Stephen, your news-report today is the biggest, most important, news about Trump that I have ever run into, because -- if it is true, which I think it probably is (given the contacts you probably have) -- you are reporting hugely important decisions by Trump, ALL of which indicate what a great U.S. President would do about the world's top national-security problem, which is for America finally to END the Cold War on its side as Russia ended it on its side in 1991. This is even bigger news than the Senate's confirmation today of Tulsi Gabbard as his DNI. WOW!!!
It is quite a big deal. Here below is Trump reporting on Truth Social:
Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social
@TrumpDailyPosts
Subscribe
I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects. We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many! We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, “COMMON SENSE.” We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful. Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost! I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man that I personally greeted last night at the White House. I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!
BLESS YOU STEPHEN! This is the most important breaking news I've seen in decades, and (for once, and at last), it is not like the others (all of which were bad news) but is instead TERRIFIC NEWS. If borne out by subsequent events, it is an immensely favorable turning-point in human history.
Finally putting him in his place as an actor playing a fantasy role in the 'European Theatre'.
His biggest fans in the European VIP front row don't want the show to end - but a majority of the home crowd are tiring of their faded star, just as in late 2020 when his prewar approval rating had crashed to 20%.
In my lifetime, which didn't begin yesterday, the USA has always sought to dominate its allies and crush its enemies. This predilection only seemed to intensify when the US became the world hegemon after the collapse of the USSR. Then successive US administrations couldn't make wars fast enough: Yugoslavia (1999), Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011), Syria and elsewhere. America seemed to forget that it had much to tend to at home, and instead sought to destroy any perceived threat no matter how small or where in the world it might be. It spent 20 years fighting sandal-clad Afghan farmers armed with only AK-47's - surely one of the most bizarre and disgusting spectacles in military history - only to have to withdraw in disarray. And then plunged right back into the war in Ukraine!
It's a bit too early to know if Trump is the real deal when it comes to setting America on a new and less depraved path. But so far I like what I see. Trump doesn't appear to view other great powers as existential enemies, but as business competitors who can be negotiated with to arrive at mutually beneficial arrangements. This is a much better way to view the world today. In any case, the age of a sole, excessively dominant power has come to an end and good riddance to it.
The world is looking like a less dangerous place with each passing day of the Trump administration. However it remains to be seen if the danger to him from elements of the US deep state will diminish as well.
That’s the first time I’ve seen him not in politics mode. Thought he was very impressive. Certainly represents the US better than anyone we’ve seen in many years.
A little bit of pushback on this article, more commenting on an omission than what has been written - most of which I agree with. That is; can the Russians trust the US under Trump or a future president, who might overturn any agreement on a whim or when convenient?
The Russians have been burnt before. The promise not to push NATO east made under G.H. Bush, the ABM Treaty overturned by G.W. Bush, the START Treaty under Obama - as well as the Minsk 1 and 2 treaties on Ukraine and the IRBM Treaty under Trump 1.0. And then there was the Western pressure on Zelensky overturning of the Istanbul Treaty which had been initialed already in order to continue the war.
Bryen is right that Trump will try to pull Russia from the embrace of the Chinese using this deal however, given the Russian experience with the West my money is on him largely failing. Russia will hedge its bets and will support the Chinese when in their interests until the US has been brought down a peg or two. After all the single factor at present that unites the two Eurasian powers is fear of the US. Until US power diminishes somewhat this will supercede any other antagonistic issues between the two.
"Can the Russians trust the US under Trump or a future president, who might overturn any agreement on a whim or when convenient?"
Very good question!
I'd suggest there's no trust there and that Russia will carry the memory of that for a long time. But that doesn't mean that the US and Russia can't come to beneficial agreements, as we saw with the prisoner swap. I don't think there's a more pragmatic world leader than Vladimir Putin. He's not looking to be America's best friend, but if win-win arrangements can be made as they say in China, it's stupid to let ideology get in the way.
If, as you believe, Trump will try to use Russia against China in some way, that will be the signal that the USA hasn't learned the necessary lesson: it's not about tearing others down, but about finding ways to build a better world for everyone. Don't pit country against country, neighbour against neighbour. Those who do so should have a searing place in Hell specially reserved for them.
In the big picture, the world we have today is made up of almost 200 sovereign nations. They are laws unto themselves, this is the system we have. Though we might think treaties between them are inviolate, history shows otherwise. Sovereignty trumps even the most solemn agreements. And that's okay *as long as* one nation isn't trying to dominate another.
