On Tuesday night, President Trump said in his address to a joint session of Congress that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent him a letter that said Ukraine was ready to work toward peace with the US.
According to Trump, Zelensky said in the letter that he stands “ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence.”
Zelensky also told Trump that he was ready to sign the deal that would give the US access to revenue from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and other natural resources “at any time that is convenient for you.”
Zelensky made similar comments in public earlier in the day, saying his Oval Office meeting that ended with an argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance was “regrettable.” Zelensky also suggested potential steps toward peace with Russia after the Trump administration paused all military aid to Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have said they believe their military stockpiles will only last six months without continued US military aid. US officials speaking to the media about the aid pause said it would remain in place until Ukrainian leadership demonstrated that it was ready to work toward peace. Zelensky insisted on Tuesday that he didn’t want “endless war.”
“Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,” Zelensky wrote on X.
The Ukrainian leader suggested the first steps of a deal with Russia could involve a ban on long-range attacks, the bombing of energy infrastructure, and attacks at sea.
“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,” he said.
Zelensky said that after those initial steps, Ukraine would “want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.”
Zelensky also expressed gratitude for previous US support and thanked President Trump for supplying Ukraine with Javelin anti-tank missiles during his first term, a step that marked a significant escalation of US support for the Ukrainian military at the time.
Regarding the blow-up in the Oval Office, Zelensky said, “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.”
In a video address, Zelensky insisted that Ukraine could defend itself without US support but said a good relationship with the US was needed to end the war. “This is not 2022 anymore. Our resilience is stronger now. We have the means to defend ourselves. But for us, maintaining normal, partnership-based relations with America is essential to bringing the war to a real end,” he said.
Still creepy. Already setting preconditions. and insisting he is in the best shape evet to fight. Does not look like he means a word of what he says. Just waiting for Starmer and Macron to send troops than he will have leverage over Trump.
Starmer and Macron will not dare send a single soldier until America guarantees the "backstop". Trump has already said he won't provide it, I like to think he'll stay true to his word but you never know with him; he's volatile.
We see you learned a new word – volatile. But you cannot cite a single example of it. Zelensky is the one that changes his position daily. No sale.
Zelensky's position has always been war, war, and more war until all of Ukraine is "liberated" and Putin tried for war crimes and Russia made to pay reparations and de-fanged. His apparent change of heart about the rare earth deal doesn't mean he's given up on defeating Russia.
Maybe it is time that you learn a new slogan other than the ridiculous "No Slate".
Agree. I am still not sure where is this “pro Zelenski “ massive push coming from? It is not for his demicratic credentials, his success or brilliant personality. In fact — he has zero charisma, drones on , has a boring, ever repeating mantra that somebody called Ukraine-splaining.
Yet, Starmer yesterday in the Parliament gave an eliquent and rousing speach, with an enthusiastic snd noisy support. And King Charles gave him an honor of receiving him at the door.
Our democrats showed a sign of life yesterday in the State of the Union Address— when Zelenski name was mentioned.
Our media, missing entirely Zelenski snub and outright ridicule of American effort to end. the war, and enthusiastically embraced European intrigue at our expense. How is it possible? We know from experience that Europe pulled us into two world wars.
Sure enough, US had gone empire-giddy after Cold War, and led every mess since. Itaq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Libya, Syria.
The outcome ix -/ at least in Europe — that it was Europeans who profited. All Eastern and Southern Europe is flooded with European banks, retail business — from grocery chains to all ither merchsndise, cars, airplanes, and investments in local business. Whobwon the Cold War economically in Europe? Europesn Union. And now who is poised to take over Ukraine after the war? UK. France is just UK fighting leaf. Zelenski already sighned of on minerals, ports, gas infrastructure etc under so called “100 year agreement”. Trump wax of ccourse aware — but acted dumb in leaning on Zelenski fot mineral deal.
Zelenski thought he could get away by bringing a “framework deal” with a fine print “respecting prior. agrerments”. He thought he coukd browbeat Trump with his “Rusdia cannot br trusted” mantra. But he made a mistake by rudiculing Vance with by now infamoz “what kind of diolomacy are you talking about”. Zelenski wax CERTAINLY instructed to trash Trump’s plan to end war. A mistake. Both these individuals are good litigators and not lacking courage. Our media, blaming Trump — gives me pause, They are too passionate for my taste. They are acting like Ukraine is their long lost homeland. This passion and devotion is giving me pause. What doex Zelenski have we do not ser? What or eho does he represent? Much not clear, I bet Russia knows.
Did Euro-posturing made him reconsider? Anyway… hopefully there will be peace soon.
Only if Zelensky is removed from power because I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever that he's willing to compromise on anything or accept the reality on the ground.
He will. Rutte had a conversation with him and that’s why he’s now saying that he’s ready to make peace under the lead of the USA. No mention of the mines however, Trump totally missed his opportunity.
It appears he wants to take the money and run…!
Essentially, Zelensky wants ceasefire and more weapons. That is exactly opposite to what wants Putin. If Trump sides with Zelensky, it'll make him more involved in the war while the chance for a peace deal disappear from the foreseeable future.
Yes, the pawn just captured the queen, and he isn't even aware.
Any way you look at it, Zelensky want to continue the war one way or another and until Ukraine has retaken all lost territories. F-ing war-crazed lunatic, he's completely detached from reality.
Most of EU leaders and, probably, most of U.S. congressmen, want the same. It looks some of them really believe in possibility of defeating Russia but also it is, of course, a way to make easy money.
You are right about Congress. When you add Democrats and traditional neocon Republicans, together they would be the majority. But if any Ukrainian deal is ever presented to Congress for approval, I doubt those neocon Republicans would dare go against Trump.
It is unsettling and I agree. But what's more unsettling is the fact that almost every Trump supporter I spoke with so far is willing to go to WWIII at a moment notice from Trump.
And that’s exactly why I’m so afraid of Trump’s volatility. He seems to be making progress with Putin, but he’s liable to make a complete about-face at any moment. And then there’s China.
