The Free

Finally? ‘Russia, Ukraine Peace Deal underway, 4 new Russian regions/Ukraine in NATO’ – Seymour Hersh

‘After a million casualties Ukraine gets a worse deal: To enter NATO without Arms/ Borders to be fixed as those at end of War’

from thefreeonline on 5th Dec 2023 by Seymour Hersh at Almayadeen.Net

Zelensky Embarrassed As Cornered Ukrainian Soldiers Surrender

Included in the potential deal would also be Russia’s agreement to Ukraine’s accession to NATO provided that NATO troops are not stationed on its territory and only defensive weaponry is located there.

In his newly released article, renowned US journalist Seymour Hersh assured that peace negotiations between top Russian and Ukrainian generals Valery Gerasimov and Valerii Zaluzhnyi respectively are currently underway which include a potential security of Crimea and another four former regions of Ukraine as part of Russia.

According to Hersh, both Russia and Ukraine agree that the persistence of war is illogical and that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be with an agreement that fixates borders according to where the troops are stationed after the end of peace negotiations.

Hersh cited a US official involved in the top negotiations as saying: “This was not a spur-of-the-moment event,” adding: “This was carefully orchestrated by Zaluzhny. The message was the war was over and we want out. To continue it would destroy the next generation of the citizens of Ukraine.”

On the other hand, the Biden administration is strongly opposing the peace deal while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains the “wild card” but has been allegedly told that “this is a military-to-military problem to solve and the talks will go on with or without you”.

Trading in Death responsibly: ‘Progressive’ funds Cash In on $5 Trillion in Arms Sales

As we get poorer Capitalism is BOOMING for the RICH

from thefreeonline on 5th Dec 2023 by @runews /Bloomberg /Wiki /FT

US dominating global arms trade – data

ESG funds, once champions of environmental causes, have raised ethical concerns after investing heavily in defense stocks

As of Q3 2023, over 1,200 ESG funds, pledged to uphold Environmental, Social, and Governance standards, collectively grip shares worth around $5 trillion in the defense sector.

This unexpected plunge into Arms Race investments within the ESG framework has triggered heated debates.

Profits of Western arms makers top $200 billion – report.. US, EU, and UK defense contractors have been major beneficiaries of weapons sales to Ukraine and Israel

Questions swirl about the blurred lines between “defense” and “aggression” and why ESG fund managers aren’t putting up a fight against these investments that seem incompatible with ESG or sustainability ideals.

ESG May Surpass $41 Trillion Assets in 2022, But Not Without Challenges … BLOOMBERG … Jan 24, 2022 – Global ESG assets may surpass $41 trillion by 2022 and $50 trillion by 2025, one-third of the projected total assets under management globally..

The financial industry, once singing praises for ESG’s ethical focus, now faces a reality check as investments cozy up to an industry inherently at odds spreading lethal war around the planet.

Let’s be clear: Every ESG fund investor potentially has grounds to pursue legal action against the fund manager funneling money into weapons and defense stocks. These investments violate the core ethical principles of ESG funds, opening the door for clients to consider legal recourse.

Despite the ethical eyebrow-raising, funds dipping their toes into the defense sector are laughing all the way to the bank.

Notably, the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. fund, playing the European defense game, has skyrocketed by nearly 90% since February 2022 and a cool 13% since October 2023.

US and UK fund honchos wave off regulatory hurdles blocking ESG managers from diving into defense assets. They stress the need for transparent, top-notch reporting from these funds, arguing that investments in specific defense companies can jive with responsible investing, as long as they’re not cranking out banned weapons or supplying arms to countries not approved by the US .

Responsible investing in the war machine, all neatly packaged with the ESG stamp – what a hoot!

Mairead McGuinness, Commissioner for Financial Markets at the European Commission, goes on about how defense is “crucial for sustainability and security” of the EU, adding to “peace and social sustainability.”