Missile-stop tour: Zelensky in America

Ukraine Diplomacy and US Election Dynamics

• President Volodymyr Zelensky is in the US during the UN General Assembly to secure future support before the November US presidential election.
• The US election outcome will directly determine the volume of future military and financial aid to Ukraine, potentially influencing how the war concludes.
• Zelensky's current diplomatic goals remain "maximalist," including the restoration of full territorial integrity (including Crimea) and NATO membership guarantees.
• On the battlefield, Russia is gaining ground through attrition, making Ukraine's maximalist goals appear increasingly unrealistic.
• Zelensky is specifically requesting expanded rights for Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory and increased provision of Western weaponry.
• The political risk of a potential second Trump presidency concerns Kyiv, as his advisors (e.g., J.D. Vance) are pro-Russian, and he has promised to end the war quickly, likely on terms favorable to Moscow.
• Domestic political sentiment in Ukraine is shifting; Zelensky's popularity is declining, with generational divides in war support, rising soldier absenteeism, and rivals maneuvering for succession.

The "Peak Woke" Trend and Data Analysis

• The Economist concludes that the US has passed "peak woke," with the intensity of this worldview declining since peaking around 2021.
• "Wokeness" is defined in this analysis as a worldview assuming systemic racism is irredeemable, advocating for blunt positive discrimination, and categorizing individuals strictly as victims or oppressors.
• Quantitative data from The Economist shows a steep decline in the usage of the term "white privilege" in the New York Times, dropping from 2.5 instances per million words in 2020 to 0.4 in the most recent year.
• The rise of "peak woke" (2016–2021) is linked to the political shock of Donald Trump's election, which radicalized parts of the American left and led to corporate DEI initiatives and campus no-platforming.
• The subsequent decline correlates with the election of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party recognizing that extreme "woke" messaging (e.g., "defund the police") is electorally toxic.
• While the movement has retreated from excesses like arbitrary firings and censorship, experts caution against a total reversal where racial issues are no longer discussed.

EA Sports FC Rebranding and Gaming Market

• EA Sports officially rebranded its flagship football video game from "FIFA" to "EA Sports FC" in 2023 after licensing negotiations with the world governing body failed over costs.
• Despite losing the FIFA name, the franchise continues to generate over $3 billion in annual revenue, with profits growing by high teens in the first year post-rebrand.
• EA has mitigated the brand loss through a major marketing blitz, including a multi-year sponsorship of Spain's La Liga, which now matches EA's in-game graphic styles.
• The split allows EA to partner with non-FIFA sponsors (e.g., Nike, Pepsi) who were previously blocked by FIFA's existing contracts with Adidas and Coca-Cola.
• FIFA has announced plans to launch a rival video game, though rumors of partnerships with Take-Two or Konami have been downplayed or unconfirmed.
• EA Sports maintains a dominant market position due to "network effects" (users playing with friends on the same platform) and a vast, expensive web of exclusive licensing deals with individual players, clubs, and leagues.
• The upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America is expected to increase the value of the FIFA brand, but EA's existing player base and licensing infrastructure present a significant barrier to entry for competitors.