Putin’s Shocking Peace Deal 😲

PUTIN’S SHOCKING PEACE DEAL 😲 

Here’s the latest in the ongoing mess between Ukraine, Russia, and the West. Spoiler: it’s not exactly a win-win offer.

The setup

• Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy and a squad of European leaders are heading to Washington this week.

• They’ll sit down with Trump to talk “peace.”

• Meanwhile, details leaked about what Putin pitched Trump in Alaska.

Putin’s pitch

The Kremlin’s “deal” looks a lot like this.

“You give me the good stuff, and I’ll stop hitting you.”

• Ukraine would fully pull out of Donetsk and Luhansk, aka the Donbas. That region is stacked with coal and minerals.

• Russia keeps Crimea forever.

• Ukraine promises never to join NATO.

• In exchange, Putin freezes the current front lines in southern Ukraine and gives back about 170 square miles in the north. For scale, that’s like stealing your whole house and then giving back the garage.

Trump’s take

Trump posted on Truth Social that Zelenskyy could end the war “immediately” if he wanted, as long as NATO was off the table. He threw in some throwback commentary about Obama “giving away” Crimea in 2014.

Zelenskyy’s clapback

Zelenskyy said he wants real peace. Not the kind where you hand over land and Putin uses it as a launchpad for the next invasion. He pointed directly to what happened in 2014 with Crimea as the cautionary tale.

So now, we’ve got Zelenskyy, the EU, NATO, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Trump all piling into the White House this week to hash out what’s next.

TL;DR

• Putin wants Ukraine to give up the Donbas, recognize Crimea as Russian, and stay out of NATO.

• In return, Russia would freeze current battle lines and return a tiny slice of land.

• Trump says Zelenskyy could end the war fast if he agrees.

• Zelenskyy says no dice. He wants peace that actually lasts.

1. Bet on European Defense Spending
If Ukraine rejects Putin’s deal, Europe doubles down on defense. Germany, France, and the UK have already pledged bigger budgets. More demand = more contracts.
📌 Action: Accumulate shares in defense contractors with heavy NATO exposure like $RNMBY ( ▲ 2.55% ) , $BA ( ▼ 1.21% ) , or $NOC ( ▲ 0.23% ) . Hold through ongoing negotiations.

2. Energy Security = LNG Boom
If peace talks stall, Europe keeps scrambling to replace Russian gas. US LNG exporters are the go-to suppliers. Even if peace comes, Europe won’t run back to Gazprom anytime soon.
📌 Action: Add exposure to US LNG leaders like $LNG ( ▲ 0.34% ) or infrastructure ETFs like $AMLP ( ▼ 0.1% ) . Think medium-term positioning.

3. Critical Minerals Spotlight
Donbas is rich in coal and minerals. Any outcome that leaves Russia in control limits Ukraine’s access and boosts global demand elsewhere. The West will look for alternative supply chains.
📌 Action: Accumulate miners tied to rare earths and battery metals like $MP ( ▼ 4.12% ) or broad ETFs like $LIT ( ▲ 0.57% ) .

AI’S HOT LIST JUST GOT FLIPPED 🔥 

Wedbush’s analysts just did some spring cleaning on their IVES AI 30 list. Think of it as their “most likely to succeed in AI” yearbook. Some names got crowned prom king. Others got kicked out of the dance.

Here’s the play:

The New Kids on the Block

• CrowdStrike $CRWD ( ▼ 0.66% )  : Already the cybersecurity champ, but now it’s stacking wins with Charlotte AI and more data protection add-ons. Translation: they’re selling new stuff faster than you can delete a phishing email.

• Roblox $RBLX ( ▲ 3.03% ): It is not just where kids make blocky avatars. Roblox is pumping AI into discovery and throwing devs enough incentives to keep them coding for pennies. Monetization is trending up.

• GE Vernova $GEV ( ▲ 0.45% ): Running AI takes juice. Vernova is all about electrification and keeping data centers lit. Literally.

• Nebius $NBIS ( ▲ 0.64% ): Demand for its AI infrastructure is so high it looks like Black Friday at Best Buy. Supply is struggling to keep up.

The Fallen Four

• C3.ai $AI ( ▲ 2.19% ): CEO steps down, sales reorg, and a rough outlook. Not dead, but not on the list anymore.

• CyberArk $CYBR ( ▼ 0.77% ): Got scooped up by Palo Alto Networks in a $25B deal. Palo Alto stays on the list. CyberArk exits stage left.

• Adobe $ADBE ( ▲ 0.47% ): Analysts see AI disruption slowing its growth. Free cash flow runway looks shorter than expected.

• Elastic $ESTC ( ▲ 1.42% ): Still solid, but growth in the public sector is lagging. Others are simply running faster.

Quick Refresher

The IVES AI 30 is a curated squad of 30 companies that analysts led by Daniel Ives believe will shape the AI story for years. It was first announced back in May, and last month Wedbush even launched an ETF to let investors play the whole basket.

TL;DR

Wedbush swapped four names on its IVES AI 30 list. CrowdStrike, Roblox, GE Vernova, and Nebius are in. C3.ai, CyberArk, Adobe, and Elastic are out. Analysts think the fresh picks are better positioned to ride the AI boom.

1. Ride the Cybersecurity AI Wave
CrowdStrike just got the nod from Wedbush for its AI-powered Charlotte platform and growing add-ons. Cybersecurity + AI is one of the hottest combos in tech right now.
📌 Action: Build a starter position in $CRWD ( ▼ 0.66% ) and scale in on dips. Look for growth in AI-driven products to keep the stock moving higher.

2. Bet on Roblox’s AI Monetization Push
Roblox is using AI to boost discovery and improve monetization, while keeping its dev army loyal with incentives. That could mean steady revenue growth as the platform matures.
📌 Action: Accumulate shares of $RBLX ( ▲ 3.03% ) as a long-term growth play. Monitor quarterly updates for signs of improving monetization per user.

3. Power Up With Data Center Infrastructure
GE Vernova and Nebius are both tied to the real-world backbone of AI: energy and infrastructure. AI needs power and servers before it needs algorithms.
📌 Action: Take exposure through $GEV ( ▲ 0.45% ) for electrification and $NBIS ( ▲ 0.64% ) for data center growth. Both can benefit as AI demand strains existing capacity.

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