On the third anniversary of invasion, Trump says he’s talking to Moscow about an economic development deal.
U.S. Votes Against U.N. Resolution Condemning Russia for Ukraine War
Earlier today I told a friend that Ukraine better sign a deal on mineral rights or Trump would work out a deal with Russia. And here we are.
The Wall Street Journal reports U.S. Votes Against U.N. Resolution Condemning Russia for Ukraine War
The U.S. on Monday sided with Russia, Belarus and North Korea against a United Nations resolution condemning Moscow for the war in Ukraine, a major shift as President Trump said he was in talks with Russia about an economic-development deal.
The Biden administration took pride in leading Western powers in an alliance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, marshaling a far-reaching effort to punish Moscow through economic sanctions. Then-President Joe Biden emerged as a leading critic of Putin on the world stage and framed the conflict as one of democracy versus autocracy.
But Trump has positioned himself as a dealmaker willing to negotiate directly with Russia’s leader to end the war, and he suggested on Monday that he is willing to revive economic relations with Russia, potentially unraveling the Biden administration’s efforts. He has also stressed that American taxpayers will benefit from his negotiations via access to mineral deposits.
Following a meeting at the White House on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said that his administration is “making a decisive break” with Biden’s approach and is on the verge of inking an agreement with Ukraine that would provide the U.S. with access to that country’s natural resources. Key to the deal, Trump said, is that U.S. taxpayers can “recoup” some of the billions spent defending the Eastern European nation.
Macron, standing next to Trump at a news conference in the East Room of the White House, emphasized that any accord to end the war should include an expansive security guarantee for Ukraine and that he envisions peacekeepers on the ground to enforce it. He also suggested that Trump had agreed that the U.S. would play some unspecified role in supporting a peacekeeping mission.
Earlier on Monday, Washington’s attempt to kill off a Ukrainian resolution blaming Russia for the war failed with the U.N.’s General Assembly, a body that represents all 193 U.N. member states, approving the resolution. The U.S. ended up abstaining on its own competing resolution after the brief text, which focused purely on calls to end the conflict, was amended by the Europeans to clearly support Ukraine.
A separate vote was expected at the U.N. Security Council later Monday that the U.S. appeared ready to push through regardless of European opposition. The U.S. needs nine out of 15 Security Council votes for its resolution to pass. France and Britain, which supported Ukraine’s resolution at the General Assembly, have veto powers to block the U.S. text if they chose to.
Trump declined to answer a reporter’s question about why the U.S. didn’t endorse the resolution that blamed Russia for the war. “I would rather not explain it now, but it’s sort of self-evident, I would think,” he said in the Oval Office on Monday. U.S. officials have said the priority now is to craft a peace deal and its resolution was aimed at that goal, not to past events.
A deal giving the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral deposits could provide a new incentive for the Trump administration to help the country. “I call it an economic security guarantee,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday on Fox News. He added that more investment through U.S. companies in Ukraine means that the U.S. will have more interest in Ukraine’s future.
Trump said he had asked Putin about the idea for European troops to serve as peacekeepers, and Putin had agreed.
Origin of the War
“I would rather not explain it now, but it’s sort of self-evident, I would think,” said Trump.
I agree.
What’s the Real Background Story Behind Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine?
On February 24, 2022, I discussed The Real Background Story Behind Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.
What Happened in Ukraine?
The mess today in Ukraine has its roots in the 2014 when democratically elected Ukrainian President Yanukovych was toppled in a US-backed coup.
Q: Why did the US want to get rid of Yanukovych?
A: Because he was against Ukraine joining NATO.
McCain dined with Svoboda Party leader Oleg Tyagnibok. The Svoboda Party is a group of neo-Nazis.
The citizens of Ukraine were used as pawns in yet another US mission that backfired.
Well who cares about Neo-Nazis as long as they want Ukraine in NATO.
And that’s the rest of the story US media will not discuss.
This no way absolves Putin, but US meddling backfires again, and again, and again.
US Meddling
US meddling made a mess in Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Israel, and damn near every place we have meddled.
The way to stop meddling is to impose a severe penalty of those who support such actions. Guess what. Meddling would stop instantaneously.
We cannot afford these idiotic wars and history suggests we should not try even if we could afford them. We wasted trillions upon trillions of dollars and all we have done is make more enemies.
