Thanks for the report. I did not know that Ukraine sent the military to Saudi Arabia. Not looking too hopeful for peace. Assuming Russia can achieve it, and I am not convinced they can, it appears that all of Novorossiya will return to Russia. Gorbachev and Yeltsin should have seen that the politically divided "pastiche" called Ukraine was broken up into its original components. Not doing so has led to catastrophic and tragic results.
My guess is that Russia is trying to find out if there is someone on the other side that can actually make commitments and cut a deal. The limited cease fire agreement on not attacking each other's energy installations required Zelensky to act -- and he clearly has failed to implement that agreement. This maritime deal requires FIRST the US to act in lifting certain sanctions on Russia's agricultural industries. Russia will be looking carefully to see if President Trump can implement the agreement.
If it turns out that the US is as "agreement incapable" as Zelensky, then the only alternative will be continued war.
I would guess the administration will try and do what it promised. I also note that so far the administration does not appear to have complained openly about Ukraine targeting Russian energy assets, meaning possibly that the Ukrainians never actually agree to do so.
This is Progress as far as it goes. But it's all largely Kabuki. Trump wants to off-load Ukraine so he can start something with Iran; just the way Biden ditched Afghanistan so he could take up cudgels against Russia.
As with Biden, Trump has no cards to play... he'll make Ukraine ridiculous offers to buy nuclear plants and mineral rights in Russian territory, and then blame Ukraine when talks collapse. Then Trump walks.
Why are the Russians are talking to the owner of a tire company? And what's this Twice guy doing with the Ukrainians? Once had him fired for a reason. And he robbed a bank once and killed a man. Shouldn't we rely on more upstanding people like Jim Fell?
His choice is whether to do what is morally right and try to bring the war to an end, accepting the personal consequences, or to continue to force his people into the front line, to die to no purpose in a lost cause.
His "only option". There is no such thing as only option. If his life is at risk, he can resign as a leader and seek refuge. Having thousands of Ukrainians killed because he can't face the consequences is gutless. There is people dying....
I would not call it a "trap". The war has brought Zelenskii and his cronies nothing but benefits.
Before Feburary of 2022, Zelenskii was the increasingly authoritarian ruler of a corrupt and nazi-infested hole. The war transformed him into a visionary leader, wiser the Solomon, more humane than Marcus Aurelius - Churchill, Washington, Frederick The Great and Richard The Lionheart, all rolled into one. And a fashion icon, to boot!
Why would Zelenskii ever want the war to stop? And I haven't even started on the flood of sweet western cash, ripe for skimming, with nobody asking awkward questions how Zelenskii can afford his latest villa or whatever.
Sure, corruption is Ukraine has gone astronomical. So what? That suits the little twerp just fine. Sure, kids are press-ganged into the slaughter. Why should Zelenskii care, since they aren't his kids?
Thanks for the report. I did not know that Ukraine sent the military to Saudi Arabia. Not looking too hopeful for peace. Assuming Russia can achieve it, and I am not convinced they can, it appears that all of Novorossiya will return to Russia. Gorbachev and Yeltsin should have seen that the politically divided "pastiche" called Ukraine was broken up into its original components. Not doing so has led to catastrophic and tragic results.
Thanks for your great work Stephen!
We've shared the link on our daily report.
A Skeptic War Reports
https://askeptic.substack.com/
Michael Anton of the "Flight 93" fame?
Thanks for the transcripts, Stephen - but do you have a translation of what everyone's actually saying here?
Good question. Is there actually a real agreement, signed by all the governments involved? Nobody seems to know exactly how to interpret this.
Is it true that the US still provides Ukraine with arms shipments and intelligence like coordinates for military targets?
My guess is that Russia is trying to find out if there is someone on the other side that can actually make commitments and cut a deal. The limited cease fire agreement on not attacking each other's energy installations required Zelensky to act -- and he clearly has failed to implement that agreement. This maritime deal requires FIRST the US to act in lifting certain sanctions on Russia's agricultural industries. Russia will be looking carefully to see if President Trump can implement the agreement.
If it turns out that the US is as "agreement incapable" as Zelensky, then the only alternative will be continued war.
I would guess the administration will try and do what it promised. I also note that so far the administration does not appear to have complained openly about Ukraine targeting Russian energy assets, meaning possibly that the Ukrainians never actually agree to do so.
This is Progress as far as it goes. But it's all largely Kabuki. Trump wants to off-load Ukraine so he can start something with Iran; just the way Biden ditched Afghanistan so he could take up cudgels against Russia.
As with Biden, Trump has no cards to play... he'll make Ukraine ridiculous offers to buy nuclear plants and mineral rights in Russian territory, and then blame Ukraine when talks collapse. Then Trump walks.
Why are the Russians are talking to the owner of a tire company? And what's this Twice guy doing with the Ukrainians? Once had him fired for a reason. And he robbed a bank once and killed a man. Shouldn't we rely on more upstanding people like Jim Fell?
I Don’t trust a single word coming out of TRUMPUTIN. Zelenskyy would have better luck dealing with the devil than those 2.
Since there is no path for a Ukrainian victory, Zelensky needs to do whatever is necessary to end the killing and preserve what's left of Ukraine.
I believe Zelensky is in a trap and his only option is to continue the war.
His choice is whether to do what is morally right and try to bring the war to an end, accepting the personal consequences, or to continue to force his people into the front line, to die to no purpose in a lost cause.
Moral imperatives are meaningless to sociopaths.
His "only option". There is no such thing as only option. If his life is at risk, he can resign as a leader and seek refuge. Having thousands of Ukrainians killed because he can't face the consequences is gutless. There is people dying....
I would not call it a "trap". The war has brought Zelenskii and his cronies nothing but benefits.
Before Feburary of 2022, Zelenskii was the increasingly authoritarian ruler of a corrupt and nazi-infested hole. The war transformed him into a visionary leader, wiser the Solomon, more humane than Marcus Aurelius - Churchill, Washington, Frederick The Great and Richard The Lionheart, all rolled into one. And a fashion icon, to boot!
Why would Zelenskii ever want the war to stop? And I haven't even started on the flood of sweet western cash, ripe for skimming, with nobody asking awkward questions how Zelenskii can afford his latest villa or whatever.
Sure, corruption is Ukraine has gone astronomical. So what? That suits the little twerp just fine. Sure, kids are press-ganged into the slaughter. Why should Zelenskii care, since they aren't his kids?
Zelensky is the devil. So he can look in the mirror and speak to himself.