Posted on 12/24/2025 10:19:25 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end Russia’s war, if Moscow also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.
The proposal offered another potential compromise on control of the Donbas region, which has been a major sticking point in peace negotiations.
Zelenskyy said the U.S. proposed the creation of a “free economic zone,” which he said should be demilitarized. But it was unclear what that idea would mean for governance or development of the region.
A similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control, Zelenskyy said. He said any peace plan would need to be put to a referendum.
Zelenskyy spoke to reporters Tuesday to describe an overarching 20-point plan that negotiators from Ukraine and the U.S. hammered out in Florida in recent days, though he said many details are still being discussed.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Bureaucrats always name things the opposite of what they are.
“Demilitarized zones” are anything but demilitarized on either side of the “demilitarized” zone.
“ Bureaucrats always name things the opposite of what they are.”
Yes. In this case, “demilitarized zone” equals “rump state”.
Losers don't get to make demands.
In your dreams Z-thug.
I still haven’t figured out where all the peacekeeper troops would come from, that would be acceptable to both sides, that “donating countries” populaces would be ok with, and where the financing of them would come from. In this new age of drones, it’d be a heck of a risky mission, too.
These developments derive from pretty much just one thing.
It became clear last week that the EU has to pay for all of this. They don’t want to. They really really really don’t want to.
And so Macron begs for a Kremlin interview and Z offers to take away from Russia territory they have conquered and that the population voted to be Russian.
After literally years of the EU persuading itself that they could provide Z with necessary support, and with them announcing how much they’re going to spend to do that last week, Z has not quite grasped that they don’t want to do that. The hardliners that he talks to have not told him they really really really don’t want to have to pay for this. It will almost certainly cost them elections
These developments derive from pretty much just one thing.
It became clear last week that the EU has to pay for all of this. They don’t want to. They really really really don’t want to.
And so Macron begs for a Kremlin interview and Z offers to take away from Russia territory they have conquered and that the population voted to be Russian.
After literally years of the EU persuading itself that they could provide Z with necessary support, and with them announcing how much they’re going to spend to do that last week, Z has not quite grasped that they don’t want to do that. The hardliners that he talks to have not told him they really really really don’t want to have to pay for this. It will almost certainly cost them elections
And when Kremlin rejects that offer, will clearly show the Russian invasion was not about protecting 'Russian' speakers in Ukraine. Putin himself has stated his goal is to conquer 'historic lands'.
Putin vows to take ‘historic lands’ from Ukraine
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/putin-vows-historic-lands-ukraine-114629290.html
LOL, seriously? You think that voting under Russian military occupation where the ONLY two choices is independence from Ukraine or joining Russia would result in fair results?
Only a handful of countries, primarily Russia itself, North Korea, Syria, and Nicaragua (with Belarus voting against the UN resolution), recognize the legitimacy of the Russian referendums in Luhansk and other occupied Ukrainian territories, while the vast majority of the international community, including the UN, US, EU, and Ukraine, deems them illegal sham votes designed to justify annexation, with broad condemnation and non-recognition declared
It took a while for us to beat this into his head...but his options are getter fewer and fewer as the USA gets less interested in a country that holds us hostage for money and nothing more.
“Zelenskyy says he’s open to creating demilitarized zone in Ukraine’s industrial heartland”
Similar to what Putin suggest 4 YEARS AGO. A bit late now.
“Putin vows to take ‘historic lands’ from Ukraine”
Sucks, doesn’t it. But, at this point, Putin will be hanging from a lamp post if he DIDN’T make that vow.
So now it’s up to Europe to see if they can drag out this war until the Neocons seize power again in the US.
“And so Macron begs for a Kremlin interview and Z offers to take away from Russia territory they have conquered and that the population voted to be Russian.”
GREAT POINT. When you look at the voting patterns in the areas that are now (or soon will be) under Russian control, they ALWAYS voted for the pro-Russian candidates, dating back to at least 2014. They never wanted to answer to Kiev, as they are Russians.
Removal of regular forces from an area would allow irregulars to become a big problem.
Mr. Russian Ethnic might rather live under Putin, but living under Zelensky would be better than living under Mr. Putin Hating Irregular is likely to be.
Ukrainian regulars seeing any civilian attacked in what is now Ukrainian-held Donetsk Oblast would have to try to protect that civilian.
Nope. The Russians are not about to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of soldiers just give up the land they took.
The legitimacy of those referenda will pretty clearly soon be recognized, not that they need to be. They aren’t applying for a seat at the UN. They are part of Russia’s seat. What recognition would be necessary?
Bottom line — the EU desperately wants to not spend/send that money, mostly because it will usher in new govt’s in their individual countries. AfD is already a huge threat to Merz, and Macron faces similar pressures. If they send billions away, they will disappear, as will Starmer.
Since it became clear the Russian advance had no schedule on it and could be slow, there has been very clearly only one question — Will the UK and France use their nuclear weapons unilaterally either on the territory of Russia or on Russian emplacements in the Donbas? Will they or will they not do that.
Will they use their nukes to save Ukraine and save themselves those billions, and then hide behind Article 5 as defense against retaliation, or do they not really care that much about Ukraine?
Russian Defense daily report was another 1,500 Ukrainian troops …..for yesterday.
Russian losses unknown.
Not in the way he should be ...
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