"9 hard truths about the Ukrainian war" Topic

I understand your points, SBm, but it's still an extortionist amount of profit for the US, regardless however many Ukrainian jobs are created. On the other hand, I think it may give the Ukrainians more security than they could otherwise expect. So what matters more to Z? Budget or security?

Why the Starmer crack? You've been bleating about the Euro's not doing enough, then when they come up with a plan to do more you pour scorn on it. Or is it that in your book the Euro's (or any damned foreigners?) can never get it right?

Dal I have no idea who this publisher is or which side they support but they have a somewhat detailed breakdown.

Subject: Breaking Down the U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal


link

Why the Starmer crack? You've been bleating about the Euro's not doing enough, then when they come up with a plan to do more you pour scorn on it. Or is it that in your book the Euro's (or any damned foreigners?) can never get it right?

His plan is cr@p. Cut through all the fluffery and it comes down to Britain will send some more cash now (I'm sure the UK has nothing better to fund than foreign wars), but no troops until AFTER THE WAR IS OVER! The UK will NOT help Ukraine fight, only to "secure the peace" after the fighting magically stops and some miracle peace deal happens. And even then he expects the US to "back stop" them.

Here's a crazy idea. If the UK is sooooo invested in the War, but doesn't want to send its own uniformed military, why not do what America did in the 1930s to help China?

1. Form a mercenary unit -- call it the British Legion
2. Have British pilots and soldiers "resign" from the British military
3. "Hire" them into the British Legion
4. Give the $$ to Ukraine to hire and arm the British Legion with "decomissioned" tanks and aircraft
5. Then send the British Legion to go fight in Ukraine

Hmmm? Or maybe they don't really care…

But let me ask you this, since you're a firm war devotee -- what "cards" does Zelensky hold?

Oh, how about the naive belief that America was once upon a time an honorable country, that valued freedom and didn't cut and run when things got difficult?
However, that is indeed a naive belief, seeing how many countries we have abandoned at the 4 year regime change.
Thinking that Trump would act honorably is a mistake. Look at how many little people suppliers and contractors he screwed over in construction in New York and elsewhere should have disabused him of that notion.
Once a Mob Boss, always a Mob Boss.
Zelensky should have prepared himself by watching past seasons of The Apprentice.

John + 1

Who sustain the treaty from 1994?… Ukraine was the third most powerful nation with nukes… they trust in America and…?

Armand

Oh, how about the naive belief that America was once upon a time an honorable country, that valued freedom and didn't cut and run when things got difficult?

Like we did in, Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan

Kim

Thanks for the link, 35th. It explains some things, particularly WRT the costs involved for whichever US firm does the mining. However, it also revealed that the 50% access wasn't just to rare earth minerals, but any future Ukrainian mining projects. There's no estimating what the eventual mined value of any deposit is going to be, so the US is taking a big risk that there will not be profitable returns. But if there are, the profits will exponentially exceed the US' costs, even including the costs of getting the mines producing.

I'm a techie, not a bean counter, so I'll sit out on any opinion until I can understand things better- probably after we see what actually happens.

SBm, come off it, mate. You and I both know that any NATO nation putting boots on the ground in Ukraine, let alone to fight Russia, is as dangerous as playing Russian roulette with an automatic pistol. If the Poms and Frogs even suggested it your government- and most others around the world- would go spare. Add that Putin's touchy enough that even a "Volunteer Force"- which would be a completely transparent ploy and wouldn't even deceive Blind Freddy- might see him hitting Europe in retaliation. ("Warning" missile strikes on Lille and Birmingham, perhaps?) If that happens where does the escalation stop? Nukes, perhaps the full NBC suite?

As for the peace, the US' plan doesn't appear to be travelling too well at the mo', either. Unless your government wants to stage a coup and get rid of Z, then he and his government will have to be part of any peace plan. So while that path is blocked (while various egos unknot their knickers), let's see what the Euro's can put together before we dismiss their efforts. For all we know Uncle Vlad may be waiting to see who will offer the best pay-off to Russia, before he takes the high moral ground and claims victory.

