NoW UPDATE: UKRAINE

 

    The Four Amigos Plus One

THERE’VE BEEN QUITE A FEW HAPPENINGS these last few weeks. One that’s occurring at the time of this writing—Thursday morning, EDT (Eastern Daylight time)—is that the Russians are meeting with their Ukrainian counterparts in Istanbul in a back-to-the-future negotiation to start peace talks and finally end the terrible three-year conflict in Ukraine. This came after the "four amigos" (PMs Starmer and Tusk, of England and Poland respectively, President Macron of France, and Germany’s Chancellor Merz) road the rails to Kiev to meet with their BFF, President Zelensky. After giving him a presidential tongue-bath, they left for home assured their visit had stiffened the spine of Ukraine’s president to keep the fight going to the last Ukrainian, and to demand a 30-day ceasefire be in place before any negotiations would start with the Russians. They sure are a bunch of tough-talking hombres!🤠 

OF COURSE, such a ceasefire would be unacceptable to the Russians, as it would only allow Ukraine time to regroup and rearm with weapons and intelligence provided by Western countries.* Additionally, the United States has yet to stop the flow of armaments to Ukraine, hardly a sign of a genuine appeal for peace. Besides, why would the winning side (i.e., the Russians) give Ukraine a break when they are entering the final phase of their special military operation to ensure safety and stability along Russian borders?

👉Last weekend, in response to Ukraine's ceasefire overtures, Russia’s President Putin offered a counter proposal. Russia, he said, would send a delegation to Istanbul to negotiate without pre-conditions.  At first, Zelensky said there would be no negotiations unless a ceasefire was in place. [That would be a “precondition” to the talks wouldn’t?] Then Trump warned Zelensky that he had better attend the negotiations in Istanbul (or else!):

  

“‘President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,’ Trump said on Truth Social.” (Al Jazeera)

 

After that, Zelensky said he’d go to Istanbul only if Putin would attend, which would be inappropriate because there is much to be negotiated first before the chief executives of each country would meet. That's done normally when it’s (hopefully!) time to sign the peace treaty. Moscow’s team is headed up by presidential aide, Vladimir Medinsky, who oversaw the original Russian delegation during the Istanbul negotiations of March 2022 (the ones that Boris Johnson summarily scuppered). 

Zelensky changed his tune about the negotiations after Trump's rather blunt missive and instead sent a delegation led by his defense minister. We’ll see if anything comes of it, but I doubt it. I find it hard to believe the Ukrainians will make  a serious effort to negotiate in good faith. It seems like another of Zelensky's  pro forma performances meant to appease Trump and his addlebrained European supporters by appearing to negotiate in earnest, then walking away, blaming the Russians. NEVERTHELESS, face-to-face discussions are finally being held between the two sides. And that’s a positive, if small, step. At least for the next few hours we can hope.¹ That said:

 

“Zelensky’s current strategy is transparent: appease Trump just enough to avoid backlash, but stop short of agreeing to anything that might commit Ukraine to a negotiated settlement. Even in a weakened state, Kiev shows no willingness to make meaningful concessions – or even to engage directly with Moscow.

On the Russian side, there is little incentive to indulge a Western-managed process designed to give President Trump a diplomatic win. Russia is holding firm on the front line and continues to expand its gains methodically. There is no reason to offer a ceasefire now, just when progress is being made.” (RT)

 

 👉EUROPEAN LEADERS need to realize the jig is up and that Ukraine, and the U.S., and NATO have all lost. And losers can't be choosers. They will have to live with what the Russians will allow them in any final peace deal. But, the "four amigos" seem oblivious to that reality as they do a slow-walk movie strut on the way to the big gunfight at the O-K Corral. What a bunch of posers!

Note: I photoshopped their heads around because these Bozos are interchangeable, all saying the same crap with each having a comeuppance and political ‘beheading’ coming down the pipe in their near-future. Chop-chop!😆

 

[UPDATE: President Zelensky has landed in in Ankara today and is holding talks with Turkish president Erdogan while his negotiating team prepares for Friday's talks in Istanbul with the Russian delegation. There's no telling what Zelensky spoke to Erdogan  about but, dollars to doughnuts, the clown prince will throw a spanner into the works ASAP. 🤡 Stay Tuned.]

 

Cheers, Jake. ____________________________________

 

*But not France. Macron said his military was tapped out and had no more armaments to give. Boo-hoo!

 

1. Negotiations could take weeks or months. Recall that the 1975 Paris peace treaty between Viet Nam and the U.S. was years in the making.