UK Meddling
Three weeks into the war, Turkey mediated an agreement that had (a) Russian withdrawal, (b) Ukraine remains neutral (c) the Eastern provinces becoming semiautonomous but Crimea remains in Russia.
The war would have been over.
The West pressured Ukraine not to accept those terms and to fight to the last Ukrainian. Boris Johnson delivered the big message in person to Zelensky.
Hundreds of billions of dollars damage later, and tens of thousands of lives lost, Ukraine will get a much worse deal.
Ukraine Already Lost the War But the EU Hasn’t Figured That Out
Earlier today I posted Ukraine Already Lost the War But the EU Hasn’t Figured That Out
A negotiated settlement, land for peace is what I said in 2022. Terms now include mineral rights.
The Goal and a Mission
Like it or not, we now have a goal and a mission. They are one and the same, end the war. The war will end as I repeatedly stated since 2022, a negotiated settlement.
You can agree or disagree with Trump’s approach or the appeasement of Putin. But you cannot change the facts.
The longer Zelensky holds out the more territory Ukraine will lose.
The EU said it is willing to commit troops, I said no. My no was in reference to before there was a deal.
Take away threats, and yeah, the EU will gladly do the minimum to take credit for helping.
Meanwhile, Zelensky is holding out for the impossible, NATO membership.
The EU has no say in a deal and the longer Zelensky holds out, the more territory Ukraine will lose.
Come on Mish! Did the U.S. “meddle” in Ukraine in 2013-14? Probably! Was Russia “meddling” in Ukraine before and up to 2013? Absolutely! Did the majority of Ukrainian people support Ukraine seeking NATO membership? Absolutely!
Let’s get something straight—the U.S. is the preeminent champion of democracy in the world. After the end of WWII, we have always “meddled” on behalf of people in authoritarian-ruled nations who desire freedom or people in democracies where that democracy is being undermined. This is what we do; we see it as our destiny as the world’s first successful democracy and wealthiest and most powerful nation.
Democracy? Surely you jest. Plutocracy is more apt. The only choice is which set of plutocrats actually will optimize utility for those of us who are american citizens vs. illegals and world citizens.
The hilarious thing is that this creates an incentive for Trump to allow Russia to grab even more Ukrainian territory since most of the interesting stuff, be it mines or factories, is in the East (Western Ukraine is more agrarian but the US: itself an agricultural superpower, does not need any of that)..
Trump has aligned us with a bloody dictator and now we’re hated around the world. The EU will pivot away from the US as they see us an undependable thieves, stealing resources from their back yard and leaving them to be carved apart by Russia. Next up: economic collapse and international isolation. Great job!
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Or, don’t try to confuse me with the facts.
You sound like someone who doesn’t pay taxes. Maybe 300 billion in the toilet is small change?
News Flash. We’ve been hated around the world for decades for various reasons some valid others not. The EU will pivot away from the US? And turn to who? Why should we even care about trying to please Europe? The EU is a dysfunctional wannabe superstate. Oh and btw I am a first generation European American.
LOOK WTH TRUMP IS DOING:
“08:24PM
Trump teases ‘economic development’ deal with Russia
Trump suggests tariffs on Canada, Mexico are ‘on time’
So he kowtows and bends over for LONGSTANDING TOXIC MEDDLER Russia. While putting bIg tariffs on our LONGSTANDING FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!
DISGUSTING AND CRAZY.
You forgot about the tariffs on Russia. Or maybe it doesn’t fit your argument.
FIRST (EXCUSE FOR A) PRESIDENT TO CEDE THE MORAL HIGHGROUND OF LEADING DEMAICRACY FOR THE WORLD SINCE WWII.
Ever visit the ape house in Crawford, Texas?
You might want to learn history – the U.S. lost the moral high ground a long time ago. If you don’t feel like burdening yourself, at least drop the slogan and acknowledge the immoral acts from this century.
Trump is Putin’s Manchurian Candidate come to life.
The only solace is that Trump has at most 4 years to support Russia, then the next administration can return to treating Putin (or whomever is in charge) like the dictator run country that Russia is.
Then again, with Trump putting his loyalists in at the head of the military, one might wonder if he is planning for implementing martial law in the future and will expect his loyal military to support him?
Zelensky canceled the elections. “Democracy and freedom.”🙄
Stop being a fool and an idiot. HOW do you hold elections when 1/3 of the population is scattered around the world in numerous countries and there is no real accurate count of who is fighting where or who is dead or alive?