1930's China? IIRC that worked fairly well- right up to 08 December, 1941 (07 December on your side of the IDL).

With the suspension of all aid now this is truely an historic stab in the back.
Regardless of what you might think of the failures/weakness of the past four years, for the world, and that includes all of our enemies out there, that pales into insignificance compared to this apparent siding with the aggressor.
And now Vance insults the UK. And ridiculous tarrifs on Canada.

"Temporary" ban Silurian.

But this and the other threads on Ukraine are going nowhere. Individuals are either outraged at everything he does, or are in it all for the long term results.

No one's minds are going to change.

Just like those of us who said Biden had dementia from 2019 onward were ridiculed and disbelieved………. until we weren't in 2024.

Same with Covid Wuhan lab origin. Covid vaccine not preventing or stopping the spread. Masks were almost useless in stopping the spread. The laptop being Hunter's….. and on and on.

In 4 years one group will be wrong, right or somewhere in between. If we are wrong, the globalist and deep state will be victorious. We are right, the same group suffers defeat.

But this and the other threads on Ukraine are going nowhere. Individuals are either outraged at everything he does, or are in it all for the long term results.

No one's minds are going to change.

👍
Because I am right! 😄

"No one's minds are going to change."

True dat!
But we keep trying don't we? lol.

😂🤣

Yes, maybe we all feel like Cassandra of Troy.

I lost my mind here some time ago, yet here I am….

Had Cassandra hooked up with Apollo like she had promised, maybe people would have believed her.
I really don't know if that's relevant or not… 🤷

I guess we will see where this goes from here. 🤔

From Zelensky this morning:

"I would like to reiterate Ukraine's commitment to peace.

None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.

We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.

We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this.

Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.

Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively."

OVI +1

SBm +1

The fat lady ani't sung yet.

The mineral deal will come about. US companies will work with Ukraine to mine and rebuild their heavily damaged nation. With the US hiring the locals. Bring Ukraine back into a functional state.

Putin will keep the Donbas, maybe a few other bits & pieces of Ukraine. And still hold Crimea, that they seized in 2014. Under the Obama/Biden admin. Putin he could take advantage of Obama … and did … Just as he did with Biden over the past 4 years.

The UN, EU, etc. will have to set up some sort of DMZ. To at least make the Russians think twice before invading again. Which many say that could happen within the next 5-10 years. Regardless if Putin is in charge or not. He's not the only old school Soviet/Commie/Russian still around. Looking to regain Russia's past glory …

The West will have to rebuild Ukraine's Armed Forces too be a much more formidable war machine. They know how to fight, just sell/give them the assets they need. No foot dragging like Biden et al did. While Putin took months to set up along the border. The US/NATO should have started sending massive amounts of lethal assets in before Putin's invasion.
"Peace thru Strength" … that is deterrent …

Looking back like we do thru out history. What happened ?

1) Putin's invasion was unwarranted. He is a predator.

2) The USA under the weak feckless leadership of the Biden admin. Just made Putin's idea of an invasion a good gamble.

3) Tied into that was Biden's A'stan debacle plus his clear mental decline with a 2d Team cabinet only demonstrated to Putin and our other enemies that the US leadership did not have the right stuff. And was not learning from Obama's mistakes nor did the Biden admin's amateur minions.

4) The Biden admin's priorities were based on wealthy, left-wing woke progressive, DEI/CRT, etc., doners wishes. Those priorities were just plain wrong. E.g Too much time spent on Open border policies, global warming, the DEI/CRT-1619 dogma, LGBT+ activism, etc.

NONE of those should have overridden the real priorities.
#1 Protecting the US population …
#2 Not destroying the US economy with the war on fossil fuel to support the questionable Go Green/EV/Global Warming agenda.

