Tag: Negotiations

What’s Next?

The proposed ceasefire talks with Iran did not take (few of us thought it would) and now what fresh Hell awaits the region?

After Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan with no nuclear agreement and few clear next steps, politically problematic options remain for the Trump administration. It could reopen extended negotiations over Iran’s nuclear future, the New York Times reports, or resume the attacks that have triggered the largest energy disruption in modern history. President Trump, who announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, has argued that Iran should now simply give in after enduring more than 13,000 strikes. But Tehran says the casualties and damage have only strengthened its resolve. The shaky two-week ceasefire expires April 21.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf suggested the next step is up to the US, per the Washington Post. “America has understood our logic and principles, and now it’s time for it to decide whether it can earn our trust or not,” Ghalibaf posted on X. Any renewed conflict could worsen oil shortages, drive gasoline prices higher, deepen supply problems for products including fertilizers and semiconductors, and push inflation above its current 3.3%. Both governments claim victory from the first round of fighting—the US for its firepower, Iran for withstanding it—and neither side is signaling readiness to compromise.

One expert cautioned about the ceasefire, per Deutsche Welle. “The risk is gradual erosion,” said Fatemeh Aman of the Atlantic Council. “Local incidents, miscalculations, or actions by allied groups could test the limits of restraint. Without a follow-up diplomatic process, the ceasefire remains exposed. It may hold in the short term, but it lacks long-term stability.”

Donny’s newest threat for the conflict….a blockade…..

President Trump’s vow to use the US Navy to shut off Iran’s access to the Strait of Hormuz is pushing the six-week war into a more dangerous phase with major economic stakes, the Wall Street Journal reports. After US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan collapsed over Tehran’s nuclear program, Trump said the Navy will on Monday begin blockading the narrow waterway, inspecting ships that have paid Iran for passage, and clearing sea mines; he warned that any Iranian forces firing on US or commercial vessels would be “BLOWN TO HELL.” US Central Command says the blockade, which will begin at 10am Eastern time Monday, will be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations,” but that ships will be allowed to transit the strait if they are traveling between non-Iranian ports—a step back from Trump’s initial threat of a full blockade, the AP reports.

The Pentagon says the operation is feasible, but current and former officials who spoke to the Journal caution that keeping control of the strait—bordered by Iran and vital to global oil flows—will be far more complicated than launching the blockade. Iran’s regular navy has taken heavy losses, but the Revolutionary Guard still fields a large fleet of fast boats, drones, and mines that can harass or threaten US ships. Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery calls the effort “militarily manageable” but said Washington will likely need partners.

The economic fallout is already spreading. With Iran having previously choked traffic through Hormuz, factories in parts of Asia are cutting output, some gas stations there are rationing fuel, and some airports in Europe and Asia are running low on jet fuel. Analysts estimate about 13 million barrels a day of Gulf oil—or roughly 12% of global supply—has been knocked offline; a successful effort to halt Iran’s remaining exports could remove another 2 million barrels daily.

Trump and his advisers argue the blockade is needed to end what they call Iranian “extortion” and to prevent Tehran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. The White House says “numerous countries” will join the effort, though key European and Gulf governments have signaled their participation may depend on a broader ceasefire and an international mandate. Iran, buoyed by recent oil revenue, still holds leverage: it could target Saudi and UAE pipelines that bypass Hormuz or use allied groups to threaten other chokepoints, such as the Bab al-Mandeb off Yemen—raising the possibility of a drawn-out test of endurance between Tehran and a global economy already under strain. Experts who spoke to Reuters echoed those who spoke to the Journal, noting a blockade of the strait is an act of war that could bring retaliation from Iran, and is unlikely to help with US gas prices.

There you have just what is waiting for us on the horizon…..will Donny jump or will calmer heads prevail?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Shaky Ceasefire

Note:  I get juiced this morning early so I will be down for the count….chemo has that effect…..hopefully I will be at full strength come Saturday…..Have a good day.

