Tom, I feel like here you are getting into the same trap a lot of us Ukrainians got into. There is no point to fear that our actions will be misused for propaganda - because they will be anyway. Whatever we do, our actions will be highlighted in a way that favors russia. Whatever we don't do - same. Whatever didn't even happened will be presented as a fact. Whatever we do, they will be attacking us and saying that we provoked it.
So whether Zelensky go to the oral cabinet or stay at home, his actions would be highlighted like he is the one who does not want peace. That's just what Trump decided to do.
And knowing that, there is no fear in doing something you think may help. There is no point to stop resisting.
This way we at least have a clear image that Trump can't be reasoned with. A lot of Europeans, who previously thought this can be done, now have a very clear picture. Yes, they could've get it earlier, sure. But for some reason they didn't - at least until yesterday.
Sitting there and rejecting Trump is true freedom. Zelensky showed crystal clear yesterday, that he is no puppet of US or NATO. Russian military is down. What if they can't succeed over a non supported Ukraine, as this Propaganda victory will be definitely displayed in Russian media as a victory.
Well, this is my point, too :) Resisiting Trump like Zelensky did was clearly a better move, because it have the same downsides as not resisting, but more upsides.
As for the propaganda victory for russia - I don't mind if they declare this war a victory and go away. As they say here in Ukraine, 'in my absence you can not only say whatever you want about me, you can even punch me"
Yes but at the end everything is decided on the battle field, including the future of Europe. Wishing to do business as usual with the RF (as some prefer) is the quickest way to suicide.
Okay now we are getting a little bit off topic (WW II). There are many reasons why WW II did end the way it did end, but it was decided on the battle field and no where else.
Yes, a lot of people can no longer claim that Trump can be reasoned with. But if they thought that already then they not likely to change their minds now. Fortunately, Ukraine can survive with the existing support of its friends. It is winning the war of attrition. Patience is now the key. That's something America never has.
You can take heart that, by his actions, Trump has lost his leverage over Ukraine and over Europe. Without leverage and influence, the image of America a world leader is eroded. Ukraine can now afford to ignore America. As can Europe. And I see plenty signs of that happening. Trump really is his own worst enemy. And America's too.
Really not viewing why You Say that Ukraine is winning the war of attrition.
Ukraine must do something now to survive and win, because if they think about performing good, so not change and improve anything, Ukraine has no chance.
VSRF can't be considered a "soviet army heir" by now, but the have some ideas very clear: they set up a unified and only command chain and have destroyed the anomalous competition for resources (Wagner, integration of the militias in the normal army rooster), give up loosing ships against drones in the Black Sea, focused again in get logística points and railcrossings as son as possible, developed from scratch they own chesp drone industry and put it in control of their MoD and have activated their economy to a war mode. Yrs, maybe in 2025 we will see Uralsvagod (sorry if I'm misspelling that juggernaut tank factory name) rolling out new T-62 obr. 2025 because they finally not get more advsnced materials of the west and Taiwan, but they can do that.
And at the same time, Ucranian MoD decided than drone assignment wold depends on a free market! If people don't be getting killed in real life, this wound be a Black comedy.
Ukraine is not winning an attrition war right now. The need fresh ideas and quick. Europe too.
Wars of attrition are zero sum. If you are losing manpower and materiel at a slower rate than your opponent then you are winning. And, clearly, the opposite is true. There are plenty of examples in military history where this has happened. Putin has gambled that he can out-bleed Ukraine before his economy collapses. But an army needs equipment as well as bodies. And as many OSINT researchers have pointed out, the Kremlin has already run out of replacement vehicles in some weapons categories and this year and into 2026 it is likely to happen with most of them. Figures published by UralVagonZavod (yes, that is very hard to spell) show that it can only manufacture 8-12 new MBTs per month. And maybe refurbish three times that number. That total accounts for less than a week's average losses. Russian logistics are increasingly degraded heavily by Ukraine. 50% of Russia's entire supply of 122mm mortar shells were blown up in just one attack last year. I could go on.
The result is that as Ukraine fights on whilst conserving losses and whilst equipment not only arrives in greater numbers than it loses but is of ever better quality too, Russia is on the reverse trajectory. Ukraine IS winning the war of attrition. I understand some of the points you're making but they do not have much impact on the bigger picture.
I think you are overly optimistic in both Ukrainian and Russian losses. I definitely don't think Ukraine is winning attrition war, especially in human lives, the most important resource. It is not losing, yet, either, but Ukrainian military should definitely improve itself a lot if it wants to start winning.
I don't think there's a point in debating with you when you honestly believe nonsensical reports about the Russians storing 50% of their entire 122mm shell supply in one depot, when the Russian depot network consists of several hundred depots.
LOL. 122mm is the calibre of their mortar shells. So, yes, it is very likely. And you are living in a fantasy if you think GRAU has several hundred arsenals. It's about thirty.
It's pretty common knowledge that the Russians depleted their pre-war stocks of shells during the winter of 2022-2023. Since then their artillery batteries are fed by new deliveries (either from Russian factories, or from purchases made from abroad e.g. from the DPRK). New batches arrive on rail pretty much every day, and they don't arrive to a few centralised depots, given that the Russians spread out their logistics 2 years ago along hundreds of small depots due to Ukrainian logistical strikes with American missiles.
So what does destroying 50% of Russia's 122mm shells mean? 50% of that particular week's supplies? Or what...you think the Russians are stocking up on shells for months? No, they expend them almost as soon as they are produced.
There's no problem with people supporting Ukraine, the problem is with the people believing UA propoganda BS. 4 K North Koreans killed, 50% of total shell stock kept in one place, Ghost of Kiev, ...well...you name them. It's good for propoganda purpose for own people or general public abroad, but seriously post it here at somewhat specialised advanced military blog?)))
I'm disappointed to see you're putting words in my mouth. It was 50% of 122mm mortar stock in one place NOT of all shell stock. That is all. And if you'd been following last year's attacks on the major GRAU arsenals you will would know that the Russian way IS to store NK shells in one place, Shaheds in another, SRBMs in a third and so one.
It must be hard being so angry at everyone all the time that you just blurt out distortions.
The problem is that Zelensky was dumb enough to ACTUALLY go there to sign that 'Minerals Treaty'.
Do you understand what kind of repercussions would that have for Ukraine?
Not even Dumpf & Dance expected him to be that dumb. Which is why then they've staged their 'ambush' and the making of the TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger that does not want peace'.
I understand Zelensky is hell-or-bent on doing anything to help Ukraine. But, if he's still desperate - then he's even more incompetent than I thought.
I belive he used the opportunity to discuss his concerns in person. To perform a reality check. And that was actually pretty succesful. Yes, none of us like that reality - but the earlier we stop being delusional about US help and reliability, the earlier we can base our decisions on a correct input.
Dumpf will make the 'TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger that does not want peace'.' anyway. They already started doing exactly that - 'Zelensky was rude, and sleeping, and didn't see the great opportunity we were offering'. Eventually this would be Dumpf's conclusion, because peace will not be achieved and someone should be blamed for this. No point to cease your actions based on such a fear.
As for desperation and incompententness - sometimes even if you are doing a great job and totally competent, this could not be enough to succeed.
I actually agree that Zelensky in incompetent enough. Just not this time. I was in a deep fear when he came into power, representing the people who would like to 'see a peace in putin's eyes' and 'stop the war, one-two'. Now he's clearly not representing them. I'd even laugh about the irony on how he's now fightning his past self, but not today. Today I feel he did a great job.
i saw a pbs poll on who was responsible of what has happened in the oval office. 50% said trump, 50% said vance, 4% said zelensky, 4% said all of them. (te bottom line: musk wants wipe out the pbs budget, the gov doesn't need public broadcaster, he said)
There you are wrong Tom. If he refuses to talk, that gives them even more possibilities to do whatever you want.
That is something counter intuitive, I know. But from media training I can tell you, if you refuse to say anything, you are guilty as charged and what you get charged with is independently from what you think and up to the person making the edit for the news show. That is not possible if you say something
And yes, it is all shoved into a certain narrative and that way before social media.
Just don't expect them to stay within any boundaries and to be fair or just. As you wrote, they are bullies. But outright declining to talk to gives them more power than sitting there and talk back.
I think the question here is this: what if the deal DID get signed? Would that have strengthened Ukraine’s hand in some way? I think Zelensky believes that it would have, and therefore the trip was worth it. But I suspect that you are not of the same opinion, Tom, hence to you, it was a pointless exercise from the beginning. Am I correct?
It would make Ukraine the same kind of US slave, like Putin is trying to make Ukraine a Russian slave.
That said: the way I understand it, the things developed like this:
- Yes, Zelensky (was stupid enough to) think the deal is worth it,
- principally because he's too incompetent and thus desperate enough not to see any solution; which is why
- he went there to sign the deal.
- Even Dumpf & Dance were surprised by this, which is why,
- they then ambushed him during the 'press conference' during which they were supposed to announce the signature of that deal, and that while well-knowing that this way he would not sign. And that, because
- they didn't want him to sign, in the first place, but wanted a TV-commercial that 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
...which is precisely what they have got.
Bottom line: this kind of incompetent behaviour (in this case by Zelensky) is only encouraging them.
>> make Ukraine the same kind of US slave, like Putin is trying to make Ukraine a Russian slave
- There is a difference. The US did not come with tanks, did not kill hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians now and millions a hundred years ago, and they did not perceive the country's culture and society as a threat.
Understand your reading of this. 2 follow-up questions:
1. One could argue that while the deal is certainly predatory, it could nonetheless serve as a form of security guarantee, in that if the US has enough commercial interest in Ukraine (factories, resources, experts on the ground, cash flows) then this will effectively serve as deterrent to a potential Russian re-invasion. Do you not buy this argument and if so, why?