Short answer – Putin is to blame for the invasion of Ukraine. And Biden's actions only made it easier and emboldened Putin and the USA's other enemies. Historians in the future will see this more clearly. Without the current biases, activism, etc. from a well-funded media supported minority of Americans.

Some more interesting information today:

Subject: Calls Grow In Germany To Revive Compulsory Military Service – Barron's


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Subject: $840 USD Billion Plan To 'Rearm Europe' Announced – Newsweek


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I must admit that is totally baffling that anybody trust what comes out of the mouth of Trump. A con man, who doesnt pay his bills, and cheats his voters and anybody else. He is babling like deranged person, and cant make whole sentences with meaning. I just saw Trudeau, holding a speech. It was comprehensile, had a point, had it was clearly understandable, and then compare it with trump which has a bigly thing.
O and thank you here from Denmark, which came to your assistance after the twin towers, because you asked, and now you want to invade us? After more dead soldiers pr capita than the USA.

your tears are sweet

Tango01, forget about the treaty that was NOT RATIFIED even by the Ukrainian parliament. It has no legal force.

35thOVI, Zelensky's ceasefire proposal is just an attempt to get a break, regroup, bring in energy equipment and weapons by sea, and most importantly, avoid bombing while he has problems with air defense missiles. A stupid ploy.

So… Ukraine still have the nukes?… what a relief!

Armand

Oh, Zelensky can at any moment build "dirty bombs" and detonate them over Russian cities. There is more than enough uranium in Ukrainian nuclear power plants for this. But, as they say in such cases in Russia: "the answer will torture you")))

Nuclear weapons are difficult and expensive to maintain. That is why Ukraine happily gave them up. And do not forget that this is an extremely corrupt country… Who knows where these weapons could have ended up in thirty years… How do you like, for example, ISIS with nuclear weapons? After the division of the USSR army, Ukraine received 6,500 battle tanks, about 7,000 armored vehicles, 1,500 combat aircraft. Most of them were sold or disappeared.

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Damn that Zelensky for impeding the holy reunification with Mother Russia, led by Saint Putin! How dare he???

Many good points Legion…and the debate over how history will see this era is a good one, full of differing views and interesting what ifs.

I think Biden was a centrist who did a decent job of get us through the pandemic with a strong economy. But his spending drove inflation that only came down near the end of his term..the wealthy made another killing and the working class struggled.
In Ukraine, you and I have the same positions we started with. I still think an overt US-led military build-up on the Ukrainian border would have given Putin a huge propaganda lift before the invasion, blaming the US for de-stabilizing the region and forcing Russia to respond. This could have undercut world support for Ukraine in the early days when NATO sorta came together and the world condemned Putin..

And in the early days, I think Biden did a decent job of walking the tight-rope between material support for Ukraine and avoiding a nuclear conflict. But he failed to give Zelensky enough to turn back the Russian hordes. Legion, you had this right from the start and convinced me.

Biden's declining health may have been the biggest factor in this. But Afghanistan showed me that he was a mixed bag at best, disaster in one region, okay in another, at least for a little while.

Legion your military assessments during the Afghan evacuation mess were spot on.

The over-dependence on fossil fuels will thrive under Trump, not the direction we need. Diverse sources of energy are the best defense against global chaos, IMO. The idea that oil companies will sell their oil to the US because it is pumped here makes no sense to me. It looks like just more rewards for the wealthy oil elites.

I don't think Trump will nation-build in Ukraine. No US business will go there without massive federal US dollars being pumped in. Too big for a Gaza-lago idea. How do you fulfill the America First agenda while spending more even more tax payer dollars in the ME and Ukraine? We are going to need that money for our farmers….

As for woke and DEI, while I think the impact was emotional and over-rated, I am glad it is subsiding. I hope that merit will include everyone this time and everyone should be okay.
I think that turning back to the old Confederate installation names was hardly a number one priority, but lets see how leadership copes with the specific issues. Early days for now.

