Zelensky Pushes Back Against Trump’s “Disinformation” on Ukraine War

[dinsdale]

19 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

Russia may be winning the war at the moment but the momentum might change if NATO were to put boots on the ground.

 

A high-risk strategy but is it any worse than the total appeasement of a dictatorial expansionist which is what Trump is currently offering?

I posted previously that the only way this war will turn in Zelenskyy's favour will be the US, the EU and NATO going in or as an afterthought flooding weapons in. It's not going to happen. The Russian momentum will stop when the guns stop firing. Simple as that. Zelenskyy made a bad move going into Kursk as the weaponry and highly trained infantry that was sent in are desperately needed on the eastern front which is slowly but steadily collapsing. Apart from this the west short changed Zeleskyy by drip feeding weapons in and then it was pretty much what wasn't needed. A few F16's instead of a sht load of battlefield weapons. Madness but looked good in the press. NATO will not go in, the EU will not go in and obviously the US will not go in. Reality needs to be addressed here. Ukraine is on the backfoot and this won't change until the guns fall quiet. 

[RayC]

41 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

And what proof is there that Russia regularly undermined the stability of the EU, what did they  do specifically that you have physical verified proof of?

The EU were all happily talking Russian gas for years and even  built  second pipeline,  the US wanted part of that business, trump and Biden were pretty clear without actually directly saying it. Then suddenly Ukriane  kicks of and instantly US shuts down nord, then the US blew it up, imagine for 1second if that had been Russia sabotaging a US allied pipeline ?

 

That your problem, you are from the west so have no idea how or what Putin thinks other than what your western infrormation/propaganda/media channels tell you.

You also have no idea why some one would vote for Trump, which is exactly why he won, so yes, you are out of touch and have evil dictator cold war mentality.

 

Who would verify this material? The Chinese? Unsurprisingly, independently verified proof of intelligence material is  hard to come by, but the amount of data pointing to Russian interference isn't. Try this for size:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_British_politics

 

https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2024-may-1/

 

The EU needed Russian energy so it brought it. And? Hypocritical? Perhaps. But then if the alternative was a depression then economic reality kicked in. It could also be argued that it was hypocritical of Russia to sell the oil to the West given her hostility towards it.

 

Ukraine did not "suddenly kick off" as a result of some cock-eyed conspiracy theory about the US and Nord2. Putin has been undermining Ukrainian politics since he came to power and has been escalating matters since 2014, climaxing with the unlawful invasion in 2022.

 

As someone who is presumably from the Soviet Bloc, you have been indoctrinated and are therefore almost by definition incapable of rational independent thought. Your reality doesn't exist elsewhere. On a positive note, for a native Russian speaker your English is very good.

[Tug]

13 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

I posted previously that the only way this war will turn in Zelenskyy's favour will be the US, the EU and NATO going in or as an afterthought flooding weapons in. It's not going to happen. The Russian momentum will stop when the guns stop firing. Simple as that. Zelenskyy made a bad move going into Kursk as the weaponry and highly trained infantry that was sent in are desperately needed on the eastern front which is slowly but steadily collapsing. Apart from this the west short changed Zeleskyy by drip feeding weapons in and then it was pretty much what wasn't needed. A few F16's instead of a sht load of battlefield weapons. Madness but looked good in the press. NATO will not go in, the EU will not go in and obviously the US will not go in. Reality needs to be addressed here. Ukraine is on the backfoot and this won't change until the guns fall quiet. 

What is NOT needed is an American president backing a criminal dictator at the expense of Ukraine and our European allies…..period all stop 🛑 trump is being led by the nose like a puppy by the worst of the worst present day dictators as an a American it’s absolutely horrifying to see,I’m sure many republican law makers feel the same way unfortunately they will not put a stop to it until they see their base turn against trump the great betrayer …..hopefully that won’t be to late.

[RayC]

13 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

I posted previously that the only way this war will turn in Zelenskyy's favour will be the US, the EU and NATO going in or as an afterthought flooding weapons in. It's not going to happen. The Russian momentum will stop when the guns stop firing. Simple as that. Zelenskyy made a bad move going into Kursk as the weaponry and highly trained infantry that was sent in are desperately needed on the eastern front which is slowly but steadily collapsing. Apart from this the west short changed Zeleskyy by drip feeding weapons in and then it was pretty much what wasn't needed. A few F16's instead of a sht load of battlefield weapons. Madness but looked good in the press. NATO will not go in, the EU will not go in and obviously the US will not go in. Reality needs to be addressed here. Ukraine is on the backfoot and this won't change until the guns fall quiet. 