2. One of the final points in your explanation don’t make full sense to me. Specifically, why would Trump NOT want the deal signed? Seems like for him, it’s exactly the kind of thing he likes and wants. In his mind, its billions for the US and what he is providing in return is just the posture and gravitas of the United States (a free resource). I would think he would love nothing more than to actually get Zelensky’s signature. No?
I agree that there was nothing to talk about, and that the deal (contract for serfdom) should never be signed.
And I agree with Spike that it was correct to go, to show that he was willing to risk that humiliation, he had to perform the visit to the king. If he hadn't gone that would have been wrong too - at least in the media space.
Now his visit has crystallised the situation, his defiance plays well in the media. How much has charged in the US i do not know, but I know our own politicians here in Norway are more finally talking about more support for Ukraine.
I watched the thing and I agree with those who say it was all planned. Because Pudding has already said no to trumps plan they needed a scapegoat. By humiliating not only Zelenskyi, but also Ukraine, it's backfired outside of the maga faithful.
But it seems to me that something went wrong before the presser, they referenced things that had been said off camera, I suspect Zelenskyi was hoping trump would agree to changes.
Vance is openly hostile to Ukraine, him being there signalled what was about to happen.
"I watched the thing and I agree with those who say it was all planned. Because Pudding has already said no to trumps plan they needed a scapegoat. By humiliating not only Zelenskyi, but also Ukraine, it's backfired outside of the maga faithful."
My 2 cents worth ... now in this age of inflation worth maybe 15 cents!
I perceive that among the possible reasons for the Trump-Vance ambush of Zelensky is domestic U.S. politics. One of Trump's big running points during the Presidential campaign was that he stated that he would end the Ukraine War within 24 hours of becoming President. How'd that work out? **grisly LOL** Of course this was Trump's big mouth in action.
Then Trump supposedly ginned up a plan to bring the parties together to end the Ukraine War "permanently" [yeah, right]. Of course Ukraine (Zelensky) was never part of coming together. It was Russia-U.S. or rather Putin-Trump. I still think that Trump is an idiot--a dangerous one with one major brilliance about him, the ability to gage and then exploit the emotional state of another person. He's a sort of Hitler, who in my perception through his oratory could emotionally engage whole populations.
That most obviously was an ambush planned well in advance IMHO.
The idiot Trump, perhaps with the help of Vance, et. al., realized that Putin would never agree to some sort of permanent end to the Ukraine War. By permanent, I mean during Trump's (hopefully) final term as President. Failing in this regard would be a huge diplomatic loss for Trump. He would lose a lot of face with the American public, but specifically with the MAGA crazies in the Congress and out there in America-land. Thus, his attempts over the past week or two to insult Zelensky to "guarantee" in Trump's perverted mind that Zelensky would not agree to an arranged Trump-Putin agreement to "end" the Ukraine War. This is pure Trumpismo of decades long standing: to cast blame for his failure(s) on someone else. He's done this in business over and over an over again.
Trump's popularity numbers are in decline. His favorability rating never exceeded about 47% and is now beginning to drop. It will continue to drop because I am confident that the Dumpf iL Duce will f*ck-over the U.S. economy and things will get worse and worse, especially if he imposes his 25% tariffs on "everybody" that he despises. BTW, I do not know at this point if Trump is for real or is merely bluffing about the tariffs. Time will tell.
Everything Trump has done, even internationally, has been for domestic political considerations and his own fragile ego. He is a bully that Europe, Ukraine, Canada, Greenland, and Mexico have to confront even if they end up with the proverbial black eye.
The deal Trump offered for minerals was bad, but Ukraine was still negotiating. I think Zelensky was hoping to negotiate a nebulous and therefore meaningless deal like what Mexico and Canada did a month ago with tariffs. Give Trump a meaningless win in exchange for a little US consideration. Didn't happen, but don't blame Zelensky for trying.
I don't think Zelensky is so dumb, you are mistaken in this regard.
Ze (his office boss Yermak actually) has so many (close to 100) unofficial advisors, deputy advisors (so called "watchdogs") in his office, most of which are ruzzian assets, which are not accountable for anything they do even for criminal offense, that they are actually replacing the government and parliament of Ukraine in fact. Shmyhal - the prime-minister of Ukraine decides nothing in his government. That's why Trump called Zelensky a dictator, but without getting into details.
So, that visit was very planned by both parties, likewise that deal failure, negotiations collapse and of course US END OF SUPPORT of Ukraine.
However Ze has meanly promoted himself worldwide and Trump&Vens got a justification to leave Ukraine alone, as they expected.
I would not seriously believe that show at all. Trump made it to justify his inability to end the war fast (as he promised), Zelensky played his role of undefeated leader, the agreement for minerals was not signed as both parties perfectly know that it's a hoax and there are no declared huge rare-earth metals deposits in Ukraine (but for some lithium). US will not stop military supplies to Ukraine, dozens of US military cargo planes proceed delivering arms to Eastern Europe each day for further transfer to UA.
Most likely within a month or two period we will see some staged Butcha-2 case after which (with regrets, of course) Trump will increase US help to Ukraine.
Noone needs the stop of war, it's profitable and vital for too many sides. How else lousy Western Europe leaders, who are betraying their own people by destruction of national industries and letting hordes of barbarians in, will justify their failures? Of course, Russia and Putin will be blamed for all.
Я так понимаю, что вы не верите, что в Буче зверства устроили военнослужащие РФ? У меня к вам один вопрос: вы все на россии думаете, что ваши солдаты за три года только цветочки нюхают, пока мы сами себя бомбим, взрываем и расстреливаем? Если да, то ещё один вопрос, да простит меня за это ваш святой пудинг - а что ваши некомпетентные солдаты такое нюхают, что у них такие потери?
I would like to say that I 100% agree about the US intention to wash their hands of something they know they can't achieve. About what followed that, yeah, let's say for arguments sake all those points are correct. But its also possible that *at the same time* they're continuing the war because they want Ukraine to win and they think its the right thing. You can have good and bad motives and in my experience such a mix usually drives every decision made by a human being
I voted for the pro EU party including pro EU military and we will take most likely part in sky shield. However, I know my fellow countryhumans and all the romanticised stories they got to hear over their lifetime regarding neutrality.
So the 'peace negotiations' actually were what they always threatened to be: a platform for Trump's posturing. Only a fool would ever agree to those terms and Zelensky is no fool. It's an irrelevance and always was so.
Oh, and, as ever, Trump has shot himself in the foot. A clever man would blur the margins of his position but his posturing has allowed the leaders of other nations to openly denounce America, defining clearly both their stance and the USA's. A once great nation now stands with the pariahs: Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Zelensky was fool enough to actually go there to sign that 'minerals treaty'.
So much a fool, even Dumpf & Dance didn't expect him to do so. Which is why they've then staged the making of this TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
As far as I understand not even the 'watered down' version was signed. Trump now acts as a little child and starts tingling like a toddler, because he didn't get what he wanted.
If he continues like that there willl be a big rift in the western world with the USA being the biggest loser.
Okay, fair enough. But he may have been following Churchill's dictum of; "Jaw, jaw, not war, war". I can't blame him for attempting to see if he could negotiate better terms because now no allies can equivocate and say he should have tried but didn't. Everyone's positions are now crystal clear. You are either with the Ukrainians, or against them.
This MAGA thing with all its roots is very controversial even within the republican party. Their actual position is far less stable than they think it is - unless they got _ignored_, what would mean a kind of acceptance, that is.
Exposé them? Trump had four years of exposure. Add to that January 6th and everything afterwards. He was still elected. Even carried the popular vote. The US voters gets what they want. Destruction of the federal administration inside US and bullying towards the rest of the world. Christian nationalism and Israel support, words against China… If you thought he was a good idea in November, what has changed? The rest of us sees it. But the voters actually got what they voted for. The only thing that will change the voters mind is when this doesn’t work. Takes time to see the usefulness of some of the jobs Elon is destroying. Or the lack of economic improvement etc. or the loss of international leadership. Doesn’t really have to manifest in four years. (But the dollar is screwed in the long run, which definetly will hit USA. But not today.) expose is meaningless.
And there is an observation that whoever handshakes with Zelensky soon looses his office. Trump handshaked him in autumn 2019, a couple of months before his first impeachment - and they did it yesterday again.
But for many any price increasing will still appear to be ongoing effects of the inflation under the Biden Administration or 'corporate profit gouging.'
And quoting analysis such as that done during Trump's first term on how the ripple effects of his aluminum tariff raised the price of beer and other beverages packaged in aluminum cans is dismissed as partisanship.
I recently spoke to a Trump supporter about an article on a site supporting Trump that proclaimed Trump was going to replace the income tax with tariffs. I got in a word or two about the fact that the economic impossibility of doing so and was cut off with the statement - 'You are just against anything Trump proposes.'
Which statement does have some merit, but my opposition to Trump is that he has those policies...
What many people are not aware of, is that Trump goes against very deliberate economic policy that US has installed for years, decades actually. And they are in unique economic position to do that.
While reducing trade deficit, curbing expenses and restoring "strong" dollar, sounds good in theory. In fact US built an ingenious engine for extracting wealth from the rest of the world through the policy of controlled money printing. Very briefly it could be called "export of inflation" policy.
Now with CPI and PPI at its highest in a long time, with interest rates at almost highest, imposing tariffs will definitely spike those even more. Which automatically means needs for further interest rate increase. That will break a fragile balance of US economy. Another 1 or 1.5% increase would be a death blow with many corporate and personal bankruptcies to follow.
Hope no one will explain this to him before he does. And at the moment he is oblivious. Answering a question "Do you think that tariffs will be paid by US citizen in the end of the day", he says "No, I don't think so, it is countries that pay". And when asked about China he said, "yes it 10% upon 10% that is already there". So this means 20-25%across the board, with Mexico, Canada, China and EU. That will definitely impact prices.