The amount of military support is an interesting dilemma.

The big question is, what would Putin have done if we had given enough that he was pushed back and out? Defeated.
Would he merely have shrugged and said, oh well, I tried. Or would there have been a more violent, perhaps catastrophic, reaction?
Biden would have juggled with this question – and lets be honest, it wasn't just him. He was getting a lot of advise from his military advisors.

The traditional American immoral approach to foreign policy shines through here.
We have always given our "allies" enough support to keep them in a war, but never enough to actually win.
We did this with Ukrainian partisans from 1946 on, until Stalin wiped them out.
There are many more such examples.

I call this the "Kissinger Method", although it predates him. The purpose is "to send a message and show resolve", but always steer clear of actual victory.
This keeps the striped pants boys in the State Department happy, but kills thousands of unimportant civilians.
Biden played that game to a T. Send just enough tanks and planed, but not enough to really make a difference. Then his acolytes, or keepers, can wear yellow and blue and chant virtue.

"The traditional American immoral approach to foreign policy shines through here.
We have always given our "allies" enough support to keep them in a war, but never enough to actually win.
We did this with Ukrainian partisans from 1946 on, until Stalin wiped them out.
There are many more such examples."

"We have always given our "allies" enough support to keep them in a war, but never enough to actually win." 🤔

You could not be more correct!! I harken back to WW1 and WW2. If we had just given more weapons, food, material and our men's lives, the world could have beaten Japan, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, ottomans.. etc. Silly shortsighted US! 🙄

John, what other conflicts where we provided insufficient aid but did not actually fight in are you talking about? We have tried fighting limited wars in the modern era. I can't think of another Ukraine – I am not saying you are incorrect….

I don't think there was ever a real chance of ww3. Short of something unrealistic like USA bombing Russia.
It was a mistake not to go "all in" from the start.
The earlier intervention happened the more cost effective it would have been.
The main chance that was missed was in Georgia 2008.
But opportunity was again missed in Crimea 2014.

Interesting video on Ukrainian forced conscription. IF you're wealthy you're OK, if you're middle/lower class you're a target. If grabbed by a press gang they will shake you down for cash to get out of service, if you can't pay you get bare minimum training and old gear and sent to the trenches…where you will be shaken down again to see if you can pay enough to get reassigned out of the trenches to other duty.

Life expectancy for a conscript is very short – if the Russians don't kill you, the horrible unsanitary conditions and even your "leadership" may kill you anyway.

YouTube link

Will Trump U turn on not supporting Ukraine like he has on tarrifing Canada. He relents after the FIRST DAY of Canadian tarrifs, bad newS though Canada did not stsrt the war but it will finish on their terms. I guess he should do that for Ukraine as well. Otherwise his "peace appeasment" won't get him even on the table when the real EU Ukraine peace talks get going. Maybe not, Putin may let him in as his lacky, after all the US IS A BIG PROVICE OF RUSSIA NOW.

@UshCha – I guess you're in the odd position of supporting a brutal and pointless grinding war of attrition that has claimed ONE MILLION casualties and risks Nuclear Armageddon just 'cause you don't like the president trying to negotiate a peace deal…

UshCha that was only on the auto industry and for 1 month. I do wish some would do some alternate research on the web before they post and not trust just one sides reporting. 🙄

"President Donald Trump is granting a one-month exemption on his stiff new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada for U.S. automakers, as worries persist that the newly launched trade war could crush domestic manufacturing."

"Asked if 30 days was enough for the auto sector to prepare for the new taxes, Leavitt said Trump was blunt with the automakers seeking an exemption: "He told them that they should get on it, start investing, start moving, shift production here to the United States of America where they will pay no tariff.""

