Posted on 05/19/2025 6:34:30 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
In the surreal dance Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin have been engaged in for months, both want Donald Trump to see the other as the obstacle to peace. For now, the Ukrainian leader is winning.
The latest evidence comes from the peace talks in Istanbul that Trump had promoted ― the first direct negotiation between the two sides since the start of the war. Zelenskyy had the courtesy to show up while his Russian counterpart was a no-show, sending instead a relatively low-level delegation, described by Zelenskyy as merely “decorative.”
Could this be the moment Trump finally concedes that Putin has no serious interest in negotiating an end to the war he started three years ago?
The Ukrainians certainly hope so. Since the ugly verbal brawl in the Oval Office between Zelenskyy, Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance earlier this year, the Ukrainian leader has been trying to avoid allowing his impetuosity to lead him off-script again. Instead he’s cleaved to the strategy he and his team decided soon after Trump’s reelection ― of doing their best not to antagonize the prickly American president.
So the plan has been to play along, leave it to an obdurate Putin to be Mr. Nyet and hope eventually the impatient Trump will grow frustrated and realize the Russian leader isn’t ready to negotiate in good faith after all.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.eu ...
The best thing that guy could do would be to step down and let the Ukraine elect somebody else to see this thing to an end.
Why can’t Trump get W to invite Pooty-Poot to the Ranch and get this all straightened out?
I’m just laughing at these Deep Staters who imagine the problem is that Trump doesn’t understand Putin. I think Putin and Trump understand each other just fine. They both care about their own country and their own people. And that’s what Deep Staters can’t understand about either of them.
Just what we need…. more Politico “thinking”. We know they ONLY want what’s best for the USA. /sarc
And then what? There is NO path to victory for Ukraine and never has been. We are not going to war with Russia on his behalf.
No. Trump said today that Zelensky is hard to deal with. Tired of him I guess.
“Can Zelenskyy convince Trump that Putin is stringing him along?”
Kind of hard to do that when Putin’s demands have barely changed in the past year. But what the hell, maybe he and the Neocons can trick Trump into thinking that.
Zelenski stepping aside means he steps into a grave.
There is just no evidence to suggest Russia is intimidated by the US. They would like the US to cut off Ukraine, but for 3 yrs that has not happened — and that supply has not mattered.
Either US troops are to be deployed to join the fight, or they are not. And best to keep in mind the DEI nature of such. Do you really want to throw them out there to be wiped out? That would be a devastating blow to whatever deterrence they represent vs China/Taiwan.
Ratchet up to nuclear weapons? Another president maybe. Not Trump. Not going to happen. (Nor is troop deployment).
So that’s that then. Sanctions have done nothing. In fact, every prominent place I can think of where sanctions were supposed to dictate a sovereign nation’s policies (Venezuela, Iran, Russia) nothing happened.
After Turkye, Trump officials described that there will be drawdowns in the number of US troops in Europe. A wise choice that would be because Oreshnik makes tripwire bases indefensible and obsolete.
Can the partisan hacks at Politico convince anyone?
Can Politico convince you to believe their BS?
Nope.
OPINION : With Biden out, Vance may be the wrong pick for Trump
7/23/2024
Politico ^ | 7.22.2024 | Jamie Dettmer
Like Zelensky isn’t stringing Trump and the rest of the world along??????
Trump isn’t going to enter the war on the side of the Ukraine, and Russia can’t be sanctioned any more effectively; so Putin does not need to “string Trump along” about anything in order to continue the war indefinitely.
Trump is well aware Putin is being the recalcitrant participant. Trump is taking the high road, which is what he should be doing.
Not for lack of trying...the neocons want their war!
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