It has been announced and it has been on unstable ground since that day…..but just for the FYI here are the points of each side….

US 15 Point Proposals Now

1) US will remove all sanctions on Iran

2) It will cease all threats to reimpose sanctions

3) Iran’s nuclear program will be frozen under a defined framework

4) US will assist Iran in developing a civilian nuclear project

5) There will be limit on enriched uranium to remain under supervision

6) US agrees to address the Iranian missile program at a later date

7) Iran’s nuclear program will be restricted to civilian purposes only

8) Iran will halt the development of existing nuclear facilities & capabilities

9) Iran will discontinue further expansion of enrichment capabilities

10) No production of weapons-grade nuclear material to occur on Iranian soil

11) Iran will hand over all enriched materials to the IAEA on an agreed timeline

12) Iran’s Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear facilities will be taken out of use

13) International monitoring and verification mechanisms

14) Implementations will be gradual and tied to compliance

15) Both sides to discuss additional regional and security issues

Then there is the counter from Iran….

Iran’s Current 10 Point Proposal

1) Guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again

2) Permanent end to the war, not just a ceasefire

3) End to Israeli strikes in Lebanon

4) Lifting of all sanctions on Iran

5) End to all regional fighting against Iranian allies

6) In return, Iran would open the Strait of Hormuz

7) Iran will determine the rules of safe passage through Hormuz

8) A Hormuz fee of $2 million per ship

9) Iran would split these fees with Oman

10) Iran to use Hormuz fees for reconstruction instead of reparations

Let’s pretend that this ceasefire holds…..who won?

So who’s winning, or has won, the Iran war thus far? Who’s losing?

Iran has agreed to a temporary ceasefire and to negotiate. But it will still run the Hormuz strait. It will collect fees. Higher global oil prices means it will make even more money from oil sales. That can buy a lot of Chinese radars and Russian anti-aircraft systems. The US will not control the Hormuz in any way. Iran will set the rules and control the strait, in cooperation with one or two friendlier Gulf states (Oman, maybe Qatar?)

Iran will replenish and accelerate production and development of its missiles and drone programs.

The Iran war—like the Ukraine war—means military power has changed radically. Surface ships are sitting ducks. Even 5th generation aircraft if they get too close. War is now about hypersonic missiles, autonomous weapons, massed drones in the air, on and under the water, low orbit satellites and surveillance—and of course economic destabilization.

The most important question remains: what will Israel do should US and Iran agree to a deal (or don’t)? Trump and the Iranians can agree to all they want. Israel will not necessarily abide by it (even if it says it will). When the dust settles, Israel will again try to find a way to lure America into its wars of expansion in the middle east.

(counterpunch.org)

Will this actually hold a peace in the region?

I think not for Israel does not want a peace for the region.

What say you?

Just FYI….Iran is claiming victory…..

US forces secured a “historic and overwhelming victory” over Iran, defense chief Pete Hegseth declared Wednesday, adding that “Iran proved utterly incapable of defending itself.” Iran, of course, begs to differ, with its national security council boasting that it delivered “an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat” to its foes, per the Wall Street Journal. A Washington Post piece finds that behind the bluster, neither side is a “clear winner,” but the newspaper is among a number of outlets exploring why Tehran is maintaining victory. The short version: The regime survived, albeit after losing key figures; Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz; and it still possesses a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, per Politico.

“What Iran did, systematically and deliberately, was hurt the US economy” by shutting down the strait and sending oil prices soaring, Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute tells the Journal. “They made sure the war was felt in the US,” he says, adding, “I don’t think Trump’s going to try that again.” And even after the ceasefire, Iran continues to maintain control over which ships are allowed to navigate the strait. “The implication: Iran is intent on using its newfound control over the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf as leverage over Trump as the Islamic Republic seeks to rebuild its power after the biggest threat to its survival in decades,” writes David S. Cloud of the Journal.