 

"Reality needs to be addressed here. Ukraine is on the backfoot and this won't change until the guns fall quiet"

 

I agree but that reality does not have to be effectively total victory for Russia which is what the Trump offer amounts to.

 

I can only repeat: A diametrically opposite threatening Putin with escalation if he doesn't negotiate was a viable alternative although, unfortunately, it will not now happen.

 

Imo history will not be kind to Trump. He will be viewed as nothing more than an appeaser similar to Chamberlain.

[dinsdale]

Just now, Tug said:

What is NOT needed is an American president backing a criminal dictator at the expense of Ukraine and our European allies…..period all stop 🛑 trump is being led by the nose like a puppy by the worst of the worst present day dictators as an a American it’s absolutely horrifying to see,I’m sure many republican law makers feel the same way unfortunately they will not put a stop to it until they see their base turn against trump the great betrayer …..hopefully that won’t be to late.

Usual drivel. Don't you get bored. Can you ever post something like..."I hope the war is brought to an end" instead of the usual disorder comments. It's just pitiful. You are an adult aren't you? How's your rational thought processes going. You like some others on here it seems like rationality has left the building. The war hopefully will be brought to an end saving 100s of thousands of lives but your one and only focus is TRUMP. BAD, BAD, BAD, TRUMP. Madness.

[lordgrinz]

1 minute ago, RayC said:

 

"Reality needs to be addressed here. Ukraine is on the backfoot and this won't change until the guns fall quiet"

 

I agree but that reality does not have to be effectively total victory for Russia which is what the Trump offer amounts to.

 

I can only repeat: A diametrically opposite threatening Putin with escalation if he doesn't negotiate was a viable alternative although, unfortunately, it will not now happen.

 

Imo history will not be kind to Trump. He will be viewed as nothing more than an appeaser similar to Chamberlain.

 

Putin is not going to give up his land bridge to Crimea that houses his Black Sea fleet, which he will never give back to Ukraine. So, any negotiations are going to have keep that in mind. Other than that, not sure where the negotiations go from there.

[dinsdale]

4 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

"Reality needs to be addressed here. Ukraine is on the backfoot and this won't change until the guns fall quiet"

 

I agree but that reality does not have to be effectively total victory for Russia which is what the Trump offer amounts to.

 

I can only repeat: A diametrically opposite threatening Putin with escalation if he doesn't negotiate was a viable alternative although, unfortunately, it will not now happen.

 

Imo history will not be kind to Trump. He will be viewed as nothing more than an appeaser similar to Chamberlain.

What would be total victory for Putin? As for history not being kind to Trump how will it look upon Biden who allowed it to happen.

[dinsdale]

2 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Putin is not going to give up his land bridge to Crimea that houses his Black Sea fleet, which he will never give back to Ukraine. So, any negotiations are going to have keep that in mind. Other than that, not sure where the negotiations go from there.

Crimea is most certainly gone as are most of the eastern regions that were ethnic Russian enclaves. As for where the negotiations go who knows but I must say it's refreshing to see a rational post that isn't simply frothing at the mouth anti Trump venom.

[frank83628]

10 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

Who would verify this material? The Chinese? Unsurprisingly, independently verified proof of intelligence material is  hard to come by, but the amount of data pointing to Russian interference isn't. Try this for size:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_British_politics

 

https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2024-may-1/

 

The EU needed Russian energy so it brought it. And? Hypocritical? Perhaps. But then if the alternative was a depression then economic reality kicked in. It could also be argued that it was hypocritical of Russia to sell the oil to the West given her hostility towards it.

 

Ukraine did not "suddenly kick off" as a result of some cock-eyed conspiracy theory about the US and Nord2. Putin has been undermining Ukrainian politics since he came to power and has been escalating matters since 2014, climaxing with the unlawful invasion in 2022.

 

As someone who is presumably from the Soviet Bloc, you have been indoctrinated and are therefore almost by definition incapable of rational independent thought. Your reality doesn't exist elsewhere. On a positive note, for a native Russian speaker your English is very good.

So as expected, no verifiable proof, just wesrtern hearsay and western 'data' Is that like Russian interference Iin the 2016 election, which was also unverifiable. ... but they did it for sure!!

