It’s difficult to see why Moscow would accept a ceasefire in the absence of a broader framework, but that may be precisely the point: to make Putin an offer Europe and Ukraine hope he will refuse
you articulate it very well in this paragraph here -
"Indeed, ever since Trump began negotiations with Putin to end the proxy war in Ukraine, European leaders have been doing everything in their power to derail his peace efforts, hijack the negotiations and prolong the conflict. After all, their insistence on a “just and lasting peace”, and their emphasis on Ukraine’s “territorial integrity”, is, in effect, a recipe for continuing the war under the guise of “peace through strength” — the same failed strategy that has landed Ukraine in this mess in the first place. Meanwhile, the Europeans have unveiled a sweeping rearmament plan, aimed at deterring Russia’s alleged expansionist ambitions — if not actually preparing for a war with Russia."
in other words - europe and a number of other key players, are not interested in peace.. this ceasefire rouse is a scam...
The proxy wars. Is actually a civil ideology war here in the USA deep state and its dumb think(less) tanks.
Right on the $$$$$ with this opine Fazo.
But why Europe is drifting further and further right and Russiaphobic is hard yo square to my mind. Do Europeans really think Russia wants to expand it's territory their way. From my perspective Russia is protecting Russian speaking ethnic territories nothing more. I think Russia wants/needs Europe as a trading partner not as an enemy.
Russophobia among the Euro elites is the price of admission to corridors of power. Very similar to the role antisemitism in the 1930s played in admission to the NAZI hierarchy. Real peace and re-integration of Russia into Europe would show that their NATO aligned political religion is bankrupt. Their social status would crater, and their sinecures evaporate.
No, none of the EU pols really believe Russia wants to rule Western Europe, but it is a bedtime story they tell their little children AKA their citizens.
Thomas, thank you for your insights. I'm drawn to this statement in particular:
"EU’s technocratic establishment — specifically the European Commission — has historically been more aligned with America than European national governments. Ursula von der Leyen, dubbed “Europe’s American president”, is a prime example of this alignment, working tirelessly to maintain the EU’s commitment to America’s hawkish geopolitical strategy, particularly regarding Russia and Ukraine."
Is this still true? If this "aligned with America" assessment is true then how can we, for example, explain the famous quote of Nuland, "Fuck the EU"?
I agree that Atlanticism was once core to the catechism of Europeanism, but I also remember that EU elite opinion originally opposed NATO expansion. Something profound seems to have changed. What?
You wrote, "elements within the US ruling class strongly oppose Trump’s overtures to Putin, harbour deep animosity toward Russia"
Consider whether Russia might be just a surrogate whipping boy in a struggle that is not "between different factions of the US empire", but between the two halves of the American polity. This polity is divided between the professional managerial ruling class (led by the deep state) and bourgeois populists led by Donald Trump.
But there is more going on here. American society is in an historic process of bifurcation, and it is only to be expected that the struggle would play out both inside and on the periphery of the American Empire.
In my view, the EU represents the interests of the European professional managerial class, so their alignment with the same class in America is unremarkable. Hence, Trump is at war with this class on both sides of the Atlantic. In this struggle, Ukraine acts as the Armed Wing of the Western professional managerial class.
Trump would like nothing more than to crush Ukraine, but his hold on power in the US (while it might seem unsalable) is tenuous in my opinion. I wrote about this more on my Substack.
If Russia accepts the ceasefire, negotiation will fail at the last moment, and Ukraine will get some more armament and manpower replenishment, although not sure by how much, but certainly 30 days to reorg, restock, and withdraw from the various cauldrons. Some NATO forces are likely trapped inside the Kursk pocket. Now they, and some of Ukraine's best forces, can escape. If Russia refuses the ceasefire, Russia will receive additional mud and paint throwing, more sanctions, and even 300 billion USD assets confiscated. Some of these punishments from the West will actually solidify Russian determination to fight to the end. A delay tactic as shown by Peskov's response while cooking off the Kursk pocket seems the best tactical ambiguity. Once the Kursk pocket is no more, I suspect the attitude and actions of the West will change again, but the basic problems and considerations do not change. Therefore, it does not matter of the ceasefire proposal is designed as a trap or not, Russians should focus on chocking off the Kursk pocket as thoroughly as possible. If you kill enough of them, maybe they will not come again.