The Post, meanwhile, notes that crowds filled the streets of Tehran after the ceasefire announcement, triumphantly waving their nation’s flag, far from the “unconditional surrender” President Trump had previously demanded. Not that Iran emerged unscathed: In additon to the relentless bombing attacks from the US and Israel, it is now more isolated than ever in the region because of its attacks on neighboring nations. Still, as one Asian diplomat tells Politico of Hegseth’s threat to resume strikes if necessary, “Declaring victory by saying he will attack Iran some more seems like losing.”

What say you?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Donny Makes His Desire Known

The Iran conflict has been going on for about 4 weeks and we have heard all sorts of crap and now more stuff to ponder.

Donny has made his offer for this war to end…..

US officials said late Tuesday that Iran had been sent a 15-point plan to end the war, and Pakistani officials confirmed on Wednesday that Iran got it. The plan was submitted to Iran by intermediaries from the government of Pakistan, which has offered to host renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran, a source tells the AP. More:

  • What the US seeks: The Wall Street Journal reports the proposal would reportedly require Tehran to dismantle its three main nuclear facilities, halt all uranium enrichment at home, freeze ballistic-missile development, ease support for regional proxies, and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
  • What Iran would get: In exchange, Washington would lift nuclear-related sanctions and help oversee a civilian nuclear program.
  • Nothing new: The Journal reports the plan largely mirrors a prewar offer made by President Trump before the war began on Feb. 28. The Guardian’s sources paint it as even older, saying it’s based on a plan that was shared with Iran in late May 2025.
  • Tough prospects: In the AP’s view, any talks between the US and Iran would face monumental challenges. Many of Washington’s objectives, particularly over Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs, remain difficult to achieve, and it is not clear who in Iran’s government has the authority or would be willing to negotiate.
  • Tough prospects II: Bloomberg sees a similarly uphill battle, reporting Tehran is “signaling little willingness to compromise.” Bloomberg flags a Wednesday comment from Iran’s armed forces to that end: “The level of your internal conflicts has reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves,” the statement said, per state-run IRIB News.

Now Iran has given a response….

The Trump administration’s 15-point proposal for ending the war in Iran did not get a warm reception. The AP reports that Iran has rejected the plan, citing Iranian state television’s English-language broadcaster, which quoted an anonymous official. The Guardian reports the official characterized the asks as “excessive” and said “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met.”

The Wall Street Journal offers a similar report, saying Iran’s information council—part of the government’s communications arm—dismissed the plan as a wish list of goals that hadn’t come to pass through the use of force. “Trump’s statements are false and should not be taken seriously,” it said.

But Reuters describes the door as not being fully shut; it quotes a senior Iranian official as saying the view on the proposal was “not positive” but that it is still being reviewed. Reuters separately reports that Pakistan, which delivered the proposal, is still waiting for a reply.

The Guardian adds that the senior political security official quoted on Press TV shared five conditions that Tehran seeks:

  • A stop to “aggression and assassinations.”
  • An end to the war on Iran and “all resistance groups” in the region.
  • “Concrete” guarantees of no future military action against Iran.
  • Reparations and war-damage payments.
  • Recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Now the wait to see what late night BS Donny will send out over Truth Social (a name that sends shudders through my body).

Is this a place to start negotiations or just Donny whipping off some crap for the media?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Was It A Breakthrough?

First Donny and Vlad made nice in Alaska then the Z man and the big cheese from NATO came to town a few days later…..and it would appear that some down the line of talks someone convinced the Z man that territory must be relinquished.

We may now be closer to a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia—but “the road to any settlement seems long,” reports the Washington Post, noting that while European leaders seem to have convinced President Trump that granting Russia a chunk of Ukrainian territory is not immediately necessary, Moscow is uneasy with the direction of talks, especially around security guarantees for Ukraine.

