There are a lot of theories as to why Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a> decided to invade <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine">Ukraine</a> in late February, but <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-kingdom">United Kingdom</a> Prime Minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/boris-johnson">Boris Johnson</a> thinks he has a found cause for such violence — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/masculinity">toxic masculinity</a>.
On Tuesday, Johnson told German television network ZDF: &#8220;You need more women in positions of power. If Putin was a woman, which he obviously isn&#8217;t, but if he were, I really don&#8217;t think he would&#8217;ve embarked on a crazy, macho war of invasion and violence in the way that he has.&#8221;
&#8220;If you want a perfect example of toxic masculinity, it’s what he is doing in Ukraine,&#8221; Johnson added.
Johnson&#8217;s comments were made during the meeting of G7 leaders in Europe and can be seen here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#039;If Putin was a woman...&#039; | Boris Johnson blames toxic masculinity for Ukraine war" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MRs5iyYGJiU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Johnson has also been accused of toxic masculinity in the past. On one occasion, it was reported that he told British politician Jeremy Corbyn to &#8220;man up.&#8221;
That phrase rankled leftists across the globe:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Toxic masculinity 👇 <a href="https://t.co/nshx4moHV9">https://t.co/nshx4moHV9</a>
&mdash; ARTIST TAXI DRIVER (@chunkymark) <a href="https://twitter.com/chunkymark/status/1187693846219513857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Regarding the G7&#8217;s effort to assist Ukraine in their war against Russia, Johnson seemed hopeful, but added, &#8220;It&#8217;s not going to be easy. I&#8217;m not going to pretend that this can be done quickly.&#8221;
&#8220;I think what was so striking from the conversations is that people really do want to give the Ukrainians strategic endurance,&#8221; he continued.
&#8220;We can&#8217;t be more Ukrainian than the Ukraine, right?  You know, it&#8217;s for them to decide but they want to help Zelensky to get in the best possible position to talk if and when talks eventually come,&#8221; Johnson said regarding peace talks to end the war.
The G7 is also reportedly pursuing a cap on Russian <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas">oil</a> prices to help blunt Putin&#8217;s financial strength.
Members of the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/g7">G7</a> are meeting in Austria to discuss the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Russian</a> invasion of Ukraine, as well as climate change and public health. In one background <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2022/06/27/background-press-call-by-a-senior-administration-official-on-president-bidens-second-day-in-germany/">press call</a>, a senior Biden administration official announced that G7 leaders would “set a global price cap for Russian oil in shipments” to countries outside of the seven nations, which include Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
“The goal here is to starve Russia — starve Putin of his main source of cash and force down the price of Russian oil to help blunt the impact of Putin’s war at the pump,” the official said. “The dual objectives of G7 leaders have been to take direct aim at Putin’s revenues, particularly through energy, but also to minimize the spillovers and the impact on the G7 economies and the rest of the world.”
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

Boris Johnson, Vladimir Putin

‘Perfect Example Of Toxic Masculinity’: Boris Johnson Claims ‘If Putin Was A Woman,’ He Wouldn’t Have Invaded Ukraine

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Claims 'If Putin Was A Woman,' He Wouldn't Have Invaded Ukraine

Boris Johnson

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

The United States will increase the number of soldiers stationed in Europe to 100,000 by adding 20,000 <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/military">troops</a>, President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration">Joe Biden</a> said on Wednesday.
The move comes four months after the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Russian</a> invasion of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ukraine">Ukraine</a> and occurs despite a 1997 <a href="https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_25470.htm">agreement</a> with Russia stating that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nato">NATO</a>) would avoid the “additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces” in the “current and foreseeable security environment.”
The United States plans to establish a permanent forward command post in Poland, according to a White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/29/fact-sheet-the-2022-nato-summit-in-madrid/">fact sheet</a>. Likewise, Washington will move a Brigade Combat Team to Romania, place two squadrons of F-35 aircraft in the United Kingdom, add more air defense to Germany and Italy, and increase the number of naval destroyers based in Rota, Spain, from four to six.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to make sure that NATO is ready to meet threats from all directions across every domain,&#8221; Biden said at NATO’s summit in Madrid, per <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-us-changing-force-posture-europe-based-threat-2022-06-29/">Reuters</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re proving that NATO is more needed now than it ever has been.&#8221;
The White House also announced support for the trilateral agreement between Turkey, Sweden, and Finland for the latter two nations to join NATO — a military alliance founded by the United States and other Western nations at the beginning of the Cold War.
“Unlike other NATO free riders, Sweden and Finland possess robust military capabilities and have demonstrated decades of cooperation with the U.S.,” Heritage Foundation foreign policy expert James Carafano said in a statement provided to The Daily Wire. “They will help advance U.S. interests by thwarting Russia and China’s growing influence, improving regional security, and making future conflict less likely.”
NATO members also plan to launch a “Comprehensive Assistance Package” for Ukraine — a move that follows several military and humanitarian aid packages from the United States. At the end of May, Biden <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/21/biden-signs-40-billion-aid-package-for-ukraine-during-trip-to-asia.html">greenlit</a> a $40 billion package, which included funds to support the Ukrainian economy and address food shortages.
Beyond the food supply in Ukraine, a Russian <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-is-blocking-ukraine-from-exporting-food-threatening-africa-with-starvation%C2%A0">blockade of the Black Sea</a> with ships and land mines has prevented agricultural goods from leaving the country. The two eastern European nations produce a combined 30% of the world’s traded wheat, according to the <a href="https://www.foodsecurityportal.org/node/1921">International Food Policy Research Institute</a>.
“You cannot use the hunger of people as a weapon of war,” Joseph Borrell, the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, <a href="https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/foreign-affairs-council-press-remarks-high-representative-josep-borrell-upon-arrival-2_en">said</a> to other diplomats earlier this month. “Millions of tons of wheat remain blocked in Ukraine while in the rest of the world people are suffering hunger. This is a real war crime, so I cannot imagine that this will last much longer.”
Many officials are now exhorting the United States to increase food exports around the world to supplement the lost shipments from Russia and Ukraine. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/during-world-economic-forum-imf-leader-calls-for-america-to-increase-food-exports-amid-dire-global-food-shortages">said</a> at the World Economic Forum last month that global food shortages constitute a “dire” situation and therefore recommended “openness in exports of food,” refraining from “food restrictions,” and not buying “more food than you need for your own country.”
Nearly half of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/africa">African</a> wheat imports come from Russia and Ukraine, with some countries importing “more than one third of their wheat from the two countries,” according to a <a href="https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/osginf2022d1_en.pdf">United Nations</a> report. East African nations like Kenya and Ethiopia were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/asian-african-nations-face-famine-as-ukraine-crisis-hits-global-food-supply">already struggling with drought</a> and livestock deaths before the new threat to the global food supply.