What volatility??? Trump's policy to end the war with negotiations is 3 years old. You are liable to just make things up. Cite one about face.
North Korea… and that's 3 about faces by my count.
LOL. It’s like he always has “ALL THE WRONG REASONS CHEAT SHEET” ready in his back pocket.
Wha nonsense, you claim you took a poll thus understand MAGA policy. MAGA policy is anti-war.
It's your leftist and RINO heroes which have been causing and cheering on escalation.
Listen. If Trump brings peace, I will apologize to you from the bottom of my heart. I will never apologize to the establishment Demo Rats and RINOs.
That is a fair offer. I'll give Trump credit where / when / if due for anything he demonstrably is entirely responsible for accomplishing, which maximizes human flourishing and minimizes human suffering (which is my definition of "something Good").
Right. As long as he and Bad Vlad are talking, they aren't blowing the rest of us up.
the MAGAs are staunchly pro-Israel, for the most part, willing to cheer on escalation in that theater. Actually making us 'great again' involves getting our noses out of everywhere, faster than we probably ever will.
AIPAC owns BOTH parties. That's common knowledge.
I don't think there is a need to present any Ukrainian deal to Congress. U.S. is not in war with Russia. Trump should think about American economic interests in Ukraine and Russia rather than trying to make a peace deal. Particular unclever and cynical looks his rhetoric about stopping the massacre in Ukraine as soon as possible (while he doesn't trying to do the same in Gaza). He shouldn't pretend he can force Putin and Zelensky to a peace deal. It would be much to his own advantage if he ignores Zelensky and EU, and makes a deal with Putin. There are only two big players in Ukraine: U.S. and Russia.
Nobody believes that anymora, no matter what they say for the cameras. But they may believe that Ukraine can resist for years to come and thus force Russia to lower its demands, for example allowing Ukraine into NATO or whatever. Russia is having nothing of that and trying to increase their rate of advance in both Donetsk People's Republic (still occupied by Ukraine in part) and Kharkov oblast (Ukraine's second largest city, which is mostly Russian-speaking and did try to secede in 2014… but failed).
Zelensky will do as told, more or less. He's already backtracking in all but the issue of the minerals (which amounts to colonial looting).
The problem is not so much Zelensky, but Trump not really offering Russia anything close to what they demand, which is: strict neutrality of a more or less demilitarized and de-NATO-ized Ukraine. Annexations are only a smaller part of what Russia wants and can get much larger if the war continues (they're already trying to grab Kharkov, which is the second city of Ukraine and is Russian-speaking).
Another problem is that the European leadership (a bunch of corrupt traitors mostly but regardless) is angry at Trump for the 25% tariff and wants to use Ukraine and even NATO as leverage. Otherwise they'll be very happy when they can buy cheaper gas from Russia again instead of hyper-expensive US LNG.
"Trump not really offering Russia anything"
What he can offer to Russians? Even if he will agree to Ukrainian neutrality and sign a piece of paper, it means nothing. In a couple of years any agreement can be abandoned. He has done already something practical: stopped arming Kiev regime, and sure it is appreciated in Kremlin. Now he can talk to Putin about economic cooperation in Ukraine after the war. Such a cooperation would be welcomed by Russians and it is more profitable to U.S. than American military presence in Ukraine which is anyway of no practical use and extremely difficult to achieve. Besides, it is a way to a confrontation with Russia. All this 30 years policy of moving military infrastructure to Russian borders was a mistake. It is a waste of resources and can't end up in anything good.
Did you get this comment from Russia and just re posted it?
He’s said he’s no longer arming Ukraine.
But do you believe him?
Trump ordered a pause on shipments of U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Of course, he can start it again any day. But at the moment American military aid stopped.
So you believe whatever Trump says, huh? That explains a lot.
It is not just what Trump said. It is confirmed by those who are monitoring the movement of transport with military equipment. Everything stopped. Even what was already on territory of Poland.
The panic in Kiev and EU/NATO capitals seems to suggest he's for real.
If "panic" by his opponents demonstrates truth then I guess Russiagate was real after all, right? Or does that "panic" only indicate truth when it lets you believe what you want to believe?
Alright, I haven't seen a stop in the flow of arms with my own eyes. But at some point I have to believe that some things are real. Otherwise, nothing is real and everything is a conspiracy and we all go totally paranoid.
BTW, I also believe the earth is round even tho I've never seen it from space with my own eyes. So bite me!
Alright, I haven't seen a stop in the flow of arms with my own eyes. But at some point I have to believe that some things are real. Otherwise, nothing is real and everything is a conspiracy and we all go totally paranoid.
BTW, I also believe the earth is round even tho I've never seen it from space with my own eyes. So bite me!
The important things to remember are:
1) Politicians lie; and
2) Trump is a politician.
Remember the last few years when the US was going to run out of ammunition any minute now, and yet simultaneously kept announcing “the largest live-fire exercise EVER” every three months? Before that, depending on how old you are, you might remember “the missile gap” and “the bomber gap,” both of which also turned out to be bullshit.
Deliveries of US ordnance to Ukraine may have stopped, or they may not have stopped. And if they have stopped, it could entirely be a book-keeping trick (“hey Macron, could you take up the slack for a week until I pull my NEXT 180-degree turn?”).
Personally, I would LIKE to see US military aid to Ukraine cut off — immediately, entirely, and permanently.
But I’m not going to bet the ranch on the notion that the US government has suddenly become honest.
I see your point. And Trump's next 180-degree turn (whatever it may be) is what worries me most.
In fact, the only thing we can be sure of is that Trump will make a 180-turn on something sooner rather than later.
Security guarantees, at lest as concept. If he can’t offer that, he can’t negotiate any peace, Russia will not accept. Russia wants above all a neutral Ukraine, undoing all what the Maidan putsch did. Additionally lifting of sanctions and recognition of annexations. No “ceasfire” but full comprehensive peace. It’s not like the other party needs to agree to everything, certainly not in the first stages of negotiations, but they have to come close to what the war winner is demanding sooner than later, else it’d be all worthless talk.