My epistemology and school in International Relations (IR) is Classical Realism (so sue me - I like nuiance and detail that is not found in neo-Realism). A Realist says that nation states are moved to pursue their own interests. These interests sometimes align with those of other states, and sometimes they are diametrically opposed - hence there is a war (or hostile attitudes and provocations at least) and peace dichotomy. In other words, never say never in IR.
At present Russia and China find it more in their interests to band together against the US. However, should US power and it's threat become degraded then this will allow both Russia and China to prioritise other interests that may make them hostile. For instance, Russia may feel that the Chinese have designs on Siberia and move to protect against that. Now China wants to overturn all the Treaties signed with the West during the Century of Humiliation. Should China gain Taiwan then they might look north to regain territory lost to Russia in the Treaty of Aigun 1858 (the loss of the Amur Region) and in 1860 Peking Treaty (loss of territory around a fishing village that would become the city of Vladivostock).
Russia will never ally with an enemy of China, and China will never ally with an enemy of Russia. Both countries have the same deeply anti-imperialist ideology, and can relate closely ONLY with other countries which share that absolute rejection of imperialism. For example, see this: https://archive.is/jGNf8
Any effort by the U.S. regime to break apart the Russia-China bond will only further antagonize BOTH Russia AND China AGAINST the U.S. regime.
There is no guarantee against the folly of future administrations except an engaged and educated electorate. There is a lot of work to be done on that front.
You are correct unfortunately but understandable, as people are more concerned with the local and getting on with their lives than deep thinking about policies. Anyway, this talk of negotiations is likely academic as most probably the war will be ended on the battlefield. The Russians have demands that are untenable to the West. The trap for Trump is that this does not become his war, and given that it is Trump that is unpredictable.
"What motivates European leaders to obsess about boogeyman Putin?" Indeed, an intriguing question. Maybe the answer is: "Money from Open Society Foundations."
It is deeper than that. Much deeper. Russia is the current term for the boogeyman from the East. The Goths, the Vandals, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible, Stalin and now famously Putin. Just ask Nostradamus.
Within the lifetime of a great many Europeans, the Other From the East swooped in and took over their society and completely remodeled it to resemble the boogeyman's preferred model of an all enveloping, crushing state apparatus.
Of course, the new/old deep state is there, happy to exploit the visceral fears of the various huddled masses afraid of things that go bump in the night. For those masses the boogeyman from the east is real. They have been there, they have done that. They really, really didn't like it when it happened to them.
All true... but why are most current European leaders so focused on bigging up a historical threat that's basically as outdated as European empires and power?
My guess is, because Europe is no longer since WW2, and even less since 1989, the centre of the world, and with declining power, leaders need an external threat to 'show leadership' and tell 'their' people they'll Make Europe Great Again... or stall decline a little, anyway.
Then there are conservative institutional factors - foreign and defense ministries, declining armies, and in France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Spain, Sweden and elsewhere still significant arms industries, all pressing for aggression in their own self-interest.
In terms of the long 'barbarian' threat from the East, Moscow presents a very interesting case: when the Mongols sacked the first Russian capital Kiev and took Ukraine in the thirteenth century, Saint Alexander Nevsky did a deal where he collected taxes for the Mongols further North, in return for help against Catholic crusaders from Poland and Germany, leading to a hybrid Eurasian culture in his new Northern capital at Moscow (though he spent half the year at the Mongol court in Central Asia learning how to run a despotic state).
"Trump has an important geopolitical perspective. It runs something like this: European security is important but is not really threatened by Russia. The US faces a resurgent China that has a (largely Western-supplied) very modern industrial base, a massive workforce, and an increasingly well-equipped and powerful military. From Trump's point of view, he needs a more friendly Russia that can help balance global power relationships. To get from there to here, he needs to find ways to redefine the US-Russia relationship which is in deep disarray and infused with mutual hostility. In his 90 minute conversation with Putin, Trump was poking at economic and technology capabilities that could, in future, provide a basis for improving relations."
That would actually be shrewd and intelligent, but I question whether Trump has any perspective other than whatever the last person who talked to him said. Remember The Great North Korean Cofeve? Lurching from threats of war to embraces (while neocons got the vapors), to unreasonable and unrealistic demands. In the end, nothing much changed.
So let's wait before taking a victory lap, what say?