President Biden Signs The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act At The White House

U.S. Military Makes Biggest Expansion Into Europe In Decades

U.S. Military Commits More Troops, Jets, Destroyers To Bolster European Defense

Biden Administration

Military

NATO

President <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration">Joe Biden</a> and other world leaders are pursuing a cap on Russian <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas">oil</a> prices.
Members of the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/g7">G7</a> are meeting in Austria to discuss the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Russian</a> invasion of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ukraine">Ukraine</a>, as well as climate change and public health. In one background <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2022/06/27/background-press-call-by-a-senior-administration-official-on-president-bidens-second-day-in-germany/">press call</a>, a senior Biden administration official announced that G7 leaders would “set a global price cap for Russian oil in shipments” to countries outside of the seven nations, which include Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
“The goal here is to starve Russia — starve Putin of his main source of cash and force down the price of Russian oil to help blunt the impact of Putin’s war at the pump,” the official said. “The dual objectives of G7 leaders have been to take direct aim at Putin’s revenues, particularly through energy, but also to minimize the spillovers and the impact on the G7 economies and the rest of the world.”
Meanwhile, an Iranian official <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/qatar-host-indirect-talks-between-iran-us-reviving-2015-nuclear-deal-2022-06-27/">confirmed</a> that Qatar would host indirect talks between the United States and Iran on a revival of the Obama administration’s defunct <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-escalates-enrichment-at-underground-nuclear-facility-now-has-enough-material-for-weapon-reports">nuclear</a> deal — a reality that could lead to the <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal">lifting of oil sanctions</a> against the Islamic nation.
West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude oil prices rose slightly on Monday morning amid the news. The national average gas price in the United States is currently $4.90, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA</a>.
Financial sanctions imposed against Russia have “significantly disrupted Russia’s ability to receive payments for exports, pay for imports and engage in cross-border financial transactions,” according to the <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/03/05/pr2261-imf-staff-statement-on-the-economic-impact-of-war-in-ukraine">International Monetary Fund</a>. However, the sanctions also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/imf-warns-russia-sanctions-threaten-chip-away-dollar-dominance-ft-2022-03-31/">threaten the status of the dollar</a> as the global reserve currency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the impact of the sanctions on his nation. “Our economy will need deep structural changes in these new realities, and I won’t hide this — they won’t be easy; they will lead to a temporary rise in inflation and unemployment,” Putin said in March, per <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-acknowledges-impact-of-sanctions-on-russian-economy-11647462258?mod=article_inline">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
Earlier this month, President Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-abuse-of-defense-production-act-will-drive-gas-prices-even-higher">invoked the Defense Production Act</a> — a federal law allowing the commander-in-chief to prioritize manufacturing certain goods in times of national crisis — to accelerate green energy production. Even as prices at the pump continue to rise, Energy Secretary <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm">Jennifer Granholm</a> repeated her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/energy-secretary-lays-out-the-only-way-to-avoid-high-gas-prices-and-its-not-producing-more-oil">argument</a> that the “only way out” of “boom-and-bust cycles” in energy prices is “deploying clean energy.”
“The real truth is that as long as our nation remains overly reliant on oil and fossil fuels, we will feel these price shocks again,” Granholm said last week. “This is not going to be the last time. The next time there’s a war, the next time there’s a pandemic or another hurricane, these extreme weather events we are experiencing — they will impact the access that we have to fossil fuels.”
The Biden administration also proposed a three-month suspension on the federal gas tax — a move that would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-shows-how-much-bidens-gas-tax-suspension-would-save-the-typical-american">save</a> the typical American a paltry $4.79 to $14.31 over the course of three months. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) — a key moderate — said last week that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democratic-senator-not-a-yes-right-now-on-bidens-proposed-gas-tax-holiday">had not signed on to the idea</a> since the policy does not guarantee that the amount would “penny-for-penny come off of that price.”