Looting all the mines without any compensation is not “cooperation” but ruthless piracy. If Trump thinks that US Treasury should be compensated for Biden’s terrible decisions, he should expropriate him or Soros or whatever, not Ukraine, which has been already sacrificed almost to the last man for US imperialism. All Europe should be compensate in fact (I’m paying more than twice for food just because of Russia sanctions and stupid purchase of hyper-expensive US LNG and military gear) but the case of sacrificed Ukraine is extreme. Everybody should be paying for the reconstruction of Ukraine once this war is over, very especially the USA.
Of course there are no harm in promising neutrality and signing some papers about it. It is very good but not enough.
"undoing all what the Maidan putsch did" – yes, exactly. But it is very difficult to achieve. First they have to replace the current Ukrainian regime by something much more democratic. Even if Zelensky agrees to the elections, it would be elections where only loyal to the regime individuals can participate (the same as it was in 2019). Such elections can't solve the problem.
Russia wants the most demanded item these days: “security guarantees”. Neither the USA nor Europe are trustworthy security guarantors, nor is Turkey either after several fiascos and backstabs, so who can guarantee (along with the USA)? Only China. That’s unspoken as such but will eventually emerge, maybe as joint UNSC as guarantor and true blue helmets as peacekeepers, mostly from outside Europe. This is quite unprecedented because there have not been extra-continental troops in Europe since since the Middle Ages (exception: USA in the last century but they are Neo-Europeans, not Asians or Africans, Ottomans don’t count because they were based in Europe and Turkics have a very long European history). But get ready for Nepali and Ugandan peacekeepers in Ukraine, for example, because that’s the kind of deal that can be reached, if any.
Replacing the regime won’t be that easy but Zelensky has already gone a long way at replacing the worst of the deep state (as he himself was threatened but it), maybe just removing the law that impedes Z. from talking to Putin will be enough. Z. can’t be replaced without elections or a revolution, and elections can’t take place in war conditions.
It is difficult to imagine that Russia would agree to any peacekeepers in Ukraine. Putin told last summer that Russia would stop all military activities if Ukraine does the same and starts the withdrawal from Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhie and Kherson regions. If Kiev regime would agree to that, it means that Ukraine is serious about the peace. No need for any further guarantees or peacekeepers. Of course such a ceasefire was supposed to be followed by demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. For Kiev regime and it's sponsors, of course, such a proposition was unacceptable. Obviously, Putin has nothing else to offer. So the fighting continues. And what is particularly unpleasant for Ukraine and NATO, Russian troops are moving deeper into Kharkov oblast. Also they entered Sumy oblast. Putin warned them last summer that the next proposition will be worse.
Russia needs a more or less demilitarized Ukraine: it won’t agree to NATO (or associated) peacekeepers but UN blue helmets from India and China (for example) is not unthinkable. I’d say that Russia needs everything east of the Dniepr wholly demilitarized (or under their occupation but that is costly, especially as most of those areas are ethnic Ukrainian and thus not Russia-friendly — Kharkov is the exception but Sumy, Chernigov, Dnipro, etc. are hard for Russia to legitimately keep annexed/occupied, yet Russia can’t afford to keep them in Ukrainian or NATO hands. West of the Dniepr is less of a concern for Moscow but they still don’t want it NATOized nor heavily militarized either.
I don’t think all of Zaporzhie and Kherson will go to Russia: they are not Russian majority regions, the referendums (assuming they were legitimate, which is questionable) were only held in Russia-occupied areas, with the capital cities and other large parts not being consulted at all. Hence the Russian phrasing “situation on the ground” probably applies (assuming an immediate peace deal, which I believe most unlikely), i.e. Russia can agree to partition those oblasts at the current, quite stable, frontline, with the areas south of the Dniepr goint to Russia and the rest remaining in Ukraine. That satifies the buffering of Crimea and territorial continuity needs of Russia and is a natural border (Dniepr river), legal adjustments are not that hard to make.
Anyway the core issue is not the border, it is NATOization of Ukraine as dire threat to Russia (real or perceived) and also one of lack of credibility of all major Western countries, which requires Asian (or less likely African, Latin American) guarantors such as China and/or India, along with the always indispensable USA (other NATO countries won’t be allowed in almost certainly, they already squandered their credibility and weight much less).
You say: “Putin has nothing else to offer”. I counter: the one who is in a hurry to deliver in his “peace in 24 hrs” promises is Trump, not Putin. Russia is right now continuing its advance in all fronts and quite apparently preparing to take and annex Kharkov (to be completed in a matter of months after the recent rather serious advances in fronts that had remained almost static since 2022), they are also threatening to take everything east of the Dniepr (this year?, next year?, we’ll see, but it will happen eventually) and an operation against Odessa is not at all out of the plans, what would link, if successful, Russia and Transnistria and reach the physical border of NATO by Rumania, totally denying Ukraine any direct access to the sea (a major issue). Those are Russia’s plans if the war continues and there is nothing that NATO can do about it other than pray to the gods of war for a miracle. Once that happens, and if Ukraine has not surrendered yet, Belarus will join the war and both countries will pincer and besiege Kiev again.
So Putin has something to offer: end the war and not push for further annexations or persistent occupations or total regime change in Kiev, all of which Russia can achieve patiently if the war goes on. Furthermore: Putin also has plenty of gas and oil to offer to the Europeans (this is something contrary to US interests however) and, according to Trump’s geopolitical mindset, it can somewhat get disengaged from a China that has already somewhat disengaged from Russia anyhow, i.e. it can be a fully sovereign 2nd tier player that may cater now and then to US interests in Europe and Asia.
But in any case Putin is demanding rather than “offering”: he’s at war and is winning the war after all.
