Tag: Russia

Vlad Gives Intel

The story broke that Russia may be giving intel on US assets to Iran for retaliatory strikes….

Russia has allegedly provided Iran with information that could help it strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, two officials familiar with US intelligence said.

The officials, who were not authorised to comment publicly on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, cautioned that US intelligence has not uncovered that Russia is directing Iran on what to do with the information as the US and Israel and Iran fires retaliatory salvos at American assets and allies in the Persian Gulf.

Still, it’s the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war that the US and Israel launched on Iran a week ago.

(euronews.com)

I have also read the concerns of some about this possibility.

Yes it is a dastardly move to help destruction to rain down on US assets….but think about it…..is not the US giving intel to Ukraine to be used in retaliatory strikes against Russia?

This is why I was not surprised by the news at all….for is that not what allies do in time of need?

But since Iran and Russia are trading partners this Donny war may be a windfall for Russia.

“For our budget, the attack on Iran is a big plus,” a Russian TV host proclaimed Monday. The Guardian digs into the potential truth of that statement. Russia’s oil and gas revenues are a linchpin of its war financing, and they hit a five-year low last year as sanctions squeezed the flow of exports and prices retreated. But disrupted Gulf supplies could push big buyers like India and China toward more Russian barrels, strengthening Moscow’s leverage after months of having to sell at deep discounts. “When a good fifth of global oil supply and roughly a quarter of seaborne trade is effectively locked up, that’s a boon for Russia,” energy expert Sergey Vakulenko tells the paper.

Some oil that had been languishing on tankers “will definitely find buyers” now, Vakulenko says, and likely at better prices. Al Jazeera reports the price of Russia’s Urals crude, battered by Western sanctions, hit a $40-per-barrel low in late February. On Monday, as the price of the international benchmark Brent crude jumped 13% to $82 per barrel, Urals was lifted to $57.

From a financial point of view this war makes good sense for Russia and the longer they can prolong the conflict the more profit can be made.

And is that not what war is all about….profits?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Did Ukraine Poke Donny In The Eye?

After weeks of back and forth and Donny putting in his two cents worth (mostly in favor of the Russian point of view) Zelensky has crapped on Donny’s attempt to a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia….

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made clear on Monday that Ukraine will not give up any territory to Russia, firmly rejecting a central demand from Moscow that has been echoed in President Trump’s latest peace proposal. Zelensky made the statement after meeting with leaders of Britain, France, and Germany in London, the Washington Post reports. The development could signal the end of Trump’s proposal, which has been criticized as basically reflecting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s wish list.

“Under our laws, under international law—and under moral law—we have no right to give anything away,” Zelensky said. “That is what we are fighting for.” Trump’s plan reportedly includes provisions that would bar Ukraine from joining NATO and grant Russia control over portions of Ukraine it does not occupy now. Ukraine and its European allies have argued the plan is too favorable to Russia and lacks sufficient security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky said Ukraine is receptive to a deal, telling reporters that “explicitly anti-Ukrainian provisions” have been removed from Trump’s plan.

Trump was critical of Zelensky over the weekend for not having already agreed to his plan, and European leaders backed up Ukraine’s president on Monday. “We stand with Ukraine,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, per the Hill. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron also went to London. The group has been united in saying Russia should not benefit from new international boundaries imposed by force, per the Post. Putin makes the illegal case that Russia has annexed four regions of Ukraine, as well as Crimea, which it took over a decade ago. Russian forces have occupied nearly that much land during the war on Ukraine.

May I see a show of hands…..how many of you thought Donny could pull this off?

Personally I thought he was peeing in his chili…..

Oh well shall he try again?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Ukraine Back In The News

AS this year draws to a conclusion and all the work being done with the conflict….is there any hope of some sort of deal before Christmas….a Christmas miracle if you will.

Some say we are closing in on a deal….but how many times have we heard that particular piece of manure?

Ukrainian officials made significant changes to a US-drafted peace deal during negotiations with their US counterparts in Geneva on Sunday, The Guardian has reported.

The original 28-point plan leaked to the media was substantially altered during the talks, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the US side and Andriy Yermak, a senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the Ukrainian side, and was reduced to 19 points.