G7 Leaders Convene For Summit At Schloss Elmau

Biden And Other World Leaders Want A ‘Global Price Cap’ On Russian Oil

World Leaders Weigh A Global Price Cap On Russian Oil

Oil and Gas

Pink Floyd is looking to sell its music catalog at a price of $500 million in a deal that would make it one of the largest in music history.
The bidding war has narrowed to four potential buyers, including BMG, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Group, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-23/pink-floyd-songs-for-sale-in-possible-500-million-deal#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Bloomberg News.
The plan to sell the famed rock group&#8217;s music catalog was first noted in May. The new update revealed negotiations have come down to a select number of buyers and a near-record level music deal.
The group has released multiple hits stretching back to the 1970s, including &#8220;The Dark Side of the Moon,&#8221; known as one of the top-selling albums in history, along with the popular album &#8220;The Wall.&#8221; The band&#8217;s last album, &#8220;The Endless River,&#8221; was released in 2014.
In total, Pink Floyd&#8217;s albums have sold 75 million copies in the U.S., making it the 10th most of any artist, <a href="https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&amp;ttt=TAA#search_section" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the Recording Industry Association of America.
Pink Floyd appears eager to cash in on the emerging music rights market that has led to numerous mega-deals in recent years. A similar $500 million-range deal was struck between Bruce Springsteen and Sony Music Group in December, <a href="https://www.billboard.com/pro/bruce-springsteen-sells-masters-publishing-sony/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Billboard.
Musical artist Bob Dylan also inked a deal with Universal Music Group last year that included his 600-song collection in a reported $300 to $400 million agreement. The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/12/07/bob-dylan-sells-rights-to-all-his-songs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> the deal could be the largest acquisition of a single act.
“It is no exaggeration to say that his vast body of work has captured the love and admiration of billions of people all around the world,” Universal Music Group’s chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said in the report.
“I have no doubt that decades, even centuries from now, the words and music of Bob Dylan will continue to be sung and played — and cherished — everywhere,” he added.
Pink Floyd also released a new single in April featuring Andriy Khlyvnyuk with all proceeds going to Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🇺🇦🌻 Pink Floyd&#39;s new single, Hey Hey Rise Up &#8211; feat Andriy Khlyvnyuk &#8211; is out now worldwide.
Download / stream at <a href="https://t.co/1pbIrENapV">https://t.co/1pbIrENapV</a>
All proceeds of the song will go to Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief. 
Watch the full video with subtitles in Ukrainian and English below. <a href="https://t.co/NqO71NAhaO">pic.twitter.com/NqO71NAhaO</a>
&mdash; Pink Floyd (@pinkfloyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/pinkfloyd/status/1512385065766076417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The band&#8217;s Twitter account stated that the April digital release reached number one in 27 countries. The band has since released a vinyl record and CD single in support of the people of Ukraine.
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Pink Floyd are releasing Hey Hey Rise Up with a newly reworked A Great Day For Freedom on 7&quot; &amp; CD single, 15 July (Japan: 3 Aug; US/Canada/Australia/Mexico: 21 Aug) in support of the people of Ukraine. April&#39;s digital release reached #1 in 27 countries.<a href="https://t.co/9BxRuw4Cdx">https://t.co/9BxRuw4Cdx</a> <a href="https://t.co/1kQltUOPeV">pic.twitter.com/1kQltUOPeV</a>
&mdash; Pink Floyd (@pinkfloyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/pinkfloyd/status/1539956449748680704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Ukrainian singer Khlyvnyuk from the band Boomboxs served in the Ukrainian military and was later hospitalized after being hit by shrapnel.
“We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world’s major powers,” Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/07/entertainment/ukraine-pink-floyd-new-music-intl-hnk/index.html#:~:text=(CNN)%20Legendary%20rock%20band%20Pink,humanitarian%20relief%2C%20the%20statement%20added.">said</a>.
“We want to express our support for Ukraine and in that way, show that most of the world thinks that it is totally wrong for a superpower to invade the independent democratic country that Ukraine has become,” he added.

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd Looking To Sell Music Catalog For $500 Million