Same feeling here. And there's nothing to expect for the next 2 years, except some republicans voting against Trump at some point. But for now, they are all with Trump&Co.
The thing now is what would happen now than publicly NATO have this poblic internal rift.
The Oval Office show is the perfect excuse to the North american people to justify not to go after the "Article 5" because "Zelensky and all the european leaders are the real bullyies with american muscles". This is the new narrative and was enshinered yesterday.
Now all, tragically, depends on the next move in the poker Game of the russians. What they openly engage NATO assets in the Black Sea? Or go All in in the Baltics?
We shouldn't fear providing an excuse for people that already decided to do just that. They don't even need that excuse - they can always construct an ad hoc casus belli, as they always do.
If we stop resisting fearing to anger the bully, we will only make his life easier.
Despite how much we hope for the internation stage to stay civil, for diplomatic protocol to matter, or for our politicians to be professionals, a school backyard is now a reality. And when we deal with a bunch of bullies, we don't ignore them, but resist. And try to make their life miserable.
This ir the time when we discover than the crazy little North korean that was always trying to get a granade to be respected in the backyard was always right.
Whatever he muttered, it wasn't "calling Vance", it was an obvious and natural reaction to the epic bullshit Vance was saying at that very moment (that he actually watched some stories, so he KNOWS). Zelensky's definitely a bad poker player, because his face showed it all anyway. I can't really blame him for being honest (even though at that time and place, he'd better not).
There's a twist to that that I didn't catch until reading Stefan Korshak's comment on the event: what Vance is saying is, I read the stories and I see what you're doing, showing people around. It's propaganda (this is not the exact transcription of what he says, but he says something along those lines).
In effect, what he is doing, is saying that the rounds that foreign politicians and media are taken on, to Bucha, seeing the basements where people were tortured, mass graves, and burial sites of all the people who died, murdered by Russians or killed in the figths. Also meeting people that have been in captivity and tortured be Russians. In effect, Vance is turning all these testamente of war crimes, some of which have been documented and judged in the international court (ICC or the other one), into propaganda.
You can see why that would have an inflammatory effect on any Ukrainian, let alone Zelensky who's in the room, listening to this disgraceful stunt.
That, too. But one really needs to watch the scene and not just read transcripts or explanation. Zelensky's reaction happens exactly as the Vance says "watched the stories", the bit about "propaganda tour" comes seconds later.
So, basically, whatever actual words were used, the translation would be something like "oh for fuck's sake".
Knowing the utter lack of conviction within the British Labour government - a party that now in power with a huge majority has abandoned every one of its radical ideas, terrified by what the tax-dodging billionaires who own the media might say - I was nonetheless thoroughly taken aback by Starmer's latest wheeze: a 'Letter from the King'! If Elvis himself had written the invitation Trump could not have been more delighted. More bling! More gold! Whoopee!!! What a great man Trump must be for the King of England to stoop so low and lick his boots like this!!!
And then Zelenskyy appeared in the White House. Interrupted every time he tried to speak, his words deliberately twisted and wrong meanings fed into the dialogue, it was a delight for Dump and Nasty to feed to their MAGA cronies. If those people really represent the mass of the American people - and the polling certainly suggests it does - then at last America has succumbed to what it has long been tempted with: diktat by the strong man in the White House and the deliberate, incessant persecution of any with different points of view. Look at Hollywood films of the last fifty years and that tendency - of reliance on the powerful hero and demonisation of any who stand in his way - is clear to see.
Zelenskyy may be 'an idiot for going there'. He may be too weak to undertake the enormous task of cleaning out the corruption endemic in a post-Soviet society. But from the very first he has made a point of standing up to the bullying of Russia, rallying his people and working tirelessly for the Western backing his country cannot survive without. America has made its position quite clear - even the likes of Starmer with his pathetic letter and Macron with his knee-slapping familiarity must by now begin to realise they have been useful idiots.
It is beyond time for the larger Western European nations with the resources to do so to: dramatically step up deliveries of effective matériel to the battlefield; to release the frozen Russian assets to help ease the process; to treat Dump and his like with the disdain and distancing hey seem to demand; and to come to terms, finally, with the fact that the Putin Death Cult is an ongoing and pernicious threat which must be put down at all costs.
Starting by the British withdrawing an invitation to the kind of fancy show that Dump so enjoys.
Thank you, Tom, for your position. There are two considerations. 1. The "resources in exchange for aid" offer was presented to Trump by the Ukrainian side. The fact that expectations were not met speaks of the worthlessness of Ukrainian diplomacy. 2. The population receives information about everything that is happening in the world from the media. And ALL media are biased. So the average citizen is given only a choice whose lies he will accept and whose he will not. As an example, the aforementioned "resources agreement". Its real text was seen by a select few, the subtext - by only a few of them. But the media inflated it from a "colonialist agreement" to "the path to Ukraine's revival".
It was never envisioned as the "resources in exchange for aid". What Zelensky tried to achieve was the "resources in exchange for security guarantees". That was quite a reasonable idea. In turn, we were presented with nothing and even less - a backward debt where we didn't have it previously.
And 'ALL media are biased' is such a blatant russian claim. GTFO
Ukraine’s critical resource deposits, along with Ukraine’s globally important potential for energy and food production, are among Russia’s key aggressive war goals.
And this is our opportunity for growth. Ukraine’s economic growth. The economic strengthening of the European Union for the sake of economic autonomy and, in many ways, Europe’s security autonomy. And this is an opportunity for the United States and our partners in the G7 to work with Ukraine, an ally that can provide a return on investment.
The economic point of our strategy has a secret appendix that is shared only with certain partners.
Ukraine proposes that the United States, together with certain partners, in particular the European Union, of which Ukraine will be a part, and with other partners in the world, conclude a special agreement regarding the joint protection of Ukraine's critical resources, joint investment and the use of the corresponding economic potential.
This is also peace through force. Economic force. This is an agreement that will organically complement and strengthen the existing system of economic pressure on Russia, namely all sanctions against Russia, restrictions on oil prices, restrictions on exports to Russia and other pressure measures.
Russian allies in the world must see that this regime has no economic future.
I think that the resource issue is nothing more than a way for the warring countries not to lose face when concluding "peace". Both sides are too afraid to consider themselves disadvantaged or defeated or not having achieved their goals.
Minerals are just an excuse to cover up reality with information.
Please, Sergey - and all the Ukrainians - get sane. PLEASE.
Your president is no 'hero', but has just proven himself an incompetent once again.
The things developed like this:
- Yes, Zelensky (was stupid enough to) think the deal is worth it,
- principally because he's too incompetent and thus desperate enough not to see any solution; which is why
- he went there to sign the deal.
- Even Dumpf & Dance were surprised by this, which is why,
- they then ambushed him during the 'press conference' during which they were supposed to announce the signature of that deal, and that while well-knowing that this way he would not sign. And that, because
- they didn't want him to sign, in the first place, but wanted a TV-commercial that 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
...which is precisely what they have got.
Bottom line: this kind of incompetent behaviour (in this case by Zelensky) is only encouraging Dumpf, Pudding and other of the modern-day Nazis.
Haven’t the foggiest idea, but at least I was sure there was a deal ready to be signed and that was the reason for the visit. Otherwise there was no point. So I honestly think he could have waited until the deal was really ready. Or not gone at all.
The whole thing didn't really look like a good ambush. Zelensky could just ignore Vance's speech about diplomacy. Unfortunately, he didn't, so, technically, he was the one who started it. Again, can't really blame him for excess honesty. But the idea of Trump and Vance setting up a clever trap, expecting Zelensky to pounce on the word "diplomacy", is, well, way too clever for these two.
you need to watch the WHOLE meeting... Zelensky was provoked and disrespected repeatedly by USA journalists, including majorie taylor greens boyfriend (whi wouldn't normally get an oval ofdice questionioners pass). the very fact he knew to push the question about dress code (that only insiders knew trump was annoyed about) shows everything was pre-meditated. including 'accidentaly' allowing russian state media to live stream the event from within the oval office
Was it live on Russia Today? Didn't know that. Then it's very interesting from this perspective to see how many times Trump mentioned his respect for Putin and viceversa. He insisted that indeed Putin broke the treaties (exactly what Zelensky was saying) signed with Bush or Obama, but "not with me, he respects me".
As a Swede with a PRO Ukrain, antiTrump bias, the meeting did fill an important purpose; it made clear to a vast amount of Europeans just how low the US has sunk into it’s own propaganda bubble. Thanks to Trump and co, Europeans will be more prone to accept increased military spending, and paying more for a european EV instead of a Tesla….
Just because this meeting was of no value for you, it was important for me, to really understand the depth of the American delusion.
Exactly. Now the rest of the democratic world gets to witness the Trumpian Crap Canada Mexico Panama and Denmark have been dealing with. Trump's day of reckoning is coming. Tariffs will destroy the USA auto industry and that will destroy Trump. The February 28 anti Ukraine TV commercial has ensured that Vance will go down with Bad King Orange. From this day forward, anyone who attempts to appease the Bad King in Washington DC or at the King's Florida retreat is a fool. America is isolated.
'Starmer said that after discussions with Zelenskyy and Macron that there has been an agreement made that the UK, along with France, and “possibly one or two others” will work with Kyiv to stop the war. He said this agreed peace plan will be presented to the US. “I think we’ve got a step in the right direction”, Starmer told Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC.'
