Trump pressured Zelensky back to the table by withholding aid, restored today. Now what?
Now It’s Russia’s Turn
The Wall Street Journal reports U.S. to Restore Military Support to Ukraine After It Agrees to Cease-Fire
The Trump administration said it would immediately lift a pause on intelligence sharing and military support to Ukraine, as Kyiv agreed to implement a 30-day cease-fire in top level talks with U.S. officials.
The plan, which is contingent on Russian acceptance, was outlined in a statement issued by Ukraine and the U.S.
“Today we made an offer which the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a cease-fire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that’s enduring and sustainable and accounts for their interests, their security, their ability to prosper as a nation,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“We will take this offer now to the Russians and we hope that they’ll say ‘yes,’ that they’ll say ‘yes’ to peace. The ball is now in their court,” he added.
Far from signaling flexibility, Russia has doubled down on its key demands. Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected a British and French proposal to deploy peacekeeping troops to ensure that a future peace agreement isn’t violated by Russia—a European proposal that Trump has welcomed.
Russia has also continued its military offensive in Kursk aimed at depriving Kyiv of a potential bargaining chip in any negotiations by pushing Ukrainian forces out of the Russian province.
EU Cut Out
This meeting was in Saudi Arabia. The EU played no role, and won’t in these negotiations.
Involving Saudi Arabia rather than the EU was more symbolic than influential. Saudi won’t play a role in this.
Flashback, February 16, 2025: Why is Trump Leading the Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Without the EU?
Because 1) no one else has a plan, 2) Trump’s plan is likely to work, 3) the EU would screw it up.
The EU is all about virtue signaling and little more. The EU would be an impediment to a deal, demanding the US provide security for Ukraine.
Why would Trump want to put up with that?
Trump Goads Germany Into a Budget-Breaking Increase in Defense Spending
On March 5, I commented Trump Goads Germany Into a Budget-Breaking Increase in Defense Spending
Chalk up a likely victory for Trump on German defense spending.
However, this is just a proposal. It takes two-thirds of the German parliament to agree. Moreover, the incoming government is highly unlikely to agree.
AfD and the far left have a blocking minority.
But there is a small window of opportunity to recall the outgoing parliament to get this done.
What About France?
Unlike Germany, France and Italy are under EU debt and deficit proceedings.
That makes it harder for France and Italy to boost defense spending.
To understand how France differs from Germany, please consider The Political Crisis in France Is About to Get Much Worse
The entire eurozone is in shambles, and Trump’s demands [on 5 percent defense spending and trade policy] will accelerate the crisis. One seriously must wonder if that is his real goal.
Expect a Deal
On March 9, I commented Expect a Revival of the Trump’s Peace Deal Between Russia and Ukraine
There’s no official word but I remain optimistic for a deal.
Moments ago, President Trump says Ukrainian President Zelensky invited back to White House.
The key takeaway is Trump is making progress on a peace deal, but the EU isn’t and won’t.
Putin has made clear his requirements:
1) Annexation of at least the Russian speaking part of Eastern Ukraine
2) No NATO for the remainder of Ukraine.
3) Guarantees of no “peacekeepers.” My assumption is that means no large American presence in what is left of Ukraine.
4) Fair elections resumption in Ukraine.
Russia has won the war. So they dictate the terms. The trick will be for Putin to mollify Trump and make him appear to be the peacemaker.
all this happy talk ignores the fact that Russia gets a vote here. Russia, as even Ukraine fanbois are finally admitting, is winning. historical observation: the winning side in a war has no interest is a cease fire. why would Russia give Ukraine time to rest, rearm and resupply?
Why do Mexican cartels have weapons the USA sent to Ukraine, and why is Mrs. Zelenski driving around in a Bugatti? Why have elections in Ukraine been cancelled, political opponents been imprisoned, free speech halted and Christians been persecuted? Why did NATO encroach eastward? Why did Zelenski already once not agree to peace talks and act like a jack-butt recently in the White House? Just wondering.
