CARNEGIE POLITIKA: Putin thinks exploiting Trump’s desire to be seen as swift and decisive is the best way to get what he wants in Ukraine.
The release last week of Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen detained in Russia on dubious drug charges, was obviously meant to put U.S. President Donald Trump in a good mood and serve as a respectable reason for him to talk to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. After all, calling to thank someone for showing mercy to an unfortunate compatriot needs little explanation.
Putin seeks to exploit Trump’s desire to be seen as swift and decisive. Therefore, resuming communication to hand him his first success was a logical step, especially since it was so easy. All Putin had to do was arrest an American citizen, then release him.
Putin is ready to hand Trump the same kind of win with respect to Ukraine: he started the war and will stop it if certain conditions are met and the right words are spoken.
Throughout his quarter century in power, Putin has proposed that Russia and the United States work together to defeat a common enemy, from Islamic terrorists and Somali pirates to COVID-19 and even global warming. He believed that such a victory would bring the two countries closer, transcending political and ideological barriers, differences between changeable and unchangeable power, and even Russian domestic repression, as Stalin and Roosevelt managed to do in the 1940s.
Paradoxically, Putin has come closer to his goal at a time when it would seem he should be further from it than ever, having become the West’s common enemy. Trump’s account of his phone call with Putin casts a war seemingly independent of the Russian president, and not the man himself, as the common enemy worth defeating.
This is not the first time Putin has used force and made himself necessary to deal with the consequences. However, never before has this tactic been used so blatantly or been so readily accepted. » | Alexander Baunov | Monday, February 17, 2025
Showing posts with label Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Show all posts
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Putin Visit to the US for Ukraine Negotiations 'On the Table'
Feb 27, 2025 | “Perhaps the visit of President Putin to Washington or President Trump to Moscow, that’s been discussed.”
Putin could descend on the American capital in Ukraine peace negotiations, says Dr Michael Kimmage, former advisor on Russia and Ukraine to the US State Department under Obama.
Putin could descend on the American capital in Ukraine peace negotiations, says Dr Michael Kimmage, former advisor on Russia and Ukraine to the US State Department under Obama.
Putin Won’t Settle for Less Than a U.S. Betrayal of Ukraine
THE MOSCOW TIMES: “I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia,” President Donald Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, recounting how they had spoken of exchanging visits and bringing the war in Ukraine to an end. “We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately,” he added.
The Russian readout claimed that Putin “supported” Trump’s view that “the time has come for our two countries to work together.”
Europe reacted with barely concealed dismay. The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas reaffirmed her support for Ukraine, noting that the Europeans were “looking forward to discussing the way ahead together with our American allies.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was plainly humiliated, with Trump promising to “inform” him of his talks with Putin. He had long insisted that the only way to bring this war to an end was to speak to Putin from a position of strength. But there was little strength in Trump’s rambling announcement — only hubris. » | Sergey Radchenko | Thursday, February 13, 2025
The Moscow Times can be supported here.
The Russian readout claimed that Putin “supported” Trump’s view that “the time has come for our two countries to work together.”
Europe reacted with barely concealed dismay. The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas reaffirmed her support for Ukraine, noting that the Europeans were “looking forward to discussing the way ahead together with our American allies.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was plainly humiliated, with Trump promising to “inform” him of his talks with Putin. He had long insisted that the only way to bring this war to an end was to speak to Putin from a position of strength. But there was little strength in Trump’s rambling announcement — only hubris. » | Sergey Radchenko | Thursday, February 13, 2025
The Moscow Times can be supported here.
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The Disturbing Question at the Heart of the Trump-Zelensky Drama
THE NEW YORK TIMES – OPINION: The drama going on between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine raises one of the most disturbing questions I’ve ever had to ask about my own country: Are we being led by a dupe for Vladimir Putin — by someone ready to swallow whole the Russian president’s warped view of who started the war in Ukraine and how it must end? Or are we being led by a Mafia godfather, looking to carve up territory with Russia the way the heads of crime families operate? “I’ll take Greenland, and you can take Crimea. I’ll take Panama, and you can have the oil in the Arctic. And we’ll split the rare earths of Ukraine. It’s only fair.”