North Korea?? They stopped nuclear testing and stopped deliberately shooting missiles into the maritime territory of other countries without warning. Didn't mean much to you of course but to the billion plus people who live in the area, it meant a lot.
North Korea was testing nuclear weapons on a fairly regular basis until Trump intervened. North Korea tested missiles ****and**** shot them into the air and maritime jurisdictions of neighboring countries without warning.
After Trump's intervention, they just test missiles and they no longer commit acts of direct aggression against their neighbors while testing them.
For people living in the real world in the region, those two things are really important. But not to you of course.
North Korea was firing missiles through Japanese and South Korean air space. Some of the missiles flying through Japanese air space came down in Japanese waters...... without warning, putting aircraft and ships in danger.
North Korea's stated position was that it was deliberate and that they could obviously hit targets in Japan itself. At the time, ****both*** South Korea and Japan classified those missile launches as acts of of aggression. But I understand that you don't think they were since they weren't directed at anything you consider important.
By a strange twist of fate, North Korea stopped doing that after discussions with Trump.
It was always going to be thus, that’s why Trumps election is pivotal to dismantling the moribund and illicit unipolar dominance of the U.S elites and their E.U, U.K backers… the result of Saudi will be a new multipolar world, BRICS+ doing its thing, China dominant in Asia/Oceania, Russia dominant as it ought be Eastern and Central Europe whilst sharing Co dominance and Security for Eurasia with China.
In essence the chihuahua states of the E.U, inclusive the U.K have all demilitarised themselves having no place now at the top table… thank the lord for that, they’ve been vile, viscous exemplars of colonial rule, whilst the U.S until Trump, hasn’t exactly covered itself with glory either, its turgid policy machinations and abuses a lesson in duplicit deceit, fraud, illegalities by the truck load, a disdain for international norms, institutions and laws, whilst it has bullied itself around the globe, endearment a once feature of its foreign policy now non existent, many global states not wanting a bar of anything to do with the U.S, the nation being recognised as a bunch of criminal gangsters with a predilection for depravity and essentially anything evil… read into that what you will but don’t leave pedophilia, sexual perversions of every descriptive, drug running, slavery, cannabalism and worshipping evil out of your calculus for all figure largely… the U.S elites and their accolytes in the West, especially the E.U, U.K and most especially the WEF lot.
Now at least the three strongest superpowers will dominate, the rest can whistle… as it should be, any bemoaning that fact need a true reality check, Trump recognises this I say watch this space for frictionless growth, real growth, extended peace, how so? China and Russia will provide the security architecture to ensure global peace keeping the U.S neocon warmonger's well in check, between them able to deal to the U.S if it ever oversteps, whilst the U.S and with it its former NATAo belligerents won’t be nor ever will be capable to take down both Russia and China… Watch for Putin to agree terms the Arctic trade route, most of all the worlds biggest warmonger, the U.S has now been checked, peace at last me thinks, comparative the U.S China and the Russian Federation, though militarily strong, are no threat to sovereignty of any state, contrast that as we know the U.S record… just saying
Europe gives the impression of a train at a fork. The switch is stuck and the brakes go wrong either. And it's not fiction, it's not just a disaster movie that raises your heart rate but ends well. It's reality...
The Polish defense minister actually welcomed Sec. Hegseth's speech. "It's a clear answer." Behind closed doors, several NATO countries have expressed concerns about Ukraine joining the alliance. It's a good thing that someone finally spoke the uncomfortable truth out loud. This whole thing has basically been a stupid Abilene paradox all along.