SBminisguy

"I guess you're in the odd position of supporting a brutal and pointless grinding war of attrition that has claimed ONE MILLION casualties and risks Nuclear Armageddon just 'cause you don't like the president trying to negotiate a peace deal…"

There was half an audience at the Presidents speech last night, if you watched, who only stood and clapped when a continuation of this war was mentioned as a possible result of the Presidents peace overtures failing. The only thing they seemed to approve of. It was Truly sad.

So UshCha is not alone. There are others who want the war to continue. 😞

Trump isn't negotiating anything.

He's just trying to force Ukraine to surrender by pulling all US support for Ukraine and giving his mob brother Putin Ukraine on a plate without even asking Putin for any concessions.

US is now being regarded as a rogue state. US is now openly being regarded as the same as Russia, North Korea and even Iran.

Whatever happens the US is no longer trusted by any in Europe.

Europe will do its' utmost to support Ukraine because if Ukraine falls to Russia Russia will just murder the whole of Ukraine. Russia is intent on genocide of Ukraine. They want to finish what Stalin tried doing to them in the 1930s.

The US used to be the foremost supporter of Democracy and peoples facing oppression. Now the US is regarded the same as Russia.

Good luck US but we really think you're ed.

+1 BattlerBritain

I, for one am glad I am British, at least we are the only ones who still follow the Budapest Memorandum link

Russia broke it when they invaded Crimea.
The US broke it when they stopped supporting Ukraine against said aggression.

Europe will do its' utmost to support Ukraine because if Ukraine falls to Russia Europeans might have to trade in their pink tutus for BDUs and actually do some fighting.

Corrected that for you.

How condescending of you.

We know how to fight.

Sometimes we just need some more tools.

Looks like we'll have to go back to making them ourselves instead of throwing billions in the direction of a now useless former ally.

Ho hum.

One thing Europe isn't short of is tools.

Many good points Legion…and the debate over how history will see this era is a good one, full of differing views and interesting what ifs.

I'll be long dead … so my thoughts will mean little. For those who hate Trump and his policies. Hell, Biden and Trump will be long dead too …

I think Biden was a centrist who did a decent job of get us through the pandemic with a strong economy.

You know my thoughts on Biden et al. He was never someone I looked at was very strong. Not a good leader. His VP was a DEI hire. She couldn't have been more incompetent.

These types may do OK in the minors, but when going to the Big Show. They demonstrate the have reached their highest level on ineffectiveness etc. … They were way out of their league. And Biden's decline was evident within the first year. She never did anything of any real worth.

But Afghanistan showed me that he was a mixed bag at best, disaster in one region, okay in another, at least for a little while.

Legion your military assessments during the Afghan evacuation mess were spot on.

Well as I have, after my life-long study of history, and over a decade of training and experience as an Active-Duty Infantry Officer in 4 Line Infantry Bns. What was going on became very clear. If one had done the jobs, etc. I did while on active duty. We were expected to learn and evolve and become more effective leaders.

Many in the last WH and in Congress were not leaders … My Vets comrades, etc. pretty much all agree. Albeit many of us had similar experiences, etc. I'm nothing special …

That debacle set the stage for the next moves that our enemies would do. With little fear of effective leadership from the WH.

The over-dependence on fossil fuels will thrive under Trump, not the direction we need. Diverse sources of energy are the best defense against global chaos, IMO. The idea that oil companies will sell their oil to the US because it is pumped here makes no sense to me. It looks like just more rewards for the wealthy oil elites.

I think other forms of energy will also be used however, Wind and Solar will only make up a small percent. Single digits … 90-95% of machines work by fossil fuel. The EV concept has yet to prove to be the answer it was promised. The Tech is not there … yet.

I don't think Trump will nation-build in Ukraine. No US business will go there without massive federal US dollars being pumped in. Too big for a Gaza-lago idea. How do you fulfill the America First agenda while spending more even more tax payer dollars in the ME and Ukraine? We are going to need that money for our farmers.