Do we really believe is making peace happening? Wasn’t it supposed to happen in a day? The Russians seem to think differently. Of course, it is easy to make progress on peace by conceding to the will of the aggressor.
What happened to Trump’s idea/blurt of all of the super powers cutting their defense spending by 50%.
Well this is good news and a surprise to me – I thought this was a setup for Zelensky. However, Rubio and Waltz’s press conf seemed to have two audiences:
On the latter I wonder if Rubio has gone out on a limb and not applied the pressure on Zelensky that Trump wanted.
You can imagine the call from Trump to Putin. “Vlad I’m sorry, I can fix this”.
Rubio comes across as being pretty competent. It wouldn’t do his future ambitions any harm if he acted as a moral balance to Trump even if that means getting sacked.
I think Rubio will always be a wannbe President. He doesn’t have the right stuff to hold high office. Besides, he is too small physically.
Headline from Drudge, “Russia launches air attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv hours after Ukraine says it is ready to accept ceasefire”
This gonna work biggly.
Drudge is sludge.
A modern day ‘muckraker’.
Under Trump, without photo ops, a peace deal was sign between the Kurds near the Turkish border, the Druze in southern Syria and the new Syrian president al Sharaa. Syria became a federal state. The Kurds and the Druze have a full autonomy to manage their their own affairs, if it hold. The butcher who rule Syria with an iron fist – under Iran and Putin – is gone. The Israelis are stunned: al Sharaa looks like Theodor Herzl. Centrifugal forces didn’t break Syria apart. The IDF tightened its grip on the strategic mount Hermon summit, 10,000ft, 20 miles from Damascus, high above Lebanon, to keep Erdogan away.
I don’t see why Russia would agree to a ceasefire. The US is not going to provide weapons to Ukraine regardless of whether Russia stops shooting or not. Russia is winning and has zero reasons to stop until they’ve finally installed a puppet regime in Kyiv, and turned Ukraine into a vassal state. I don’t know why Trump is even bothering with peace talks that are certain to fail. It just makes the US look weak. Just pull out and let Ukraine and Russia work it out on their own.
yeah that worked so well so far, that’s why Trump is mediating a peace deal, before it becomes a nuclear war.
The only reasons Russia would agree to a ceasefire is if Ukraine were de facto surrendering, which is not yet in the cards, or Trump starts shipping a quantity of weapons far beyond anything the US has yet done, that actually make it to the front line. Baring those two things there is absolutely no incentive for Russia to agree to a ceasefire. Trump is about to look like a chump when no ceasefire takes effect, showing for all the world how little influence America really has.
?? What’s in it for Russia??
Not getting their arse kicked by the USA.
I hate to say it out loud but the only ass the USA has kicked since WW2 is Granada and Panama.
All other conflicts we’ve stepped into were just stupid.
Grendada and panama were stupid as well. we didn’t need to bring democracy to Grenada or Panama. Neither was a war, both were political actions taken with military forces.
Please give some serious scenario.
The air is closed by the best AD in the world.
The US and collective West are out of any large-scale materiel or ordinance, it will take years to replenish.
The US does not have any battle-hardened combat troops.
The marines have no tanks.
How will any large scale deployment of troops even take place, without being sunk or blown out of the sky en route?
Are you advocating nuclear armageddon?
You do know Russia is way ahead in terms of delivery vehicle technology?
The Russians don’t have any trained troops at all. Their soldiers are regularly shanghaied from bars and prisons.
Ukraine being a neutral country (without NATO missiles aimed at Russia), Russian speaking eastern provinces free of neo-Nazi abuse, and their naval base on Crimea secure…with all these goals achieved, I think Russia will be happy to make peace.
Except that isn’t what is being proposed. The exact opposite in fact.
what’s it like being in the negotiating room? is it exciting? do you get spanked for leaking details on mishtalk?
If Zelenski is at the negotiating table, I fear there will be no peace. He has to resign and move to Italy.
With so many deaths in this war, I fear Russia is in no mood for peace keeping forces. No matter their origin.
The only solution is an unconditional surrender by Ukraine and a new, approved by Russia, Ukrainianian leader put into place.