  • Potential meeting: Trump said he was trying to arrange a one-on-one meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the next couple of weeks, to be followed by a trilateral meeting involving Trump, per NBC News. But Russian officials said only that they had agreed to “explore the possibility” of a meeting, per the Post.
  • Fast timeline: Zelensky on Tuesday suggested that some of the thorniest issues could be worked out in 10 days. “Security guarantees will probably be ‘unpacked’ by our partners, and more and more details will emerge,” he said, per Reuters. “All of this will somehow be formalized on paper within the next week to 10 days.” A meeting with Putin would presumably follow.
  • Security guarantees: Trump said the US would be “involved” in keeping peace in Ukraine once a deal is reached, though he has ruled out the idea of sending ground troops. “We will give them very good protection and very good security,” he said, per the New York Times. Moscow had said Monday that it would not accept any peacekeeping efforts involving NATO members.
  • Analysis: CNN‘s Stephen Collinson suggests Putin will never agree to NATO-like security guarantees for Ukraine after “fighting a war to crush his neighbor’s NATO aspirations.” He also questions whether Western nations are prepared to fight a war against Russia to save Ukraine from another invasion. Russia, of course, has broken prior pacts not to invade Ukraine, per the Wall Street Journal.
  • Land swap: Putin on Friday suggested Ukraine should surrender its eastern Donbas region, including parts remaining under Ukrainian control, which Ukraine’s constitution prevents. That would “mean telling thousands of Ukrainians they have must leave home or become Russians,” writes Collinson, noting “land swaps create epochal upheaval and seed future feuds—as the Middle East shows.”
  • Putin’s intentions: Some European officials question whether Putin is playing for time or negotiating in good faith, which would mean accepting that he’s failed his mission in Ukraine. By proposing terms unacceptable to Ukraine, Russia may be trying to shift “blame for a breakdown in talks to Kyiv,” allowing it to continue the war, per the Journal. It has rejected calls for a ceasefire during the talks.
  • Kudos to Trump: Even if it all falls apart, Trump deserves credit for trying, writes Collison. “Monday’s meetings were the most compelling sign yet that the president really means it when he says he wants to stop the killing in Ukraine,” he notes. “He may deserve more credit than he gets for his energy and commitment so far.”

This is good news indeed that the people of Ukraine could actually realize some peace for a change….but is it good news?

I mean after years of war and the solution is something proposed before and dismissed….it still sounds like the US and NATO will be ass deep in Ukraine for years to come.

Is this truly a breakthrough or just another shot in the dark hoping for something that may never be?

I have reservation but I will give the process a chance and I wish all involved success.

So was it a breakthrough or much ado about nothing?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Donny & Vlad Show

Today is the big event (their words not mine) the showdown between Little Donny and Vlad the Invader on the shores of Alaska….there is lots of speculation on just what this will accomplish….

Even Donny has weighed in….

So what are the odds that Friday’s summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin will bring peace to Ukraine? In an interview on Fox News Thursday morning, Trump floated a surprisingly specific prediction: He told Brian Kilmeade he sees a “25% chance that this meeting will not be a successful meeting,” reports the BBC. Trump didn’t elaborate on potential snags, though territorial concessions were seen as the biggest hurdle. The summit is scheduled to begin at 3:30pm ET, and it appears the world will know quickly how things went.

Trump told Fox he’d fly back to Washington if the summit is a bust. “If the meeting doesn’t end well, I’ll just have a press conference and get out,” he said, per the Washington Post. But if things go well, Trump and Putin could hold a joint news conference, and Trump even suggested that Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky could immediately fly to Alaska for a three-way follow-up meeting. “I don’t know where we’re going to have the second meeting, but we have an idea of three different locations, and we’ll be including the possibility, because it would be by far the easiest of staying in Alaska,” Trump said.

Then there is Vlad and what he will possibly bring to the negotiating table….

When Vladimir Putin and President Trump meet in Alaska, the Russian leader is set to tempt Trump with financial incentives to back Moscow over Ukraine, the Guardian reports. Putin’s adviser said the “huge untapped potential” of Russia-US economic relations will be up for discussion, and said the leaders would talk about the possibility of “further developing bilateral cooperation, including in the trade and economic sphere.” He noted, “This cooperation has huge and, unfortunately so far, untapped potential.”