If the war ends up and current Kiev regime is still there, it'll be not the end of the war but only a ceasefire. Then the sponsors will arm Ukraine again and the war continues. Putin made it clear that such a scenario is unacceptable. So, if Russia wants peace, one way or other, denazification of Ukraine should happen. Once Ukraine is friendly again, no one will need those peacekeepers. Until the coup 2014 Russia and Ukraine coexisted fine. No one in Kremlin planned to take Crimea away from Ukraine. After 2014 and the separation of Donbass, during many years Putin tried very hard to squeeze Donbass republics back into Ukraine. Now, when those regions which according to Russian constitution are part of Russia, it is absolutely impossible to give them, or part of them, back to Ukraine (maybe only if Russia is defeated militarily). By the way, in time of referendum 2022, Russian troops were in Kherson. They left Kherson a couple of months later. That's why under the circumstances any peace deal is almost impossible.
That’s what Moscow wants to avoid but I’m not sure if they’ll be able to get exactly what they need and want in whatever peace negotiations there are. Clearly Russian secret and diplomatic services were outsmarted by those of the West (and again in Syria more recently), and it’s hard to revert such Western successes (evil and fascist as they may be) by military means only. It’s also Russia’s fault: by failing to back Yanukovich or even the rebel Donbass forces, just because they had that socialist streak that Putin dislikes so much, they facilitated this situation. Putin is much acclaimed by some as statesman but he’s not that good really: his conservatism/oligarchism, his belief in God and Capital, is his greatest weakness. This would have been much better managed if the communists would have been in power in Russia in 2014-15.
Fair enough re. the 2022 referendum, still I take the results in Kherson and Zaporzhie oblasts as dubious: only 2/3 voted in favor (if they did at all, Russia is known to rig votes in ethnic minority areas systematically) and the Kremlin knows that, so it’s possible that some arrangement may be made in such cases.
We may judge by the results of Ukrainian presidential elections 2010 the pro-Russian and anti-Russian political orientation of different regions. Those who voted for Yanukovich are, at least, not anti-Russian. Though, of course, Yanukovich is neither pro-Russian nor socialist.
2012, not 2010. The Party of Regions, social-democratic and federalist, won by landslide after 4 years of right winger ultra-nationalist and ultra-capitalist rule (Timoshenko, etc.) They had outcomepted the Communist Party (or rather parties, because there were at least two) and offered a “balanced” socio-economic project for Ukraine, one that even tried to join the EU but was slapped with outlandish demands by Brussels, what caused Kiev to move back towards Russia somewhat in search of that sovereign balance aspiration.
I agree with you, but if the current regime in Kiev is removed from power, there would still be legions of Banderite Nazi scum in West Ukraine. And they could easily return to power one day. Possibly, even with active support from a new (post-Trump) American administration.
Putin has failed rather miserably in denazifying Ukraine. And what does that mean anyway, was he going to kill them all? That's millions of people! Or reeducate them or jail them? He'd have to occupy all of Ukraine to do that… and he's taken only 20% of Ukraine after 3 years of war. Some progress!
This is exactly correct. Zelensky has offered nothing new, just more hot air.
Bullshit. That's exactly the opposite of what Putin wants.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fb52dc5b789a7802e59aad2e03a3a203391a223fc4f67b6d7f0b8dc395defcde.jpg
Trump clearly is not siding with Zelensky. Biden and congress worshiped Zelensky when he came to town 2 years ago.
Trump is siding with Putin. One dictator to another. Here is the thing, Putin is smarter than trump. So Putin will get what he wants.
Trump is talking about a ceasefire. Now Zelensky says he does agree with Trump. Putin doesn't agree to a ceasefire and he explained why. So, we have here some disagreement between Trump and Putin and it is a great disagreement. For Zelensky a ceasefire is dangerous but not so bad as a conflict with Trump. So Zelensky shifted closer to Trump.
Trump is like the weather in Florida. If you don’t like it, just wait ten minutes.
Democrats have been waiting ten years.
I can't remember a more inspiring and uplifting State of the Union speech. President Trump was masterful and in total control of the room. Democrats looked like a bunch of demoralized traitors to the USA. https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1897162768891175028
If those numbers are true, it only goes to show how stupid the American electorate is.
I'm guessing that a lot of people just didn't feel like watching the shit show. So that 53% is probably largely made up with cult members .
Typical debating rebuttal of a liberal, “You’re Stupid!”
Because being an uneducated, bloviating xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, epistemophobic, fascistic, genocidal gigantic prick and Trump voter is, like, intelligent? Not to mention being so retarded as to assume I'm a liberal.
If you don't like people calling you stupid, try educating yourself instead of complaining. Maybe read a few books, it would do you a world of good.
You accuse President Trump of being a homophobe because he appointed an openly Gay man as US Treasury Secretary?
No, he or she accused you of being a homophobe.
Based on the evidence of what?
I'm actually accusing ALL Trump voters of being xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, epistemophobic, and fascistic because they voted for a candidate who made those "qualities" the very core of his political platform.
Now, of course, we could argue who's the lesser evil, and he may well be the lesser evil compared to warmongering Hillary or Biden or Kamala. But that doesn't absolve his voters of guilt for having voted into office a man who's enacting xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, epistemophobic, and fascistic policies. Those policies have a direct and terrible effect on so many people in this country.
By that brilliant logic Hitler was not an antisemite because he promoted a half-Jew (Helmuth Wilberg) to a high level position in the Luftwaffe.
I guess I'll have to take your word for it. But just reading some of the excerpts makes me think that you're out of your god damned mind.
Don't take my word, here's CNNs own polling: https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1897326569720619244
I can't remember a more inspiring and uplifting State of the Union speech.
I was responding to that. The excerpts I've read must have been from a different speech than the one you describe. Just another long-winded narcissistic rant is all I got.