 

The EU took Russian oil & gas and they're wasnt  an issue, to the point they spent billions on a 2nd line to bringn in more, which would have bypassed Ukriane, they didn't like that and neither  did the US who wanted it stopped. Russia has not been hostile to the EU, you don't have any thing to show they were.

you say I must be indoctrinated and and incapable rational though while totally ignoring the fact you've been indoctrinated by the west and incapable of have rational independent thought too. can you see how that works?

[RayC]

1 minute ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Putin is not going to give up his land bridge to Crimea that houses his Black Sea fleet, which he will never give back to Ukraine. So, any negotiations are going to have keep that in mind. Other than that, not sure where the negotiations go from there.

 

Clearly there would have to be something to entice Putin to the negotiating table apart from the threat of escalation. For example, some sort of power sharing arrangement in the Donbass and an acknowledgement of Russia's concerns about Ukraine and NATO membership. Maybe an undertaking not to have bases or manoeuvres in Ukraine while not ruling out membership per sec?

 

As you rightly infer, Crimea is tricky. Hard to imagine Putin retreating to the situation in 2014 but equally difficult to see how Ukraine/ The West can allow Putin to continue to keep his fleet there.

[dinsdale]

6 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Salad roll and mango smoothie at one of my favorite restaurants.

 

I suspect you will never stop bruising yourself, jumping to conclusions.

A salad roll with meat. Must be a vegan special. LOL. Looks delicious. Mango lassi very yummy.

 

[lordgrinz]

3 minutes ago, RayC said:

As you rightly infer, Crimea is tricky. Hard to imagine Putin retreating to the situation in 2014 but equally difficult to see how Ukraine/ The West can allow Putin to continue to keep his fleet there.

 

He built a massive bridge to connect Russia to Crimea, which wasn't ideal (and very costly), so you know he won't be going back to anything before 2014. So I also doubt he will give up his land bridge created via a costly body count to do so. He may or may not give some of the Eastern part back, but that land bridge is not going to be given back, and Crimea is completely off the table.

[dinsdale]

6 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

Clearly there would have to be something to entice Putin to the negotiating table apart from the threat of escalation. For example, some sort of power sharing arrangement in the Donbass and an acknowledgement of Russia's concerns about Ukraine and NATO membership. Maybe an undertaking not to have bases or manoeuvres in Ukraine while not ruling out membership per sec?

 

As you rightly infer, Crimea is tricky. Hard to imagine Putin retreating to the situation in 2014 but equally difficult to see how Ukraine/ The West can allow Putin to continue to keep his fleet there.

I reckon Donbass will be the trade for Kursk. Crimea is gone. Won't be on the table.

[RayC]

10 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

What would be total victory for Putin?

 

What Trump is offering

 

10 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

 

As for history not being kind to Trump how will it look upon Biden who allowed it to happen.

 

Biden certainly isn't blameless but then neither are Obama and Trump Mk 1 (and all the other Western European leaders for that matter). They all bear some responsibility.

 

However, none of the above have sold Ukraine down the river in the way that Trump Mk 2 now in intends to do. 

 

To repeat, if his current vision comes to pass, imo history will not be kind to Trump and will bracket him with the other great appeaser, Chamberlain.

[dinsdale]

Wait! Somethings happened. Several rational posts in a row. Maybe the babies have worn themselves out from all their hatred and tantrums.

[dinsdale]

Wow! He definitely doesn't hold back this bloke.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, frank83628 said:

And what proof is there that Russia regularly undermined the stability of the EU, what did they  do specifically that you have physical verified proof of?

The EU were all happily talking Russian gas for years and even  built  second pipeline,  the US wanted part of that business, trump and Biden were pretty clear without actually directly saying it. Then suddenly Ukriane  kicks of and instantly US shuts down nord, then the US blew it up, imagine for 1second if that had been Russia sabotaging a US allied pipeline ?

 

That your problem, you are from the west so have no idea how or what Putin thinks other than what your western infrormation/propaganda/media channels tell you.

You also have no idea why some one would vote for Trump, which is exactly why he won, so yes, you are out of touch and have evil dictator cold war mentality.

Driving migrants across European borders.

 

Now off you go with your shilling for Putin.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67503800.amp

 

[frank83628]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Driving migrants across European borders.

 

Now off you go with your shilling for Putin.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67503800.amp

 

 'claimed', 'accusded' & 'likely' are just words but no concrete proof, which is what's needed,  so just hot air as usual

I've been here ages, you just arrived, how about you 'pop off' eh. 