Oh yes, and NO NATO for Ukraine ever.
The above should surprise no one. These are the same demands Russia had before the 2022 war started.
No idea where the money to rebuild Ukrain will come from.
Could a joint Russian/US rebuild of Ukrain be the best road to peace? Probably. but where is the money going to come from?
Russia created the damages, therefore, Russia must pay to rebuild Ukraine.
HaHaHa
Why would they do that?
Great news!!
Boy that didn’t take long. Z sends Trump a private apology and Bam! It’s time to surrender.
Firing half the Dept of Edu staff, a second ceasefire, Ford’s rolled back energy threats, imported iron and bauxite ore from Australia are good news.
ok, so we can safely say this is Trump loss, another one today.
Just few days ago it was clearly stated that USA will not talk to Ukraine before mineral right deal is signed. Zelenky escorted out of WH for offending Trump.
Now seems mineral deal is not even mentioned anywhere and USA already resuming military support.
Anybody surprised her,MAGA crowd was so cheerful expecting those billions to flow.
Definitely not surprising to me, as I mentioned in one of previous comments, Trump likes to play all toys and he will continue playing Ukraine for sure.
Lets see how Putin will responds to that cease fire proposal. Mish seems so sure it is done deal now……….
Neither Trump nor Zelensky will be at the meetings that matter in announced confab.
Trump didn’t require a mineral deal that is purely hypothetical anyway, for continued support in the Ukrainian conflict. He stopped providing support for Zelensky until Z stopped bad mouthing America for failing to support his so called peace plan, Z stopped as requested and support is resuming.
Z’s plan involves defeating Russia with direct military support from America and America providing guarantees to forever directly fight the Russians if it looks like they might come back after he defeats them in battle. (with massive increased American support including troops)
The mineral deal which might be extended to include the Russian mineral assets in the region is an alternative to Zelensky’s Victory plan. In the unlikely event that it is accepted, it might actually bring peace unlike Z’s plan which involves increased war. America might even make a few bucks. Otherwise, why should America give a damn about what the Europeans get up to in their part of the world.
It should be obvious to the world Trump and Musk are mentally unstable.
MAGA are AINO (American in name only) will destroy America politically, morally and financially.
Ummm… I believe it’s zelensky’s “L”.
He’s the one who refused the original Peace Deal at the beginning of the war, at Boris Johnson’s advice.
He’s the guy who offered up a million dead young Ukrainian men at the altar of death.
Ceasefires, that’s how they work. If both sides agree to the first one ceasefires #2 might come. The next ones might come with varying intervals and importance until the war gets a cardiac arrest.
I’m not trolling for Putin ( he shouldn’t never touch Ukraine-a cesspool of corruption), but at this stage in war why Putin would agree for one month partial ceasefire just to give NATO time to ample re arm Ukraine?
Why would Russia give Zelinsky an opportunity to rearm, rest, resupply and regroup – especially given Washington just said the US arms and intel pipeline is back on?
Because Russian economy is in dire straits. North Korean fighters are going AWOL to Ukraine.
Bizzare reality
the North Koreans have been key to the rapid advance of the Russians in Kursk.
Their cavalry charge on camo unicorns caught Ukr totally by surprise.
Russia’s economy looks like a champ compared to ours..
Your mother dropped you on your head repeatedly when you were young, yes?
Russia’s current interest rate is 21%. The USA is 4.5%. [lol]
Whatever.
Mr Zelensky has agreed to what he walked out on not so long ago.
Schumer trolling for neocons was hot air and EU hot air does not make for a winning hand.
Rubio has some ace up his sleeve or they would not have forced Ukraine to get on board. Bear in mind US negotiated with Russia directly before Zelensky was brought in.
The Europeans are useless. Sidelining them is the right move. Let’s see what Putin’s appetite is for ending this.
With all this good news, $Melania meme coin just had its best day since release.
It declined at the lowest rate ever, down just 1 cent today.
Trump is true MAGA.
After Ukraine war is peaceful he will leave NATO or something like that. Europeans feel it and are scared. And and tariff is coming against Europe. You Europeans have to choose your economy or your defence expenditure.