Music Industry

President Joe Biden implied to the American people on Wednesday that their only options as it relates to the current economic order are either dealing with high gas prices or allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to gain more influence in Europe.
During a speech delivered from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/white-house">White House</a>-crafted fake Oval Office set — which he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-white-house-oval-office-teleprompter">reportedly</a> uses so that he can stay on a script from a teleprompter —  Biden called on Congress to enact a “three-month gas tax holiday” and suspend the 18.4 cents federal gas tax to help alleviate pain at the pump for Americans this summer. The president needled Republicans who have attacked him over record-high gas prices by asking them if they would rather abandon the Ukrainian people and let Putin gain more power.
&#8220;For all Republicans in Congress criticizing me today for high gas prices in America, are you now saying we were wrong to support Ukraine? Are you saying we were wrong to stand up to Putin?&#8221; the president said as images of Ukrainian flags flashed behind him. &#8220;Are you saying that we&#8217;d rather have lower gas prices in America than Putin&#8217;s iron fist in Europe?&#8221;
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Biden: &quot;For all Republicans criticizing me for high gas prices in America, are you now saying we were wrong to support Ukraine and stand up to Putin? Are you saying that we&#39;d rather have lower gas prices in America than Putin&#39;s iron fist in Europe?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Z7U8YIFgnM">pic.twitter.com/Z7U8YIFgnM</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1539674290072834049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Experts like The Heritage Foundation&#8217;s Katie Tubb have pointed out for quite some time that the cost of gasoline was rising well before Putin ever invaded Ukraine in February.
The president&#8217;s anti-fossil fuel rhetoric, alongside policy and increase in regulation, has contributed to the high prices of gasoline, she said.
&#8220;This has been the clear and consistent message of President Biden from the campaign trail through to just last month when he stated that high gasoline prices are just part of his incredible transition’ away from the fuel that supplies 90% of Americans’ transportation needs,” Tubb recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-pain-is-the-point-energy-secretary-blasted-after-saying-summer-gas-prices-were-going-to-be-rough">explained</a> to The Daily Wire.
“Certainly Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is also being priced into oil markets, as is higher summertime demand for gasoline during vacation season,” Tubbs added. “But to stop there is to totally ignore the policy choices being made by the Biden administration that had already led to a 48% increase in gasoline prices before Russia invaded Ukraine.&#8221;
Daniel Turner, founder and executive director of <a href="https://powerthefuture.com/">Power the Future</a>, also recently told The Daily Wire that the Biden administration has been actively discouraging investment in the oil and gas industry, which has led to an increase in prices.
“The [Biden administration] has created a regulatory and financial climate which punishes the fossil fuel industry,” Turner claimed. “From the [the Department of Interior], to [the Environmental Protection Agency], to [the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission], every agency is sending signals that fossil fuels are not welcome.”
Turner explained that inflation is simply a byproduct of those policies as they impact the economy.
“The markets are responding in kind,” Turner said. “Sadly, fossil fuels are much more than the Biden admin. is willing to admit, and pushing wind and solar and [electric vehicles] does nothing to alleviate rising inflation, food prices, and consumer food prices.&#8221;
On Tuesday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chevron-ceo-rips-bidens-attempts-to-vilify-oil-industry-in-scathing-letter">reported</a> that Chevron CEO Michael Wirth sent Biden a letter, writing out exactly what Biden can be doing to enact long-term growth.
“We need clarity and consistency on policy matters ranging from leases and permits on federal lands, to the ability to permit and build critical infrastructure, to the proper role of regulation that considers both costs and benefits,&#8221; Wirth explained.
Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-mocks-oil-company-for-proposing-solutions-to-bring-down-gas-prices-as-american-families-suffer">responded</a> to that letter by calling Wirth &#8220;mildly sensitive&#8221; and joking that he &#8220;didn&#8217;t know they’d get their feelings hurt that quickly.&#8221;
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</ul>

Joe Biden

Biden Implies America’s Options Are Either High Gas Prices Or Putin Controlling Europe

Gas Prices

Gas Tax

Two American <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/military">military</a> veterans from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/alabama">Alabama</a> captured earlier this month by pro-<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Russia</a> forces in<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia"> Ukraine</a> could be executed.
Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh — who respectively served in the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-army">Army</a> and the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marines">Marines</a> — were fighting on behalf of Ukraine on June 9 when they were separated from their group. The pair were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russian-state-media-releases-video-of-two-alabama-veterans-captured-in-ukraine">subsequently captured</a> by a Russian patrol.
Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the soldiers had been captured and said that because they were not official military personnel, they were not subject to protection under the <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/geneva-convention-relative-treatment-prisoners-war#:~:text=Prisoners%20of%20war%20must%20at,breach%20of%20the%20present%20Convention.">Geneva Convention.</a> It states that imprisoned soldiers cannot be subjected to physical mutilation or other inhumane treatment.
“They should be held responsible for those crimes they have committed. Those crimes have to be investigated,” Peskov told MSNBC, per <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/kremlin-says-american-basketball-player-griner-broke-law-faces-prosecution-ria-2022-06-20/">Reuters</a>. “The only thing that is clear is that they have committed crimes.”
John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, said that the United States is “trying to learn more about these two individuals,” yet denounced the Russian official’s sentiment.
“It’s appalling that a public official in Russia would even suggest the death penalty for two American citizens that were in Ukraine,” Kirby said, per <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/21/politics/white-house-americans-russia/index.html">CNN</a>. “And we’re going to continue to try and learn what we can about this.”
Kirby expressed concern about Peskov’s comments, regardless of the eventual fate of the two men.
“It’s equally alarming, whether they actually mean what they’re saying here and this could be an outcome, that they could levy a death penalty against two Americans in Ukraine,” Kirby continued. “Or that they just feel it’s a responsible thing for a major power to do, to talk about doing this as a way of signaling to the President of the United States and the American people. Either one of them is equally alarming.”
RT, a Russian state-funded media outlet, posted <a href="https://t.me/s/corrkosarev/703">videos</a> of Drueke and Huynh earlier this week.
“Mom, I just want to let you know that I’m alive and I hope to be back home as soon as I can be,” Drueke said in one video. “So, love Diesel for me. Love you,” he said in reference to his dog.
Based upon his use of a keyword and a gesture established before his service in Iraq, Drueke’s mother could confirm that he was okay. “Unmistakably under duress, but thank God they’re alive,” Bunny Drueke told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-americans-ukraine-russia-alexander-drueke-andy-huynh-russia-video/">CBS News</a>. “I was just relieved he looks not like he’s been beaten or mistreated. That was really encouraging to me.”
Huynh’s fiancée, Joy Black, told the outlet, “They missed their rendezvous point and that had been a few days prior. They’ve gone and searched, they didn’t find anything. And later I found out they’d done drone searches and still found nothing, no traces.”
A State Department spokesperson told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/20/world/americans-missing-ukraine-donetsk-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN</a> last week that they “have seen the photos and videos of these two US citizens reportedly captured by Russia’s military forces in Ukraine” and were “closely monitoring the situation.”
“We are in contact with Ukrainian authorities, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and with the families themselves,” the spokesperson said. “Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment on these cases.”