The autocratic, mafia-like President Trump expresses much self-praise in his speech to the House of Congress and drives inflation with his foreign and economic policies.
https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2025/0211 Is inflation still slowing? Early 2025 data pivotal to outlook
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FPCPITOTLZGUSA Inflation, consumer prices for the United States
https://www.clevelandfed.org/indicators-and-data/inflation-expectations
https://www.clevelandfed.org/collections/press-releases/2025/pr-20250210-cleveland-fed-survey-ceo-inflation-expectations
https://www.federalreserve.gov/economy-at-a-glance-inflation-pce.htm
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312060/us-inflation-rate-federal-reserve-interest-rate-monthly/
That's just more irrelevant propaganda.
We do not accept reading assignments. My cost of living rose 30% under Biden.
The COVID-19 SARS-COV-2 pandemic causes inflation.
https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2021/beyond-bls/consumer-inflation-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.htm
https://www.cbpp.org/research/economy/tracking-the-recovery-from-the-pandemic-recession
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-caused-the-u-s-pandemic-era-inflation/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7604733/ The COVID-19 Pandemic and the $16 Trillion Virus
https://usafacts.org/answers/what-is-the-current-inflation-rate/country/united-states/
https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/latest-inflation-statistics/#highlights-of-the-latest-statistics
https://www.ers.usda.gov/covid-19/food-and-consumers
Inflation was the case already.
Bruno Marcetic – How the war in Ukraine has been a major contributor to global inflation
The Nation 2 december 2024
E. g. in Nigeria prices of gas for household and gasoline have risen. The prices of gas have risen so much that many people have switched to a different way of cooking: no longer on gas but with charcoal cookers. (Personal experience).
The energy companies in Europe speculate on the European Energy Exchange EEX with their own oversupply of cheap Russian gas supplied by joint investment consortia using derivatives due to capitalist profit interests, so that energy prices have exploded in Europe since 2021 and create a significant inflation to the detriment of consumers and the energy requirement of the producing trade.
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/ukraine-inflation-war-trump-economy/
https://wintershalldea.com/en/investor-relations/ir-23-01 BASF German concern
https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/news-and-insights/press-releases/bps-position-in-russia.html
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/energy-price-rise-since-2021/
https://www.iea.org/topics/global-energy-crisis
https://www.eex.com/en/markets/natural-gas/egsi-futures
https://www.eex.com/en/markets/energy-certificates
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/derivative.asp
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/derivatives/derivatives/
Who cares, babbler??? Trump wants peace and is the only official working towards it.
"I can't remember" There are drugs that can help your failing memory. See a doctor.
The last time Trump gave a State of the Union speech was 2020. The next time will be next year.
BOOM!: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1897167739648975243
Wow. I’m surprised that he’s calling for his own removal and replacement this early in his term.
The democrat freaks never looked worse: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1897173348427387303
Notice how one Man(Al Green) with integrity stood up to fascism and was kicked out for not kissing an unamericans ass, while 1/2 the congress did?
We're spinning faster and faster down the drain
Your supposedly "anti-fascist" Al Green wholeheartedly supports Ukrainian fascists. He has no integrity whatsoever, he's just a ghoulish prostitute for the MIC and the American empire.
Less evil is better than more evil is it not?
Yet: “Green has previously earned attention for launching multiple longshot impeachment attempts against Trump during Trump’s first term. In February, Green said he was again introducing impeachment articles against Trump, after the President’s remarks about taking over the wartorn Gaza Strip.”
As Trump claimed his sweeping election victory gave him a mandate that “has not been seen in many decades,” Rep. Al Green (D, Texas) stood and shouted “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” and “He has no mandate!”
Z should support an actual complete immediate ceasefire and T shouldn't be fooled until he does.
But Russia doesn't want a ceasefire… rather a peace treaty…!
A peace treaty starts with a ceasefire.
Not necessarily. In fact we're seeing that all ceasefires and temporary deals with the West (Mins, Lebanon, Gaza) collapse sooner or later because the West has not good faith whatsoever. Russia has learned that and is not taking any temporary peace deals at all.
It is not just this context, historically ceasefires have been used over and over by the losing side to reinforce and strike back. In military theory (I think this is from Clausewitz) you should never sign a ceasefire while winning, but demand total surrender. Another thing is if the conflict is in a stalemate, of course.
True. I also was against the cease fire in Gaza from the start. as we can see it is all unravelling already because Israel did not even adhere to its agreements.
In the Ukraine it would most likely be Europe or the US who would break it like they have broken so many other agreements.
Also, people are cheering adn applauding the "temporary pause on weapons shipments to the Ukraine. That means little if anything. Trump did not say that the US will halt all weapons and money shipments indefinitely until permanent peace with Russia is signed and sealed.
So if Zelensky signs the partial cease fire deal the weapon pause will be over and they will be shipped to Ukraine anyway.
I wasn’t against the Gaza ceasefire because it was meant to be comprehensive and culminate into a full peace. Also the humanitarian situation was so extreme that it could only benefit Gazans. And the wider geostrategical situation had taken a U-turn after the forced Lebanon ceasefire and the masterful Western takeover of Syria via Turkish fascist proxy. But it’s still an example of how the West does not fulfill its promises and can’t therefore be trusted at all.
Agree more or less about the shipments pause, although I believe it has much more to do with Trump twisting Zelensky’s arm than anything else.
A stalemate, combined with common sense would be a great reason and real intentions to negotiate and settle.
Hope is eternal.
Ultimately right, but you have to start somewhere and it's a lot easier to talk peace while the shooting is at least paused. The only way to know if Russia would go for it is if they ask.
And will Russia agree to the ceasefire? What makes you think that they will?
When there is a ceasefire, it will likely be unilaterally declared by the Russian regime, and the Ukrainian regime will accept it or not.
But before Putin can declare a ceasefire with the risk to himself being acceptable, he also needs to be able to declare some semblance of “victory” with a straight face, which probably means that it won’t happen until and unless his forces secure Donetsk. Which, after more than three years, they’ve still failed to do.
Only one way to find out…
You should support a complete and immediate ceasefire, instead of supporting a murderous dictator, fool.