Either way, my fellow Americans and our friends abroad, for the next four years at least, the America you knew is over. The bedrock values, allies and truths America could always be counted upon to defend are now all in doubt — or for sale. Trump is not just thinking out of the box. He is thinking without a box, without any fidelity to truth or norms that animated America in the past. » | Thomas L. Friedman | Opinion Columnist | Tuesday, February 25, 2025
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Either way, my fellow Americans and our friends abroad, for the next four years at least, the America you knew is over. The bedrock values, allies and truths America could always be counted upon to defend are now all in doubt — or for sale. Trump is not just thinking out of the box. He is thinking without a box, without any fidelity to truth or norms that animated America in the past. » | Thomas L. Friedman | Opinion Columnist | Tuesday, February 25, 2025
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Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Trump and Zelenskyy to Sign “What Could Be Trillion Dollar” Minerals Deal at White House | BBC News
Feb 25, 2025 | BREAKING: President Trump has confirmed that Ukraine and the United States have agreed the terms of “a major minerals deal”. Trump said that Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy will sign the agreement with him at the White House on Friday. Mr Trump said: “It’s a very big deal, it could be a trillion dollar deal”. He said the American people would be very happy with the agreement.
So far there are few details of the deal. It’s not yet clear whether the US will offer Ukraine any security guarantees in return, something that has been a key Ukrainian demand.
Ukraine is rich in oil and gas along with many rare minerals. President Trump had initially demanded a right to $500 billion in revenue from Ukraine’s minerals, in return for what he claimed were the costs to the US of supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.
That demand was rejected by President Zelenskyy, contributing to a war of words with Mr Trump in recent days, with the US president describing the Ukrainian leader as a “dictator”. Zelensky said nowhere near that much American aid had been provided, and said: "I can't sell our state."
Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting from Gary O’Donoghue in Washington and James Waterhouse in Kyiv.
So far there are few details of the deal. It’s not yet clear whether the US will offer Ukraine any security guarantees in return, something that has been a key Ukrainian demand.
Ukraine is rich in oil and gas along with many rare minerals. President Trump had initially demanded a right to $500 billion in revenue from Ukraine’s minerals, in return for what he claimed were the costs to the US of supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.
That demand was rejected by President Zelenskyy, contributing to a war of words with Mr Trump in recent days, with the US president describing the Ukrainian leader as a “dictator”. Zelensky said nowhere near that much American aid had been provided, and said: "I can't sell our state."
Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting from Gary O’Donoghue in Washington and James Waterhouse in Kyiv.
U.S. and Ukraine Agree to Minerals Deal, Officials Say
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past aid, shifting America’s three-year alliance with Ukraine to a mercantile footing.
Ukraine has agreed to turn over the revenue from some of its mineral resources to the United States, an American and a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday, in a deal that follows an intense pressure campaign from President Trump that included insults and threats.
The final terms of the deal were unknown, and it was not immediately clear what, if anything, Ukraine would receive in the end after days of difficult, sometimes tense negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had repeatedly pressed for security guarantees for his country in exchange for mineral rights, as Russia’s war has entered its fourth year.
Previous draft agreements reviewed by The New York Times included no such commitment. Mr. Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past military aid to Kyiv, shifting America’s alliance with Ukraine to a nakedly mercantile footing. » | Constant Méheut, Andrew E. Kramer and Alan Rappeport | Constant Méheut and Andrew E. Kramer reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Alan Rappeport from Washington. | Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Ukraine has agreed to turn over the revenue from some of its mineral resources to the United States, an American and a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday, in a deal that follows an intense pressure campaign from President Trump that included insults and threats.
The final terms of the deal were unknown, and it was not immediately clear what, if anything, Ukraine would receive in the end after days of difficult, sometimes tense negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had repeatedly pressed for security guarantees for his country in exchange for mineral rights, as Russia’s war has entered its fourth year.