Ukrainian Army

Russia Might Execute Two American Veterans Captured In Ukraine

American Veterans Captured In Ukraine Might Be Executed By Russia

Alabama

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov auctioned his Nobel Peace Prize on Monday for a record $103.5 million with the proceeds donated to help Ukrainian children.
The auction-record amount will support United Nations Children&#8217;s Fund (UNICEF) child refugee fund, according to Heritage Auctions. The donation will support Ukrainian child refugees impacted due to Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine.
&#8220;This award is unlike any other auction offering to present,&#8221; Heritage Auctions said in a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-nobel-peace-laureate-muratov-sells-medal-104-mln-aid-ukraine-children-2022-06-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> ahead of the sale.
&#8220;Mr. Muratov, with the full support of his staff at Novaya Gazeta, is allowing us to auction his medal not as a collectible but as an event that he hopes will positively impact the lives of millions of Ukrainian refugees,&#8221; it added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HERITAGELIVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HERITAGELIVE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DmitryMuratov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DmitryMuratov</a>, EIC of Russian news outlet <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NovayaGazeta?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NovayaGazeta</a>, with HA, auctioned his 2021 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NobelPeacePrize?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NobelPeacePrize</a> to benefit UNICEF&#39;s child refugee fund. It sold for $103,500,000 <a href="https://t.co/MTW6PcX201">https://t.co/MTW6PcX201</a>
HA worked to ensure the winning bid is already in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNICEF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNICEF</a>&#39;s possession. <a href="https://t.co/BThlZTqjBq">pic.twitter.com/BThlZTqjBq</a>
&mdash; Heritage Auctions (@HeritageAuction) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeritageAuction/status/1539041265098039296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I was hoping that there was going to be an enormous amount of solidarity, but I was not expecting this to be such a huge amount,” Muratov <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-dmitry-muratov-journalists-9a6bb6e61350e1bb8221924c1bfe30a3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during an interview after bidding ended on World Refugee Day. The highest previous amount paid for a Nobel Prize medal was $4.76 million in 2014, according to the Associated Press.
Muratov, the co-founder and former editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, won the prize in 2021 along with Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. He dedicated the prize to the members of his paper who had lost their lives in their work.
“Novaja Gazeta’s opponents have responded with harassment, threats, violence, and murder. Since the newspaper’s start, six of its journalists have been killed, including Anna Politkovskaya who wrote revealing articles on the war in Chechnya,” <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/news/journalist-who-won-nobel-peace-prize-auctions-it-for-record-103-5-million-to-help-ukrainian-children/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the Norwegian Nobel Committee in October, per Mediaite.
Until it suspended its operations, the publication had “published critical articles on subjects ranging from corruption, police violence, unlawful arrests, electoral fraud and ‘troll factories’ to the use of Russian military forces both within and outside Russia,” according to the committee.
Muratov was attacked in April with red paint while on a Russian train. U.S. government officials confirmed that Russian intelligence was behind the attack over Muratov&#8217;s criticisms of the Russian government.
“The United States can confirm that Russian intelligence orchestrated the 7 April attack on Novaya Gazeta’s editor in chief Dmitry Muratov, in which he was splashed with red paint containing acetone,” a U.S. official said in an April statement, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/04/28/russia-ukraine-muratov-attack-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> The Washington Post.
The attack highlighted the dangers to journalists who have opposed the Russian government. In addition to Muratov, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/moscow-murders-the-danger-of-standing-up-to-the-russian-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously reported</a> that on August 20, 2020, the leading political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, suddenly fell seriously and mysteriously ill while on a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow. After an emergency landing, Navalny was rushed to a hospital and put into a coma. Two days later, he was evacuated to a hospital in Germany.
There, five certified labs from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed that a nerve agent had been used to poison Navalny.
“The presence of this poison was discovered without any doubt,” then German Chancellor Angela Merkel <a href="https://youtu.be/C3Ou_JY2yV0">announced</a> at the time. “Therefore, it is now certain that Alexei Navalny is the victim of a crime. The attempt was to silence him, and I condemn this.”

Dmitry Muratov

Nobel Peace Prize Winning Journalist Auctions Award For Record $103.5 Million To Help Ukrainian Children

Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Prize

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Russia</a> is reportedly preventing grain shipments from leaving <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ukraine">Ukraine</a>, threatening much of the world with starvation.
The two eastern <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/europe">European</a> nations produce a combined 30% of the world’s traded wheat, according to the <a href="https://www.foodsecurityportal.org/node/1921">International Food Policy Research Institute</a>. As Russia blockades the Black Sea with ships and sea mines, thereby preventing Ukrainian exports, some Western officials have accused Russia of holding people in the developing world hostage.
“You cannot use the hunger of people as a weapon of war,” Joseph Borrell, the European Union&#8217;s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, <a href="https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/foreign-affairs-council-press-remarks-high-representative-josep-borrell-upon-arrival-2_en">said</a> to other diplomats this week. “Millions of tons of wheat remain blocked in Ukraine while in the rest of the world people are suffering hunger. This is a real war crime, so I cannot imagine that this will last much longer.”
Nearly half of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/africa">African</a> wheat imports come from Russia and Ukraine, with some nations importing “more than one third of their wheat from the two countries,” according to a <a href="https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/osginf2022d1_en.pdf">United Nations</a> report released in March. Some countries — such as Egypt, Somalia, and Benin — import more than 80% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine.
However, the potential for trade between African nations to replace the imports is “comparatively small” due to the continent’s low crop production, while “many parts of the continent lack efficient transport infrastructures and storage capacity.”
Even beyond Africa, Russia and Ukraine send 26% of their exports to Turkey, 23% to China, and 13% to India. Rising global food prices may contribute to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-claims-inflation-is-worse-everywhere-but-here-thats-not-even-close-to-true">worldwide inflationary pressures</a>, according to the United Nations.
Many officials are now calling upon the United States to increase agricultural exports to supplement the lost shipments from Russia and Ukraine. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/during-world-economic-forum-imf-leader-calls-for-america-to-increase-food-exports-amid-dire-global-food-shortages">said</a> at the World Economic Forum last month that global food shortages represent a “dire” situation and therefore recommended “openness in exports of food,” refraining from “food restrictions,” and not buying “more food than you need for your own country.”
Earlier this month, the Biden administration vowed ahead of the Summit of the Americas to provide another $331 million in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commits-to-fighting-food-shortages-in-latin-america">food security and humanitarian</a> aid for Latin American nations.
“This contribution will complement the United States’ existing commitment to providing life-saving humanitarian assistance, responding to acute food insecurity, and advancing capacity-building activities that bolster disaster preparedness and response” across Latin America and the Caribbean, a White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/09/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-commitments-to-advance-food-security-in-the-western-hemisphere/">statement</a> said.
East African nations like Kenya and Ethiopia were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/asian-african-nations-face-famine-as-ukraine-crisis-hits-global-food-supply">already struggling with drought</a> and related livestock deaths before the added threat to the global food supply. According to Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu, the region is experiencing its fourth consecutive season without rain.
&#8220;This, coupled with other stress factors such as conflicts in both our region and Europe, the impact of COVID-19, and macro-economic challenges, has led to acute levels of food insecurity across the Greater Horn of Africa,” Gebeyehu said in April, per the <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/media/news/drought-tightens-grip-eastern-africa">World Meteorological Organization</a>. “The episode of droughts became very frequent in the Horn of Africa and the region was also affected by a devastating desert locust outbreak during the past two years.”

DENMARK-RUSSIA-BALTIC-DEFENCE

Russia Is Blocking Ukraine From Exporting Food, Threatening Africa With Starvation

Russia Blockades Ukrainian Food Shipments, Threatening World With Starvation

Africa

Europe

Two American <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/military">military</a> veterans from Alabama were captured by pro-<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Russia</a> forces in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia">Ukraine</a>.
Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh — who respectively served in the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-army">Army</a> and the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marines">Marines</a> — were fighting alongside Ukrainians when their group “came under heavy fire in the northeastern Kharkiv region” on June 9, according to <a href="https://www.al.com/news/2022/06/russian-tv-shows-videos-of-2-alabama-military-veterans-captured-in-ukraine.html">AL.com</a>. The pair traveled through the woods after they were separated from their colleagues and were subsequently captured by a Russian patrol.
“Mom, I just want to let you know that I’m alive and I hope to be back home as soon as I can be,” Drueke said in a Telegram <a href="https://t.me/s/corrkosarev/703">video</a> posted by RT, a Russian state-funded media outlet. “So, love Diesel for me. Love you,” he said in reference to his dog.
According to AL.com, Drueke used a key word and a gesture established by him and his mother ahead of a tour in Iraq so that she would know he was okay. &#8220;Unmistakably under duress, but thank God they&#8217;re alive,&#8221; Bunny Drueke, Alex Drueke&#8217;s mother, confirmed to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-americans-ukraine-russia-alexander-drueke-andy-huynh-russia-video/">CBS News</a>. &#8220;I was just relieved he looks not like he&#8217;s been beaten or mistreated. That was really encouraging to me.”
Huynh’s fiancée, Joy Black, told CBS, &#8220;They missed their rendezvous point and that had been a few days prior. They&#8217;ve gone and searched, they didn&#8217;t find anything. And later I found out they&#8217;d done drone searches and still found nothing no traces.”
A State Department spokesperson told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/20/world/americans-missing-ukraine-donetsk-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN</a> on Friday that they “have seen the photos and videos of these two US citizens reportedly captured by Russia’s military forces in Ukraine” and were “closely monitoring the situation.”
“We are in contact with Ukrainian authorities, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and with the families themselves,” the spokesperson said. “Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment on these cases.&#8221;
Russian officials acknowledged that Drueke and Huynh were being held.
&#8220;They are soldiers of fortune,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told MSNBC, per <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/kremlin-says-american-basketball-player-griner-broke-law-faces-prosecution-ria-2022-06-20/">Reuters</a>. “They were involved in illegal activities on the territory of Ukraine. They were involved in firing at and shelling of our military personnel. They were endangering their lives.”
Peskov remarked that the men were not part of the Ukrainian military and therefore not subject to protections under the <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/geneva-convention-relative-treatment-prisoners-war#:~:text=Prisoners%20of%20war%20must%20at,breach%20of%20the%20present%20Convention.">Geneva Convention</a>, which says that captured soldiers cannot be subjected to physical mutilation or other inhumane treatment. &#8220;And they should be held responsible for those crimes they have committed. Those crimes have to be investigated,” he added. “The only thing that is clear is that they have committed crimes.”
Earlier this month, a court in the pro-Russia Donetsk People’s Republic sentenced two British citizens and one Moroccan national to death for working as “mercenaries” on behalf of Ukraine, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/09/europe/foreigners-death-penalty-dpr-ukraine-russia-intl/index.html">CNN</a>.
Though the United States has not sent military personnel to fight in the conflict, the Biden administration has provided extensive supplies to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Last week, President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-announces-another-massive-aid-package-to-ukraine">vowed</a> another $1 billion in weapons and ammunition, as well as $225 million in humanitarian aid. The latest batch of supplies follows <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peanut-butter-and-anchovies-pelosi-goes-biblical-to-pass-40b-ukraine-package">$40 billion and $7 billion</a> packages.
“If this gift to Ukraine passes, our total aid to Ukraine will almost equal the entire military budget of Russia,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-cannot-save-ukraine-by-dooming-the-u-s-economy-rand-paul-blocks-immediate-vote-on-billion-dollar-ukraine-package">said</a> of the $40 billion provision last month. “And it’s not as if we have that money lying around, we will have to borrow that money from China to send it to Ukraine.”