The quickly scheduled talks, held at Putin’s request, mark the Russian leader’s first meeting with a US president on US soil since 2007. Putin is reportedly bringing prominent economic advisers, including his finance minister, to appeal to Trump’s business interests, sources tell the newspaper. The Kremlin’s message, according to one former official who spoke anonymously: “Putin knows Trump sees the world through a business lens, and will pitch a peace on his terms as the gateway to lucrative opportunities.”

If happens will those financial benefits favor Donny or the country?

Does anyone think this will be a success?  Or will it be another infamous Donny ambush of a world leader?

This is a scenario on how things could go in Alaska….(a well thought out scenario)….but a short history of the two leaders meetings over a few3 years….

If you consider the history of Donald Trump’s public relationship with Vladimir Putin, you won’t be surprised that there’s a fair amount of concern in Ukraine and among Ukraine’s European allies at what might happen when the two meet in Alaska tomorrow for their summit.

While it’ll be their first face-to-face meeting of Trump’s second presidency, the pair has met previously on six occasions and, as we know, spoken fairly frequently over the phone.

The first face-to-face meeting was at the G20 summit in Hamburg in 2017, just months into Trump’s first term. The pair spent two hours of a scheduled 35-minute meeting talking about all things from Syria to North Korea. It was constructive and cordial, they said. Later they talked during a summit dinner in an exchange that was only witnessed by Putin’s interpreter, the nature of which was not reported.

https://theconversation.com/how-the-trump-putin-summit-could-play-out-263220

What will be the end game this time?

Or will this just be another rally demonizing someone that Donny does not like?

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Donny Goes To Russia

There is a supposed meeting between Donny and Putin to negotiate a ceasefire and stop all the BS….in and around Ukraine.

Why Russia?

Well the meeting is not in Russia it is in Alaska….but apparently the ‘stable genius’ does not know that Alaska is a state and no long belongs to Russia.

President Donald Trump appeared to mix up Russia with Alaska ahead of his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, during a White House press conference about crime in Washington, DC and his plans to deploy the National Guard and put the city’s police under his control.

Trump delivered the news from the podium in the press briefing room — joined by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and newly confirmed DC U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro — where he decried the level of crime in Washington, DC.

“This is a tragic emergency, and it’s embarrassing for me to be up here,” Trump told reporters. “You know, I’m going to see Putin. I’m going to Russia on Friday. I don’t like being up here, talking about how unsafe and how dirty and disgusting this once-beautiful capital [is].”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-putin-meeting-russia-alaska-ukraine-war-b2805880.html

He’s an idiot!

Then there is VP Vance thumping his weezy chest….

Vice President JD Vance explained that the White House was done funding the war in Ukraine. He said President Donald Trump would allow Europe to buy American weapons for Ukraine.

“The president and I certainly think that America [is] done with the funding of the Ukraine war business,” the Vice President told Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“We want to bring about a peaceful settlement to this thing. We want to stop the killing, but Americans, I think, are sick of continuing to send their money, their tax dollars, to this particular conflict.” He continued, “But if the Europeans want to step up and actually buy the weapons from American producers, we’re okay with that, but we’re not going to fund it ourselves anymore.”

(antiwar.com)

They want to stop the killing but will supply the weapons if the money is right.

The one thing that Ukraine said they would not do to end the conflict is lose land mass….but Donny has another plan….

President Trump said on Monday that there will be “land swapping” between Russia and Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal and pushed back on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public rejection of ceding any territory to Moscow.

“I was a little bothered by the fact that Zelensky was saying, ‘Well, I have to get constitutional approval.’ I mean, he’s got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap — because there’ll be some land swapping going on,” Trump told reporters.

The president is gearing up for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday and said that after the talks, he will relay Moscow’s “parameters” to end the war to Ukraine and the US’s European allies. “If it’s a fair deal, I will reveal it to the European Union leaders and to the NATO leaders and also to President Zelensky,” he said. “I may say, ‘lots of luck, keep fighting,’ or I may say we can make a deal.”