“As of now, after Geneva, there are fewer points, no longer 28, and many correct elements have been incorporated into this framework,” Zelensky said on Monday.

It’s unclear exactly what changes were made to the plan, but the main objections from Ukrainian officials and their European backers were the provisions requiring Ukraine to cede territory it controls in the Donbas to Russia and the guarantees that Ukraine won’t ever join NATO.

According to a report from the Financial Times, the US and Ukrainian officials left the most sensitive details, including territorial lines and Ukraine’s relationship with NATO, to be decided by Zelensky and President Trump, who are expected to meet soon.

(antiwar.com)

Ukraine will head to DC to meet with what-his-name soon…..according to reports….

It looks like a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war is genuinely close—at least on Ukraine’s end. CBS News and the BBC report that Ukraine has agreed in principle to a US-brokered peace deal after lengthy talks. The development comes after the US and Ukraine “significantly changed” the original 28-point plan, which was widely seen as favorable to Russia, per the Washington Post. The question now is whether Moscow will accept the new terms. No details were released on the latest version of the peace plan, particularly on the thorniest issue of all: territorial concessions.

However, “many of the controversial provisions were either softened or at least reshaped,” Oleksandr Bevz, part of the Ukrainian team, tells the Post. A US official tells CBS that “there are some minor details to be sorted out, but they have agreed to a peace deal,” referring to Ukraine. Meanwhile, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is reportedly in Abu Dhabi to meet with Russian officials about the deal.

Of course his majesty has to weigh in…..

President Trump announced Tuesday that his administration has made significant progress toward a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, with only “a few remaining points of disagreement” to be resolved. Trump said he has dispatched special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will meet separately with Ukrainian officials, CNN reports. Trump indicated he may meet with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but only when a deal is nearly finalized.

  • “I will be briefed on all progress made, along with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages.”

Trump highlighted the progress on a US-drafted 28-point peace plan, which he said has been “fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides.” “I think we’re getting very close to a deal. We’ll find out,” Trump said during the White House turkey pardon on Tuesday, per the AP. “I thought that would have been an easier one, but I think we’re making progress,” he said. One key sticking point appears to be Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, a demand the initial proposal asked Ukraine to abandon.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told CNN that Ukraine may need to signal it won’t seek NATO membership for now but warned that peace should not come “through surrender.” He said Ukraine will join the European Union instead, “which probably makes more sense at this point.” Ukrainian officials have called the NATO demand unacceptable, though Panetta believes a workable compromise is possible.

  • Zelensky, for his part, said his country’s negotiating team is making progress but that Russia’s war against Ukraine continues. “Every day, Russia kills our people on the front lines and attacks our cities and energy infrastructure,” he said in a post on X after at least seven people were killed in strikes on Kyiv.
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron echoed concerns about Russia’s intentions, with Macron accusing Moscow of “pretending it wanted peace” while continuing attacks.
  • Russia, meanwhile, signaled that it might resist changes to the plan, with foreign minister Sergey Lavrov saying it would be a “fundamentally different situation” if the changes “erased” the agreements made during Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska, New York Times reports.

I hope that they are truly finding a path to end this conflict….but we have heard too many times that a deal was close…..so please forgive me if I await a signed deal before I give anyone an ‘ata boy’….

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

This Ukraine Thing…..

Russia/Ukraine conflict has been going on for years and just last year we were promised if Donald the Orange was elected he would end it on Day One….

Now we had a deal brewing to end it and Donny was all a tither about his plan….then over the weekend things went from thumbs up to in the crapper….or so the story goes.

American and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a new draft of the US proposal to end the war on Ukraine, while President Trump criticized Ukraine and his administration pushed back against charges that it’s really Russia’s plan. At the talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that progress had been made, the Washington Post reports. “We’ve had probably the most productive and meaningful meeting so far in this entire process,” he said, adding that changes have been made to the plan. Despite the president’s earlier complaint, Rubio said Trump is now pleased with the way the talks are going, per the BBC. Developments include:

  • Trump’s post: As the talks began, Trump reissued a criticism of Ukraine’s leaders, per the New York Times, posting in all caps that “Ukraine’s ‘leadership’ has expressed zero gratitude for our efforts.” He also criticized Joe Biden and European nations, but not Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky answered a few hours later, posting, “We are grateful for everything that America and President Trump are doing for security, and we keep working as constructively as possible.”
  • Russia’s role: Ukraine was not involved in drafting the plan presented by the US, but there are accusations that Russia was. A group of senators who were in Canada for a security conference on Saturday said Rubio had told them on the phone that the drafting of the plan was not led by the US, per the AP. “It is essentially the wish list of the Russians,” Independent Sen. Angus King said. Republican Sen. Mike Rounds, who also was on the call, said: “It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan.”
  • Administration answers: “The peace proposal was authored by the US. It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations,” Rubio posted later on X. A State Department spokesman called the senators’ account “blatantly false,” and White House officials said the plan “was authored by the United States, with input from both the Russians and Ukrainians.”
  • Democratic opposition: Sen. Mark Warner ripped the Trump plan on ABC News’ This Week, saying that it looks like a list of “Russian talking points,” per the Post. “It would make Neville Chamberlain’s giving in to Hitler—the outset of World War II—look strong in comparison,” he added, per the Hill. The US plan reportedly would require Ukraine to reduce its military, surrender territory, and bar NATO troops from the country.
  • Zelensky’s appeal: The president wrote a lengthy social media post that said Russia started the war and refuses to stop it, warning other nations could face its aggression next. In addition to thanking Trump and the American people, Zelensky expressed gratitude to the European and G20 nations that have provided assistance, per the BBC. He then added: “It is important not to forget the main goal—to stop Russia’s war and prevent it from ever igniting again. And to achieve that, peace must be dignified.”

So Day One slipping away yet again…..

But not to worry the meetings will go on….and on…..and on….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

What’s The Secret?

The news has broken that the US and Russia are in secret meeting hammering out a ceasefire deal for Ukraine….

The Trump administration has been secretly collaborating with Russia on a new peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, according to officials from both countries who spoke to Axios. The proposed plan, which consists of 28 points, is said to be inspired by the Gaza peace deal brokered by President Trump. It covers four main areas: peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, broader European security, and the future of US relations with both Russia and Ukraine, according to Axios’ sources. They say Ukraine has not been involved in the negotiations.

The details on how the plan addresses issues such as who controls what territory in eastern Ukraine remain unclear, especially as Russian forces continue to make slow gains in the region. The drafting process is being led by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has spent considerable time in discussions with Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev. Dmitriev, who oversees Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and is heavily involved in Ukraine diplomacy, told Axios he spent three days meeting with Witkoff and other Trump team members in Miami in late October.

We expressed optimism about the plan, saying “the Russian position is really being heard” in this round of negotiations. Dmitriev said the US effort is unrelated to a separate, UK-led push for a Gaza-style plan, which Dmitriev dismisses as disregarding Russia’s positions. Witkoff was expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, but that meeting has been postponed. However, Witkoff did discuss the plan with Zelensky’s national security adviser, Rustem Umerov, in Miami. A Ukrainian official acknowledged awareness of US efforts, saying, “We know the Americans are working on something.”

The White House has begun briefing European officials about the plan and believes there is a realistic chance of garnering support from both Ukraine and its European allies, Axios reports. Sources tell Reuters that the US is pressuring Zelensky to accept the main points of the plan, including giving up territory and reducing the size of the country’s military.

Where is Ukraine in all these meetings?

Say there is a deal will Ukraine honor it?

This is a lame attempt to make Uncle Don look like a statesman…..that ship sailed long ago.

Why is Europe not more involved?

At what point is this a fart in the wind?

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

A Nuclear Tit For Tat

In a recent report the news has hit that Russia has a new nuclear toy and since all nuke talks have been suspended it is something to consider….this ‘new’ device would make a sneak attack very likely….

Russia has conducted a successful test of a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, declaring that the new weapon can’t be intercepted. Putin’s statement, which the AP reports comes three days after he praised a successful test of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, appears to be another message to President Trump that Russia is standing firm in its maximalist demands on Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting with soldiers wounded in Ukraine, Putin said the Poseidon drone was tested while running on nuclear power for the first time on Tuesday, describing it as a “huge success.” Poseidon is unmatched in speed and depth, he said, and “there is no way to intercept it.”