Russian State Media Releases Video Of Two Alabama Veterans Captured In Ukraine

Two U.S. Military Veterans Captured In Ukraine

Marines

U.S. Army

Democrat President Joe Biden announced a new $1.2 billion package of security and humanitarian aid for Ukraine in its ongoing effort to fight off Russia&#8217;s invasion.
Biden announced the new round of support after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
&#8220;This morning, I spoke with President Zelenskyy to discuss Russia’s brutal and ongoing war against Ukraine. I reaffirmed my commitment that the United States will stand by Ukraine as it defends its democracy and support its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression,&#8221; Biden said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/15/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-support-for-ukraine-and-call-with-president-zelenskyy-of-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from the White House.
&#8220;I informed President Zelenskyy that the United States is providing another $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, including additional artillery and coastal defense weapons, as well as ammunition for the artillery and advanced rocket systems that the Ukrainians need to support their defensive operations in the Donbas,&#8221; he added.
In addition to security assistance, the package includes $225 million in humanitarian help to those inside Ukraine.
&#8220;Today, I am also announcing an additional $225 million in humanitarian assistance to help people inside Ukraine, including by supplying safe drinking water, critical medical supplies and health care, food, shelter, and cash for families to purchase essential items,&#8221; Biden noted.
The announcement comes after leaders from nearly 50 nations, mostly NATO and European Union representatives, met at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday regarding efforts to support Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin led the event, <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3060541/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-conducts-press-briefing-bangkok-thailand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling it</a> &#8220;an important opportunity to gather our growing group of partners from around the world to ensure that we&#8217;re providing Ukraine what Ukraine needs right now.&#8221;
The new package also comes after Congress passed a $40 billion Ukraine aid package in May that <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/19/politics/senate-vote-ukraine-aid-package/index.html">saw</a> 11 Republican senators oppose, noting the need to focus on issues at home.
“Spending $40 billion on Ukraine aid – more than three times what all of Europe has spent combined – is not in America’s interests. It neglects priorities at home (the border), allows Europe to freeload, short changes critical interests abroad and comes w/ no meaningful oversight,” Missouri  Republican Sen. Josh Hawley <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1526323885515448321">tweeted</a> at the time. “That’s not isolationism. That’s nationalism. It’s about prioritizing American security and American interests.”
Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty also slammed Biden during an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-senator-slams-biden-for-waging-war-on-the-economy-not-putting-americans-first" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> over the previous package.
“The best thing Biden administration could do is stop the war that he’s waged on American industry. That would lower prices overall. That would take the funding away from Putin’s war machine against Ukraine and make our economy better here. Biden will not do that, and he’s taken us in a bad direction,” he said.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul took to Twitter to express his concerns regarding support for Ukraine.
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My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation. Congress is trying yet again to ram through a spending bill – one that I doubt anyone has actually read – and there’s no oversight included into how the money is being spent.
&mdash; Rand Paul (@RandPaul) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1524913117137870849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation. Congress is trying yet again to ram through a spending bill – one that I doubt anyone has actually read – and there’s no oversight included into how the money is being spent,” Paul wrote.

