Markus Frohnmaier, deputy leader of Germany's AfD parliamentary group and named in a 2017 Russian strategy paper to a high-ranking Putin administration official as "a parliamentarian under our absolute control," will be an honored guest at the New York Young Republican Club gala on Friday evening, according to a Politico.eu article shared by @michaeldweiss on X between 4:16 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. UTC on December 10. @michaeldweiss stated the visit explains why AfD politicians are in the U.S. this week seeking political legitimacy, with the gala having called for a "new civic order" in Germany, per the Politico report. This follows Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) hosting Russian Ambassador Darchiev at her Capitol Hill Christmas reception earlier December 10, according to a Russian embassy statement shared by reporter Andrew Desiderio on X. Separately, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) reminded a Senate hearing underway between 4:16 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. UTC that Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal under the Budapest Memorandum for security guarantees, explaining consequences "if we allow Russia to swallow sovereign Ukrainian territory," per video shared by @ralakbar on X. Egypt and Iran complained to FIFA over a planned World Cup soccer match in Seattle celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride, NBC News reported in an article shared on X during the window. Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw stated Warner Bros. will announce next week it will proceed with Netflix's offer rather than Paramount's counteroffer, according to a post by @Pirat_Nation on X.