Please don’t post any longer. You fail the minimum IQ requirements to do so.
Go ahead and save the Russians from the Russians. You don’t know anything about it—surely have never heard of the Minsk Accords—and are just regurgitating late-night comedy talking points. Blah blah blah, fuck you.
The pot calling the kettle black.
Slurp slurp. Are you the hybrid Offspring of John McCain Dick the devil Cheney
I hope Trump can continue to rein in Netanyahu and company as well.
I shudder to think what would have happened in Ukraine had Kamela Harris won the election.
“I hope Trump can continue to rein in Netanyahu and company as well.”
—-
Yes, I like how Trump is holding Netanyahu back! [lol]
What would have likely happened is that Russia’s economy would have continued to sink, inflation would run rampant in Russia, Putin’s war would have continued to decimate an entire generation of young Russian men, and Putin would have likely ended up overthrown.
If Trump wants rare earth minerals he should make deals with Brazil, India and Australia.
https://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/critical-metals-investing/rare-earth-investing/rare-earth-reserves-country/
I agree.
I’m uncomfortable with the US taking this beleaguered country’s resources.
Depends on how much the US “takes” and how much Ukraine benefits such as employment at fair wages for Ukrainian citizens in mining those resources.
Those countries would be stupid to make deals with a has been country. Rather, they already find a huge market for their wares in China, a much more reliable trade partner which places no political conditions.
Mish, I am in 100% agreement with the meddling. We have meddled ourselves into debt levels that will never be paid.
The debt will be paid back one way or another. Either we pay the debt back (in which case we directly pay), we inflate the debt away ( in which case we indirectly pay), or we repudiate the debt (direct payment from the debt holders and from higher future.borrowing costs).
yeah, I see Trump lowering the deficits compared to Birdbrain Biden’s deficits and the debt becomes smaller relative to GDP, and debt service or payment shrinks as a percentage of tax receipts
but I agree as even 2.5% annual inflation reduces the value of the debt by 2.5% each year , so inflate-out-of-a-debt-crisis is another strategy
when do I get that $5000 check?
No, only Wall St. gets checks, peasant!
Since Russia and North Korea are now are main allies (see UN vote), Trump’s foreign policy makes sense. Soon Putin will have an office in the West Wing.
This is blasphemy to destroy OBVIOUS FOREIGN POLICY TRUTH WORSE THAN ANY OTHER INCIDENT/SITUATION SINCE WW2.
Trump is a chronic liar with unending lies and ZERO PERSONAL INTEGRITY.
Idiot^
What part of ” the West/NATO has been defeated” don’t you understand?
Trump is always two steps ahead of everyone and three steps ahead of the MSM.
Slurp, slurp…
Herr Stormer was crowing about his HIV test a couple of weeks ago. Not kidding.
Will Trump have Candace Owens tag along to Europe for more genealogical research?
Always follow the money.
I’d expect Trump and Putin to work out a deal that ultimately frees up all the Russian assets that were frozen by the West. Putin agrees to use those asset to rebuild the Eastern part of Ukraine (the part Russia is now annexing) using US companies and technology in and along with the US getting first access (or rather first dibs) on buying those rare earth raw materials.
It’s a win-win for Russia (annexed territory, peace, their assets back, back in US good graces, rebuilt Eastern territory) and the US (US companies/technology to do the work, no more funding the war, US access to strategic raw materials).
Europe will be left holding the bag of rebuilding Western Ukraine, providing peace keeping forces and dealing with the long term affects of several million Ukrainian refugees who may or may not want to return home.
A very plausible scenario.
Capitalism makes friends. Nice post, it sounds like both sides benefit.
Nah, Russia supplies the US with ⅓ of their nuclear fuel and 1/6 of their fertilizers. Without Russia, lights go out and stomach goes empty in the US.
The UN resolution also called for Russia to relinquish all “Ukrainian” territory. Which is ridiculous.
Why is that ridiculous? Because Russia annexed the territory fair and square? [lol]
It is ridiculous because Russia will launch nuclear weapons before it allows Sevastopol in Crimea to become a NATO naval base.
Your reply about what is ridiculous is itself ridiculous!
I think even Zelensky has written off Crimea, and maybe Donbas since Donbas is heavily Russian ethnic and Russian speaking.
It will be interesting to see if Putin pulls out of the other eastern Ukraine regions which are not as pro-Kremlin as Donbas.