitarian relief. From building hospitals and funding scholarships to providing aid during crises, Dangote’s generosity has touched countless lives across the continent. “His philanthropy reflects a deep commitment to humanity. He has shown that true greatness lies not only in building industries but also in uplifting lives,” Dogara added.
Dogara also reflected on the inspirational power of Dangote’s story, stressing that his rise from modest beginnings to global prominence serves as a beacon of hope for young Africans. “His journey proves that with hard work, faith, and determination, Africans can build enterprises that rival the best in the world. He remains a shining example of African excellence,” he concluded.
As Dangote celebrates his 69th birthday, his legacy continues to resonate far beyond Nigeria’s borders. His life stands as a testament to the transformative power of vision, enterprise, and compassion—an enduring reminder that Africa’s future can be defined by innovation, resilience, and generosity
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