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, Putin has conveyed to the US that he would end the war if Ukraine withdrew its forces from the territory it still controls in Donetsk in the eastern Donbas region. The reports suggest Moscow would be willing to accept freezing the lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, a potential climbdown from Moscow’s earlier demand for a full Ukrainian withdrawal from both oblasts.

(antiwar.com)

Okay there is the major points of the upcoming ‘summit’…..

Will we have a deal or was this just another waste of time?

And Alaska is still our 49th state no matter what the ‘stable genius’ thinks.

This ought be a fun summit. (Sarcasm in case one missed it)

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Trump/Putin Gab Fest

While Donny was in the Middle East signing deals that would make some lots of cash and accepting delivery of his new ‘flying palace’ he made a statement on the Russia-Ukraine War….

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to bring the war to an end, but said earlier this week that no progress would be made in the peace talks until he personally met with Putin. Following the negotiations on Friday, Trump said his administration was working to set up just such a meeting.

“I think it’s time for us to just do it,” he told reporters, later adding, “[Putin] and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it or maybe not. At least we’ll know. And if we don’t solve it, it’ll be very interesting.”

That meeting was top be in Turkey but he had to hurriedly rush back home to meet his new grand kid, number 11 I believe.

So the meeting is off.

Then on Sunday we hear it will be a phone call not a face to face….

Monday has the potential to be a big day with regard to the Russia-Ukraine war: President Trump speaks with Vladimir Putin by phone on Monday morning, followed by a call later to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. “Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,” Trump wrote on Truth Social over the weekend, per the New York Times.

“Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted afterward. The Kremlin is paying deference to Trump—”if the political services of the US—which we highly value and are grateful to the American side—if they actually help us reach our goals with peaceful means, that would indeed be preferable” to war, said spokesman Dmitri Peskov on Monday.

Then the phone call happened…..and guess what the result was….

Monday held great promise for progress in ending the Russia-Ukraine war. The gist of coverage on Tuesday is that there is no resolution in sight after President Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin, and also with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders.

  • Trump suggested progress: “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” he wrote on Truth Social, and he told reporters later at the White House that he thought “some progress is being made,” reports Reuters. But this fell well short of the hoped-for breakthrough. The war will continue, with no ceasefire in sight, only the promise of the continuation of talks.
  • “The ground shifted again,” is how Anthony Zurcher of the BBC puts it in an analysis. Trump once promised to end the war in his first 24 hours in office, then said it would be resolved only after he and Putin put their heads together. Now, after the two-hour call, Trump “said that the conditions of a peace deal could only be negotiated between Russia and Ukraine—and maybe with the help of the pope.”
  • The New York Times similarly finds that Trump “appeared enthusiastic to surrender his mediating role to a higher power: the pope.” Trump even floated the idea of the US washing its hands of the war: “I tell you, big egos involved, but I think something’s going to happen. And if it doesn’t, I just back away and they’re going to have to keep going,” he said, per CNN.
  • After his call with Putin, Trump spoke with Zelensky, along with the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Finland, and the European Commission in a conference call. They hoped to hear that he had convinced Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire, perhaps under pressure of US penalties. But, according to Axios, the leaders “seemed surprised that Trump seemed relatively content with what he heard from Putin, and presented it as a new development, even though the Russian leader did not seem to have changed his position at all.”
  • The Washington Post sees a pattern emerging after Trump’s third call with Putin since his inauguration: The US “demands on Putin to show that he is serious about peace, countered by the Kremlin insisting that the complexity of a broader peace deal prevents an immediate ceasefire.”

The ‘call’ basically worries world leaders…..why?

Several world leaders were shocked by how submissive Donald Trump was to Moscow’s demands following a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Shortly after hanging up Monday with his favorite autocrat, Trump hopped on the line with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and a few other world leaders to update them on negotiations.

Sources told Axios that some of the leaders seemed “surprised” and “shocked” when Trump reported that Putin had agreed to begin negotiations toward a ceasefire—something that the Russian president had previously done, as talks had already taken place in Istanbul last week.