[Tug]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Usual drivel. Don't you get bored. Can you ever post something like..."I hope the war is brought to an end" instead of the usual disorder comments. It's just pitiful. You are an adult aren't you? How's your rational thought processes going. You like some others on here it seems like rationality has left the building. The war hopefully will be brought to an end saving 100s of thousands of lives but your one and only focus is TRUMP. BAD, BAD, BAD, TRUMP. Madness.

The usual drivel don’t you get boored sticking up for trump and his bestie putin?why can’t you post something like putin returning to his own borders and stop this war of aggression and conquest against his neighbors hummm???how’s about I want putin to stop this crime and have Russia rejoin the world of lawful nations and trade in peace so she and her people can prosper?hummm?with you and your ilk it’s allways seems to be appeasement.seems folks remember last time with the exception that the Germans were light years better at it than putin……im sure glad Rosevelt wasn't a trump!!

[RayC]

50 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

So as expected, no verifiable proof, just wesrtern hearsay and western 'data' Is that like Russian interference Iin the 2016 election, which was also unverifiable. ... but they did it for sure!!

 

So you expect Intelligence Agencies to produce reports disclosing what, when and how they collect data and place that information in the public domain in order than their conclusions can be verified? Presumably you would also like them to disclose the names and contact details of any sources as well?

 

50 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

The EU took Russian oil & gas and they're wasnt  an issue, to the point they spent billions on a 2nd line to bringn in more, which would have bypassed Ukriane, they didn't like that and neither  did the US who wanted it stopped.

 

And your point is what?

 

The US has been consistent in its' opposition to Nordstream from the beginning. The EU member states were spilt on the issue with some states such as Poland warning against over-dependence on Russian resources.

 

Events seem to have proved the Poles correct.

 

50 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

Russia has not been hostile to the EU, you don't have any thing to show they were.

 

Try browsing the links I previously listed. You obviously don't recall Putin's hostility towards Ukraine - and the EU - over its' intention to apply to join the bloc.

 

I'll pre-empt your predictable response by stating that it is not Western propaganda.

 

Can I suggest that you do some research. Maybe start by searching for Ukrainian public attitudes towards EU membership and then ask yourself, 'Why would the Ukrainian PM elected on a platform of joining the EU which 80% of Ukrainians supported suddenly and inexplicably invoke a complete volte-face?' Could it perhaps, be the result of pressure from a near neighbour?

 

50 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

you say I must be indoctrinated and and incapable rational though while totally ignoring the fact you've been indoctrinated by the west and incapable of have rational independent thought too. can you see how that works?

 

Frankly no (No pun intended again) and I'd be concerned if I did.

[dinsdale]

30 minutes ago, Tug said:

The usual drivel don’t you get boored sticking up for trump and his bestie putin?why can’t you post something like putin returning to his own borders and stop this war of aggression and conquest against his neighbors hummm???how’s about I want putin to stop this crime and have Russia rejoin the world of lawful nations and trade in peace so she and her people can prosper?hummm?with you and your ilk it’s allways seems to be appeasement.seems folks remember last time with the exception that the Germans were light years better at it than putin……im sure glad Rosevelt wasn't a trump!!

Thread's about Zelenskyy and Trump. If it was about Putin I'd have plenty to say and none of it good. Nice try but your comment remains in the drivel category. I wasn't sure if it was drivel until I read it. It's drivel alright and plenty of it.

[merck]

19 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Trump is an opportunistic liar, he does not have a genuine bone in his body and he tends to abandon allies and coddle dictators and serial killers. That's just who is and what he does.

 

None of this should surprise us anymore, however he does continue to surprise and amaze with his ignorance and failings. He will pay the price for this and so will his supporters, it's just a matter of. 

 

Unfortunately the US is going to pay an enormous price for his policies and his other recklessness. 

That's a shame. And he speaks so well of you.

[MicroB]

21 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I would love to know what Putin has on Trump. That must be heavy duty kompromat. 

 

 

Or Trump just thinks they have Kompromat.

 

But probably not. This is just who he is. An a*sehole.

[candide]

5 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Wow! He definitely doesn't hold back this bloke.

And as usual, full of lies! 🙂

[MicroB]

I don't really know who ryan McBeth is, except he's a regular on Newsmax (Trumpist TV channel), and seems to think he's doing important NATO work. Seems a hopeless optimist.