Trump wants golf courses and high end hotels for him an his broligarchs to take their mistresses on siesta when they get bored. Be it the gazan sea coast or Russian plains. He wants peace for his personnel gain not for us not for mankind dear comrades.
This man and is minnions are pure evil. He and his kind should not be walking on the surface of earth. To mars with them all.
Obviously. It’s so obvious that the Russians don’t know whether to dissolve in gales of laughter, or pick their jaws up off the ground first.
Russia has stated its aims, and is winning. It will continue winning until the Kiev gang surrender unconditionally. Then Russia will make the needed changes.
This has absolutely nothing to do with Europe or the USA. They can go pound sand. Or, if they insist, they can dress up in pretty uniforms and go to the front line where they will rapidly be incinerated.
Russia won't accept that! How can they trust the West after Minsk 2?
The EU wants war!
The EU loves a good crisis in order to push unpopular ideas through. They've wanted an EU-army for decades, and they are chomping at the bit to spend money on so-called "defense".
There is no threat from Russia to the EU - unless of course we continue to participate in acts of war against them! And lest we forget it is the US that blew up the pipeline.
I don't think the Russians really care anymore what the West think. They have watched us sink into the abyss. Russia's response is to calmly sit back and watch, while being VERY clear about what it will, and will not accept.
you articulate it very well in this paragraph here -
"Indeed, ever since Trump began negotiations with Putin to end the proxy war in Ukraine, European leaders have been doing everything in their power to derail his peace efforts, hijack the negotiations and prolong the conflict. After all, their insistence on a “just and lasting peace”, and their emphasis on Ukraine’s “territorial integrity”, is, in effect, a recipe for continuing the war under the guise of “peace through strength” — the same failed strategy that has landed Ukraine in this mess in the first place. Meanwhile, the Europeans have unveiled a sweeping rearmament plan, aimed at deterring Russia’s alleged expansionist ambitions — if not actually preparing for a war with Russia."
in other words - europe and a number of other key players, are not interested in peace.. this ceasefire rouse is a scam...
The proxy wars. Is actually a civil ideology war here in the USA deep state and its dumb think(less) tanks.
Right on the $$$$$ with this opine Fazo.
But why Europe is drifting further and further right and Russiaphobic is hard yo square to my mind. Do Europeans really think Russia wants to expand it's territory their way. From my perspective Russia is protecting Russian speaking ethnic territories nothing more. I think Russia wants/needs Europe as a trading partner not as an enemy.
People
Planet
Peace
dear comrades
Oppose Oppression
Refuse Fascism
Russophobia among the Euro elites is the price of admission to corridors of power. Very similar to the role antisemitism in the 1930s played in admission to the NAZI hierarchy. Real peace and re-integration of Russia into Europe would show that their NATO aligned political religion is bankrupt. Their social status would crater, and their sinecures evaporate.
No, none of the EU pols really believe Russia wants to rule Western Europe, but it is a bedtime story they tell their little children AKA their citizens.
A diabolical fact is that war is unlimited money and more authoritarianism.
Thomas, thank you for your insights. I'm drawn to this statement in particular:
"EU’s technocratic establishment — specifically the European Commission — has historically been more aligned with America than European national governments. Ursula von der Leyen, dubbed “Europe’s American president”, is a prime example of this alignment, working tirelessly to maintain the EU’s commitment to America’s hawkish geopolitical strategy, particularly regarding Russia and Ukraine."
Is this still true? If this "aligned with America" assessment is true then how can we, for example, explain the famous quote of Nuland, "Fuck the EU"?