Полностью согласен, что Зеля некомпетентный. У меня сложилось мнение, что он как раз ехал НЕ подписывать соглашение любым способом. Так как по "плану" Трампа, после соглашения должно было подписано прекращение огня, снятие военного положения и выборы, в которых Зеля не сможет победить. Это Зеленскому не надо. Поэтому он рад был сорвать любую сделку, даже если она была бы реальной
Думать - не твоя сильная сторона. Живи, как тебе нравится, верь во всё, что тебе хочется, если есть, что сказать - аргументируй. Просто написать здесь дерьмо - тебе в другой чат
you've become obsessed with criticism of Zelensky and thenrestvofnthe Ukrainian 'management'. it doesn't help, and, is lobsided.
remember, you see everything with perfect hindsight. a good example is should he visit or not... in reality he had no choice.
should a mining deal be signed... the original deal proposed by the USA eas rejected, and, a more acceptable deal (with security conditions) was taken by Zelensky to the USA. the world knows this truth, irrespective of what trump and co' say.
so, the deal was unlikely to get signed, as Trump wont prove guarantees, but, they had to try and get that deal, to call Trumps bluff.
Sisi was smarter than Zelensky : when he saw the humiliation Abdallah II went through, he understood that right now, with the current mood in Washington DC, nothing good can come from a trip there.
Tom I found your series about "Professional Military Incompetence" great and I eagerly waiting the next issue. Although in my case, you are preaching to a converted.
I had a little experience with the wonderful world of the Western defence industry recently. I was not impressed to say the least. I dont why, I expected it to be slightly less BS than our general fake economy. And ho boy I was wrong.
I was not optimistic in the past. Now I am even more pessimistic. Truth be told, Trump is the crudest exemple of Western decay, but he is not an outliner at all. Quite the opposite. As Andrew Tanner describes it in his own blog, the outrage directed at Trump is just theatrics because his role is to play the bad boys while his comrades with a blue party card play the good respectable guys. We have the same charade in Europe too with our locals democrats & republicans.
I dont see Europe filling the void and being capable to react for its own good. We are far too gone for that. It is no more just about military affairs but about our societies as whole and how they are being destroyed by the oligarchy as well as the general population's pettiness and stupidity
My take on that: Trump and JD Vance now know for certain that they have completely lost their bid of having peace with Russia; it is impossible, any attempt to negotiate with Russia are pointless, and they finally know it for sure.
At least JD Vance knows it, I'm not sure how connected to reality Trump is; but if he is in any way connected, he knows it for sure - it is quite obvious even for a "thinker" of his caliber, and certainly for a conman like him.
They also, under no circumstances, want to support Ukraine, considering it a pointless waste of resource and their political capital. They consider Ukraine a failing state that will fail apart very soon.
Therefore, they need a narrative where they are great and it is everyone else's fault that there is no peace and Ukraine is falling apart and melting. Totally the fault of anyone else but them.
Therefore a conscious and calculated move by JD Vance (not sure how much consciousness Trump has, or if it's all instincts by now) to provoke Zelensky to create a narrative it's all Zelensky fault. He came to ask us for help... But "You don't ask me with respect..."(C) Godfather. So, everything is totally his fault.
Zelensky have, of course, fallen to that provocation. He just isn't a good politician, neither internally nor externally, in my opinion. It didn't hurt Ukraine, there was absolutely no way anything good could happen - there is no possibility of negotiating with Putin, and Trump has already decided that he will not help Ukraine. Narratives in any case would be forged. It actually helps - now Ukrainians and Europeans may be absolutely sure what the situation is, that it can't be salvaged and where everyone stays.
But still, it was not a conscious decision or calculation on Zelensky's part, it was falling for provocation and therefore failure of him as a politician. Just so that we would be clear on that.
So, what have changed? Nothing. The situation didn't change it all. It simply became somewhat clearer for those who didn't understood it before. It just shows clearly how much everyone has lost, for those who didn't see it before. So... Moving on.
Well, yeah! Best of the realistic options, mind you. There is, for example, Poroshenko who would likely be more professionally prepared, but he has too much of resentment and luggage among the population to actually be a viable choice, not even speaking of his other qualities which he is lacking. Military commanders like Zaluzhniy may sound good, but they certainly aren't politicians and they certainly aren't ready for a public life. They inevitably will be used as puppets and figurehead by political elites in future elections and you will be able to watch the horror show that would arise from that, when they'll start publicly blame each other in Ukrainian soldiers' losses. :) Timoshenko... Well, let's say, I don't have a lot of belief in Timoshenko as a good politician. Who else is there in the polls? Pritula, another comedian? Yeah, right.
Even remotely popular Ukrainian politicians are unprofessional populists. Ukrainian parliament is a pathetic sight, it doesn't work as a parliament, even. I kind of like, say, Yatsenyuk, but in popularity polls he is somewhere between Black Death and Dying from Starvation, so hardly a viable choice. :)
That said, I'll take unprofessional populist Ukrainian politicians over, say, Russian system any day of the year. And it's not as if, say, US has anything to be proud of in that area, either! Having a good professional politicians who is smart, ethical and popular is a rare and precious sight across the world, it's a rarest of exceptions, not something you routinely expect. :)
That said, I absolutely do not like Zelensky as a politician. He is authoritarian, he uses his power inside Ukraine to fight against opponents, including recently reopen case against Poroshenko, which is brazenly political, his mishandling of a war as a political case is horrible, in my opinion, and was from the start. It's just that I really don't see a better alternative. Ukrainian people are just not very good at that whole "democracy" thing yet. There is more in democracy than electing a new populist every 4 years. :) But it's still better than alternatives! It's a good start. They'll get better. Eventually. In fullness of time.
I mean, US people are learning democracy for the last 200 years and still struggling. Baby steps. Baby steps.
This will be the start of a new Europe rallied around France? The only lenguage bullyies understand is force. And the french nuclear deterrence is the only independent force left. UK subs are eqquiped with Polaris (US) misiles.
Biden wipe out Germany of their heavy industry, the russian chap gas. Germans themselves has shot on their own foot scrapping nuclear energy, before that. Now Trump will get UK naked of their subs missiles. Only Macron can offer something of deterrence un the same language that Putin talks.
There would be such an option - if Moron wouldn't be a moron.
Now the turn is on Merz.
And regarding the German decision to turn off their NPPs: please, inform yourself better about what did the (still) current German gov do in this regards.
I think leave nuclear energy is a mistake for any country, because it has 0 emision and the spent fuel could be reused. Better than carbon, more stable than other renewable sources.
The news I can reach (from Argentina, in the web and múltiple blogs) is that Germany is currently havong a de-industrialization process caused because energy now is very expense, after nuclear sites were turned off and russian gas is no longer a option.
Agree, Germany is to play key role, before this starts to work. And what I see is that they started to wake up already, and do fundamental rethinking of their role. Though I may be exaggerating it.
I watched the meeting. It seemed to me that Zelensky does not know how to conduct public debates and answer provocative questions as a politician. Yes, he speaks the truth and reality, but it is only interesting to the press. Only the press.
I don't see any provocations from Trump or Vance. Zelensky simply insisted on guarantees that Trump and Vance cannot and do not want to give. They have a DEAL that does not consider the loss of people and territories, torture and blood! And deals do not require guarantees because they themselves are a kind of guarantee (as Trump thinks.. ha-ha-ha).
Tom, I feel like here you are getting into the same trap a lot of us Ukrainians got into. There is no point to fear that our actions will be misused for propaganda - because they will be anyway. Whatever we do, our actions will be highlighted in a way that favors russia. Whatever we don't do - same. Whatever didn't even happened will be presented as a fact. Whatever we do, they will be attacking us and saying that we provoked it.
So whether Zelensky go to the oral cabinet or stay at home, his actions would be highlighted like he is the one who does not want peace. That's just what Trump decided to do.
And knowing that, there is no fear in doing something you think may help. There is no point to stop resisting.
This way we at least have a clear image that Trump can't be reasoned with. A lot of Europeans, who previously thought this can be done, now have a very clear picture. Yes, they could've get it earlier, sure. But for some reason they didn't - at least until yesterday.
I disagree.
Sitting there and rejecting Trump is true freedom. Zelensky showed crystal clear yesterday, that he is no puppet of US or NATO. Russian military is down. What if they can't succeed over a non supported Ukraine, as this Propaganda victory will be definitely displayed in Russian media as a victory.
Well, this is my point, too :) Resisiting Trump like Zelensky did was clearly a better move, because it have the same downsides as not resisting, but more upsides.
As for the propaganda victory for russia - I don't mind if they declare this war a victory and go away. As they say here in Ukraine, 'in my absence you can not only say whatever you want about me, you can even punch me"
Yes but at the end everything is decided on the battle field, including the future of Europe. Wishing to do business as usual with the RF (as some prefer) is the quickest way to suicide.
Yes and no. The non-coordinating of their actions was one of the decisive actions the war of Germany and Japan against the Soviet Union was lost.
Okay now we are getting a little bit off topic (WW II). There are many reasons why WW II did end the way it did end, but it was decided on the battle field and no where else.
Yes, a lot of people can no longer claim that Trump can be reasoned with. But if they thought that already then they not likely to change their minds now. Fortunately, Ukraine can survive with the existing support of its friends. It is winning the war of attrition. Patience is now the key. That's something America never has.
You can take heart that, by his actions, Trump has lost his leverage over Ukraine and over Europe. Without leverage and influence, the image of America a world leader is eroded. Ukraine can now afford to ignore America. As can Europe. And I see plenty signs of that happening. Trump really is his own worst enemy. And America's too.
Really not viewing why You Say that Ukraine is winning the war of attrition.
Ukraine must do something now to survive and win, because if they think about performing good, so not change and improve anything, Ukraine has no chance.
VSRF can't be considered a "soviet army heir" by now, but the have some ideas very clear: they set up a unified and only command chain and have destroyed the anomalous competition for resources (Wagner, integration of the militias in the normal army rooster), give up loosing ships against drones in the Black Sea, focused again in get logística points and railcrossings as son as possible, developed from scratch they own chesp drone industry and put it in control of their MoD and have activated their economy to a war mode. Yrs, maybe in 2025 we will see Uralsvagod (sorry if I'm misspelling that juggernaut tank factory name) rolling out new T-62 obr. 2025 because they finally not get more advsnced materials of the west and Taiwan, but they can do that.