He will sacrifice Taiwan as well after Ukraine, I think.
He will close most of the foreign military bases.
And he will concentrate on USD and economy.
Trump won’t walk away from Taiwan before all the semiconductor fabs are moved to the usa..
In the end Trump will destroy the USA unless he is stopped naturally or otherwise. Dictators always have an ending and it’s usually not pretty, just look at history….everytime since ancient Rome.
so a lawfully elected and certified, sworn in president is a dictator, because he has an “R” next to his name on the ballot?
what a peculiar illusion you are living in…
Given the reported details, I predict the revival and implementation of Vlad’s peace deal; Ukraine’s unconditional surrender. Cest la vie, but I wish ’em all well. .
Is this Trumps motivation for his apparent desire to destroy the Canadian economy not to mention the never ending “51st” State talk?
https://malcolmnance.substack.com/p/urgent-warning-trump-is-planning
That article seems a bit over the top. Written by a member of the IC with little to no real understanding of the Ukraine War too, which is a CIA/MI6/NATO operation
Frankly if Alberta and Saskatchewan and maybe some of the other provinces want to join the US, we should have them. We can leave Ontario and Quebec to “His Majesty” “King” Charles the Simpleton. They are populated by leftists we would not want anyway
I very much doubt we are going to instigate an actual armed takeover of all of Canada.
Akin to a boxer getting his brains bashed in asking for a “time out”.
Russia will have none of this nonsense.
Absolutely delusional.
Would not be surprised at all to see Trump then use their “nyet” as a justification to escalate.
This could get ugly very fast.
Russia is on the ropes now economically and manpower wise, which is why they have to import North Koreans to fight, buy weapons from NK, China and Iran and steal chips from washing machines to try and keep their weapons working.
There is plenty of video of Russia sending men to the battle front on crutches, still bandaged from prior injuries. Russia is desperate for manpower.
All Trump has to do is continue to fund Ukraine and wait out Russia’s ultimate demise and Putin’s fall. Then Trump can tell the world “If only Putin had listened to me!”.
You forgot that Russians are fighting with shovels and the Ghost of Kiev is shooting down Russian planes.
https://www.logicallyfacts.com/storage/img/pages/19aa69a9-ca0d-4b4a-b149-b015dbfe2c64_background.webp
Yes, the Moscow slave state cannot survive. Putin had the resources for a three day war that promises to go well over three years. His money and manpower have run out. Ukraine refinery attacks and oil embargo are trapping his oil in the ground. When the wells are capped as they must the wells freeze shut forever. Russia has no resources to drill new wells. Moscow lacks the demographics to continue as a Slavic people or threaten the slaves. The slave Subject States of the Russian Federation will declare independence. Every Oblast will rule itself and form alliances with neighbors, Finns, Swedes, Ukrainians, Turks, Chinese, North Koreans, Baltics, Poles.
Russia hasn’t even mobilized yet.
Last month they hit 107% of their recruitment goals.
Expect there to be line ups to join after the Sudzha caper.
The Russian military has grown by an order of magnitude.
You are enthralled by propaganda, with your washing machines and phantom Koreans.
Why do you think Europe would sanction importing chips and micro-electronics from Russia?
Still busking for Putin I see. [rotflol]
Moscow police get a $500 reward for “recruiting” one hapless man. Police raid Moscow night clubs and drag out all the young men. Thus your quota is filled. Moscow women complain about the lack of men. The price of Russian brides is down to a nickel a pound.
Z saying I can’t breath. After a rest, he can jump up and take on whoever. (or so he and his supporters believe)
Time to make hundreds of thousands of drone weapons. It’s a new war Russia wasn’t ready to fight.
Ukraine can manufacture 2 million drones this year.
The best possible outcome for the Ukraine at this point would be that they withdraw from Zaporozhye, Kherson, Lugansk, Donetsk and Kursk, remove all personnel from NATO countries from Ukraine territory and swear off ever trying to join NATO. If they (meaning NOT Zelensky) agreed to that, they might get peace soon. If not, the war will continue, and their best-case outcome will get progressively worse.