 

 

 

4D Chess, or is it tiddlywinks.

 

Ukrainian sources are reporting US weapons supplied have now ceased. The value of actual aid delivered to Ukraine by US is actually less than $100bn. To date, a lot of the munitions set were EOL, and therefore had zero value (and actually would cost to dispose of. Once EOL, an artillary shell is not used, unless its Ukraine under the guise beggers can't be choosers). For "new" munitions, the money hasn't gone to Ukraine. Its gone to US contractors, who will add it to the corporate bottom line, creating jobs, and a bit of tax back to the federal and state governments. Turns out the "missing " munitions were never missing. Someone in the US forgot to enter serial numbers into a database.

 

This is in line with the last time the DoD was audited, and it was found they could not account for 60% of their assets/hardware. That doesn't mean 60% was put on ebay/stolen (though some of it is, and I was involved in some examples, that resulted in a couple of quarter masters going to prison, but paltry in the grand scheme of things)., but that accounting procedures are poor. Not unique to the US; the UK MOD has "lost" a few Challenger tanks (know one knows where  they are (probably lurking in a forgotten shed at BATUS, where a few Challengers permanently sit, saving on shipping costs). And you can find shockingly old kit in stores; not long ago, WW1 rations turned up.

 

 

[MicroB]

10 minutes ago, candide said:

And as usual, full of lies! 🙂

 

 

Its reactionary and impulsive, Trumpf is likely one of those sort who don't like being lectured to. Which means, he takes no notice of security briefings, and instead trusts his own "research" (reading about it on one of his phones), because he would reason his judgement has placed him in good stead. Which might be true when it comes to things that benefit or affect him directly. But his judgement, when it affects others, is poor. Hence the mess he got into with COVID-19; there was nothing in the COVID-19 pandemic that would directly affect him (except that moment when he thought he was going to die, and looked genuinely fearful). He lost in 2020, because of a few actuons he took, which would not directly affect him, but which were catastrophic to others (eg. I'm sure the sight of seeing turban'd Taliban leaders being hosted by Trump at Camp David probably caused a few of the more sober Republican supporters to not vote for him)

 

Nothing about Ukraine, whether they win or lose, would directly affect him. So he's being asked to make judgements on a topic he has no stake in and his knowledge of the topic doesn't extend to listening to a military or intelligence community that he himself has stated he has no faith in.  So he relies on social media and his own self confidence.

 

Is he a peacenik? No. I suspect Trumpf holds a lot of shame over his non-involvement in the Vietnam War. Yeah, publicly he says it was a law for losers now, but back then, it wasn't a young Donald who came up with the Quack diagnosis of bone spurs, but probably his Dad, the son of a man who was stripped of Bavarian citizenship for being a draft dodger; who knows how that affected Fred Jr and attitudes to conscription. That shame means Trumpf calls dead soldiers and POWs "suckers", isn't particularly sincere at military memorials (an apparent lack of sincerity apparently also displayed by Biden, who also avoided the draft), but also somehow expresses the superhero myth of the miitary. Ordering American troops to potentially their deaths must play on Trumpf's mind about somethng he didn't do.

[MicroB]

6 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I reckon Donbass will be the trade for Kursk. Crimea is gone. Won't be on the table.

 

That might be the thought if Putin cared for the Kursk region.

 

Much is said about "ethnic" Russians in Eastern Uktraine (in reality, Ukrainian and Russians are both slavs). So ethnicity isn't on genetic marker differences, but self identity. Ethnically, America is full of English, Scots, Welsh, Irish, Polish, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Nigerians, Somalis, Arabs and countless other groups. But all identify as American.

 

In 1930, about 25% of the Kursk region identified as Ukrainian. Most recently, its less than 1% of the population of Kursk identifying as Ukrainian. I suspect the number of Ukrainians is actually higher, and they are not all dead or exiled. Putin, when faced with ejecting a foreign army from Russian territory, did not immedately prioritise his crack troops to take back the Motherland. Most of the captured Russian troops in Kursk are conscripts. Most of the captured Russian troops in Donbass have contracts. The conscripts get less training. Additionally, Putin is using, or was using, low grade North Korean troops in Kursk.