And at the same time, Ucranian MoD decided than drone assignment wold depends on a free market! If people don't be getting killed in real life, this wound be a Black comedy.
Ukraine is not winning an attrition war right now. The need fresh ideas and quick. Europe too.
Wars of attrition are zero sum. If you are losing manpower and materiel at a slower rate than your opponent then you are winning. And, clearly, the opposite is true. There are plenty of examples in military history where this has happened. Putin has gambled that he can out-bleed Ukraine before his economy collapses. But an army needs equipment as well as bodies. And as many OSINT researchers have pointed out, the Kremlin has already run out of replacement vehicles in some weapons categories and this year and into 2026 it is likely to happen with most of them. Figures published by UralVagonZavod (yes, that is very hard to spell) show that it can only manufacture 8-12 new MBTs per month. And maybe refurbish three times that number. That total accounts for less than a week's average losses. Russian logistics are increasingly degraded heavily by Ukraine. 50% of Russia's entire supply of 122mm mortar shells were blown up in just one attack last year. I could go on.
The result is that as Ukraine fights on whilst conserving losses and whilst equipment not only arrives in greater numbers than it loses but is of ever better quality too, Russia is on the reverse trajectory. Ukraine IS winning the war of attrition. I understand some of the points you're making but they do not have much impact on the bigger picture.
I think you are overly optimistic in both Ukrainian and Russian losses. I definitely don't think Ukraine is winning attrition war, especially in human lives, the most important resource. It is not losing, yet, either, but Ukrainian military should definitely improve itself a lot if it wants to start winning.
I don't think there's a point in debating with you when you honestly believe nonsensical reports about the Russians storing 50% of their entire 122mm shell supply in one depot, when the Russian depot network consists of several hundred depots.
LOL. 122mm is the calibre of their mortar shells. So, yes, it is very likely. And you are living in a fantasy if you think GRAU has several hundred arsenals. It's about thirty.
It you are going to troll, please try harder.
You're living in some sort of infantile delusion.
It's pretty common knowledge that the Russians depleted their pre-war stocks of shells during the winter of 2022-2023. Since then their artillery batteries are fed by new deliveries (either from Russian factories, or from purchases made from abroad e.g. from the DPRK). New batches arrive on rail pretty much every day, and they don't arrive to a few centralised depots, given that the Russians spread out their logistics 2 years ago along hundreds of small depots due to Ukrainian logistical strikes with American missiles.
So what does destroying 50% of Russia's 122mm shells mean? 50% of that particular week's supplies? Or what...you think the Russians are stocking up on shells for months? No, they expend them almost as soon as they are produced.
There's no problem with people supporting Ukraine, the problem is with the people believing UA propoganda BS. 4 K North Koreans killed, 50% of total shell stock kept in one place, Ghost of Kiev, ...well...you name them. It's good for propoganda purpose for own people or general public abroad, but seriously post it here at somewhat specialised advanced military blog?)))
I'm disappointed to see you're putting words in my mouth. It was 50% of 122mm mortar stock in one place NOT of all shell stock. That is all. And if you'd been following last year's attacks on the major GRAU arsenals you will would know that the Russian way IS to store NK shells in one place, Shaheds in another, SRBMs in a third and so one.
It must be hard being so angry at everyone all the time that you just blurt out distortions.
Seems like their new MoD Belausov does his job well.
The problem is that Zelensky was dumb enough to ACTUALLY go there to sign that 'Minerals Treaty'.
Do you understand what kind of repercussions would that have for Ukraine?
Not even Dumpf & Dance expected him to be that dumb. Which is why then they've staged their 'ambush' and the making of the TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger that does not want peace'.
I understand Zelensky is hell-or-bent on doing anything to help Ukraine. But, if he's still desperate - then he's even more incompetent than I thought.
At the very least now nobody can claim that he did not try. That greatly reduces the cards on the table for all the "peacemakers".
I belive he used the opportunity to discuss his concerns in person. To perform a reality check. And that was actually pretty succesful. Yes, none of us like that reality - but the earlier we stop being delusional about US help and reliability, the earlier we can base our decisions on a correct input.
Dumpf will make the 'TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger that does not want peace'.' anyway. They already started doing exactly that - 'Zelensky was rude, and sleeping, and didn't see the great opportunity we were offering'. Eventually this would be Dumpf's conclusion, because peace will not be achieved and someone should be blamed for this. No point to cease your actions based on such a fear.
As for desperation and incompententness - sometimes even if you are doing a great job and totally competent, this could not be enough to succeed.
I actually agree that Zelensky in incompetent enough. Just not this time. I was in a deep fear when he came into power, representing the people who would like to 'see a peace in putin's eyes' and 'stop the war, one-two'. Now he's clearly not representing them. I'd even laugh about the irony on how he's now fightning his past self, but not today. Today I feel he did a great job.
i saw a pbs poll on who was responsible of what has happened in the oval office. 50% said trump, 50% said vance, 4% said zelensky, 4% said all of them. (te bottom line: musk wants wipe out the pbs budget, the gov doesn't need public broadcaster, he said)
There you are wrong Tom. If he refuses to talk, that gives them even more possibilities to do whatever you want.
That is something counter intuitive, I know. But from media training I can tell you, if you refuse to say anything, you are guilty as charged and what you get charged with is independently from what you think and up to the person making the edit for the news show. That is not possible if you say something
And yes, it is all shoved into a certain narrative and that way before social media.
OK, then tell me please (indeed: teach me, PLEASE): what is there to talk about with Dumpf, Dance, Pudding etc....?
That what Zelensky did. You can argue that he has done better, but it us better than not going.
With other words: you (also) don't know what shall one talk with them about.
About the topics on hand. What else?
Just don't expect them to stay within any boundaries and to be fair or just. As you wrote, they are bullies. But outright declining to talk to gives them more power than sitting there and talk back.
I think the question here is this: what if the deal DID get signed? Would that have strengthened Ukraine’s hand in some way? I think Zelensky believes that it would have, and therefore the trip was worth it. But I suspect that you are not of the same opinion, Tom, hence to you, it was a pointless exercise from the beginning. Am I correct?
It would make Ukraine the same kind of US slave, like Putin is trying to make Ukraine a Russian slave.
That said: the way I understand it, the things developed like this:
- Yes, Zelensky (was stupid enough to) think the deal is worth it,
- principally because he's too incompetent and thus desperate enough not to see any solution; which is why
- he went there to sign the deal.
- Even Dumpf & Dance were surprised by this, which is why,
- they then ambushed him during the 'press conference' during which they were supposed to announce the signature of that deal, and that while well-knowing that this way he would not sign. And that, because
- they didn't want him to sign, in the first place, but wanted a TV-commercial that 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
...which is precisely what they have got.
Bottom line: this kind of incompetent behaviour (in this case by Zelensky) is only encouraging them.
>> make Ukraine the same kind of US slave, like Putin is trying to make Ukraine a Russian slave
- There is a difference. The US did not come with tanks, did not kill hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians now and millions a hundred years ago, and they did not perceive the country's culture and society as a threat.
Understand your reading of this. 2 follow-up questions:
1. One could argue that while the deal is certainly predatory, it could nonetheless serve as a form of security guarantee, in that if the US has enough commercial interest in Ukraine (factories, resources, experts on the ground, cash flows) then this will effectively serve as deterrent to a potential Russian re-invasion. Do you not buy this argument and if so, why?
2. One of the final points in your explanation don’t make full sense to me. Specifically, why would Trump NOT want the deal signed? Seems like for him, it’s exactly the kind of thing he likes and wants. In his mind, its billions for the US and what he is providing in return is just the posture and gravitas of the United States (a free resource). I would think he would love nothing more than to actually get Zelensky’s signature. No?
I agree that there was nothing to talk about, and that the deal (contract for serfdom) should never be signed.
And I agree with Spike that it was correct to go, to show that he was willing to risk that humiliation, he had to perform the visit to the king. If he hadn't gone that would have been wrong too - at least in the media space.
Now his visit has crystallised the situation, his defiance plays well in the media. How much has charged in the US i do not know, but I know our own politicians here in Norway are more finally talking about more support for Ukraine.
I watched the thing and I agree with those who say it was all planned. Because Pudding has already said no to trumps plan they needed a scapegoat. By humiliating not only Zelenskyi, but also Ukraine, it's backfired outside of the maga faithful.
But it seems to me that something went wrong before the presser, they referenced things that had been said off camera, I suspect Zelenskyi was hoping trump would agree to changes.
Vance is openly hostile to Ukraine, him being there signalled what was about to happen.
Yes and it also shows how weak Trump really is, so he brought also Vance into this 'ambush'.
"I watched the thing and I agree with those who say it was all planned. Because Pudding has already said no to trumps plan they needed a scapegoat. By humiliating not only Zelenskyi, but also Ukraine, it's backfired outside of the maga faithful."
My 2 cents worth ... now in this age of inflation worth maybe 15 cents!
I perceive that among the possible reasons for the Trump-Vance ambush of Zelensky is domestic U.S. politics. One of Trump's big running points during the Presidential campaign was that he stated that he would end the Ukraine War within 24 hours of becoming President. How'd that work out? **grisly LOL** Of course this was Trump's big mouth in action.
Then Trump supposedly ginned up a plan to bring the parties together to end the Ukraine War "permanently" [yeah, right]. Of course Ukraine (Zelensky) was never part of coming together. It was Russia-U.S. or rather Putin-Trump. I still think that Trump is an idiot--a dangerous one with one major brilliance about him, the ability to gage and then exploit the emotional state of another person. He's a sort of Hitler, who in my perception through his oratory could emotionally engage whole populations.