Stephen the news as such is excellent, but historically the US has been treacherous in deals. They have struck from behind many times. We'll see what the Russians think. Thanks for your information
Good news to be sure for those of us who have been following Ukraine related IR from even before 2014. Evidently, people who understand what's geopolitically in play -- and what's truly in America's long term interests in Ukraine and Europe -- were able to get thru to the self-absorbed and volatile Trumpster with enough "facts" that he realizes it's time to withdraw support for Zelensky and crew, cancel any Ukro appeals to NATO, accept "facts on the ground" (annexed oblasts), and work out an over-arching security arrangement with Putin . . . possibly even expanding into a needed re-design of the entire European -- including Russia -- security architecture with an added possibility to "do" needed Arms control to reduce pressures for global nuclear war. Some have even suggested a Yalta like "Big Three" meet up in St Petersburg with Xi, Putin and Trump celebrating the end of WW II and the Russia/allies victory over the Nazis committing to "Global peace" talks aimed at moderating competition and implementing more normalized relations, etc.. Ukraine could then be "folded" into or fall into place in the context of a new Euro/Russian peace arrangement and NATO would be left to have only a "regional" or marginal responsibility. The Russkies would re-supply Europe with cheap NGas and Oil and the U.S. could "make America Great Again by supplying our own country with low cost gas and oil to make it more competitive in the world, providing key oligarchs and monopoly corp heads go along. It could be a "beautiful world" . . . or not. UNFORTUNATELY, complicating matters is Trump's absurd and monstrously stupid announcement about taking GAZA, expelling the Palestinians (music to rabid Zionist ears) making it into a high end resort destination, "relocating" nearly 2 million Palestinians "somewhere" and if no "takers," resume genocidal war by Israelis on Palestinians to obliterate them. TRUMP reveals here that he is completely "owned" by Netanyahu, the Israel Lobby, and a bevy of Zionist billionaires. Come Saturday at Noon, will this still stand?
Stephen, your news-report today is the biggest, most important, news about Trump that I have ever run into, because -- if it is true, which I think it probably is (given the contacts you probably have) -- you are reporting hugely important decisions by Trump, ALL of which indicate what a great U.S. President would do about the world's top national-security problem, which is for America finally to END the Cold War on its side as Russia ended it on its side in 1991. This is even bigger news than the Senate's confirmation today of Tulsi Gabbard as his DNI. WOW!!!
It is quite a big deal. Here below is Trump reporting on Truth Social:
Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social
@TrumpDailyPosts
Subscribe
I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects. We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many! We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, “COMMON SENSE.” We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful. Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost! I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man that I personally greeted last night at the White House. I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!
BLESS YOU STEPHEN! This is the most important breaking news I've seen in decades, and (for once, and at last), it is not like the others (all of which were bad news) but is instead TERRIFIC NEWS. If borne out by subsequent events, it is an immensely favorable turning-point in human history.
There’s no reason for the US and Russia not to be friends. There is much we can accomplish together
US and Russia have absolutely nothing in common
They have a lot in common. And even if they didn't, so what?
They have a lot more in common that U.S./China.
About the only thing Russia & America have in common is the color of the leaders skin.
Trump/America thinks it is the natural ruler of the world.
China & Russia do not have such attitude or aspirations.
This is just one of the many commonalities China & Russia have.
America is the self declared enemy of both and of any entity that challenges its presumed hegemony.
The Russians will be civil and not embarrass Trump, but they know there is little reason to cultivate closer relations with America.
Even just not bugging each other is a fine accomplishment.
I like ’We'll *inform* Zelensky' of his fate :-)
Finally putting him in his place as an actor playing a fantasy role in the 'European Theatre'.
His biggest fans in the European VIP front row don't want the show to end - but a majority of the home crowd are tiring of their faded star, just as in late 2020 when his prewar approval rating had crashed to 20%.
That's Showbiz, Vlod...
https://t.me/TheIslanderNews/33022
In my lifetime, which didn't begin yesterday, the USA has always sought to dominate its allies and crush its enemies. This predilection only seemed to intensify when the US became the world hegemon after the collapse of the USSR. Then successive US administrations couldn't make wars fast enough: Yugoslavia (1999), Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011), Syria and elsewhere. America seemed to forget that it had much to tend to at home, and instead sought to destroy any perceived threat no matter how small or where in the world it might be. It spent 20 years fighting sandal-clad Afghan farmers armed with only AK-47's - surely one of the most bizarre and disgusting spectacles in military history - only to have to withdraw in disarray. And then plunged right back into the war in Ukraine!
It's a bit too early to know if Trump is the real deal when it comes to setting America on a new and less depraved path. But so far I like what I see. Trump doesn't appear to view other great powers as existential enemies, but as business competitors who can be negotiated with to arrive at mutually beneficial arrangements. This is a much better way to view the world today. In any case, the age of a sole, excessively dominant power has come to an end and good riddance to it.
The world is looking like a less dangerous place with each passing day of the Trump administration. However it remains to be seen if the danger to him from elements of the US deep state will diminish as well.
The more I see of Secretary Hegseth, the more I like him.
That’s the first time I’ve seen him not in politics mode. Thought he was very impressive. Certainly represents the US better than anyone we’ve seen in many years.