You can tell President Trump hit a home run at the State of the Union because Fake News CNN and MSDNC aren't replaying it as they would normally do. Trump's speech was so good they'll probably replay around 3 in the morning, if at all.
Don't worry, Trump's speech will be replayed and replayed again so many times… by psychiatrists studding his mental illness and that of his followers.
Look folks, this is typical of nonsensical leftists. Trump wants to prevent WW3, and this one calls it mental illness.
Compartmentalization… ever heard about that concept? Look it up, it’s very interesting. He wants to prevent WW3 with Russia, I give him credit for that (for now, we’ll see how the situation develops). On the other hand, he’s encouraging the Zionists to finish the genocide of 2 million Palestinians.
Now, how can you say that? /s https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d03bd5d49d8eb8316564fe8290f48e80d0fa4379728042558094ce15c95931c5.png
Forget the mental illness stuff. This is far bigger than talking mental illness or dementia.
Trump showed one thing by his speech and that was that it takes a "strong man" dictator to reverse some of the tyrannical rules and mandates put into practice by the WEF supporting Democrats.
The main reason Trump has so much support is that people were tired of the tyranny of the Left, not realizing that it is being replaced with a dictator on the right. But only a dictator can change all of the mess the Left had created, including two wars they loved.
History has shown again and again when a country is in a mess, in chaos a dictator, emperor, king steps in.
What left are you talking about? The Democrats, by any sane standard, are a right-wing party. The Republicans are extreme right-wing lunatics. The left has NEVER been in power in the United States, never ever.
However, the mafia methods of an autocratic, blackmailing President Trump are probably working in favor of Russia's imperialist war of aggression.
Russia's anti-fascist propaganda hypocrites Russia's true intentions, because is Russia now attacking all other states in Europe such as Hungary, Austria, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, etc., where neo-fascist parties are achieving great electoral success?
Furthermore, Russia is arguing incorrectly with regard to a territorial, military threat from Western industrialized countries, because nuclear weapons and the bomber aircraft that carry them have been stored at Turkey's Incirlik airbase since 1952 and Norway, a member of NATO since 1949, borders Russia. In addition, other NATO members such as Finland and Lithuania border Russia.
“nor do Russian strategic documents express a plan to recreate the Soviet Union; there are no mentions of imperialist ambitions or doctrinal directives for using military force to achieve dominance over neighbors”
RAND 2021 p. 29
That is a reason to think Russia might have some other reason(s).
That's pure, incoherent, irrelevant , leftist propaganda.
Can you refute his facts? No. So you just yell propaganda. Just because you don't like something or more likely don't understand something does not make it propaganda.
Russia is liberating Donbass, which has full right to self-determination and has exerted it by votes and by arms. The UN Charter recognizes self-determination for every single people. Sadly this is rarely applied or even remembered.
No, the immigrated Russian population has no right to self-determination, but on internal self-determination, federalism, or autonomy. The immigrant Russian population of the Donbas region ignites a civil war of separatism, secession, which is against the Ukrainian Constitution and the Ukrainian Criminal Code regarding the norm of high treason.
https://hcj.gov.ua/sites/default/files/field/file/the_constitution_of_ukraine.pdf Article 73
https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14?lang=en#Text The Criminal Code of Ukraine, Article 111. High treason
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/self_determination_(international_law)
https://pesd.princeton.edu/node/656 Self-Determination
https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/self-determination-constitution-brief.pdf
https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/pwks7.pdf SELF-DETERMINATION Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, and the Right to Secession
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1858&context=fac_articles SELF-DETERMINATION AND SECESSION UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE NEW FRAMEWORK
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2009/10/right-self-determination-not-synonymous-independent-statehood-third
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56355876.pdf Right to Self-Determination in In Re Secession of Quebec
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291123000207 Self-determination, secession, and indigeneity in Ethiopia's federation
https://opiniojuris.org/2017/09/28/kurds-right-self-determination-andor-secession/
https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Promise/Artsakh_Report_Final_Version.pdf Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, East Timor
https://www.spf.org/apbi/news_en/i_140107.html Ethnic Groups’ Right to Independence: Self-determination, Secession and the Post-Cold War International Relations
https://www.e-ir.info/2020/05/29/the-united-nations-self-determination-state-failure-and-secession/
https://www.e-ir.info/2020/02/18/the-precarious-history-of-the-un-towards-self-determination/
https://www.e-ir.info/publication/the-united-nations-friend-or-foe-of-self-determination/
https://www.elgaronline.com/monochap/9781785361210/09_chapter1.xhtml Self-determination: historical underpinnings
https://education.cfr.org/learn/reading/how-self-determination-shaped-modern-world
https://www.humanrights.ch/cms/upload/pdf/100112_self-determination_as_a_basic_human_rights_cindy_holder.pdf Self-determination as a basic human right: the Draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Then what? Return it to the Turks? Because most of Ukraine used to be Tatar, you know, and most of those “migrants” (not really, they have been there for generations, centuries even, depending on individual cases), both the Russian-speakers and the Ukrainian ones, arrived under the Russian Empire as border troops (cossacks). That’s why East and South Ukraine was and is mostly Russian-speaking.
The real reason is that the borders of Ukraine were set first by the II Reich in WW1 and then by the USSR/Russia after the Ukrainian civil war, in which Russia backed the Kharkov-based soviet republic (“reds”) against the Kiev-based “social-dems” (“whites”, initially backed by Poland but then betrayed) and also against the Zaporzhia-based free zone (“blacks”, anarchists) of Makhno. It was these who conrtolled Donbass most of the time and it was Donbass where bolshevik leader Artyom tried to establish a separate republic… but was denied and all its lands given to Ukraine against the will of the people. Crimea was Russia but Ukraine-born Khrushev gifted it to Ukraine arbitrarily as well. Was there immigration in the Soviet era? That too but it’s not the root of the problem and anyhow Ukraine became independent as it was in the late Soviet era, with all the citizens, autonomous status for Crimea and especial status for Sevastopol, including Russian naval base. That would still be the case if the far right ultra-nationalists, whose base was west of Kiev only, would not have putsched Yanukovich in 2014.
