Wild Weekend

Author

Global Recap
June 03, 2025 • Read in: 11 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

So much went down over the weekend—and believe me, I was itching to get these stories out to you ASAP.

From videos of a massive Ukrainian drone op in Russia to Thunberg sailing straight into the Gaza war zone, here’s what you may have missed. 👇🏻

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇵🇸 Thunberg Joins Gaza Aid Ship. On Sunday afternoon, Greta Thunberg and 11 activists set off from Italy aboard the Madleen, aiming to “break” Israel’s blockade and deliver aid straight to Gaza. The blockade, according to the Israeli government, is intended to pressure Hamas to release the hostages. Critics are pointing out how quickly Thunberg forgot about the climate, while supporters are saying the “genocide in Gaza and the death of the climate are caused by the same thing” (implying Israelis). They also praise Thunberg for standing up for human rights. You can follow them here.

🇺🇸 Colorado Attack Suspect Charged. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been hit with a federal hate crime charge after torching a Jewish-led event in Boulder with a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, injuring eight people. Witnesses say he yelled “Free Palestine” as he launched the attack, which authorities are investigating as terrorism. Officials say Soliman had planned the assault for a year, specifically targeting what he called a “Zionist group.”

✒️ Context: The suspect, an Egyptian national, first entered the US on a tourist visa in 2022. He later applied for asylum and was granted a work permit in 2023. But when that permit expired while his asylum case was still pending, he allegedly became an “illegal overstayer.” This strengthens the position of those who advocate for stronger visa/immigration policy.

🇷🇺 Russia Demands Ukraine Surrender. At new peace talks in Istanbul, Russia handed Ukraine an ultimatum: surrender more land, shrink its army, and forget about NATO, or the war drags on. Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, rejected the conditions as a surrender disguised as a settlement. The talks lasted barely an hour, leading to agreements on prisoner swaps but no breakthrough on a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Erdogan is pushing for a Zelenskyy-Putin-Trump summit in Turkey.

🇬🇧 UK Moves to War Readiness. UK PM Keir Starmer is ramping up the UK military, pushing for “war-fighting readiness” amid rising threats from Russia. Speaking at a shipyard in Glasgow, Scotland, Starmer said the UK must “deliver peace through strength” and committed to the biggest armed forces pay raise in 20 years—echoing Trump’s familiar rhetoric. His plan includes boosting the nuclear arsenal, expanding the submarine fleet, and integrating AI, drones, and long-range weapons to modernize forces, accepting all 62 recommendations from its latest defense review. He also pledged to ramp up defense spending, with a goal of hitting 3% of GDP. Trump supporters are dubbing it the “Trump effect.”

🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Ukraine’s Operation
“Spider Web”

On June 1, Ukraine launched one of its largest and most daring strikes yet. Dubbed “Spider Web,” the massive drone operation targeted Russian military bases across multiple regions, marking one of the most coordinated attacks of the entire war.

How It Worked

Containers of drones smuggled into Russia

Supporters of Ukraine are calling it a stroke of genius. Ukrainian drones were smuggled into Russia inside wooden cabins mounted on trucks. The truck drivers—apparently unaware of their cargo—parked near airbases, and the drones were remotely launched.

  • Some drivers, realizing something was off, reportedly tried to knock drones down with rocks.

  • Ukraine used a total of 117 drones, each controlled by its own pilot.

Here’s a video of a drone coming out of a parked truck:

What Got Hit?

The attack targeted Russian long-range bombers—some of the most valuable aircraft in Moscow’s arsenal.

  • Ukraine claims 41 bombers were hit and at least 13 destroyed.

  • Russia only admits some planes were damaged but hasn’t disclosed losses.

  • Satellite images confirm destruction at airbases in Murmansk and Irkutsk.

The Bigger Blow

Many of the aircraft hit—including Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160 bombers—aren’t in production anymore. That means repairs will be difficult, and replacements are impossible.

  • The Tu-95 bombers struck are the same ones that fired missiles at Ukraine just days ago.

  • Ukraine also allegedly targeted Russia’s A-50 spy planes—key assets for missile defense.

The Aftermath

Russia claims to have detained people involved, but Ukraine says its operatives were safely extracted.

  • A Ukrainian-born man is reportedly wanted in connection with the attack.

  • The operation took “one year, six months, and nine days” to plan, according to President Zelenskyy.

Why It Matters

The operation cost Russia an estimated $7 billion and sent a clear message that Russia’s defenses aren’t impenetrable.

  • Understandably, Russian state media barely covered the attacks, and officials have reportedly been tight-lipped.

  • Online, Ukrainians are celebrating—many calling it a historic moment in the war.

🇨🇳 CHINA & 🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trade War Truce Under Fire

China and the US are accusing each other of violating last month's trade deal, reigniting tensions over rare earths, AI chips, and student visas.

While Trump supporters are welcoming Trump’s hard stance against China, critics are teasing Trump with the TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) meme.

Meme

First, here’s Rep. Eric Swalwell teasing Trump with the meme:

Conversely, here’s a critic of Swalwell who posted a photo of him eating a taco, but censored the taco to make it look more inappropriate than it actually is.

(I didn’t include the whole image because it still looks inappropriate)

Dispute Over Rare Earths

The US says China is dragging its feet on export licenses for rare earths, essential for making everything from consumer electronics to jet engines.

  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Beijing of holding back materials it promised to “release” in Geneva.

  • Context: China produces 92% of the world’s processed rare earths, making its control over supply a serious global concern.

US Restrictions Backlash

However, China isn’t letting the accusations slide. It is firing back that the US’s restrictions on Chinese AI chips and student visas have “seriously damaged” the agreement.

  • The Commerce Department warned that using Ascend AI chips from Huawei could violate US export controls.

  • China’s Ministry of Commerce said the US was making “bogus accusations” instead of addressing its own actions.

Behind the Trade War

As alluded to above, this isn’t purely about tariffs and their economic implications. These strategic resources (rare earths and advanced chips) are essential to manufacturing key military equipment.

  • What’s between China and the US? Taiwan.

  • And what’s in Taiwan? The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which holds over 60% of the global semiconductor manufacturing market. Estimates also suggest TSMC commands more than 90% of the market for advanced chips.

  • China’s Defense Ministry slammed US remarks about an “imminent” threat to Taiwan as “irresponsible.”

  • Chinese commentators argue that Beijing should hold onto its rare earth leverage unless the US eases tech restrictions.

Will Trump and Xi Talk?

Trump administration officials are hoping a call between Trump and Xi Jinping might calm things down, but Beijing isn’t rushing into it.

  • National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett hinted that a call could happen “very soon.”

  • Experts say China prefers ironing out deals at lower levels before letting leaders step in to finalize things.