You should apply to join the negotiating team!
There’s no point. Ukraine is the Black Knight.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UijhbHvxWrA&pp=ygUXSG9seSBncmFpbCBibGFjayBrbmlnaHQ%3D
No ukraine is the black hole, where the west dollars go to disappear forever.
What was the post of any of this? Assuming Trump doesn’t change his mind tomorrow, we’re right back to where we were when Trump took office. Can he do anything right?
apparently not in your book.. if he walked on water, headlines would be Trump pollutes lake with dirty feet.
I believe your bias shines through quite brightly.
When he took office a month ago. I can assure you things are unbelievably different from then. This article couldn’t have been written six months ago. No could even imagine what it was talking about.
no
There won’t be any acceptance from Russia, because they are not stupid. This is an illusory promise, and as others have pointed out there is no bargaining overlap between the two sides (Russia and Ukraine.)
Russia will want Ukraine to withdraw from all four of the Oblasts that were taken (or partially occupied) by the Russians, plus give up any claim on Crimea. Then there must be no NATO ever. Zelensky would need to resign as he is not a legitimate figure in Russia’s eyes. New elections would need to happen.
Obviously, that is all a non-starter for Zelensky. He is just trying to buy some time to re-arm now that he lost his last bargaining chip due to the heroic Russia pipeline mission. Kursk is nearly 100% liberated.
No ceasefire is coming until maybe the Summertime.
You meant a non-starter for UKRAINE, yes? Zelensky isn’t a dictator like Putin. Unlike putin, Zelensky doesn’t get to decide the future of Ukraine on his own.
He has sentenced thousands to death with his “fight to the death”, “no retreat, no surrender “ orders. He thinks he’s a great commander because he played one on TV. Russia has retreated when it made sense because they value their troops. Zelensky cares not at all about some Slav Christians who he pretends are his countrymen.
zelensky is as suited for his job as Joe Biden was after campaigning from his basement. Zelensky will pardon himself as he leaves office and moves to Israel for his retirement.
The intelligence resources can be flipped like a light switch, and leave zelensky in the dark. He now knows Trump isn’t bluffing. He turned them off once, he can do it again.
That’s a mighty big carrot and stick for zelensky to mull over in his jackass brain. Fortunately even a donkey understands a carrot and a stick.
I foresee Zelensky being highly motivated suddenly.
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected a British and French proposal to deploy peacekeeping troops”
I agree with Lavrov – they are war mongers, trouble makers.
Are there any other peacekeeping troops in the world?
Such as UN Peace Keeping Troops.
I want this war to end, which means addressing the causes of it to begin with.
Ukraine agreeing to a ceasefire really misses the point. Russia began this special military operation ONLY after no agreement could be reached and Ukraine continue to escalate against Russian speaking people in Ukraine.
For that reason I hope Russia does not agree to a ceasefire, as it is well known that a ceasefire only results in providing more time for the depleted and retreating Ukrainian forces to regroup to fight again.
Russia should not tolerate that again–as they did previously only to be lied to.
Get Western and NATO meddling out of Ukraine, and you’ll get the Russian military out of Ukraine. Its always been that basic—but warmongers insisted on war (with someone else doing the dying of course)
Ukraine’s losses of young and middle aged men means they will be unable to fight. This was a stupid war fought for stupid reasons.
and lots of stupid money from Joe Biden et al. Proxy war for an alzheimer patient, how will the history books explain that faux pas?
After all of Trump’s contradictory and basically schizophrenic messaging about the NATO – Russia war in Ukraine we have finally arrived at the litmus test which, when the Russians will repeat to the American clowns (*for the umpteenth time*) “NO TO ANY CEASEFIRE WHILE NEGOTIATING, NO TO OTHER MINSK AND ISTANBUL CONS”, will tell us what Trump’s real plan is or rather if he has one or he is just an idiot who has understood nothing.