After Maidan and the Odessa Massacre (never forget, never forgive), secessions were inevitable, as the social pact, democracy too, was destroyed almost overnight.
Retroactive ass kissing.
It is clear that Putin is the only obstacle to real peace
Are you joking? But maybe you are not, you really know Putin did it?
Trump never lies, yes? He would never make up something to save face after most of the world criticized his Oval Office ambush. He would never claim he got to apology he demanded after he screwed up. He would never tell a story where he's the strong, admired hero.
What's that? He does all those things multiple times a day? "Sir" stories are part of his every appearance? That can't be. He's an honest broker after all.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a8a21416bdf7613ea8f7c0fa8c2f66a39e44ee502a2aa352af40737122b1ae9f.png
Zelensky was willing to end the conflict at the beginning, it was "verboten" by Biden, only Biden had the authority to negotiate and he refused over and over again. Don't blame Zelensky he was the well paid useful idiot for the Americans, he can now be flushed down the toilet, he is useless now.
Only Biden had the authority to negotiate with the Russians to stop them invading another sovereign nation, bit that nation wasn't allowed to negotiate?
I know everything needs to be the fault of anyone but the Russians, buy really? That's some concentrated stupid.
Well, I believe Jeffrey Sachs, he knows in Dec. 21 Biden had the opportunity to prevent the very preventable war, he refused and let Prof. Sachs know, and Prof. Sachs is not a liar. His words are gold, I would put my hand in the fire, he does not tell lies.
He lies and you repeat the lie
It is all documented and the info is even available in MSM.
Have the courtesy and back up one deliberate lie you know of Prof. Sachs has told, anywhere, one lie and factual evidence to prove it. I challenge you,
I AM WAITING!!!
Sure
According to Sachs Ukraine had and has no agency. At all.
Nor does Russia.
Only the US has agency.
That is an absolute lie and every conclusion that follows from that lie is also a lie
Nothing but an allegation. There is no context, only your interpretation of what he said and your conclusion it is an absolute lie.
I would say true, Ukraine has no agency, it ended with the 2014 Obama/Biden regime change, the end of Ukrainian sovereignty making it a US vassal state.
The conflict is Russia v US/NATO, Russia has agency, it is winning the conflict.
BTW, an opinion may be wrong but it is not telling a lie, there is a difference.
You’re still lying.
Every single sentence was a bald faced lie. Every one.
How does it feel to whore yourself out for an imperial dictator while pretending it’s not imperialism? Feel good? I hope so. At least Sachs got paid for his whoring. You’re doing it for free.
I will need to see this letter.
The BBC fact-checked Trump's recent speech to Congress and found numerous lies. I do not trust anything Trump says.
BBC is fuming that President Trump cut off their USAID funding. Do you agree that America shouldn't be providing any public money to the BBC and that money would be better spent for Americans here at home?
USAID has always been a cover for under cover CIA agents, the same is true of NGs.
Americans should go home, no one forced them to install some 800 military bases around the globe.
They are now over extended, and no allies left, maybe the BRITS and Israeli Zionists, the hegemon is imploding, an act of political suicide, NATO and maybe the EU will go down with the American empire.
Answer the question. Should USAID be funding the British Broadcasting Corporation? Is that an appropriate use of US taxpayer dollars? Thank God Donald Trump and Elon Musk uncovered this USAID waste and revealed it to the American public.
BBC is allied with the American MSM which is true of all electronic and print media of all the corrupt democracies, the the ruling Oligarch Cartel controls the media, Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg and Murdoch ARE THE BIGGEST stake holders of the media, that is well known.
They all publish much in Unisom the same government narrative.
As long as there is a CIA we have illegal undercover agents and illegal funding, but the Brits take care of the BBC it has the British MI6.
Your question is mute as long as you can't produce evidence. It is necessary to provide under cover agents cover and funding, after all they don't work for nothing.
The CIA is a waste, we still don't know who killed JFK.
"What's this we stuff, white man?"
-Tonto
The CIA does not need to fund the BBC,
MI 6 is funding the big BBC, they don't need the CIA to fund them.
Just so you know, the CIA is funded via state department and no audit, no accountability.
I COMPLETELY agree – countries should not be funding media outlets in other countries, that’s how propaganda propagates.
Especially in the UK – it was always the case, and may still be, that to own a TV in Britain one had to purchase a TV License, which I believe people paid annually, which went to the BBC (in addition to any tax money given them).
I mean, imagine buying a tablet or laptop and the gov’t was all, “Yeah, you own that tech, but to do so legally you have to pay an annual fee that we give to Microsoft or Apple” ???
As to the domestic debate about public funding for PBS (in the US) or the CBC in Canada, not sure where I stand on those. PBS especially; when I was a kid, “Channel 9” PBS outta Washington State was where we in BC got Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, Doctor Who, The Tomorrow People … Britain’s finest by way of American public television to us Canadians.
You forgot Sesame Street.
PBS is not what it used to be.
Oh yeah ! It was never abundantly clear to me how Oscar The Grouch never got tossed come Garbage Pickup Day every week.
The money should not be spent at all, thereby reducing the deficit.
Didn't need the BBC to do any fact checking. Trump can't open his mouth without a lie spilling out.
Assuming a few exceptions (don't bother to ask), politicians lying is as American as apple pie, always has been, always will be.
I would say that virtually all of Trump's whoppers are mostly wishes that escape during public appearances, wishes that coincidentally enhance his great man credentials.
Some people might venture blowhard as an appellation, but I tend toward the notion that his relationship with his father (one I would be hesitant to sic on anyone) has a lot to do with his bragging.
It also looks like dementia is catching up on Trump. He makes no sense, he says he wants peace and then is confrontational, threatening trade wars and annexations, like Canada, Mexico, and Gaza and more.
Mental degradation catches up with all of us at some point, a condition to which I can attest 😉
So true, but the people who put him in the oval office are even more deranged than he is, and Musk relative young has big troubles.