A little bit of pushback on this article, more commenting on an omission than what has been written - most of which I agree with. That is; can the Russians trust the US under Trump or a future president, who might overturn any agreement on a whim or when convenient?
The Russians have been burnt before. The promise not to push NATO east made under G.H. Bush, the ABM Treaty overturned by G.W. Bush, the START Treaty under Obama - as well as the Minsk 1 and 2 treaties on Ukraine and the IRBM Treaty under Trump 1.0. And then there was the Western pressure on Zelensky overturning of the Istanbul Treaty which had been initialed already in order to continue the war.
Bryen is right that Trump will try to pull Russia from the embrace of the Chinese using this deal however, given the Russian experience with the West my money is on him largely failing. Russia will hedge its bets and will support the Chinese when in their interests until the US has been brought down a peg or two. After all the single factor at present that unites the two Eurasian powers is fear of the US. Until US power diminishes somewhat this will supercede any other antagonistic issues between the two.
"Can the Russians trust the US under Trump or a future president, who might overturn any agreement on a whim or when convenient?"
Very good question!
I'd suggest there's no trust there and that Russia will carry the memory of that for a long time. But that doesn't mean that the US and Russia can't come to beneficial agreements, as we saw with the prisoner swap. I don't think there's a more pragmatic world leader than Vladimir Putin. He's not looking to be America's best friend, but if win-win arrangements can be made as they say in China, it's stupid to let ideology get in the way.
If, as you believe, Trump will try to use Russia against China in some way, that will be the signal that the USA hasn't learned the necessary lesson: it's not about tearing others down, but about finding ways to build a better world for everyone. Don't pit country against country, neighbour against neighbour. Those who do so should have a searing place in Hell specially reserved for them.
In the big picture, the world we have today is made up of almost 200 sovereign nations. They are laws unto themselves, this is the system we have. Though we might think treaties between them are inviolate, history shows otherwise. Sovereignty trumps even the most solemn agreements. And that's okay *as long as* one nation isn't trying to dominate another.
My epistemology and school in International Relations (IR) is Classical Realism (so sue me - I like nuiance and detail that is not found in neo-Realism). A Realist says that nation states are moved to pursue their own interests. These interests sometimes align with those of other states, and sometimes they are diametrically opposed - hence there is a war (or hostile attitudes and provocations at least) and peace dichotomy. In other words, never say never in IR.
At present Russia and China find it more in their interests to band together against the US. However, should US power and it's threat become degraded then this will allow both Russia and China to prioritise other interests that may make them hostile. For instance, Russia may feel that the Chinese have designs on Siberia and move to protect against that. Now China wants to overturn all the Treaties signed with the West during the Century of Humiliation. Should China gain Taiwan then they might look north to regain territory lost to Russia in the Treaty of Aigun 1858 (the loss of the Amur Region) and in 1860 Peking Treaty (loss of territory around a fishing village that would become the city of Vladivostock).
Russia will never ally with an enemy of China, and China will never ally with an enemy of Russia. Both countries have the same deeply anti-imperialist ideology, and can relate closely ONLY with other countries which share that absolute rejection of imperialism. For example, see this: https://archive.is/jGNf8
Any effort by the U.S. regime to break apart the Russia-China bond will only further antagonize BOTH Russia AND China AGAINST the U.S. regime.
China never tried in thousands of years to expand beyond the Sinosphere.
But Russia as 'deeply anti-imperialist'?
What are you smoking?
There is no guarantee against the folly of future administrations except an engaged and educated electorate. There is a lot of work to be done on that front.
You are correct unfortunately but understandable, as people are more concerned with the local and getting on with their lives than deep thinking about policies. Anyway, this talk of negotiations is likely academic as most probably the war will be ended on the battlefield. The Russians have demands that are untenable to the West. The trap for Trump is that this does not become his war, and given that it is Trump that is unpredictable.
thanks for some good news. Let's hope it's a beginning of something real.
Another good, if brief, analysis.
My earlier question remains: what motivates European leaders to obsess about boogeyman Putin?
It's almost like a collective identity crisis.
Actually, delete 'almost like'.
"What motivates European leaders to obsess about boogeyman Putin?" Indeed, an intriguing question. Maybe the answer is: "Money from Open Society Foundations."
???
"My earlier question remains: what motivates European leaders to obsess about boogeyman Putin?"
They are doing the Deep States' bidding.
Realist
It is deeper than that. Much deeper. Russia is the current term for the boogeyman from the East. The Goths, the Vandals, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible, Stalin and now famously Putin. Just ask Nostradamus.