He is likely only about 100x better than the Biden admin here. He kept Putin in check, the only 21st century president to do so. I believe he is mixing carrot and stick pretty well. We shall see. One thing for sure, if he brokers this peace deal and it works out … nobody who trashed him will admit that they were wrong.
The point I have long been trying to make is that at this point the US (let alone the rest of NATO) has no stick, only carrots.
This has been my consistent opinion:
The Anglo-Euro-NATO war to Russia in Ukraine is coming to its natural end: capitulation of the extremist and illegitimate regime put in power by the Americans in 2014.
My wife, who is from the Donbas where we also have an apartment in one of its major cities, has a bottle of spumante ready.
The US-Russia negotiations will be around the new security architecture (basically a new Yalta) asked for by Putin for the last time at the end of 2021, in the face of ever growing NATO expansion and Anglo-American “color revolutions” and destabilizing terrorist activities.
The US-Russia negotiations will not be about Ukraine, Trump is clearly positioning himself to be able to drop Ukraine like the used condom that it is and walk away nominally leaving this failed project to the deranged EUropeans and the even more deranged Brits, which is totally fine by Putin since today’s NATO, against a peer adversary, has proved to be a paper tiger, NATO without the US is a wet paper tiger and everybody of real consequence around the world now knows it…
All of Trump’s moves (Canada, Greenland, Ukraine, tariffs etc etc) show that he is aware of the realities of the new “multipolar” world and of the failing USA and he is seeking to carve up and consolidate the best zone of influence possible for a much scaled down US and he will reach some agreement with the other two (re)emerging super-powers: Russia and China.
As I have said from the start myself. It was never up to Ukraine and (talk about a paper tiger) Zelensky. It’s always been up to Trump & Putin.
All this wasted money (stolen actually) was meant to be wasted. They didn’t care about the lives that were also wasted. They also didn’t mind leaving a war torn Country left over for its poor people to clean up and rebuild, with no money. They will have to Beg Z for some back, but good luck with that…
If Jake Sullivan were still president, he would probably be instigating more Crocus Theater terrorist attacks, bringing us closer to nuclear war. So Trump’s diplomatic kabuki theater than has no impact on the eventual outcome of the war is better.
So are you suggesting Trump will have no affect? So if, after 3 years of war … it ends a few months after Trump takes ofc … that won’t have anything to do with Trump?
Trump won’t let it devolve into nuclear war, but other than that, Russia will stop when they’re finished. If Sullivan had remained in office, a little more weaponry would have flowed to Ukraine, the war would have stretched out and Russia’s territorial goals would have increased in response. Gen. Syrskyi (Ukraine) said in the fall that they couldn’t hold out past this summer.
Yet to hear the countless ChairBorne rangers who say that Ukraine should give up nothing want to continue the war (at US cost) indefinitely. I still think if Trump brings the dying to a stop … it will be a positive. If there are a decent amount of resources (questionable) … by using these to fund the rebuild and having US mining operations there (a deterrent to Russia) and helping rebuild Ukraine (not 100% on the US dime as Biden would have eventually done it years later) … I think this is good. Nobody will give him credit … but I’m a big believer in peace.
btw thank-you for the website recommendations that you suggested here to all, a few days ago. They are very useful to understand this, especially the Russian viewpoint that we would otherwise likely never see.
You are welcome
Mish: “The EU is all about virtue signaling and little more. The EU would be an impediment to a deal, demanding the US provide security for Ukraine.
Why would Trump want to put up with that?” No country leaders are more morally aligned with the U.S. and Ukraine and know more about the geopolitical dynamics at play and the risks associated with the appeasement of Russia than the European leaders, particularly those from Poland, The Czech Republic, and Estonia. This war is about culture and political ideology from Russia’s standpoint. Yes, there are strategic and financial interests, but one could say the same thing about Estonia, Finland, and Romania from Russia’s point of view. The difference is that Russia has closer cultural ties to Ukraine and has never been able to accept Ukraine as a sovereign nation, especially a democratic, pro-western sovereign nation.
