Russia to concede $300B?

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Global Recap
February 21, 2025 • Read in: 9 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

As geopolitics shift, we’re also adapting. Recently, I’ve started adding my personal opinions and extra context to the stories we cover here.

I’ve always appreciated the insights you share through our polls, so I figured you might enjoy hearing my perspective too.

Of course, we won’t always see eye to eye—and that’s totally fine! That’s why the polls exist. But I’d love to know if you’re interested in hearing my personal takes and the extra context I bring, beyond just mainstream news sources.

Do you want these to continue?

(Live poll)

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

That being said, here’s what to look out for this weekend:

  • Saturday: Israel-Hamas hostage/prisoner swap

  • Sunday: German election

Now, onto the stories! 👇️ 

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Russia to Concede
$300B Assets

Russia might finally budge on those frozen billions, using the funds for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Major Development

Three sources told Reuters that Russia might concede $300 billion of frozen sovereign assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction.

  • US and Russia officials met on February 18, 2025, to discuss ending the Ukraine war.

  • These talks are still in the early stages, so expect developments in the coming days and weeks.

Frozen Assets Breakdown

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the West froze Russia’s central bank assets.

  • $300-$350 billion in sovereign assets blocked in Europe.

  • These comprise mostly of government bonds held in a European securities depository.

Challenges Ahead

However, the idea faces significant hurdles.

  • Moscow also demands part of the funds be used for territories under its control.

  • This is likely to spark major backlash from Ukraine’s supporters, who insist on Russia taking full responsibility without conditions.

Previous Statements

Russian officials previously described plans to use the funds in Ukraine as "robbery."

  • Kremlin and Central Bank officials declined to comment on the current proposal.

  • European and US officials are debating the legality and feasibility of the asset use.

🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM
Apple Bows to
Government Pressure

Apple is pulling its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) tool from UK users after the government demanded access to their data.

Government Demands

The UK government, under the Investigatory Powers Act, requested secretive access to data encrypted by ADP.

  • I say "secretive" because the law bars the company from disclosing the government's access, even to the user whose data is being accessed.

  • The Home Office’s comments: "We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices.”

  • Apple has consistently opposed creating any “backdoor” to its services.

Apple's Response

Apple had two options: grant the UK government backdoor access or ditch the security feature.

So, what did they choose? They opted to remove ADP, the encryption that secures user data end-to-end, ensuring that neither Apple nor anyone else can access it without the account holder’s consent.

  • Now, UK users are no longer able to activate ADP.

  • Existing users will lose access at a later date.

Expert Opinions

If you think the UK government just shot itself in the foot, you’re not the only one. Cybersecurity experts are pretty upset about this decision too.

  • Prof. Alan Woodward called it “an act of self-harm” by the UK government.

  • He argued that the government's action will weaken online security for UK users.

✏️ Context: That said, it was an opt-in feature, so not everyone used it. In fact, most people probably didn’t bother turning it on since it required them to manage the encryption keys themselves, adding more responsibility and less convenience.

🇩🇪 GERMANY
AfD's Rise Ahead of
Sunday Election

AfD leader Alice Weidel waving the German flag with the party’s leaders.

Germany's political landscape is shifting fast, with the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) gaining significant traction.

  • Critics say that this is due to “election interference” by Elon Musk and his social media platform X.

  • Supporters argue that the party's focus on high energy prices and illegal immigration—hot-button issues in Germany, especially after recent terrorist activities linked to asylum seekers and illegal immigrants—is fueling its growing momentum.

We’ll find out this Sunday I guess, when Germans head to the polls.

Traditional Parties' Decline

Once dominant, Germany's center-left and center-right parties are seeing their combined vote share shrink.

  • In 2002, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) secured a combined 76% of the vote.

  • Recent polls suggest they will get less than 50% in the next election.

Unmet Political Demand

Voters feel that “traditional parties” no longer represent their concerns, creating space for the AfD.

  • A Deltapoll survey found that nearly a quarter of German voters identify as “Outsiders.”

  • These voters, feeling like victims of the political system, are gravitating towards the AfD.

Immigration Control Focus

Mainstream politics in Germany has long avoided cooperation with what they label as the “far-right” or “radical right”, but that's changing.

  • You know the immigration is popular when the CDU is cooperating with AfD.

    • The CDU leader Friedrich Merz's five-point immigration plan got AfD's backing in January 2025.

    • For simply cooperating and “breaking the longstanding political norm”, they faced heavy criticism from AfD opponents—even sparking mass protests. 👇🏻

Young Men Powering AfD

A significant demographic supporting the AfD's rise? Young men.

  • This group is increasingly disillusioned with traditional parties.

  • They see the AfD as a response to their concerns about the future.

🤔 Thoughts: I’ve always believed that real extremism that will threaten Western democracy will only emerge when the establishment dismisses and silences the concerns of a trending group’s concerns. After all, a trend only sticks around if it has real substance.

Now, I don’t believe the AfD is that kind of extremism—seems like they’re merely voicing what many people are already seeing and feeling. But if the establishment keeps carelessly branding this growing group of people with words like “extremists” or “fringe,” it could eventually evolve into something that is actually extreme. After all, many AfD supporters are drawn to the party because they feel their voices are being ignored. Keep shutting them down and labeling them outliers, and sooner or later, something's gotta give.

It won’t happen overnight, but if Germany’s faltering economy continues to slide due to their questionable policies, it could arrive sooner than most realize.

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Body Swap
Ceasefire Violation

A botched body swap during a ceasefire deal has Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fuming, while Hamas promises to investigate the mix-up.

Hostages and Remains

Hamas was supposed to hand over the remains of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, but they botched the exchange. Whether this was deliberate or a mistake remains unclear.

Here’s what we know so far.

  • Three of the four bodies have been identified—two of them were young children from the same family.

  • Israeli authorities confirmed these three, but the fourth, expected to be the children's mother, Shiri Bibas, was instead an unidentified woman from Gaza.

  • The children's aunt, Ofri Bibas Levy, criticized Netanyahu for not apologizing and called for her sister's return.

PM’s Response

Netanyahu labeled the release of the wrong body by Hamas as a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement on Friday.

  • He has vowed revenge for Hamas' actions, but what form that will take remains to be seen.

Hamas's Response

Hamas’s excuse? They blamed the mix-up to chaos from Israeli bombing.

  • Hamas claims the two children were killed by Israeli bombings, but Israel argues they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists with their bare hands no later than November 2023.

  • The terrorist organization vowed to review the situation thoroughly and ensure compliance with the ceasefire terms.

  • They confirmed the release of six Israeli hostages would proceed as planned on Saturday.

Breaking

Just as I was about to press send on the email, Hamas claims that they have now returned the correct body. 👇️