He said the nuclear reactor that powers Poseidon is “100 times smaller” than those on submarines, and the power of its nuclear warhead is “significantly higher than that of our prospective Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile.” Putin first mentioned the underwater nuclear-powered drone in his 2018 state-of-the-nation address, along with other prospective weapons. Russian media reported that Poseidon was designed to explode near coastlines and unleash a powerful radioactive tsunami.

Putin said that during Tuesday’s test, Poseidon traveled on nuclear power for the first time. He didn’t say where the trials were conducted or give any other details. He also revealed new details about the Burevestnik cruise missile, saying its nuclear reactor is “1,000 times smaller” than one on a submarine. On Sunday, Russia’s chief military officer, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reported to Putin that an Oct. 21 test of the Burevestnik was a complete success. The missile covered 8,680 miles during a 15-hour flight using nuclear fuel and conducted maneuvers “demonstrating its high capabilities in evading missile and air defense systems,” Gerasimov said.

With that news how will Uncle Donny respond?

How do you think?

President Trump on Wednesday announced he has ordered the Pentagon to “immediately” resume testing nuclear weapons, citing the need to keep pace with rival nations’ programs. The president made the announcement on Truth Social just before a highly watched meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, NBC News reports. “Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” he wrote. “That process will begin immediately.” The United States has not conducted a confirmed nuclear test since 1992, when a moratorium began under President George HW Bush. The US has the capability to restart tests at a federal site in Nevada. Trump’s move comes as he sharpens his public focus on US military strength.

He argued that resuming tests is about maintaining parity with other nations, declaring that the US has the largest arsenal, followed by Russia, then China—a country he claimed could catch up within five years. However, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons lists Russia as having the most confirmed warheads, with the US a close second; together they hold about 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. Trump declined to elaborate when pressed by reporters about the policy shift. Earlier in the week, he called denuclearization a key goal and criticized Russia’s recent tests of new nuclear-capable weapons, yet said he believed both Russia and China could eventually support arms reductions. The tests of Russia’s new cruise missile, which reportedy flew 8,700 miles, were condemned internationally, the Hill reports.

China, for its part, has rejected US appeals to cut stockpiles. The Washington Post calls Trump’s statement “an apparent attempt to flex the United States’ military might ahead of a high-stakes trade meeting.” The announcement drew immediate backlash from Democrats, especially in Nevada, where lawmakers vowed to fight any new tests. The state legislature recently passed a resolution urging the federal government to keep the moratorium in place.

Here we go again….a nuclear tit for tat with Russia and China.

The age old arms race has just got more scary and more disturbing.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Big Three Meet

Over the weekend three members of the BRICS, China, Russia and India, met and discussed the happenings of the day…..

At a summit in Tianjin, eastern China, on Monday, the leaders of China, Russia, and India offered a carefully choreographed show of unity aimed at the West. Cameras caught Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi exchanging handshakes and laughter, with Modi at one point linking hands with Xi and Putin, who represent an alternative world order challenging the US, per the New York Times. The summit was part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which drew over 20 regional leaders and featured speeches that subtly rebuked US foreign policy. Xi urged members to reject “Cold War mentality” and “bloc confrontation,” while Modi endorsed multilateralism and a larger global role for countries like India.

The discussions, coming as the US escalates tariffs on India and tightens its stance toward China and Russia, are seen as a response to Washington’s hardline trade policies, which have nudged India closer to the other two powers. Modi’s warm gestures, including a shared limousine ride and lengthy conversation with Putin, marked a shift from India’s traditionally cautious approach to relations with China and Russia.

While China and India remain at odds over territorial issues, Modi said there was an “atmosphere of peace and stability” between them, per the BBC. India’s economic reliance on the West cannot be easily replaced by Russia, whose economy is weakened by sanctions. But as one analyst tells the Times, “the White House should grasp that its policies will result in other countries looking for alternatives to meet their interests.”

Interesting since China and India have been at each others throats over some deposited border territory….did they make nice?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, on Monday, and told the Russian leader that New Delhi and Moscow should deepen cooperation in “all sectors.”

The comments from Modi are the latest sign that tariffs and other pressure from the US won’t impact India’s import of Russian oil and its trade relationship with Russia in general. In a post on X, Modi shared a photo of himself and Putin in a vehicle en route to their meeting, and said conversations with the Russian leader were always “insightful.”