Trump will working with Ukraine rebuild that nation. It will be good for all involved …

Gaza will never be "fixed" as long as Iran is not neutered. And most of Hamas et al are dead or rotting in a camp. As ISIS is today. This really is in the Arab nation's hands of that region. They want the Palestinians to be a nation. Somehow, some way … The Palestinians/Hamas want the "River to the Sea" … Ani't going to happen. With their current plans more of them will die in large numbers. As I have said before …

As for woke and DEI, while I think the impact was emotional and over-rated, I am glad it is subsiding. I hope that merit will include everyone this time and everyone should be okay.

From where most of us old timers … it didn't look that way. However, With the new SecDef more and more are joining the Army. And the Armed forces are concentrating on warfighting. Again as a former Rifle Plt Ldr and Mech Co. Cdr it looked like a lot of time, etc. being wasted. But those at the top thought for whatever reasons didn't see it that way. And our enemies saw what was happening. They neither respected nor feared us …

I think that turning back to the old Confederate installation names was hardly a number one priority, but lets see how leadership copes with the specific issues. Early days for now.

Albeit I like the new names of all the posts. But fortunately Liberty was returned to Bragg. After a WWII 82d ABN soldier. Simple fix …

CF you beat me to it. 🤣

In the first place the aid stoppage may be temporary based on Zelensky.

Secondly after almost 80 years, maybe it is past time Europe picked it up.

Europe and the US also broke their promise that NATO would not move closer to Russia.

Your liking of Trump or dislike, really isn't relevant to many of us in the US. We elected him for the US, not Europe. If he runs for PM of England, you can vote him down. Remember our elections are every 4 years, 2 if you count congress. Leadership here changes.

"The US used to be the foremost supporter of Democracy and peoples facing oppression. Now the US is regarded the same as Russia."

So if war continues in the Ukraine and someone triggers WW3, please do NOT call on us a 3rd time.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: 10 bad takeaways from the Zelenskyy blow-up

"1. Zelenskyy does not grasp—or deliberately ignores—the bitter truth: Those with whom he feels most affinity (Western globalists, the American Left, the Europeans) have little power in 2025 to help him. And those whom he obviously does not like or seeks to embarrass (as with his Scranton, Penn. campaign-like visit in September 2024) alone have the power to save him. For his own sake, I hope he is not being "briefed" by the Obama-Clinton-Biden gang to confront Trump, given their interests are not really Ukraine's as they feign.

2. Zelenskyy acts as if his agenda and ours are identical. So, he keeps insisting that he is fighting for us despite our two-ocean-distance that he mocks. We do have many shared interests with Ukraine, but not all by any means: Trump wants to "reset" with Russia and triangulate it against China. He seeks to avoid a 1962 DEFCON 2-like crisis over a proxy showdown in proximity to a nuclear rival. And he sincerely wants to end the deadlocked Stalingrad slaughterhouse for everyone's sake.

3. The Europeans (and Canada) are now talking loudly of a new muscular antithesis, independent of the U.S. Promises, promises—given that would require Europeans to prune back their social welfare state, frack, use nuclear, stop the green obsession, and spend 3-5% of their GDP on defense. The U.S. does not just pay 16% of NATO's budget, but also puts up with asymmetrical tariffs that result in a European Union trade surplus of $160 USD billion, plays the world cop, patrolling sea-lanes and deterring terrorists and rogue states that otherwise might interrupt Europe's commercial networks abroad, as well as de facto including Europe under a nuclear umbrella of 6,500 nukes.

4. Zelenskyy must know that all of the once-deal-breaking impediments to peace have been settled. Ukraine is now better armed than most NATO nations, but will not be in NATO, and no president has or will ever supply Ukraine with the armed wherewithal to take back the Donbass and Crimea. So, the only two issues are a) how far will Putin be willing to withdraw to his 2022 borders and b) how will he be deterred? The first is answered by a commercial sector/tripwire, joint Ukrainian-US-Europe resource development corridor in Eastern Ukraine, coupled with a Korea-like DMZ; the second by the fact that Putin, unlike his 2008 and 2014 invasions, has now incurred a million dead and wounded to a Ukraine that will remain thusly armed.