I agree that Atlanticism was once core to the catechism of Europeanism, but I also remember that EU elite opinion originally opposed NATO expansion. Something profound seems to have changed. What?
You wrote, "elements within the US ruling class strongly oppose Trump’s overtures to Putin, harbour deep animosity toward Russia"
Consider whether Russia might be just a surrogate whipping boy in a struggle that is not "between different factions of the US empire", but between the two halves of the American polity. This polity is divided between the professional managerial ruling class (led by the deep state) and bourgeois populists led by Donald Trump.
But there is more going on here. American society is in an historic process of bifurcation, and it is only to be expected that the struggle would play out both inside and on the periphery of the American Empire.
In my view, the EU represents the interests of the European professional managerial class, so their alignment with the same class in America is unremarkable. Hence, Trump is at war with this class on both sides of the Atlantic. In this struggle, Ukraine acts as the Armed Wing of the Western professional managerial class.
Trump would like nothing more than to crush Ukraine, but his hold on power in the US (while it might seem unsalable) is tenuous in my opinion. I wrote about this more on my Substack.
If Russia accepts the ceasefire, negotiation will fail at the last moment, and Ukraine will get some more armament and manpower replenishment, although not sure by how much, but certainly 30 days to reorg, restock, and withdraw from the various cauldrons. Some NATO forces are likely trapped inside the Kursk pocket. Now they, and some of Ukraine's best forces, can escape. If Russia refuses the ceasefire, Russia will receive additional mud and paint throwing, more sanctions, and even 300 billion USD assets confiscated. Some of these punishments from the West will actually solidify Russian determination to fight to the end. A delay tactic as shown by Peskov's response while cooking off the Kursk pocket seems the best tactical ambiguity. Once the Kursk pocket is no more, I suspect the attitude and actions of the West will change again, but the basic problems and considerations do not change. Therefore, it does not matter of the ceasefire proposal is designed as a trap or not, Russians should focus on chocking off the Kursk pocket as thoroughly as possible. If you kill enough of them, maybe they will not come again.
Trump wants golf courses and high end hotels for him an his broligarchs to take their mistresses on siesta when they get bored. Be it the gazan sea coast or Russian plains. He wants peace for his personnel gain not for us not for mankind dear comrades.
This man and is minnions are pure evil. He and his kind should not be walking on the surface of earth. To mars with them all.
Resuse Fascism
Oppose Oppression
People
Planet
Peace
Mr.Fazi.Now we have learned why Europeans so persistent about the continuity of the war in Ukraine that also ruined their economy.
Obviously. It’s so obvious that the Russians don’t know whether to dissolve in gales of laughter, or pick their jaws up off the ground first.
Russia has stated its aims, and is winning. It will continue winning until the Kiev gang surrender unconditionally. Then Russia will make the needed changes.
This has absolutely nothing to do with Europe or the USA. They can go pound sand. Or, if they insist, they can dress up in pretty uniforms and go to the front line where they will rapidly be incinerated.
“It's a trap!”
YES, and Russians know it.
So basically Minsk 3.0?
Russia won't accept that! How can they trust the West after Minsk 2?
The EU wants war!
The EU loves a good crisis in order to push unpopular ideas through. They've wanted an EU-army for decades, and they are chomping at the bit to spend money on so-called "defense".
There is no threat from Russia to the EU - unless of course we continue to participate in acts of war against them! And lest we forget it is the US that blew up the pipeline.
I don't think the Russians really care anymore what the West think. They have watched us sink into the abyss. Russia's response is to calmly sit back and watch, while being VERY clear about what it will, and will not accept.
Russia are the only adults in the room.
They are so bloody devious these EU leaders… Somehow they’ve managed to persuade vast swathes of the general public that Putin is Hitler and with no evidence whatsoever that Russia is planning to invade Europe. This article by Simplicus supports what Thomas argues. Well worth a read…https://open.substack.com/pub/simplicius76/p/us-and-ukraine-hatch-ceasefire-travesty?r=3amj0&utm_medium=ios