Posted on 08/14/2025 6:35:37 PM PDT by RandFan
US and Russian officials will converge on the state of Alaska ahead of a highly anticipated Friday meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
The pair will meet for the first time in six years, as Trump tries to enact a key campaign pledge to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
The US president, who has portrayed himself as a global peacemaker, hopes to leverage his personal relationship with Putin to achieve a ceasefire breakthrough where others have failed.
On Thursday he assessed there was a "25% chance" the meeting would not be successful.
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky has been excluded from the talks, and warned that any resolutions made in his absence will be meaningless.
In Anchorage there are few signs of the impending high-stakes meeting, except for the international media that have descended on the area.
Journalists are rubbing elbows with holidaymakers from the "lower 48" states on visits to the Alaskan wilderness during the height of the tourist season.
Friday's meeting between the two leaders will take place entirely on a nearby US military base – a reflection of security concerns and the relative brevity of the planned sit-down, currently scheduled to last just a few hours.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
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“So you are advocating for the ethnic cleansing of the 80% of Ukraine’s population who are ethnic Ukrainians?”
The Ukrainians will have the option to leave if they don’t like living the way they lived from 1991 to 2014 as that’s what they’ll be going back to.
Please explain how Russia can claim the Zaporizhzhia oblasts voted to join Russian when the City of Zaporizhzhia did not participate. I have asked this question many times and you never answer it.
“Please explain how Russia can claim the Zaporizhzhia oblasts voted to join Russian when the City of Zaporizhzhia did not participate. I have asked this question many times and you never answer it.”
Good to see you’re conceding the other Oblasts. As to the city, of Zaporizhzhia, they had the option but their Neocon-installed government instead chose to boycott - their choice.
Finland has the same rules? Their government has to be approved by Moscow? They have only a token military that could not repel a Russian invasion? Russian is an official language of Finland? The answer to all of these is no.
I am conceding nothing, just illustrating how absurd the Russian claims are with the most egregious example.
As to the city, of Zaporizhzhia, they had the option but their Neocon-installed government instead chose to boycott - their choice.
Nice try. The government of the City of Zaporizhzhia was elected by their people, not "installed." Nor is Russia allowing them to have their choice. They are claiming that the entire oblast voted to join Russian and are demanding that Ukraine hand over the city.
But you still have not addressed how Russia can claim the entire oblast when the City of Zaporizhzia did not participate in the referendum.
Rationalizing ethnic cleansing, that’s not a good look for you Bob.
“Finland has the same rules?” Pretty much - at least HAD the same rules, until the Neocons took over there.
“Their government has to be approved by Moscow?” That demand is in your imagination, unless you have a link to it.
“They have only a token military that could not repel a Russian invasion?” Certainly the case until they joined NATO.
“Russian is an official language of Finland?” Not necessary there, but is necessary in parts of Ukraine, per UN charter.
Best not to ask questions and then answer incorrectly.
Again, anyone who opposes the Russians must be "Neocons." I am surprised that you did not call them Nazis.
“Their government has to be approved by Moscow?” That demand is in your imagination, unless you have a link to it.
This is what Russia demands under the rubric of "de-Nazification." For the Russians, a government opposed to Russian domination is "Nazi," even if freely elected. Let's not pretend otherwise.
“They have only a token military that could not repel a Russian invasion?” Certainly the case until they joined NATO.
Finland has a robust military and can field a force of 280,000. It is not the token force that Russia is demanding of Ukraine.
“Russian is an official language of Finland?” Not necessary there, but is necessary in parts of Ukraine, per UN charter.
Russia is not demanding only it for Russian speaking provinces but for the whole country. They also want to prevent the promotion of Ukrainian in preference to Russian. Russian is to be maintained as a privileged language.
BobL is a Russian chauvinist; logic won’t work with him.
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