Previous draft agreements reviewed by The New York Times included no such commitment. Mr. Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past military aid to Kyiv, shifting America’s alliance with Ukraine to a nakedly mercantile footing. » | Constant Méheut, Andrew E. Kramer and Alan Rappeport | Constant Méheut and Andrew E. Kramer reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Alan Rappeport from Washington. | Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Trump’s ‘Strategic Stupidity’ towards Putin Has China Making Dangerous Plans
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Trump 'Forced' into Talks with Zelenskyy as Ukraine Dangles Mineral Deal in Front of US
eb 25, 2025 | "Zelenskyy wasn't succeeding in getting into the Oval Office before he linked it to the mineral deal in that way."
Ukraine is using the mineral deal to get Zelenskyy into the Oval Office and "force" a conversation with Trump, says The Times's Catherine Philp.
Ukraine is using the mineral deal to get Zelenskyy into the Oval Office and "force" a conversation with Trump, says The Times's Catherine Philp.
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Friday, February 21, 2025
'This Is a Dictator': New York Post Cover Shows Cracks in Right-wing over Trump's Comments
Trump Cozies up to Russia — Why “Nobody Trusts America”
Former MI6 Boss on Trump, Putin and a 'New Era' for International Relations
World Reacts in Horror as Trump Surrenders to Putin
Thursday, February 20, 2025
'It's an Unbelievable Betrayal of Freedom': Putin Critic on Trump Attacking Zelenskyy
Europe 'Will Almost Certainly Be At War with Russia' If Trump's Ukraine Chaos Continues
Stop Criticising Trump and Sign $500bn Mineral Deal, US Official Advises Kyiv
THE GUARDIAN: National security adviser says Ukraine is wrong to push back against Trump’s approach to peace talks with Russia
White House officials have told Ukraine to stop badmouthing Donald Trump and to sign a deal handing over half of the country’s mineral wealth to the US, saying a failure to do so would be unacceptable.
The US national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should “tone down” his criticism of the US and take a “hard look” at the deal. It proposes giving Washington $500bn worth of natural resources, including oil and gas.
Waltz said Kyiv was wrong to push back against the US president’s approach to peace talks with Moscow, given everything the US had done for Ukraine. He denied accusations the US had snubbed Ukraine and America’s European allies by excluding them from talks earlier this week with Russia. This was routine “shuttle diplomacy”, he said. » | Luke Harding in Kyiv | Thursday, February 20, 2025
This dude is talking through his pine end! Look what Ukraine has done for America and the West! They have done all the fighting on the West’s behalf to stop the war spreading. America should be grateful to Ukraine, not the other way around. Those rare earth minerals belong to Ukraine and to future generations of Ukrainians, not to Trump and his billionaire cronies. – © Mark Alexander
White House officials have told Ukraine to stop badmouthing Donald Trump and to sign a deal handing over half of the country’s mineral wealth to the US, saying a failure to do so would be unacceptable.
The US national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should “tone down” his criticism of the US and take a “hard look” at the deal. It proposes giving Washington $500bn worth of natural resources, including oil and gas.
Waltz said Kyiv was wrong to push back against the US president’s approach to peace talks with Moscow, given everything the US had done for Ukraine. He denied accusations the US had snubbed Ukraine and America’s European allies by excluding them from talks earlier this week with Russia. This was routine “shuttle diplomacy”, he said. » | Luke Harding in Kyiv | Thursday, February 20, 2025
This dude is talking through his pine end! Look what Ukraine has done for America and the West! They have done all the fighting on the West’s behalf to stop the war spreading. America should be grateful to Ukraine, not the other way around. Those rare earth minerals belong to Ukraine and to future generations of Ukrainians, not to Trump and his billionaire cronies. – © Mark Alexander
Trump’s Savage Attack on Zelenskyy Shaped by Pro-Russian Coterie
THE GUARDIAN: ‘Kremlin whisperers’ have the president’s ear and dissenters are few – but a thin skin and self-interest are also at play
Donald Trump’s tarring of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” who is to blame for the war with Russia, plunging Ukraine into a Darwinian struggle for its very existence, landed like a bombshell on the diplomatic landscape. But it did not come out of nowhere.