That most obviously was an ambush planned well in advance IMHO.
The idiot Trump, perhaps with the help of Vance, et. al., realized that Putin would never agree to some sort of permanent end to the Ukraine War. By permanent, I mean during Trump's (hopefully) final term as President. Failing in this regard would be a huge diplomatic loss for Trump. He would lose a lot of face with the American public, but specifically with the MAGA crazies in the Congress and out there in America-land. Thus, his attempts over the past week or two to insult Zelensky to "guarantee" in Trump's perverted mind that Zelensky would not agree to an arranged Trump-Putin agreement to "end" the Ukraine War. This is pure Trumpismo of decades long standing: to cast blame for his failure(s) on someone else. He's done this in business over and over an over again.
Trump's popularity numbers are in decline. His favorability rating never exceeded about 47% and is now beginning to drop. It will continue to drop because I am confident that the Dumpf iL Duce will f*ck-over the U.S. economy and things will get worse and worse, especially if he imposes his 25% tariffs on "everybody" that he despises. BTW, I do not know at this point if Trump is for real or is merely bluffing about the tariffs. Time will tell.
Everything Trump has done, even internationally, has been for domestic political considerations and his own fragile ego. He is a bully that Europe, Ukraine, Canada, Greenland, and Mexico have to confront even if they end up with the proverbial black eye.
The deal Trump offered for minerals was bad, but Ukraine was still negotiating. I think Zelensky was hoping to negotiate a nebulous and therefore meaningless deal like what Mexico and Canada did a month ago with tariffs. Give Trump a meaningless win in exchange for a little US consideration. Didn't happen, but don't blame Zelensky for trying.
I don't think Zelensky is so dumb, you are mistaken in this regard.
Ze (his office boss Yermak actually) has so many (close to 100) unofficial advisors, deputy advisors (so called "watchdogs") in his office, most of which are ruzzian assets, which are not accountable for anything they do even for criminal offense, that they are actually replacing the government and parliament of Ukraine in fact. Shmyhal - the prime-minister of Ukraine decides nothing in his government. That's why Trump called Zelensky a dictator, but without getting into details.
So, that visit was very planned by both parties, likewise that deal failure, negotiations collapse and of course US END OF SUPPORT of Ukraine.
However Ze has meanly promoted himself worldwide and Trump&Vens got a justification to leave Ukraine alone, as they expected.
I would not seriously believe that show at all. Trump made it to justify his inability to end the war fast (as he promised), Zelensky played his role of undefeated leader, the agreement for minerals was not signed as both parties perfectly know that it's a hoax and there are no declared huge rare-earth metals deposits in Ukraine (but for some lithium). US will not stop military supplies to Ukraine, dozens of US military cargo planes proceed delivering arms to Eastern Europe each day for further transfer to UA.
Most likely within a month or two period we will see some staged Butcha-2 case after which (with regrets, of course) Trump will increase US help to Ukraine.
Noone needs the stop of war, it's profitable and vital for too many sides. How else lousy Western Europe leaders, who are betraying their own people by destruction of national industries and letting hordes of barbarians in, will justify their failures? Of course, Russia and Putin will be blamed for all.
Я так понимаю, что вы не верите, что в Буче зверства устроили военнослужащие РФ? У меня к вам один вопрос: вы все на россии думаете, что ваши солдаты за три года только цветочки нюхают, пока мы сами себя бомбим, взрываем и расстреливаем? Если да, то ещё один вопрос, да простит меня за это ваш святой пудинг - а что ваши некомпетентные солдаты такое нюхают, что у них такие потери?
I would like to say that I 100% agree about the US intention to wash their hands of something they know they can't achieve. About what followed that, yeah, let's say for arguments sake all those points are correct. But its also possible that *at the same time* they're continuing the war because they want Ukraine to win and they think its the right thing. You can have good and bad motives and in my experience such a mix usually drives every decision made by a human being
I have noticed Ukraine is new George Soros.
Yesterday at night I was thinking, omg. Today actually:
- there are no excuses for European politicians anymore
- there is no peace if Zelensky doesn't agree and hence Trump is failing as the big negotiator
- Ukraine survived without US shell for quite some time already. If Germany and Poland start stepping in, the better for Europe
- long strike drones may not work anymore, but FPV still do.
- Zelensky need to change things and there is no direct influence of US anymore. So no little Dunkirk like in Kherson anymore
All in all, as an Austrian and hence European, we didn't emancipate since the end of the Cold war. Now we finally have to.
'as an Austrian and hence European'
news to our government :/
No worries, we stay neutral and will do the bare minimum as always.
Thinking more of the countries surrounding us, especially Germany and Poland.
Yeah, somebody do something.
Ask yourself what YOU can do to make Europe a safer place.
And then what WE can DO.
Together we are stronger.
Even if Austria is not a NATO member...
I voted for the pro EU party including pro EU military and we will take most likely part in sky shield. However, I know my fellow countryhumans and all the romanticised stories they got to hear over their lifetime regarding neutrality.
So the 'peace negotiations' actually were what they always threatened to be: a platform for Trump's posturing. Only a fool would ever agree to those terms and Zelensky is no fool. It's an irrelevance and always was so.
Oh, and, as ever, Trump has shot himself in the foot. A clever man would blur the margins of his position but his posturing has allowed the leaders of other nations to openly denounce America, defining clearly both their stance and the USA's. A once great nation now stands with the pariahs: Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Zelensky was fool enough to actually go there to sign that 'minerals treaty'.
So much a fool, even Dumpf & Dance didn't expect him to do so. Which is why they've then staged the making of this TV-commercial, 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
As far as I understand not even the 'watered down' version was signed. Trump now acts as a little child and starts tingling like a toddler, because he didn't get what he wanted.
If he continues like that there willl be a big rift in the western world with the USA being the biggest loser.
That with the treaty not being signed is about the only thing 'good' from this.
Not the only thing. Trump is the avatar of the 'ugly American'. The more the world sees and realizes it, the better for the world.
Okay, fair enough. But he may have been following Churchill's dictum of; "Jaw, jaw, not war, war". I can't blame him for attempting to see if he could negotiate better terms because now no allies can equivocate and say he should have tried but didn't. Everyone's positions are now crystal clear. You are either with the Ukrainians, or against them.
Regardless, in the end I think this worked out better. It made things much clearer
Munchkin: Kill the Monsters? Steal the Treasure, Stab Your Buddy!
Ignore them? Well, I don't think so.
They need to be _exposed_, as much as possible.
It doesn't matter what _their_ media says.
What matters is what all the rest says.
_
This MAGA thing with all its roots is very controversial even within the republican party. Their actual position is far less stable than they think it is - unless they got _ignored_, what would mean a kind of acceptance, that is.
'They' have been 'exposed' at least since the times of Nixon... enough is enough.
Neither it matters what other countries' media says.
Exposé them? Trump had four years of exposure. Add to that January 6th and everything afterwards. He was still elected. Even carried the popular vote. The US voters gets what they want. Destruction of the federal administration inside US and bullying towards the rest of the world. Christian nationalism and Israel support, words against China… If you thought he was a good idea in November, what has changed? The rest of us sees it. But the voters actually got what they voted for. The only thing that will change the voters mind is when this doesn’t work. Takes time to see the usefulness of some of the jobs Elon is destroying. Or the lack of economic improvement etc. or the loss of international leadership. Doesn’t really have to manifest in four years. (But the dollar is screwed in the long run, which definetly will hit USA. But not today.) expose is meaningless.
Consumer prices should go up immediately after the 25% tariffs are installed.
Yes, nut most of the tariffs haven’t been installed. Everybody will loose of course.
The tariffs are due on March 4 https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/27/what-trumps-tariffs-on-canada-and-mexico-mean-for-your-money.html
And there is an observation that whoever handshakes with Zelensky soon looses his office. Trump handshaked him in autumn 2019, a couple of months before his first impeachment - and they did it yesterday again.
But for many any price increasing will still appear to be ongoing effects of the inflation under the Biden Administration or 'corporate profit gouging.'
And quoting analysis such as that done during Trump's first term on how the ripple effects of his aluminum tariff raised the price of beer and other beverages packaged in aluminum cans is dismissed as partisanship.
I recently spoke to a Trump supporter about an article on a site supporting Trump that proclaimed Trump was going to replace the income tax with tariffs. I got in a word or two about the fact that the economic impossibility of doing so and was cut off with the statement - 'You are just against anything Trump proposes.'
Which statement does have some merit, but my opposition to Trump is that he has those policies...
What many people are not aware of, is that Trump goes against very deliberate economic policy that US has installed for years, decades actually. And they are in unique economic position to do that.
While reducing trade deficit, curbing expenses and restoring "strong" dollar, sounds good in theory. In fact US built an ingenious engine for extracting wealth from the rest of the world through the policy of controlled money printing. Very briefly it could be called "export of inflation" policy.
Now with CPI and PPI at its highest in a long time, with interest rates at almost highest, imposing tariffs will definitely spike those even more. Which automatically means needs for further interest rate increase. That will break a fragile balance of US economy. Another 1 or 1.5% increase would be a death blow with many corporate and personal bankruptcies to follow.
Hope no one will explain this to him before he does. And at the moment he is oblivious. Answering a question "Do you think that tariffs will be paid by US citizen in the end of the day", he says "No, I don't think so, it is countries that pay". And when asked about China he said, "yes it 10% upon 10% that is already there". So this means 20-25%across the board, with Mexico, Canada, China and EU. That will definitely impact prices.
In US, yes. For the Europeans the exposure was needed. Well done, Zelenskyj!
Same feeling here. And there's nothing to expect for the next 2 years, except some republicans voting against Trump at some point. But for now, they are all with Trump&Co.
The thing now is what would happen now than publicly NATO have this poblic internal rift.