5. What are Zelenskyy's alternatives without much U.S. help—wait for a return of the Democrats to the White House in four years? Hope for a rearmed Europe? Pray for a Democratic House and a third Vindman-like engineered Trump impeachment? Or swallow his pride, return to the White House, sign the rare-earth minerals deal, invite in the Euros (are they seriously willing to patrol a DMZ?), and hope Trump can warn Putin, as he did successfully between 2017-21, not to dare try it again?

6. If there is a cease-fire, a commercial deal, a Euro ground presence, and influx of Western companies into Ukraine, would there be elections? And if so, would Zelenskyy and his party win? And if not, would there be a successor transparent government that would reveal exactly where all the Western financial aid money went?

7. Zelenskyy might see a model in Netanyahu. The Biden Administration was far harder on him than Trump is on Ukraine, suspending arms shipments, demanding cease-fires, prodding for a wartime, bipartisan cabinet, hammering Israel on collateral damage—none of which Westerners have demanded of Zelenskyy. Yet Netanyahu managed a hostile President Biden, kept Israel close to its patron, and, when visiting, was gracious to his host. Netanyahu certainly would never before the global media have interrupted and berated a host and patron president in the White House.

8. If Ukraine has alienated the U.S., what then is its strategic victory plan? Wait around for more Euros? Hold off an increasingly invigorated Russian military? Cede more territory? What, then, exactly are Zelenskyy's cards he seems to think form a winning hand?

9. If one views carefully all the 50-minute tape, most of it was going quite well—until Zelenskyy started correcting Vance firstly, and Trump secondly. By Ukraine-splaining to his hosts, and by his gestures, tone, and interruptions, he made it clear that he assumed that Trump was just more of the same compliant, clueless moneybags Biden waxen effigy. And that was naïve for such a supposedly worldly leader.

10. March 2025 is not March 2022, after the heroic saving of Kyiv—but three years and 1.5 million dead and wounded later. Zelenskyy is no longer the international heartthrob with the glamorous entourage. He has postponed elections, outlawed opposition media and parties, suspended habeas corpus and walked out of negotiations when he had an even hand in spring 2022 and apparently even now when he does not in spring 2025.

Quo vadis, Volodymyr?"

John the OFM, it was enough for Zelensky to recognize Ukraine as a federal state, giving Russian-speaking Ukrainians some rights in the territories of their compact residence.
But then Ukraine would never have become part of NATO. That was the problem.

The Budapest Memorandum is a document that has no legal force. But I'm afraid only lawyers and diplomats can understand this)))

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Please note:
"The Ukrainian state prohibited itself from accepting, producing or acquiring nuclear weapons in its 1990 Declaration of State Sovereignty, the same declaration in which Kyiv announced its "intention of becoming a permanently neutral state."
It was Ukraine that violated its commitments after the 2014 mutiny by declaring its intention to join NATO.

35th, you beat me to the VDH summary.
And, as usual, he hits the nail on the head.

In my opinion, it's simple. The end of the war now is a personal catastrophe for Zelensky and his entire entourage. Now the West is forced to cover up the blatant corruption that reigns among them. But if the war ends, then emerging corruption facts will simply destroy him.
And what will the Ukrainian "ultrapatriots" (in fact, the Nazis he raised) say when this becomes known? I think his life will cost very little. And many in the West will be glad if he keeps quiet forever.
And think about the position that those European politicians who supported and financed this war in every possible way, often to the detriment of the interests of their own countries, will find themselves in. Will their voters forgive them for the fiasco, or will their careers end in collapse?

Europeans, send your men to die for Zelensky, because Ukrainian men don't want to do that.
On March 3, Ukraine banned its athletes, musicians and journalists from traveling abroad, because more than 500 of them have already refused to return.