With all their money they can’t change it, mother nature is fair.
What is really on display is how outside the proxy Ukrainians really are.
In December 2021 the Russians contacted the Americans and let them know they wanted to settle the conflict, to not cross the red line, Ukrainian NATO membership is out, the Minsk agreement was still current to avoid the conflict. Biden blocked any honest effort of Zelensky' diplomacy.
The American Biden administration is wholly responsible for the Ukrainian holocaust perpetrated on the Ukrainian people by US/NATO v RUSSIA, theUkrainians had voted for peace when Zelensky promised peace and so won the election.
These days, I do not trust anything the BBC issues.
The Russians want Zelensky's resignation and departure from Ukraine.
Until then, a ceasefire and mineral deal are irrelevant.
The Kremlin will demand new Ukrainian elections that include federal legislative officeholders (Verkhovna Rada).
This would define a democracy, wouldn't you agree President Trump? Free and fair elections without US NGOs, MI6, and the CIA interfering.
It would be embarrassing for US and UK citizens to read of Western intelligence agents 'losing their way' in Ukraine while serving their Totalitarian masters.
The Raw Earth Deal is a pure swindle. But, come the appeal of gold, Trump is Pavlovian. Of course, it's the Russians have the claim, reparations, on the wealth of Ukraine.
From what I’ve been reading, the mineral deal already went with the UK?
Yes, they knew best how to bait The Orange Puffy-Fish; and, sure enough, he went for it. One can only imagine the hilarity in the Kremlin corridors of power.
I think the US version would supersede the UK version…!
It would explain the UK protecting what it sees as its assets and potentially Trump knowing and calling it out?
Your hero Biden shoveled billions to Ukraine with no conditions or payback.
Exactly: no conditions. Go ask Biden or the DNC for that payback. Ukraine owes nothing. In fact, the USA owes a lot to Ukraine for destroying their country at the service of US imperial designs under US imposed authoritarian and largely nazi regime.
It was a Washington project from the get go. Ukraine was a pawn, EU/NATO , vassals. By rights Washington owes these parties, and especially Ukraine & Russia, big time.
Three to five US multinational corporations control western Ukrainian farmland. Many will reason the agreement was about delineating this region as part of Making America Great Again.
Zelensky will live a full life because this region will become an American territory—an enclave or exclave, as the definition goes.
The Communist-in-Chief may remain as Ukraine's president for at least two years. The Russians are saying "nyet." It appears the SMO has legs beyond peace talk from Washington.
This interpretation may sound crazy and bizarre to Americans, Europeans, and especially Russians. The Kremlin may or may not accept my view. I hope this isn't Trump's plan.
The evidence indicates otherwise. Was President Trump serious about America acquiring Canada, Greenland, and possibly Venezuela? I can't remember a modern US president discussing economic policy in such a fashion.
https://www.movetorussia.com/taxes-in-russia
The description is not "exclave" but COLONY. Exclaves have full citizenship rights.
Maybe at one time, … back when the NeoConNazi claque (Nuland & co) actually believed they could Balkanize Russia and rape the hell out of her … as in those sunny days of Yeltsin. So I suppose it depends when those Ukraine investments were made. Now, even they can see all is gone bust. Putin needs any Ukrainian surplus to rebuild the Donbass and care for the wounded, widows, and generally relieve the war burden on the Russian population; and is perfectly within his rights to take it. Trump is either just blowing smoke to cover US humiliation or he’s actually epically stupid. He’s fully capable of either.
Through resource inflation and other means, Russia is seeking a partial return on $350 billion in forex losses from Euriope.
https://strategic-culture.su/news/2025/03/04/reality-confronts-euro-ruling-strata-through-tear-fantasy-bubble-they-see-their-own-demise/
Alastair Crooke
Beautiful statement from the President and First Lady: https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/1897328687793758275
What a joke, that is not worth publishing, just empty word salad, sickening hypocrites talking.
Message for Trump on Ash Wednesday….
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ca8e14c40d690e77e8f4976b49945398060f5c07391a813c83e4afa0c9ae6b55.jpg
This Zelensky letter does not mention the key factor in the clash Friday according to David Stockman on antiwar.com & today's article Zelensky Meltdown etc.
Ukraine “will never” recognize any Russian annexation of territory it occupies, even if it is to try to secure a peace deal, Zelensky added, and he repeated that he would only accept a ceasefire if it was followed by robust security guarantees that had the confidence of his country’s people.
No doubt about it, President Trump is the Greatest threat to this bipartisan War ideology https://x.com/ggreenwald/status/1895903596379807897
Trump is the greatest threat to global security.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/60c67df8bd96832718f33da544d5b2e443bbaf5340a467242fdf6ffdac73c916.jpg
TRANSPARENCY in government like we've never seen:
Justin Trudeau, of Canada, called me to ask what could be done about Tariffs. I told him that many people have died from Fentanyl that came through the Borders of Canada and Mexico, and nothing has convinced me that it has stopped. He said that it’s gotten better, but I said, “That’s not good enough.” The call ended in a “somewhat” friendly manner! He was unable to tell me when the Canadian Election is taking place, which made me curious, like, what’s going on here? I then realized he is trying to use this issue to stay in power. Good luck Justin! https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114111155189097825
What do you call a man with rabbits living up his arse? … Warren.
Canada is now the largest single source of U.S. total petroleum and crude oil imports. In 2022, Canada was the source of 52% of U.S. gross total petroleum imports and 60% of gross crude oil imports.
Good luck with those tariffs.
Mar 3, 2025 Will the Trump, Zelensky Argument End US Support for Ukraine?
On COI #765, Kyle Anzalone breaks down the latest news from Washington and the Middle East.
https://youtu.be/6nrj1B91UAs?si=ohrb4P0MYq_3Ni3k
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f1181f251d8d63c376b2a80b3d60b8132d741601fd80b5a4bffb94633e2ebd74.jpg