The Oval Office show is the perfect excuse to the North american people to justify not to go after the "Article 5" because "Zelensky and all the european leaders are the real bullyies with american muscles". This is the new narrative and was enshinered yesterday.
Now all, tragically, depends on the next move in the poker Game of the russians. What they openly engage NATO assets in the Black Sea? Or go All in in the Baltics?
We shouldn't fear providing an excuse for people that already decided to do just that. They don't even need that excuse - they can always construct an ad hoc casus belli, as they always do.
If we stop resisting fearing to anger the bully, we will only make his life easier.
But this is the international stage, not a school backyard.
The world after Yalta was a world of bullyies. The world before that, too.
A world were only 5 countries have the right to do whatever they arrange.
Despite how much we hope for the internation stage to stay civil, for diplomatic protocol to matter, or for our politicians to be professionals, a school backyard is now a reality. And when we deal with a bunch of bullies, we don't ignore them, but resist. And try to make their life miserable.
This ir the time when we discover than the crazy little North korean that was always trying to get a granade to be respected in the backyard was always right.
Sincerelly cannot blame them for that
Z probably shouldn’t have called Vance a suka on camera around people who can lip read …
If that really happened:
- Did it change anything?
- If not, why does it matter?
Whatever he muttered, it wasn't "calling Vance", it was an obvious and natural reaction to the epic bullshit Vance was saying at that very moment (that he actually watched some stories, so he KNOWS). Zelensky's definitely a bad poker player, because his face showed it all anyway. I can't really blame him for being honest (even though at that time and place, he'd better not).
There's a twist to that that I didn't catch until reading Stefan Korshak's comment on the event: what Vance is saying is, I read the stories and I see what you're doing, showing people around. It's propaganda (this is not the exact transcription of what he says, but he says something along those lines).
In effect, what he is doing, is saying that the rounds that foreign politicians and media are taken on, to Bucha, seeing the basements where people were tortured, mass graves, and burial sites of all the people who died, murdered by Russians or killed in the figths. Also meeting people that have been in captivity and tortured be Russians. In effect, Vance is turning all these testamente of war crimes, some of which have been documented and judged in the international court (ICC or the other one), into propaganda.
You can see why that would have an inflammatory effect on any Ukrainian, let alone Zelensky who's in the room, listening to this disgraceful stunt.
Link to Stefan Korshak's post.
This bit is at the bottom of the post:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=9925737630783645&id=100000425193458
That, too. But one really needs to watch the scene and not just read transcripts or explanation. Zelensky's reaction happens exactly as the Vance says "watched the stories", the bit about "propaganda tour" comes seconds later.
So, basically, whatever actual words were used, the translation would be something like "oh for fuck's sake".
Many thanks!
Knowing the utter lack of conviction within the British Labour government - a party that now in power with a huge majority has abandoned every one of its radical ideas, terrified by what the tax-dodging billionaires who own the media might say - I was nonetheless thoroughly taken aback by Starmer's latest wheeze: a 'Letter from the King'! If Elvis himself had written the invitation Trump could not have been more delighted. More bling! More gold! Whoopee!!! What a great man Trump must be for the King of England to stoop so low and lick his boots like this!!!
And then Zelenskyy appeared in the White House. Interrupted every time he tried to speak, his words deliberately twisted and wrong meanings fed into the dialogue, it was a delight for Dump and Nasty to feed to their MAGA cronies. If those people really represent the mass of the American people - and the polling certainly suggests it does - then at last America has succumbed to what it has long been tempted with: diktat by the strong man in the White House and the deliberate, incessant persecution of any with different points of view. Look at Hollywood films of the last fifty years and that tendency - of reliance on the powerful hero and demonisation of any who stand in his way - is clear to see.
Zelenskyy may be 'an idiot for going there'. He may be too weak to undertake the enormous task of cleaning out the corruption endemic in a post-Soviet society. But from the very first he has made a point of standing up to the bullying of Russia, rallying his people and working tirelessly for the Western backing his country cannot survive without. America has made its position quite clear - even the likes of Starmer with his pathetic letter and Macron with his knee-slapping familiarity must by now begin to realise they have been useful idiots.
It is beyond time for the larger Western European nations with the resources to do so to: dramatically step up deliveries of effective matériel to the battlefield; to release the frozen Russian assets to help ease the process; to treat Dump and his like with the disdain and distancing hey seem to demand; and to come to terms, finally, with the fact that the Putin Death Cult is an ongoing and pernicious threat which must be put down at all costs.
Starting by the British withdrawing an invitation to the kind of fancy show that Dump so enjoys.
I agree with you, but I'm afraid we'll have to suffer through some more USA appeasement before the turning point we hope for occurs
Thank you, Tom, for your position. There are two considerations. 1. The "resources in exchange for aid" offer was presented to Trump by the Ukrainian side. The fact that expectations were not met speaks of the worthlessness of Ukrainian diplomacy. 2. The population receives information about everything that is happening in the world from the media. And ALL media are biased. So the average citizen is given only a choice whose lies he will accept and whose he will not. As an example, the aforementioned "resources agreement". Its real text was seen by a select few, the subtext - by only a few of them. But the media inflated it from a "colonialist agreement" to "the path to Ukraine's revival".
It was never envisioned as the "resources in exchange for aid". What Zelensky tried to achieve was the "resources in exchange for security guarantees". That was quite a reasonable idea. In turn, we were presented with nothing and even less - a backward debt where we didn't have it previously.
And 'ALL media are biased' is such a blatant russian claim. GTFO
https://forbes.ua/ru/news/zelenskiy-predstaviv-plan-peremogi-u-verkhovniy-radi-yakiy-skladaetsya-z-pyati-punktiv-16102024-24206
Read point 5.
I don't speak serbian
Guilty. This is point 4.
Ukraine’s critical resource deposits, along with Ukraine’s globally important potential for energy and food production, are among Russia’s key aggressive war goals.
And this is our opportunity for growth. Ukraine’s economic growth. The economic strengthening of the European Union for the sake of economic autonomy and, in many ways, Europe’s security autonomy. And this is an opportunity for the United States and our partners in the G7 to work with Ukraine, an ally that can provide a return on investment.
The economic point of our strategy has a secret appendix that is shared only with certain partners.
Ukraine proposes that the United States, together with certain partners, in particular the European Union, of which Ukraine will be a part, and with other partners in the world, conclude a special agreement regarding the joint protection of Ukraine's critical resources, joint investment and the use of the corresponding economic potential.
This is also peace through force. Economic force. This is an agreement that will organically complement and strengthen the existing system of economic pressure on Russia, namely all sanctions against Russia, restrictions on oil prices, restrictions on exports to Russia and other pressure measures.
Russian allies in the world must see that this regime has no economic future.
Being biased doesn't automatically mean spreading lies and there are also media beyond mass media.
"Truth has only one face, but that face has 5000 facets"
I think that the resource issue is nothing more than a way for the warring countries not to lose face when concluding "peace". Both sides are too afraid to consider themselves disadvantaged or defeated or not having achieved their goals.
Minerals are just an excuse to cover up reality with information.
Please, Sergey - and all the Ukrainians - get sane. PLEASE.
Your president is no 'hero', but has just proven himself an incompetent once again.
The things developed like this:
- Yes, Zelensky (was stupid enough to) think the deal is worth it,
- principally because he's too incompetent and thus desperate enough not to see any solution; which is why
- he went there to sign the deal.
- Even Dumpf & Dance were surprised by this, which is why,
- they then ambushed him during the 'press conference' during which they were supposed to announce the signature of that deal, and that while well-knowing that this way he would not sign. And that, because
- they didn't want him to sign, in the first place, but wanted a TV-commercial that 'Zelensky is a warmonger who wants no peace'.
...which is precisely what they have got.
Bottom line: this kind of incompetent behaviour (in this case by Zelensky) is only encouraging Dumpf, Pudding and other of the modern-day Nazis.
Would you please analyze how the media would react if he declined to go?
Who the fuck cares how is the media reacting?
Israel is committing a genocide on the Palestinians - and 'the media' is cheering it. Is that disturbing anybody?
Than what is the essence of Zelensky's incompetency in flying to Trump? Would anything be any better if he stayed at home?
Exactly. Whether he knew he was waking into a trap or not, it was best that he walked into it anyway
you just changed the subject
Haven’t the foggiest idea, but at least I was sure there was a deal ready to be signed and that was the reason for the visit. Otherwise there was no point. So I honestly think he could have waited until the deal was really ready. Or not gone at all.
The whole thing didn't really look like a good ambush. Zelensky could just ignore Vance's speech about diplomacy. Unfortunately, he didn't, so, technically, he was the one who started it. Again, can't really blame him for excess honesty. But the idea of Trump and Vance setting up a clever trap, expecting Zelensky to pounce on the word "diplomacy", is, well, way too clever for these two.
you need to watch the WHOLE meeting... Zelensky was provoked and disrespected repeatedly by USA journalists, including majorie taylor greens boyfriend (whi wouldn't normally get an oval ofdice questionioners pass). the very fact he knew to push the question about dress code (that only insiders knew trump was annoyed about) shows everything was pre-meditated. including 'accidentaly' allowing russian state media to live stream the event from within the oval office
Was it live on Russia Today? Didn't know that. Then it's very interesting from this perspective to see how many times Trump mentioned his respect for Putin and viceversa. He insisted that indeed Putin broke the treaties (exactly what Zelensky was saying) signed with Bush or Obama, but "not with me, he respects me".
Thanks Tom. To back up your words, CNN claims that General Kellogg tried to dissuade Zelensky from meeting with Trump, but the Ukrainian side insisted. https://aspi.com.ua/news/politika/kellog-vidmovlyav-zelenskogo-vid-zustrichi-z-trampom-ale-toy-ne-poslukhav-cnn#gsc.tab=0
As a Swede with a PRO Ukrain, antiTrump bias, the meeting did fill an important purpose; it made clear to a vast amount of Europeans just how low the US has sunk into it’s own propaganda bubble. Thanks to Trump and co, Europeans will be more prone to accept increased military spending, and paying more for a european EV instead of a Tesla….
