Chuck Holton
Politics • Culture • News
Chuck Holton is an American war correspondent, published author, and motivational speaker.
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Putin’s "Ceasefire" Game: A Threat to Ukraine and NATO

If you’ve heard reports that Vladimir Putin has agreed to a ceasefire in Ukraine, don’t believe them. The Russian leader is playing games with the process, and he has no real intention of stopping his war machine. His so-called "agreement" with the idea of a ceasefire is nothing more than a stalling tactic designed to weaken Ukraine and manipulate the West into making dangerous concessions. This isn't about peace—it's about power. And NATO needs to take the threat seriously.

Putin’s rejection of the US-backed ceasefire proposal wasn’t outright—he’s far too strategic for that. Instead, he twisted the terms to serve his own objectives. The original deal, negotiated between the US and Ukraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, called for a renewable 30-day cessation of hostilities, a halt on long-range missile and drone strikes, and a pause on Black Sea operations. But Putin immediately sought to shift the goalposts. His counteroffer demands impossible conditions, such as a halt to Western military aid to Ukraine and restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to mobilize and train its forces—while allowing Russia to continue its own war preparations.

Putin’s version of a ceasefire is not a step toward peace. It’s a strategy to disarm Ukraine, forcing Kyiv into a vulnerable position while Russia regroups and prepares for future offensives. If Putin were truly interested in peace, he wouldn’t be launching new offensives in Kursk and Sumy, where Russian forces continue to push deeper into Ukraine. Instead, he’s leveraging the ceasefire process as a way to gain an advantage on the battlefield and at the negotiation table.

What’s even more alarming is the broader threat Putin poses to NATO. Russian officials, including longtime Kremlin insider Nikolai Patrushev, have started using the same rhetoric against NATO members—particularly Finland and the Baltic states—that they used to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Patrushev has even suggested that the Gulf of Finland has "historical ties" to Russia and warned that Finland is being used as a "springboard" for Western aggression. Sound familiar? These are the same false narratives Moscow used to claim that Ukraine was a security threat before launching its full-scale invasion.

Meanwhile, Russia is expanding its military presence in Belarus under the guise of "security cooperation." This isn’t just about Ukraine—it's about positioning Russian forces closer to NATO’s eastern flank. Putin is testing the West’s resolve, looking for cracks in NATO’s unity. If he senses weakness, he will push further. The time to take this threat seriously is now.

Putin has no interest in an honest ceasefire. His goal remains unchanged: to break Ukraine, force the West into submission, and reshape the security landscape of Europe to his advantage. The United States and its allies cannot fall for his deception. Strength and unity are the only things that will stop him. If NATO wavers, Putin’s next target won’t be just Ukraine—it could be one of our own.

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Is the U.S. Training Syria’s New Jihadist Army?

Very few media outlets are talking about this, but they should be — urgently.

While most of the world is distracted, U.S. troops are conducting live training exercises in Syria with the forces of the country’s new interim government, now led by Ahmed al-Sharaa — a man widely known as a former Al Qaeda affiliate.

Let that sink in.

Recent reports confirm that U.S. personnel at the Al-Tanf garrison have been training members of the so-called 70th Division, a unit formed from remnants of the Syrian Free Army, which now pledges loyalty to this new government. This comes right on the heels of a massacre of Druze civilians, allegedly carried out by those very same government-aligned forces.

Aiding the Next Generation of Jihadists?
This isn’t just a questionable policy — it could be morally catastrophic.

Druze communities, who have long sought neutrality in Syria’s civil war, were brutally attacked.

Christian populations in the region are living in fear, as radical factions become emboldened ...

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Debunked

Debunked: Following several accusations that Israel is causing famine in Gaza, COGAT has released drone footage of the hundreds of truckloads of supplies waiting to be delivered to Gaza by the UN. A statement accompanying the footage claims that 'There is enough food here to feed all of Gaza, if the UN ever came to pick it up.

00:00:39
Did Jewish Settlers Burn a Church?

See for yourself

00:02:32
Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce

My erstwhile field producer and cameraman Dennis Azato has accompanied me on ten years of adventures across the globe. Today he joins me in Ukraine and we spend some time remembering our many trips together.

Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce
The Hot Zone Hit 200k Subscribers!

We just passed 200000 subscribers on YouTube! If you've ever shared a video, left a comment, or prayed over this work, thank you. I don’t take it lightly. This channel exists to bring truth and to make the news better, and it is made possible by all of you. Thank you!

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Interview With Freed Israeli Hostage Mia Shem.

Lest we forget why Israel is fighting daily to bring their people home and protect against further atrocities, Mia Shem’s story is a sobering reminder of what’s at stake.

Chuck, I keep hearing that Israel and the US are preparing to put US troops on the ground along side the IDF in order to export the Palestinian population out of Gaza so Israel can rebuild the area.
What do you know about this? Do you see the same thing happening?
If not, why the US troop buildup in the area?

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Israel at a Crossroads: Conquer, Besiege, or Capitulate?

Hey folks, Chuck Holton here—coming to you one last time from this balcony in Jerusalem before I head to Tel Aviv and then on to the next frontlines. But before I leave, I want to break down some of the most critical developments from the past week in Gaza and beyond. And believe me, there's a lot to unpack.

Three Roads for Israel

Let’s talk strategy. An analysis in Israel Hayom outlines three main options Israel faces in Gaza:

  1. Conquer Gaza: Full military occupation, boots on the ground, control every inch. But that comes at a high cost—thousands of IDF troops deployed indefinitely.

  2. Besiege Gaza: Maintain pressure without full occupation. This could include arming anti-Hamas factions—like Abu Salai’s clan in Rafah—and continuing selective strikes.

  3. Status Quo: Keep doing what they’re doing—limited incursions, hostage negotiations, and intelligence gathering. But this risks being perceived as weak and prolonging the conflict indefinitely.

As I said on Newsmax, the idea of a ceasefire right now is fantasy. Hamas still believes it’s winning—happy to let their people starve if they can pin the blame on Israel. President Trump nailed it:

“You’re gonna have to fight. You’re gonna have to clean it up. You’re gonna have to get rid of them.”

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Feeding the Hungry—or Fueling the Narrative? What’s Really Stopping Aid in Gaza

Just inside the border fence between Israel and Gaza, 950 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid are parked in neat rows—each one carrying enough food to feed 5,000 people. That’s nearly 4.7 million meals sitting idle in the blistering sun, not because they can’t be delivered, but because the United Nations refuses to distribute them. The reason? Doing so would mean cooperating with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and apparently, political posturing takes priority over feeding the hungry.

 

I was there. I saw the trucks. I spoke with the IDF officers overseeing the process. The KM Shalom distribution yard is not a ghost town—it's an active, secure checkpoint where aid is being processed, inspected, and prepared for delivery. The Israeli military has opened the door for humanitarian efforts to operate safely. But the UN has effectively slammed it shut, choosing ideological purity over practical compassion.

The prevailing media narrative often accuses Israel of “blocking aid” into Gaza. But here’s the truth on the ground: Israel isn’t blocking humanitarian aid—Hamas is looting it, and the UN is refusing to cooperate to ensure it gets where it needs to go. In the absence of leadership from the world’s largest humanitarian body, smaller organizations have taken up the mantle.

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Why Are Thailand and Cambodia Suddenly at War?
What Americans Should Know


By Chuck Holton | July 25, 2025


What's Happening

Fighting has broken out along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, two countries in Southeast Asia. At least 14 people are dead, over 100,000 civilians have been displaced, and both sides are using heavy weapons — including jets, rockets, and artillery.

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