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I remember the times of the USSR… Then, too, many tried to escape from the clutches of the "totalitarian regime" into the "free world"… Nothing changes for dictators.

And in Russia, exit is absolutely free. But entry is not possible for everyone)))

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Russian human rights activists are outraged…

There are Russian human rights activists? And they haven't been thrown out of 13th story windows?
Wow! I'm amazed!

What about the 37.494 Russians living in Argentina since the beginning of the war?… only mention one country.

How they could lost the Soviet Paradise?…

You have to listen them… many youtube there…

Happy for you that Ukranians didn't want to fight or die for their country… if they real did… are we talking about 2 or 5 millons of russian casualties?…

Or maybe you need uncle Kim send you more thousands of zombies for at least… recover your lost land…

Armand

John the OFM, imagine, human rights activists are not only those who work against their countries for the money of foreign intelligence services, which is transferred to them through shell funds and who organize "color revolutions"))).
If they had a decent country that respected its citizens, then they would have something to die for. But alas.
Russia has always been tolerant of losses. It is a man's duty: if necessary, to fight for his country. And if necessary, die in combat.

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Keep the Russians who left – they are the most suitable company for you. We say about such people: "no flag, no homeland." That is why no one prevents them from leaving. They are not needed in Russia. Society has been cleared of foam…

So… same you can said for the Ukranians who left their country… and also about the tolerance you mention for died on the frontline…

It seems that everything you say depends on the mirror you look at… if the Russians do it, it is patriotic and brave… if others do it, it is unpatriotic and cowardly… exactly the same attitude… I hope you reflect and realize this…

The Russians who pass through here are clearly middle class… well educated and I must say good looking… nothing like the discarded meat waves Putin throw at the front.

Those I was able to talk to are very clear about who Putin is and how is living in Russia… that's why they left… and how well they did.

Armand

Tango, the difference is that we allowed everyone who wanted to leave. And this is their personal choice. I respect their choice, but I do not respect their position.
In Ukraine, they do not allow those who do not want to take part in the war to leave. And this is unfortunate.

Of course, each of us has our own view of what is happening. You have your own view, and you have the right to it. No problem. If you hate Russians and Russia – it does not matter to me. This does not make you any better or worse. If suddenly you need my help – I will be glad to assist you. Of course, if it does not harm me, my country and my people.

The Russians who left the country have their own point of view. Believe me – the bulk of the middle class of Russians have a different point of view. Otherwise, they would have left the country too. Russia is a state with a thousand-year history. We are the heirs of Byzantium, we are thousands of years of history of life in contact with the West and the East. We are neither one nor the other. We are neither Catholics nor Protestants. We are Orthodox. Not religion, not dogma, but spirit. Muslims, Christians, atheists – all these are people. We accept anyone who is ready to share our beliefs with us. All this has left an imprint on our perception of the world order. This is our curse and our strength. Perhaps we are in many ways incomprehensible to you.
We are proud of those people who voluntarily went to war in order to defend our values. Conservative values ​​(from the point of view of the modern Western world). Watch the clip that I posted above – these people will fight to the end. They are not marginals, they are the salt of our earth. I will not volunteer for war now – simply because I have to provide for my family. The only man in the family. But if suddenly the volunteers run out, and the draft begins – I will also go to the front. Simply because I want to leave my children the country that I received from my ancestors. Is that hard to understand?
I have nothing against the Ukrainians. But their position is a threat to my country, to my family. That's how I perceive it.
And Putin… Well, just another ruler. Today he is, tomorrow – another… The main thing is Russia. And its multinational people.
I don't know what else to tell you. Ukraine will not be in NATO. That's all.

Prayer of Russian soldiers before battle:

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I am a communist by conviction and I do not believe in God. But I admit his possible existence and I believe that if he exists, he will grant victory to the right side.

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