The US president has left the already badly frayed western alliance in disarray with a devastating social media attack on his Ukrainian counterpart, just hours after he had already implicitly blamed Kyiv for Russia’s invasion.
After much of what he said appeared to echo Kremlin talking points, including falsehoods about Zelenskyy’s popularity being at 4% (a recent poll put it at 57%), Ukraine’s president attributed it to Trump being trapped in a Russian “disinformation bubble”.
In fact, Trump may be the author of his own misconceptions about Ukraine – or at least responsible for having built the bubble himself, by surrounding himself with prominent figures who have often seemed to echo the Russian line. » | Robert Tait in Washington | Thursday, February 20, 2025
Donald Trump’s tarring of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” who is to blame for the war with Russia, plunging Ukraine into a Darwinian struggle for its very existence, landed like a bombshell on the diplomatic landscape. But it did not come out of nowhere.
The US president has left the already badly frayed western alliance in disarray with a devastating social media attack on his Ukrainian counterpart, just hours after he had already implicitly blamed Kyiv for Russia’s invasion.
After much of what he said appeared to echo Kremlin talking points, including falsehoods about Zelenskyy’s popularity being at 4% (a recent poll put it at 57%), Ukraine’s president attributed it to Trump being trapped in a Russian “disinformation bubble”.
In fact, Trump may be the author of his own misconceptions about Ukraine – or at least responsible for having built the bubble himself, by surrounding himself with prominent figures who have often seemed to echo the Russian line. » | Robert Tait in Washington | Thursday, February 20, 2025
Musk: Zelensky Is ‘Despised’ by the Ukrainian People
THE TELEGRAPH: Volodymyr Zelensky is “despised” by the Ukrainian people and is “feeding off the dead bodies” of his countrymen, Elon Musk claimed.
Parroting criticisms voiced by Donald Trump, Mr Musk wrote on X that Mr Zelensky’s approval ratings have slumped and accused the Ukrainian leader of rigging online opinion polls and the media to boost his popularity, without citing evidence.
“If Zelensky was actually loved by the people of Ukraine, he would hold an election,” the tech billionaire said. “He knows he would lose in a landslide, despite having seized control of ALL Ukrainian media, so he cancelled the election.
“In reality, he is despised by the people of Ukraine, which is why he has refused to hold an election.”
He went on to challenge Mr Zelensky to call an election and claimed Mr Trump is justified in freezing the Ukrainian leader out of peace negotiations. » | Kieran Kelly. Jack Maidment, Politics Live Blog Editor. Cameron Henderson. Dominic Penna, Political Correspondent | Thursday, February 20, 2025
The way things are developing with the Trump presidency, the world will soon be at war. Things are spiralling out of control. We Westerners need to brace ourselves and prepare for the very worst. – © Mark Alexander
Parroting criticisms voiced by Donald Trump, Mr Musk wrote on X that Mr Zelensky’s approval ratings have slumped and accused the Ukrainian leader of rigging online opinion polls and the media to boost his popularity, without citing evidence.
“If Zelensky was actually loved by the people of Ukraine, he would hold an election,” the tech billionaire said. “He knows he would lose in a landslide, despite having seized control of ALL Ukrainian media, so he cancelled the election.
“In reality, he is despised by the people of Ukraine, which is why he has refused to hold an election.”
He went on to challenge Mr Zelensky to call an election and claimed Mr Trump is justified in freezing the Ukrainian leader out of peace negotiations. » | Kieran Kelly. Jack Maidment, Politics Live Blog Editor. Cameron Henderson. Dominic Penna, Political Correspondent | Thursday, February 20, 2025
The way things are developing with the Trump presidency, the world will soon be at war. Things are spiralling out of control. We Westerners need to brace ourselves and prepare for the very worst. – © Mark Alexander
Labels:
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Malcolm Turnbull Says Trump's Comments on Zelenskyy 'Predictable' | ABC NEWS
'He Can't End the War If He's Taking Sides': Bill Browder on Trump Calling Zelenskyy a 'Dictator'
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