When Zelenskiy pointed this out, Trump did not respond.

Additionally, Trump reportedly pushed back on commitments to impose penalties on Moscow, after previously discussing levying sanctions on Russia with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer if Russia refused calls for a ceasefire. While Trump declined to ramp up pressure on Putin, Starmer followed through, imposing 100 new sanctions on Russia Tuesday.

https://newrepublic.com/post/195501/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-call-global-leaders-terrified

I guess the conflict that he said he would end on Day One will continue to be hot and destructive.

There was a time when Donny coveted a Peace Prize….if he really wants one then Ukraine/Russia would be the perfect vessel….I guess he wants one but does not want to work at it.

Donald Trump was going to end the war in Ukraine in 48 hours five months ago, but it has not been so easy! Especially when he is not sure invaded who, and which one is the dictator. Still, he wants you to know, he’s tried everything.

Everything?  Really?

What Trump has not tried:

  • Demanding a timeline for a ceasefire
  • US involvement
  • More sanctions
  • Insisting Vladimir Putin sit down with him and Zelenskyy at the same time

or

  • Putting any kind of pressure on Putin whatsoever, unless you count pretending to be mad.

Job well done.  (And that my friends is how you do sarcasm).

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Those China Negotiations

If you will recall the prez slapped a tariff of 125% or was it 145%….any way he recently slacked off to a 80% tariff on goods coming in from China.

All the while we are told that there is massive negotiations going on to try and moderate these trade limitations.

News came out over the weekend that some progress in those negotiations is being made…..

“I’m happy to report that we made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters on Sunday in Switzerland. He didn’t go so far as to say an agreement was reached, though the White House did, putting the headline “US Announces China Trade Deal in Geneva” on a transcript of Bessent’s remarks on its website. No one provided information in support of that conclusion, but Bessent said details would be released Monday, NBC News reports.

Signs of a truce in the trade war sparked by President Trump’s tariffs would pump up the financial markets, per the New York Times, and reassure those fearing it will bring the global economy down. Later Sunday, per the AP, the Chinese delegation held a news conference in Geneva in which it described the weekend talks as “candid, in-depth and constructive dialogue.” The two sides agreed to “establishing a consultation mechanism” for more discussion on trade and economic issues, said Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Before Sunday’s round of talks began, Trump posted online that “great progress” was being made toward what he said could be a “total reset” on his tariffs, per the AP. Trump said Friday that the US might lower the tariffs on China from 145% to 80%, per the Washington Post. China has maintained it won’t make trade concessions in reaction to the tariffs. The two sides have not agreed on whose idea the negotiations were. Chinese officials say the US asked them to participate. American officials disputed that.

That is good news indeed….but is it?

This administration is noted for a whole bunch of misinformation…..is this to try and placate the markets or is it just wishful thinking?

As I was working on this post at 5 am news that the markets, the futures, jump almost a 1000 points….so I guess my previous questioned was answered.

I am hoping that some sort of deal can be made because without one Christmas is going to be really expensive this year.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

“Screw It!” Is That What Little Marco Is Saying?

This is the feeling I get from the so-called talks that are going on about the conflict in Ukraine….it seems that after promising to end this conflict on day one the US has had about 100 days and we are NO closer to a ‘peace’ deal.

To make matters worse the SecState Rubio has is throwing up his hands and possibly walking away from the negotiations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the US may be ready to “move on” from efforts for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is not progress in the coming days. Speaking in Paris after a marathon day of landmark talks among US, Ukrainian, and European officials, Rubio said the discussions had been constructive and produced an outline for steps toward peace. “We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,” Rubio said, per the BBC. The US, he said, has “other priorities to focus on.”