After the meeting, Modi described the talks as “excellent” and said they discussed “ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all spheres, including trade, fertilizers, space, security, and culture.”

In Tianjin, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered remarks in which he criticized “bullying” practices, an apparent reference to US sanctions and other economic pressures. Xi, Modi, and Putin briefly huddled together at the summit, and the 10 SCO member states called out the US by name in a joint declaration that condemned the recent US-Israeli war on Iran, which is an SCO member.

The statement said that the SCO states “strongly condemn the June 2025 Israeli and US military aggression on Iran targeting civilian nuclear infrastructure, causing casualties (and) violation of international law and UN Charter principles.” They also strongly condemned “acts causing civilian casualties and humanitarian disasters in Gaza.”

(antiwar.com)

Is it possible that Donny and his silly foreign policy have brought together these partners for mutual security?

Think about that….3 heavily nuked up countries.

The New Cold War is getting hotter?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

3 From The East

A couple of nations from the diabolical East will meet and compare notes….China, Russia, North Korea…..should we be worried?

Chinese President Xi Jinping is making a bold diplomatic play as he prepares to host both Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un for a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender, which ended its occupation of regions of China. It’s the first time the three leaders will gather together. The Sept. 3 gathering in Beijing, to bring together leaders from 26 countries in all, including Indonesia, Iran, Cuba, Pakistan, and Malaysia, serves as a high-profile showcase of China’s expanding influence on the world stage, per the BBC and NPR. While President Trump continues to struggle for a diplomacy breakthrough in Ukraine and seeks another meeting with Kim, Xi is demonstrating his ability to convene key players.

Kim’s presence is especially notable, marking the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. Despite speculation that Kim’s growing alignment with Putin might have frayed ties with Beijing, his first visit to the country in six years signals otherwise. The visit also offers Kim “legitimacy,” per the BBC, as he shares a stage with other world leaders. Xi, meanwhile, stands to gain leverage in upcoming negotiations with Washington. Trump, who’s under pressure to resolve trade tensions and will be in the region at the end of October, has said he’s open to meeting Xi. As the BBC reports, “Xi will want the strongest hand possible as negotiations go on” and, following this visit, “he may even have information his US counterpart does not.”

Is this a strategy session on dealing with the US?

Are we looking at a new bloc to counter US adventurism?

Will this be more troubles in the Pacific?

Will this be money thrown at a ‘rising’ threat?

Should we be worried?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Take Alaska Back!

After the meeting with Donny Vlad had to return to Russia and face some nationalist blowback….they want Alaska returned to the motherland and may be will to take it by force if necessary…..

America’s purchase of Alaska in 1867 was a bizarre land deal between two countries. It was either hated or ridiculed across most of the world. But now, Russian nationalists want their long-lost icebox.

Yes, really. Russian nationalists are saying that Putin should come home from his Alaska visit with a very imperial present for the Russian people. They either claim the land of Alaska was leased, not sold, or that a Russian diplomat bribed American lawmakers, or that the Russian Tsar didn’t follow the law of the sale, or some other excuse.

We can’t wait to see how the Alaska population, which is now over 50 percent made up of Americans descended from Western Europe, would react to suddenly becoming Russian. Surely all those bear hunters who are accustomed to their right to bear arms would happily become constituents of the Russian bear and would welcome Russian Tupolev Tu-95 “Bear” bombers on their airfields.

It’s rarely on Americans’ minds that Russia used to have an impressive empire, mostly because Russia has been a totalitarian bogeyman or a socialist joke for nearly all of living memory here in the States.

But Russia was a tsardom (which is like a kingdom, but you have to double-check the spelling) and then an empire for 370 years. At its peak before World War I, it had a population of over 160 million. The U.S. had about half that in 1910. The Russian Empire stretched from parts of modern Poland in the west to Alaska in the east, with its territory stretching south into modern-day China. It even controlled parts of what is today Japan, though it was already in retreat there, and it lost its possessions in Korea in a war with Japan in 1905.

https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/russian-nationalists-want-alaska-back-and-they-want-putin-to-take-it-by-force/

Sorry about it but just had to throw some history in there for good measures.

So what do you think about this report?

Personally I think it makes good copy (for some) but has no chance of success.

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”