Trump is trying to be a neutral party negotiating peace. He may personally be neutral, but the United States is not neutral. As Ronald Reagan said when he repeated his UN Ambassador’s statement to the UN General Assembly, “the defense of American interests is tantamount to the defense of national independence, liberal democracy, and human rights throughout the world, and our defense of these principles must be considered a moral imperative,” we are the indispensable nation, the shining city on the hill. After all, we exist on this earth because our founders believed in universal human rights and self-determination. The United States is never neutral when a democracy is threatened or attacked by a dictatorship or authoritarian government.
Correct. Trump acts like a private citizen, rather than a representative of the U.S.
Except that the Donald is not a neutral party, but admittedly a belligerent party by proxy. In other words, as the losing party, he’s trying to negotiate the terms of the US defeat.
I don’t think this war is in the US interest, nor President Trump’s. Amazing watching you intelligence bots spin, peace into a humiliation for the United States and Donald Trump.
Hope your check is very big for pushing this sort of mal-education and discontent.
Orwellian stuff really… war is peace, truth is lies. etc.
Thats an old hymn book you are singing from.
For a moment, pretend you are in Putin’s shoes. You have shown no hesitancy in the past and present to deploy your military and sacrifice young Russian male lives to advance your nationalist sphere of control ambitions. You have expressed many times that you believe that the democratic “West” is weak and does not have the will to do what is necessary to stop your territorial ambitions. You have stated that the freedoms and the democracy of the liberal democracies of the “West” are the root of their weakness. That brings us to today. You annexed Crimea in 2014 and got your hand slapped by the “West,” and then Donald Trump was elected in 2016. He complimented you, did not condemn you for your annexation, and even let you back into the G8, which you were excluded from when Obama was President. You trusted that Trump would not vote to allow Ukraine to join NATO, but then Trump lost the election in 2020. The Biden Administration’s rhetoric was much more ambiguous about Ukraine’s eventual NATO membership, and that rhetoric was also much more tough regarding Russia’s actions. You know that a country cannot gain NATO membership when that country is already at war, and its borders are in dispute. You invade Ukraine to, first off, expand your territorial control beyond Crimea and into the Dombas, and you hope that your actions will cause regime change that Russia can influence, leading to a government in Ukraine that is more Russia-friendly. Donald Trump is reelected in 2024. You now see an avenue to cut a deal that results in you retaining your territorial expansion, a new government in Ukraine, and the NATO membership off the table because Trump is worried about the Nuclear threat that you have threatened since the invasion. You also get relief from sanctions, and Trump embraces you and allows you back at the table in the G8. As Putin, you have lost 100’s of thousands of soldiers, and the war cost you 100’s of billions of dollars, but in the end, you achieved your objectives because of your premise of the “West” not having the will to stop you. What lesson did you take from this chosen war after achieving your objectives?
I admire your novel, however I beleive I will wait for the movie as, even with a half hour intermission it will be easier to slog through than your massive word diarrhea.
Where was I factually wrong? Where was my logic sequencing not logical? Is piecing together facts and building a logical thesis too much work for you?
By resuming the military shipments and intelligence to the Ukraine, this war is demonstrably in the interest of the US. It’s Trump’s war now.
Like Ukraine had a choice, lol.
Will you be upset if Trump brokers a deal? Is peace that bad a thing? Are you with the countless chairborne rangers who want eternal war?
Trump can not be a deal broker between Russia and the Ukraine when the US is one of the warring parties by proxy.
I think you misunderstand the goals of the president are not the same as the last president.
Trump campaigned on stopping this war. He can in fact broker a deal.
its a lot easier now that USAID is busy shredding all its document and firing up the burn safes. They don’t have time to stir up shit in Ukraine, they are too busy staying out of jail.
Agreed, but USAID was just one of many colossal aggregates of graft and corruption. I hope DOGE continues to dig even though the left and the useful idiots are trying to stop people from finding the waste, graft and corruption
“chairborne rangers who want eternal war”
That would be a Republican Cheney-like or all the Democrats. Not me.