Within the lifetime of a great many Europeans, the Other From the East swooped in and took over their society and completely remodeled it to resemble the boogeyman's preferred model of an all enveloping, crushing state apparatus.
Of course, the new/old deep state is there, happy to exploit the visceral fears of the various huddled masses afraid of things that go bump in the night. For those masses the boogeyman from the east is real. They have been there, they have done that. They really, really didn't like it when it happened to them.
All true... but why are most current European leaders so focused on bigging up a historical threat that's basically as outdated as European empires and power?
My guess is, because Europe is no longer since WW2, and even less since 1989, the centre of the world, and with declining power, leaders need an external threat to 'show leadership' and tell 'their' people they'll Make Europe Great Again... or stall decline a little, anyway.
Then there are conservative institutional factors - foreign and defense ministries, declining armies, and in France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Spain, Sweden and elsewhere still significant arms industries, all pressing for aggression in their own self-interest.
In terms of the long 'barbarian' threat from the East, Moscow presents a very interesting case: when the Mongols sacked the first Russian capital Kiev and took Ukraine in the thirteenth century, Saint Alexander Nevsky did a deal where he collected taxes for the Mongols further North, in return for help against Catholic crusaders from Poland and Germany, leading to a hybrid Eurasian culture in his new Northern capital at Moscow (though he spent half the year at the Mongol court in Central Asia learning how to run a despotic state).
"Trump has an important geopolitical perspective. It runs something like this: European security is important but is not really threatened by Russia. The US faces a resurgent China that has a (largely Western-supplied) very modern industrial base, a massive workforce, and an increasingly well-equipped and powerful military. From Trump's point of view, he needs a more friendly Russia that can help balance global power relationships. To get from there to here, he needs to find ways to redefine the US-Russia relationship which is in deep disarray and infused with mutual hostility. In his 90 minute conversation with Putin, Trump was poking at economic and technology capabilities that could, in future, provide a basis for improving relations."
That would actually be shrewd and intelligent, but I question whether Trump has any perspective other than whatever the last person who talked to him said. Remember The Great North Korean Cofeve? Lurching from threats of war to embraces (while neocons got the vapors), to unreasonable and unrealistic demands. In the end, nothing much changed.
So let's wait before taking a victory lap, what say?
Feral Finster
North Korea?? They stopped nuclear testing and stopped deliberately shooting missiles into the maritime territory of other countries without warning. Didn't mean much to you of course but to the billion plus people who live in the area, it meant a lot.
This assumes that Trump’s blow hot blow cold approach had anything to do with it.
Last I checked, Pakistan also hasn't tested nuclear weapons in many years either. But NK missile testing continues unabated.
North Korea was testing nuclear weapons on a fairly regular basis until Trump intervened. North Korea tested missiles ****and**** shot them into the air and maritime jurisdictions of neighboring countries without warning.
After Trump's intervention, they just test missiles and they no longer commit acts of direct aggression against their neighbors while testing them.
For people living in the real world in the region, those two things are really important. But not to you of course.
NK hasn't committed any direct acts of aggression, but go on. Keep telling yourself that Trump did something.
North Korea was firing missiles through Japanese and South Korean air space. Some of the missiles flying through Japanese air space came down in Japanese waters...... without warning, putting aircraft and ships in danger.
North Korea's stated position was that it was deliberate and that they could obviously hit targets in Japan itself. At the time, ****both*** South Korea and Japan classified those missile launches as acts of of aggression. But I understand that you don't think they were since they weren't directed at anything you consider important.
By a strange twist of fate, North Korea stopped doing that after discussions with Trump.
Right, and Trump made the missiles no longer malfunction. Keep telling yourself that.
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/trump-is-just-threatening-to-do-something-stupid-as-a-terrible-negotiation-tactic
It was always going to be thus, that’s why Trumps election is pivotal to dismantling the moribund and illicit unipolar dominance of the U.S elites and their E.U, U.K backers… the result of Saudi will be a new multipolar world, BRICS+ doing its thing, China dominant in Asia/Oceania, Russia dominant as it ought be Eastern and Central Europe whilst sharing Co dominance and Security for Eurasia with China.