Biden Announces Another Massive Aid Package To Ukraine

Josh Hawley

Rand Paul

Volodymyr Zelensky

The vicar of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has declared that &#8220;World War III&#8221; has begun due to Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine and that &#8220;there are no metaphysical good guys and bad guys&#8221; participating in this calamity.
On Tuesday, the Catholic outlet America Magazine <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2022/06/14/pope-francis-war-ukraine-nato-243153">flagged</a> that the pope made his comments to the Italian Jesuit publication, &#8220;La Civiltà Cattolica,” as well as a secular newspaper, &#8220;La Stampa.&#8221; The interview was released on June 14.
“The world is at war,” Pope Francis claimed. “For me, today, World War III has been declared. This is something that should give us pause for thought. What is happening to humanity that we have had three world wars in a century?”
The pope also suggested that the situation is not as simple as the media presents it.
“I am simply against reducing complexity to the distinction between good guys and bad guys without reasoning about roots and interests, which are complex,” Pope Francis said. “While we see the ferocity, the cruelty of Russian troops, we must not forget real problems if we want them to be solved.”
When asked, “What are your suggestions for communicating the situation in which we are living? How can we contribute to a peaceful future?”
“To answer this question, we have to move away from the normal pattern of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’: Little Red Riding Hood was good and the wolf was the bad guy,” the pope responded. “Here there are no metaphysical good guys and bad guys, in an abstract sense. Something global is emerging, with elements that are very much intertwined.”
The pope also explained why he believed that Russia was possibly &#8220;provoked&#8221; into war.
&#8220;&#8230; a couple of months before the war started, I met a head of state, a wise man, who speaks very little, very wise indeed,&#8221; the pope told the European outlets, &#8220;After we talked about the things he wanted to talk about, he told me that he was very concerned about the way NATO was moving.”
“I asked him why, and he said, ‘They are barking at the gates of Russia. They do not understand that the Russians are imperialists and will allow no foreign power to approach them,’” the pope continued. &#8220;He concluded, ‘The situation could lead to war.’ This was his opinion. On Feb. 24, the war began. That head of state was able to read the signs of what was taking place.&#8221;
The pope has consistently prayed for an end to the war since it began and has pled for peace.
In March, shortly after the war began, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pope-francis-consecrates-russia-ukraine-to-immaculate-heart-of-mary-drawing-on-prophecy-on-russia-world-war-from-our-lady-of-fatima">reported</a> that Pope Francis consecrated Russia and Ukraine to “the Immaculate Heart of Mary,&#8221; asking for her intercession to end the conflict.

Pope Francis

‘World War III Has Been Declared’: Pope Francis Weighs In On ‘Complex’ Situation In Ukraine

'World War III Has Been Declared': Pope Francis Weighs In On 'Complex' Situation In Ukraine

Catholic Church

Christianity

Tennis players from Russia and Belarus will be forced to compete under a neutral flag in the upcoming U.S. Open, according to a statement from the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
The USTA made the announcement on Tuesday due to Russia&#8217;s military invasion of Ukraine. Belarus has served as one of Russia&#8217;s main allies in the invasion.
&#8220;Alongside the other Grand Slams, the ITF, the ATP, and the WTA, the USTA, which owns and operates the U.S. Open, has previously condemned, and continues to condemn, the unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia,&#8221; the USTA&#8217;s statement <a href="https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/national/usta-statement-regarding-russian-and-belarusian-players-at-the-2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>.
&#8220;The USTA, standing with these other tennis entities, supported the banning of the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations from the ITF, and therefore all international team competitions, and the directive for players from those countries to play under a neutral flag when competing outside of international team competitions,&#8221; it added.
The USTA, in its capacity as owner and operator of the U.S. Open, had previously banned the Russian and Belarusian Tennis Federations from the ITF. To allow individual athletes from the two nations to compete, players from those countries must play under a neutral flag when competing outside of international team competitions, according to the USTA.
The U.S. Open is scheduled for August 29 to September 11 in New York City. The popular event claimed an <a href="https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2021-09-12/us_open_final_by_the_numbers.html#:~:text=631%2C134%3A%20Total%20attendance%20for%20the,record%2Dsetting%20attendance%20of%20737%2C919." target="_blank" rel="noopener">attendance</a> of 631,134 people in total in 2021.
The 2021 U.S. Open set a new record in prize money and total player compensation, with $57.5 million on offer in 2021 in the first year following the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Mike McNulty, USTA Chairman of the Board and President, shared the association&#8217;s solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
“Tennis has done much through Tennis Plays for Peace for humanitarian support of Ukraine. Unfortunately, the need for help only continues to grow. The USTA will be responding very soon with a broad set of initiatives that will include significant financial assistance and other programs to further support humanitarian relief and the people of Ukraine,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2022-06-14/usta_statement_regarding_russian_and_belarusian_players_at_the_2022_us_open.html#:~:text=Mike%20McNulty%2C%20USTA%20Chairman%20of,help%20only%20continues%20to%20grow.">said</a>.
The move comes after Russia was <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/russian-tennis-players-allowed-compete-us-open-85387217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restricted</a> from two international team events in tennis in which it was the reigning champion, the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup.
Wimbledon, which begins June 27, announced in April that it would ban all Russian and Belarusian athletes. The move barred men&#8217;s top-ranked player, Russian Daniil Medvedev, from the competition.
The USTA&#8217;s approach has also been different from other athletics organizations. Some sports, such as soccer&#8217;s World Cup, have completely banned Russia from competition.
The USTA also announced plans to offer additional financial assistance for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. The association intends to use the U.S. Open as a platform to raise awareness about the war.
“This is a horrific situation and we, along with everyone else in tennis, absolutely condemn what is an unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and everything is framed in that context,” U.S. Tennis Association CEO and Executive Director Lew Sherr <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-sports-tennis-belarus-5c1877b35c79331ce14ab0475911ccff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “As difficult as some of these decisions may be, none of it amounts to the difficulties being experienced in Ukraine right now, and the tragedies and atrocities.”
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