But you are against Trump’s efforts to bring peace. Is your ending of the war only with 100% Russian capitulation and Ukraine gives up nothing? Then you’re not being realistic. “There is no such thing as a bad peace or a good war.” Benjamin Franklin
Zelensky offered suicide, Trump offered life.
This, I believe, is a start that both sides should welcome.
“The longest journey starts with the smallest step.”
Let’s see the brave Europeons send in their troops to maintain a one-sided ceasefire. Maybe Ursula can commend them. Mr Oreshnik can welcome them.
The US admitted that they’re pursuing a proxy war against Russia through the Ukraine. Restoring the supply of intelligence to the proxy won’t make the cease fire more appealing to Russia. Rather, Russia will just carry on defeating the US by destroying their proxy.
You appear to have a problem working your keyboard, Russian troll.
The US admitted that they’re pursuing a proxy war against Russia through the Ukraine. Restoring the supply of intelligence to the proxy won’t make the cease fire more appealing to Russia. Rather, Russia will just carry on defeating the US by destroying their proxy.
The US admitted that they’re pursuing a proxy war against Russia through the Ukraine. Restoring the supply of intelligence to the proxy won’t make the cease fire more appealing to Russia. Rather, Russia will just carry on defeating the US by destroying their proxy.
It’s big fun watching Trump riffing in his news conference now! He’s buying a Tesla and talking about Canada as the 51st state again.
Is Rubio a moron?
Russia has already stated clearly hundreds of times they will agree to a cease fire ONLY once the outlines of a deal meeting their requirements have been agreed
Doesnt matter what the CIA, oh sorry Wall Street Journal says about anything
So the answer will be an already known NO
Then what? Is Trump going to initiate more sanctions on Russia or try to spend more billions on military aid to Ukraine?
If so he will lose a third of his political base, including me, though I am not really his base
His next move will be very important and very telling. If he moves wrong he can kiss his presidency good bye.
Let us hope he is not that stupid
No means no when it’s uttered. The answer can change tomorrow or next week. Are you this stupid?
I think the Russians know that and that’s why they have said no and continue to say no. Trump is going to have to do some major sleight of hand tricks to get his base behind him and then turbo charge aid and military budget to get some quick wins to get the Russians to the table. I don’t think it will work – Russians are smart and they have Donny backed into a corner.
Excellent! This will allow Ukrainians to rest up a bit and reinforce their front lines.
Assuming that Russia forgot about the first and second agreements celebrated in Minsk, yes. But not really.
Assuming that Russia forgot about the first and second agreements celebrated in Minsk, yes. But not really.
Libertarian Institute: “Before the invasion and in the early months of the war, Putin made serious offers to both Washington and Kiev to allow eastern and southern Ukraine to remain under Kiev’s control if the country agreed not to join NATO.
The Joe Biden administration outright refused to negotiate on those terms, even if they were acceptable to Kiev. Preventing those talks from occurring first provoked the Russian invasion, then prevented it from ending within a few months.”
It is not excellent that so many Ukrainians are dead or seriously wounded, when those could have been prevented in the first place.
Uh huh. Same goes for any war.
Where’s the Ukrainian clown in his kappa tracksuit and sneakers?
Incredible. Best news today. Three years in the making. What real leadership can do.
Leadership is clearly issue by issue in terms of positive results.
Put this in the plus column.
Trump did WHAT??? Trump did nothing but chase Zelensky away from the table before the Saudis convinced Trump to reverse course. This was needless drama and base-baiting. And it cost lives, all to soothe someone’s ego.
Russian ceasefire? LOL. Not going to happen.
Correct
They used a massive pipeline, filled it with oxygen and launched an impressive offensive deep behind Ukraine lines. Why would they agree to a ceasefire is correct. I know I wouldn’t. I will eat crow but no way Russia conceded anything. They are winning. The only thing Ukraine will get is what Russia says they get which is nothing.
The Nukrainians are right though, when they observe that this just gives Russia a nice window to set up for a major onslaught. It doesn’t really change the arithmetic for Pukraine, they still don’t have enough sausages to throw on the barbecue.
saw that too. bravery captured on video. Hard to fathom.