In essence the chihuahua states of the E.U, inclusive the U.K have all demilitarised themselves having no place now at the top table… thank the lord for that, they’ve been vile, viscous exemplars of colonial rule, whilst the U.S until Trump, hasn’t exactly covered itself with glory either, its turgid policy machinations and abuses a lesson in duplicit deceit, fraud, illegalities by the truck load, a disdain for international norms, institutions and laws, whilst it has bullied itself around the globe, endearment a once feature of its foreign policy now non existent, many global states not wanting a bar of anything to do with the U.S, the nation being recognised as a bunch of criminal gangsters with a predilection for depravity and essentially anything evil… read into that what you will but don’t leave pedophilia, sexual perversions of every descriptive, drug running, slavery, cannabalism and worshipping evil out of your calculus for all figure largely… the U.S elites and their accolytes in the West, especially the E.U, U.K and most especially the WEF lot.
Now at least the three strongest superpowers will dominate, the rest can whistle… as it should be, any bemoaning that fact need a true reality check, Trump recognises this I say watch this space for frictionless growth, real growth, extended peace, how so? China and Russia will provide the security architecture to ensure global peace keeping the U.S neocon warmonger's well in check, between them able to deal to the U.S if it ever oversteps, whilst the U.S and with it its former NATAo belligerents won’t be nor ever will be capable to take down both Russia and China… Watch for Putin to agree terms the Arctic trade route, most of all the worlds biggest warmonger, the U.S has now been checked, peace at last me thinks, comparative the U.S China and the Russian Federation, though militarily strong, are no threat to sovereignty of any state, contrast that as we know the U.S record… just saying
Kia Kaha ( Stay strong) from New Zealand
The problem is trust. Russia understandably does not trust the U.S.
Europe gives the impression of a train at a fork. The switch is stuck and the brakes go wrong either. And it's not fiction, it's not just a disaster movie that raises your heart rate but ends well. It's reality...
The Polish defense minister actually welcomed Sec. Hegseth's speech. "It's a clear answer." Behind closed doors, several NATO countries have expressed concerns about Ukraine joining the alliance. It's a good thing that someone finally spoke the uncomfortable truth out loud. This whole thing has basically been a stupid Abilene paradox all along.
Stephen the news as such is excellent, but historically the US has been treacherous in deals. They have struck from behind many times. We'll see what the Russians think. Thanks for your information
Stephen, your reportage is always of great value.
I hope we can stop playing Makinder's Great Game.
Trump was elected to extracate us from the folly of forever wars. He is keeping his promise.
Any potential "deal" will have little to do with Ukraine.
If there is a "deal", it will include America withdrawing from Ukraine & central Europe.
What happens in & to Ukraine is entirely up to the Russians.
As it should be. We have no important national interest there.
Good news to be sure for those of us who have been following Ukraine related IR from even before 2014. Evidently, people who understand what's geopolitically in play -- and what's truly in America's long term interests in Ukraine and Europe -- were able to get thru to the self-absorbed and volatile Trumpster with enough "facts" that he realizes it's time to withdraw support for Zelensky and crew, cancel any Ukro appeals to NATO, accept "facts on the ground" (annexed oblasts), and work out an over-arching security arrangement with Putin . . . possibly even expanding into a needed re-design of the entire European -- including Russia -- security architecture with an added possibility to "do" needed Arms control to reduce pressures for global nuclear war. Some have even suggested a Yalta like "Big Three" meet up in St Petersburg with Xi, Putin and Trump celebrating the end of WW II and the Russia/allies victory over the Nazis committing to "Global peace" talks aimed at moderating competition and implementing more normalized relations, etc.. Ukraine could then be "folded" into or fall into place in the context of a new Euro/Russian peace arrangement and NATO would be left to have only a "regional" or marginal responsibility. The Russkies would re-supply Europe with cheap NGas and Oil and the U.S. could "make America Great Again by supplying our own country with low cost gas and oil to make it more competitive in the world, providing key oligarchs and monopoly corp heads go along. It could be a "beautiful world" . . . or not. UNFORTUNATELY, complicating matters is Trump's absurd and monstrously stupid announcement about taking GAZA, expelling the Palestinians (music to rabid Zionist ears) making it into a high end resort destination, "relocating" nearly 2 million Palestinians "somewhere" and if no "takers," resume genocidal war by Israelis on Palestinians to obliterate them. TRUMP reveals here that he is completely "owned" by Netanyahu, the Israel Lobby, and a bevy of Zionist billionaires. Come Saturday at Noon, will this still stand?
Trump ran on this. Did you forget?