Posted on 08/12/2025 8:01:56 PM PDT by Mariner
When every reasonable person knows the MOST Ukraine can hope for is a freeze on current positions, and no security guarantees other than from Moscow.
I think there will be progress because Putin is not dealing with a typical neocon. Putin is dealing with Trump, and they have the same enemies: the Democratic and Republican neocons. Trump got revenge on them with his DOGE and executive signings. Now he is getting revenge with charges against the top echelon of Democrats who spied on him, dragged him through Russiagate & J9, orchestrated two impeachments, ransacked his home in Mar-a-Lago, had him up on criminal and sexual charges, and probably had something to do with two assassination attempts to take his life. This is not a question of foreign policy with Trump, but a question of revenge against the same people who also conducted the coup in Ukraine and are against Putin. That is why he is giving Putin the most valuable thing: time. Time to be in position to grab most of Ukraine. The EU can go to hell for all Trump cares.
The latest war news is it the Russians are making great progress and are about to defeat the Ukrainians at their last major stronghold.
Trump is called this meeting and he is not prepared for it. He doesn’t have anything to offer. He’s just going to try to BS his way through against Putin.
Putin will show up very detailed and he is not going to budge on the terms for Ukraine.
The only thing that Trump can walk away from this meeting with is an agreement to restart negotiations with Russia and nuclear non-proliferation treaties.
There isn’t going to be any deal on Ukraine and Putin is going to tell Trump that under the circumstances will he allow Armenia and Azerbaijan to join NATO.
All this meeting is for is for Trump to get some optics to make it look like he is negotiating with the Russians. He has no cards to play. He has tried his shock and awe with tariffs, and that is failed the sanctions failure.
Nobel Peace 🏆 Prize for President Trump.
The title of this article immediately brought to mind the “Voice of Saruman’ chapter of The Two Towers.
Everyone can imagine whatever they like about economic plight of Russia via sanctions.
Any such calculations are about money . . . that substance created effortlessly by Central Banks, of which Russia has one.
Somewhat better measure is a fundamental reality — Russia’s oil will last longer than America’s and oil is required for life. If you go on signing onto attitudes that demonize them, then when the day arrives you have to beg for it — civilization’s lifeblood — why should they say yes?
Because you offer to pay more? More what? Oh, that substance created from nothingness by central banks? You mean that what.
Russia is the wrong enemy to have. Demonizing them is a huge mistake.
Imagine what it would mean to the ukes for both to perish in Alaska...
The location should never have been announced publicly.
If that happens, regardless of how, it will be victory for him.
Trump is not unpredictable. His decision process is dynamic, not static like those long-life bureaucrats. His offers might change as situation changes. Keep repeating the process until agreement is met.
Trump should give Putin a nuggie.
F “europe”...
The Hill LOL 🤣🤣🤣
Vanity Fair and Newsweak 😂
Empty grandstanding.
If they’re so worried why don’t they do something about it.
It’s easy to criticize.
These are both very astute people —
It seems unlikely that either will be able to “dupe” the other.
This meeting is for Trump to size Putin up for 5 minutes to decide if he’s serious or just BSing. I doubt Trump is expecting to flesh out an agreement for a cease-fire on Friday.
This has been examined for a very long time.
Coal and natural gas do not power trucks to carry food to grocery store shelves. That’s just the way it is and there is no evidence that it’s going to change.
Cybertrucks are not going to have the power to run refrigeration of the cargo and get to destinations without 10 recharges each taking overnight.
It’s all about oil.
Not going to happen, there will be ceasefire deal, check the war news, Russia has made a major move.
Trump is the one who wanted a meeting, not Putin. As I have said the terms are what Putin has had on the table since 2022, they are not changing.
Trump is the one who is desperate.
lol
It would mean the “ukes” would be wiped off the face of the earth if they tried anything.
hahaha
Trump isn’t desperate. He doesn’t “need” a political win. The fact that he’s trying to broker peace everywhere (with many successes) and you would call that desperate is so fitting for Free Republic 2025.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.