  • After weeks of efforts by the Trump administration to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine have failed to bring an end to the fighting, Rubio said the US administration wants to decide “in a matter of days whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks,” the AP reports.
  • “The president has spent 87 days at the highest level of his government repeatedly taking efforts to bring this war to an end,” Rubio said, per the Washington Post. “We are now reaching a point where we need to decide and determine whether this is even possible or not, which is why we’re engaging both sides.”
  • The high-level talks hosted by France Thursday were the first time since President Trump’s inauguration that top American, Ukrainian, and European officials are known to have met together to discuss an end to the war. French officials said a new meeting in the same format is expected in London in the coming days. Rubio said he could join that meeting, expected early in the week.
  • Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff have helped lead U.S. efforts to seek peace. Several rounds of negotiations have been held in Saudi Arabia. Witkoff has met three times with Vladimir Putin, Rubio said.
  • Moscow has effectively refused to accept a comprehensive ceasefire that Trump has pushed and Ukraine has endorsed. Russia has made it conditional on a halt in Ukraine’s mobilization efforts and Western arms supplies, which are demands rejected by Ukraine.
  • At least two people were killed and dozens injured in Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight, the Telegraph reports. “This is how Russia began this Good Friday—with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Shaheds—maiming our people and cities,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Who knew well pretty much everyone that has a brain that his promise was nothing more than a fanciful LIE.

But then that is what is expected from Little Donny and his Merry band of sycophants….lies and broken promises

I am not surprised….are you?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Jive Talkin’

The US-Ukraine-Russia mash-up has been in the news lately…..

After all the back and forth between the three [parties recently the Trump admin came up with a plan…Zelensky balked….then he was open to the talks between US and Russia to help end the war with a ceasefire…

But Zelensky held on to his strict policy of no territory for peace….

President Volodymyr Zelensky explained his understanding of the ceasefire proposed by Ukrainian and American officials this week, saying his country would not make any territorial concessions. Additionally, Kiev expects “strong steps” from President Donald Trump should Moscow reject the plan.

Discussing the ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, Zelensky said, “We are fighting for our independence. Therefore, we will not recognize any occupied territories as Russia’s,” adding, “Our people have fought for this, our heroes died. How many injured, how many passed. No one will forget about it… This is the most important red line. We will not let anyone forget about this crime against Ukraine.”

Zelensky’s refusal to give up territory makes it unlikely the Kremlin will agree to the ceasefire, as Russian officials insist the five Ukrainian provinces annexed by Moscow will never be returned to Kiev. Additionally, Russia says it is seeking a permanent end to the conflict, not a short-term truce.

https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/zelensky-kiev-wont-cede-territory-wants-strong-us-response-if-russia-rejects-ceasefire/

Then Putin said that he was open to the proposal of a ceasefire ‘but with condition’….

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled that he’s open to a ceasefire in Ukraine but that he has “questions” about the 30-day US-Ukraine proposal that need to be discussed.

“The idea itself is the right one, and we definitely support it,” Putin said, according to The New York Times. “But there are questions that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to talk them through with our American colleagues and partners.”

The Russian leader listed potential conditions for a 30-day truce, including a guarantee that Ukraine wouldn’t be supplied with more weapons. “We also want guarantees that during the 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine will not conduct mobilization, will not train soldiers, and will not receive weapons,” he said, according to RT.

Putin also questioned who would monitor the ceasefire. “Who will determine where and who has violated a potential ceasefire agreement along a 2,000-kilometer line? Who will attribute blame for any violations? These are all questions that require thorough examination from both sides,” he said.

The Russian leader said any long-term peace deal needs to address the “root causes” of the war. He made the comments as US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Russia to discuss the proposal. Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin official, said Witkoff would be holding a closed-door meeting with Putin.

(antiwar.con)

Then this happened….A joint statement between the US and Ukraine that was released after talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday said that Ukraine had “expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation.”

All this back and forth…will he, won’t he made me think of the song by the BeeGees….Jive Talking.

This will fall apart because I do not think anyone really wants an end to this thing….Russia agreed to lift some of the sanctions and Zelensky agrees to keep the aid flowing…..but that is not a true reason for a ceasefire just a lull.

Is this real or is it just a dangerous game?

More to come.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”