Update 3/4/2025: Here's where Trump's deal with Putin stands: Trump aligns foreign policy with Putin. that so far has resulted in no deal on Ukraine, no peace deal, no rare earth deal, and kissing the Atlantic alliance with Europe goodbye as it goes its own way. US is now alone in the world with only allies, the Axis of Evil, Russia, China, and Iran, none of whom support US security interests.. Here's what Putin got: the breakup of the Atlantic alliance and possibly NATO itself, the US disarms its cyber-attacks and counter to Russia, giving them free access to sabotage US cyber, internet, and social media,and elections.. Russia gets all sanctions against them levied by the US removed, Russia gets its spy networks in the US as all embassies and consulates are reopened.
The cease fire or agreement on mineral rights may still happen as Zelensky seems to be more flexible and is not requesting a security agreement as a condition. However, in the meantime, the alliance with Russia is still one sided, and dangerous to US national security. That alliance with Russia is still a rotten deal. Zelenski today:"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.
Update: 3/1/2025 moved to a stand-alone posting 3/1/2025 but left here italics as well. MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: The backfire to the on camera Trump/Vance ambush of Zelensky is beginning
Trump's biggest blunder? The ambush of Zelensky in the Oval Office motivated Europe to get off its duff, step up to the plate, and possibly own the plate, too.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/world-leaders-back-zelenskyy-following-trump-vance-oval-office-spat Vance's ambush of Zelensky may backfire. The key is who holds the nukes and France and UK do in Europe . They have enough warheads to counter Russian nuke threats and blackmail and call their bluff. Europe likey can counter any Russian incursion with conventional weapons per some sources familiar with the situation. MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Is Putin blackmailing the US and west with nuclear threats?
After Trump-Zelensky blowup, Europe may be more willing to seize frozen Russian assets while EU official says ‘free world needs a new leader’Does Europe have any bargaining chips with Russia? Not yet on the table, Europe holds $330 billion in frozen Russian assets, which are kept for rebuilding Ukraine. Not all are reachable, but billions are. While Europe is reluctant to use such frozen assets of another nation's sovereign fund, it could be a bargaining chip as part of a guarantee of Ukraine's security. It could be used if Russia attacked NATO allies.. If released, the money could be used for Ukraine's purchase of weapons on the open market. That could be appealing to Germany, which is already a major manufacturer of weapons for Ukraine and would cut out US manufacturers that are benefitting now. As Europe mobilizes behind Ukraine, it's sitting on a $218 billion ace card — and it's being urged to play it
Update: 2/28/2025 I just witnessed a s...t show on a presser with Zelensky and Trump with JD Vance on the attack. The upshot of Trump/Vance "Be grateful, Zelensky, we are taking your mineral rights with no guarantee of your security, and you have no choice but to agree with us." That Zelensky sat through the most disgusting show of an Oval Office presser in the history of the US was a remarkable show of self-restraint. Vance and Trump's personal attack.., bringing up dirt stretching back to Hunter Biden and impeachment resorting extortion attempt, was just plain ugly and made uglier with the parting words, "If you don't say you are grateful, " your country is finished," and we will have WWIII. This is on TV live. You do not negotiate like that. But it exposed the bully that Trump is and how much of a satellite nation of Russia that the US has become. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkXWNiTQbV0
Was the "cease-fire deal" put on the table before the presser, or did Trump try to ambush Zelensky or set him up on TV to agree? Or was one condition it comes to Russia without an enforceable security deal? Russia has a history of breaking agreements. They did break an agreement and invaded Crimea. The Russian Federation’s Ongoing Aggression Against Ukraine - U.S. Mission to the OSCE To Zelensky, a ceasefire based on trusting Putin was not a deal at all.. The only ones who seem to trust Putin are Trump and Vance. Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation - WikipediaSome observers think Zelensky was set up for the oval office meeting https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/zelensky-trump-vance-ukraine-war-b2706901.html
My guess is that the nasty presser will only infuriate and inspire Europe to support Ukraine and guarantee its survival, and the US will be left flapping its mouth like a parrot of Russian propaganda and without rights to Ukraine's minerals. After the blowup, Zelensky left early. Trump then tweeted that Zelensky was not ready for peace and could return when he was. What is clear is that Zelensky believes that without security agreements the "peace terms" being shoved down his throat were useless. https://www.newsweek.com/trump-says-zelensky-not-ready-peace-after-oval-office-blowup-2038006 https://www.foxnews.com/world/
Trump's negotiating strategy is the art of the no deal. Not only did he give away NATO and 20% of Ukraine's territory in advance of beginning negotiations with Russia, he also tried to extort from Ukraine their natural resources that had a value of 4 times what the US has already contributed to Ukraine. In return, what does Ukraine get: no security guarantees, loss of 20% of its territory, and no way to stop further Russian aggression without outside help. Ukraine just said thanks, but no thanks.
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