Just because this meeting was of no value for you, it was important for me, to really understand the depth of the American delusion.
Exactly. Now the rest of the democratic world gets to witness the Trumpian Crap Canada Mexico Panama and Denmark have been dealing with. Trump's day of reckoning is coming. Tariffs will destroy the USA auto industry and that will destroy Trump. The February 28 anti Ukraine TV commercial has ensured that Vance will go down with Bad King Orange. From this day forward, anyone who attempts to appease the Bad King in Washington DC or at the King's Florida retreat is a fool. America is isolated.
It is not. What they talk today in the UK is:
'Starmer said that after discussions with Zelenskyy and Macron that there has been an agreement made that the UK, along with France, and “possibly one or two others” will work with Kyiv to stop the war. He said this agreed peace plan will be presented to the US. “I think we’ve got a step in the right direction”, Starmer told Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC.'
As a Dane, I agree completely!
Полностью согласен, что Зеля некомпетентный. У меня сложилось мнение, что он как раз ехал НЕ подписывать соглашение любым способом. Так как по "плану" Трампа, после соглашения должно было подписано прекращение огня, снятие военного положения и выборы, в которых Зеля не сможет победить. Это Зеленскому не надо. Поэтому он рад был сорвать любую сделку, даже если она была бы реальной
There is no "Trump's plan". There is no deal. There is no peace. You are living in a dream world.
Думать - не твоя сильная сторона. Живи, как тебе нравится, верь во всё, что тебе хочется, если есть, что сказать - аргументируй. Просто написать здесь дерьмо - тебе в другой чат
you've become obsessed with criticism of Zelensky and thenrestvofnthe Ukrainian 'management'. it doesn't help, and, is lobsided.
remember, you see everything with perfect hindsight. a good example is should he visit or not... in reality he had no choice.
should a mining deal be signed... the original deal proposed by the USA eas rejected, and, a more acceptable deal (with security conditions) was taken by Zelensky to the USA. the world knows this truth, irrespective of what trump and co' say.
so, the deal was unlikely to get signed, as Trump wont prove guarantees, but, they had to try and get that deal, to call Trumps bluff.
Trump said it all explicitly at the end of his reality show ambush
"I think we've seen enough. What do you think? This is gonna be great television, I will say that."
https://x.com/SebastienBaffoy/status/1895538668326305814
Sisi was smarter than Zelensky : when he saw the humiliation Abdallah II went through, he understood that right now, with the current mood in Washington DC, nothing good can come from a trip there.
Tom I found your series about "Professional Military Incompetence" great and I eagerly waiting the next issue. Although in my case, you are preaching to a converted.
I had a little experience with the wonderful world of the Western defence industry recently. I was not impressed to say the least. I dont why, I expected it to be slightly less BS than our general fake economy. And ho boy I was wrong.
I was not optimistic in the past. Now I am even more pessimistic. Truth be told, Trump is the crudest exemple of Western decay, but he is not an outliner at all. Quite the opposite. As Andrew Tanner describes it in his own blog, the outrage directed at Trump is just theatrics because his role is to play the bad boys while his comrades with a blue party card play the good respectable guys. We have the same charade in Europe too with our locals democrats & republicans.
I dont see Europe filling the void and being capable to react for its own good. We are far too gone for that. It is no more just about military affairs but about our societies as whole and how they are being destroyed by the oligarchy as well as the general population's pettiness and stupidity
I am not that pessimistic. Yes it will be hard and bloody, but the last man standing wins.
crucial quote: 'This is gonna be great television'.
Is all that matters to him.
That reminds me of how Narcissus did end. 😁🤣
Good morning Tom, thanks for the analysis. yesterday was a real ambush
My take on that: Trump and JD Vance now know for certain that they have completely lost their bid of having peace with Russia; it is impossible, any attempt to negotiate with Russia are pointless, and they finally know it for sure.
At least JD Vance knows it, I'm not sure how connected to reality Trump is; but if he is in any way connected, he knows it for sure - it is quite obvious even for a "thinker" of his caliber, and certainly for a conman like him.
They also, under no circumstances, want to support Ukraine, considering it a pointless waste of resource and their political capital. They consider Ukraine a failing state that will fail apart very soon.
Therefore, they need a narrative where they are great and it is everyone else's fault that there is no peace and Ukraine is falling apart and melting. Totally the fault of anyone else but them.
Therefore a conscious and calculated move by JD Vance (not sure how much consciousness Trump has, or if it's all instincts by now) to provoke Zelensky to create a narrative it's all Zelensky fault. He came to ask us for help... But "You don't ask me with respect..."(C) Godfather. So, everything is totally his fault.
Zelensky have, of course, fallen to that provocation. He just isn't a good politician, neither internally nor externally, in my opinion. It didn't hurt Ukraine, there was absolutely no way anything good could happen - there is no possibility of negotiating with Putin, and Trump has already decided that he will not help Ukraine. Narratives in any case would be forged. It actually helps - now Ukrainians and Europeans may be absolutely sure what the situation is, that it can't be salvaged and where everyone stays.
But still, it was not a conscious decision or calculation on Zelensky's part, it was falling for provocation and therefore failure of him as a politician. Just so that we would be clear on that.
If you are interested in more detailed take on the psychology of the situation, Vlad Vexler, as usual, has a good explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MghH_KqpHBk
So, what have changed? Nothing. The situation didn't change it all. It simply became somewhat clearer for those who didn't understood it before. It just shows clearly how much everyone has lost, for those who didn't see it before. So... Moving on.
In spite of your comments above about Zelenskyy, do you still hold the view that he's about the best they've got?
Well, yeah! Best of the realistic options, mind you. There is, for example, Poroshenko who would likely be more professionally prepared, but he has too much of resentment and luggage among the population to actually be a viable choice, not even speaking of his other qualities which he is lacking. Military commanders like Zaluzhniy may sound good, but they certainly aren't politicians and they certainly aren't ready for a public life. They inevitably will be used as puppets and figurehead by political elites in future elections and you will be able to watch the horror show that would arise from that, when they'll start publicly blame each other in Ukrainian soldiers' losses. :) Timoshenko... Well, let's say, I don't have a lot of belief in Timoshenko as a good politician. Who else is there in the polls? Pritula, another comedian? Yeah, right.
Even remotely popular Ukrainian politicians are unprofessional populists. Ukrainian parliament is a pathetic sight, it doesn't work as a parliament, even. I kind of like, say, Yatsenyuk, but in popularity polls he is somewhere between Black Death and Dying from Starvation, so hardly a viable choice. :)
That said, I'll take unprofessional populist Ukrainian politicians over, say, Russian system any day of the year. And it's not as if, say, US has anything to be proud of in that area, either! Having a good professional politicians who is smart, ethical and popular is a rare and precious sight across the world, it's a rarest of exceptions, not something you routinely expect. :)
That said, I absolutely do not like Zelensky as a politician. He is authoritarian, he uses his power inside Ukraine to fight against opponents, including recently reopen case against Poroshenko, which is brazenly political, his mishandling of a war as a political case is horrible, in my opinion, and was from the start. It's just that I really don't see a better alternative. Ukrainian people are just not very good at that whole "democracy" thing yet. There is more in democracy than electing a new populist every 4 years. :) But it's still better than alternatives! It's a good start. They'll get better. Eventually. In fullness of time.
I mean, US people are learning democracy for the last 200 years and still struggling. Baby steps. Baby steps.
This will be the start of a new Europe rallied around France? The only lenguage bullyies understand is force. And the french nuclear deterrence is the only independent force left. UK subs are eqquiped with Polaris (US) misiles.
Biden wipe out Germany of their heavy industry, the russian chap gas. Germans themselves has shot on their own foot scrapping nuclear energy, before that. Now Trump will get UK naked of their subs missiles. Only Macron can offer something of deterrence un the same language that Putin talks.
How we get intro this history point? Really?
There would be such an option - if Moron wouldn't be a moron.
Now the turn is on Merz.
And regarding the German decision to turn off their NPPs: please, inform yourself better about what did the (still) current German gov do in this regards.
Tom, I was searching and found some articles taking about the doubts in this decision, like this article: https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/qa-germanys-nuclear-exit-one-year-after.
I think leave nuclear energy is a mistake for any country, because it has 0 emision and the spent fuel could be reused. Better than carbon, more stable than other renewable sources.
The news I can reach (from Argentina, in the web and múltiple blogs) is that Germany is currently havong a de-industrialization process caused because energy now is very expense, after nuclear sites were turned off and russian gas is no longer a option.
Agree, Germany is to play key role, before this starts to work. And what I see is that they started to wake up already, and do fundamental rethinking of their role. Though I may be exaggerating it.
Hola Tom. Bueno, entonces, separando la paja del trigo, el tercer maton de clase mundial, cuando crees que invada a Taiwan?
When do I think the PRC might invade Taiwan?
Sorry, no trace of an idea.
I'm only sure that Beijing is CAREFULLY monitoring....and, secretly, partying.
Bravo!
I watched the meeting. It seemed to me that Zelensky does not know how to conduct public debates and answer provocative questions as a politician. Yes, he speaks the truth and reality, but it is only interesting to the press. Only the press.
I don't see any provocations from Trump or Vance. Zelensky simply insisted on guarantees that Trump and Vance cannot and do not want to give. They have a DEAL that does not consider the loss of people and territories, torture and blood! And deals do not require guarantees because they themselves are a kind of guarantee (as Trump thinks.. ha-ha-ha).
He was there because he thought the 'minerals treaty' would be a good deal - and thus absolutely unprepared for any other developments.