 

He doesn't care about Kursk. The Ukrainians will get bored of it, for the same reasons he is bored of it. There is nothing there. In Donetsk and Luhansk, though, he's got his own Sudenten Germans (the Sudenten Germans enthusiastically welcomed The Germans into Czechoslovakia). That beats the miserable Asiatics in the far east, and  bolshie Chechens in the South East, and translates into further support at the ballot box, to support his New Russia project, which is really about a Greater Russia for the Russian Slavs.

 

Putin will not concede a thing, but will instead push for greater and greater concession. There are parallels with the end of the Russian war in Georgia. The Russians never called that a war; it was "Peace Enforcement" (shades of SMO). Back then it was the French negotiating. Medvedev was President (Putin taking a stint as Prime Minister (bt was really the one in charge). 4 points on the Peace Proposals. Russia got two more added, to its advantage, so no cessions.

 

Back then, the Georgian Army was supposed to return to barracks. The Russians were as well, but the peace agreement allowed the Russians to maintain a security force until international arrangements could be agreed. If applied to Ukraine, it would mean the Ukrainian army abandoning defended positions in the contested areas, possibly including Kharkiv and Sevastopol, but no similar  movement  by the Russian army; the Russians mightn make up an excuse of liquidating irregulars (foreign volunteers who have no barracks to return to) or disposing of abandoned Ukrainian munitions and mines. Once back to barracks, a disillusioned Ukrainian conscript army  would likely  vote with their feet and go home. The Kyiv government will fall in a spate of recrimination. Citing  a need to enforce law and order in Ukraine, Russia would swiftly move to occupy portions of the country.

[steven100]

6 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Wow! He definitely doesn't hold back this bloke.

 

yes,    more sewer talk flowing out of Trump trash's sewer pipe mouth again ....  

 

never stop flowing ....   Lol

[frank83628]

32 minutes ago, MicroB said:

 

That might be the thought if Putin cared for the Kursk region.

 

Much is said about "ethnic" Russians in Eastern Uktraine (in reality, Ukrainian and Russians are both slavs). So ethnicity isn't on genetic marker differences, but self identity. Ethnically, America is full of English, Scots, Welsh, Irish, Polish, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Nigerians, Somalis, Arabs and countless other groups. But all identify as American.

 

In 1930, about 25% of the Kursk region identified as Ukrainian. Most recently, its less than 1% of the population of Kursk identifying as Ukrainian. I suspect the number of Ukrainians is actually higher, and they are not all dead or exiled. Putin, when faced with ejecting a foreign army from Russian territory, did not immedately prioritise his crack troops to take back the Motherland. Most of the captured Russian troops in Kursk are conscripts. Most of the captured Russian troops in Donbass have contracts. The conscripts get less training. Additionally, Putin is using, or was using, low grade North Korean troops in Kursk.

 

He doesn't care about Kursk. The Ukrainians will get bored of it, for the same reasons he is bored of it. There is nothing there. In Donetsk and Luhansk, though, he's got his own Sudenten Germans (the Sudenten Germans enthusiastically welcomed The Germans into Czechoslovakia). That beats the miserable Asiatics in the far east, and  bolshie Chechens in the South East, and translates into further support at the ballot box, to support his New Russia project, which is really about a Greater Russia for the Russian Slavs.

 

Putin will not concede a thing, but will instead push for greater and greater concession. There are parallels with the end of the Russian war in Georgia. The Russians never called that a war; it was "Peace Enforcement" (shades of SMO). Back then it was the French negotiating. Medvedev was President (Putin taking a stint as Prime Minister (bt was really the one in charge). 4 points on the Peace Proposals. Russia got two more added, to its advantage, so no cessions.

 

Back then, the Georgian Army was supposed to return to barracks. The Russians were as well, but the peace agreement allowed the Russians to maintain a security force until international arrangements could be agreed. If applied to Ukraine, it would mean the Ukrainian army abandoning defended positions in the contested areas, possibly including Kharkiv and Sevastopol, but no similar  movement  by the Russian army; the Russians mightn make up an excuse of liquidating irregulars (foreign volunteers who have no barracks to return to) or disposing of abandoned Ukrainian munitions and mines. Once back to barracks, a disillusioned Ukrainian conscript army  would likely  vote with their feet and go home. The Kyiv government will fall in a spate of recrimination. Citing  a need to enforce law and order in Ukraine, Russia would swiftly move to occupy portions of the country.

Where did you screen shot that from?

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, MicroB said:

 

Or Trump just thinks they have Kompromat.

 

But probably not. This is just who he is. An a*sehole.

I would say they have and he is.