The old adage "Hope Springs Eternal" came to my mind at first . However,. I've been sick with worry about the type of 'deal' zelensky will be forced to swallow with TWO of the world's most horrible leaders possible. WHY Russia gets a voice when they started this war is proof that UKR will get the short end of the stick. Europe will have to stand up to their own defence & ensure that Ukraine is NOT used a meat for the deal.
Everything that Trump has done continues to be focused on two things....getting the rest of the west to man up. This is not only with respect to defense but also to energy.
Secondly, no matter what window dressing Trump puts up to entice Putin not to press the button, Trump is adamant that Putin must not win. As we speak, top US officials are forging the Lend Lease deal with Zelenskyy. Ukraine will have all the weapons it needs to prevail. https://x.com/Mylovanov/status/1889809111677608060
And this will be a huge win win. Trump is turning useless army surplus into modern manifestations of gold - the rare earth minerals that the West needs. It will also create a huge number of jobs and industries in Ukraine; a boom that will keep Ukraine's soldiers fighting on a more lucrative front.
Well, the Democrats who held Biden's puppet strings didn't seem to be in any hurry to stop the deaths and destruction of Ukraine these past three years - other than spending billions on military equipment and implementing "sanctions" which didn't seem to stop Putin but instead encouraged him to move closer to N Korea and China - so how can this progress towards a peace "deal" by Trump on Day 24 of his administration not be a good sign?
Europe dug the hole they are in with their climate nonsense and their open borders (ask young white women how that's been working out), and are going to have to pay the price by supporting Ukraine in whatever way is necessary to assure long-lasting peace.
As for Putin and his cronies, they need to be removed by the Russian people, and that will not be easy or bloodless... or perhaps even possible.
Prime Minister Chretien used to say that a year in politics is a long time. That was 1995. In the Trump era, a week is a long time. The bad news, there is no good solution for Ukraine at this point.
The good news, any deal can be rejigged if circumstances change, e.g. the EU could actually develop a back bone by 2026 and let Ukraine into NATO.
Good Morning, Diane. You should know you are a very reassuring commentator because you attempt to balance your blogs: i.e., the sky is not falling, but there may be some setbacks. If you have not done so already, I urge you to view this video of a CNN interview with Amb. Bolton whom I personally know from the Reagan era and whose opinions I value. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ1NfTlg3Yk.
Perhaps - in your next blog - you can follow up on the broader issues affecting global security that he sees in the known features of Trump's heretofore dealings with Z. It is very troubling because it is a fact that Putin appears happy with the outcome of his dealings with Trump and any time Putin is happy makes me sit up and try to find out what I may have missed. And when Trump says anything, I simply don't believe him because he's certified (by his close family members, one of whom has a PhD. in psychology) as a sociopath whose particular pathology is to lie in everything to achieve his personal goals. So Ukraine and the world are facing a KGB murderer and a pathological narcissist and liar.
I am still haunted by the cryptic clip of a few days ago that shows Putin and one of his cronies gleefully stating that we will see in the near future (when "the deal" is finalized?) how they (Ukrainians?) will be at the feet of their "master" (putin?) wagging their tails. Tell me it "ain't" so, Diane.
Morning Diane, I am encourage by your belief in Ukraines sovereignty and I also believe that yes, the EU/NATO should have stepped up to the plate when Russia invaded Ukraine. The Europeans have no one to blame but themselves for their lack of urgency or preparedness. They should immediately release the frozen $300 billion of Russian assets to Ukraine. That would at least enable the Ukrainians to buy the weapons they need and support the civilian infrastructure required for the next 2-3 years. This would also give the Europeans time to rebuild its own civil & military forces to take on Russia.
Also remember, that both Vietnam and Afghanistan (x2) defeated invasive nuclear powers, so no one should expect that Ukraine to be doomed, but they do need the support of outside powers. Remember that only 15,000 Russian soldiers where killed in Afghanistan over a 10 year period. Possibly, nearly 200,000 have been killed so far in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. How long can Russia keep it up or should we say how long can Putin keep it up and survive?
While cold, hard economics in regard to rare earths in Ukraine may play a part in the cease fire negotiations, they really should not be part of the negotiations. In reality these resources do not belong to Zelensky or Trump, they belong to the nation and people of Ukraine. They will be needed for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. The US (weapons) and EU (troops & materials) are more than able to defeat Russia without the proposed access to Ukraines natural resources. Is there a moral issue here?
Where I do disagree with you is that you seem to believe that Trump has all the answers.
I do not understand where all this belief in Trump comes from. I can remember the collective sigh of relief when Trump was defeated in 2020. It was chaos then and there is even more chaos now. Trump has been in office for only 3 weeks and in that time he has threatened to absorb Canada, buy or invade Greenland, invade Panama and take over (buy/invade/develop) Gaza, to say nothing of his threats of and withdrawals of tariffs to all and sundry.
He is incapable of speaking the truth, he has no idea of what an ally is, exaggerates everything and like all bullies, backs down when threatened. I have seen more coherent speeches from a 10 year old than I have seen from Trump.
Musk appears to hold more sway in the White House than Trump, even Musks 4 year old son seems to recognise that Trump is not the real President and given all the dramas happening in the US government now, he could be right.
Trump has destroyed any belief that the US had a role as leader of the free world. No one will trust the US anymore. Perhaps that is not a bad thing and we will learn to stand on our own two feet. Remove access to US bases around the world and see how long they remain a super power. I know it is not a simple as that, but despite what the US has done for Europe and others, the time is past for the US to claim a god given right to rule over lesser nations. US allies have backed the US around the world in the past multiple times, but perhaps it is time to say goodbye.
Biden/Sullivan are the polar opposites of Trump/Hegseth, why is it that the US is unable to find a leader who is neither?
In 1994 the United States, United Kingdom, France and the Russian Federation agreed to and signed the Budapest agreement guaranteeing Ukraines sovereign borders (of course, Crimea was included as part of Ukraine). In return, Ukraine gave up the nuclear arsenal that was imbedded on its territory to Russia for dismantling and disposal. SO NOW, there really is nothing to talk about other than the date Russian troops leave all of Ukraines territory and the amount the Russians must pay in terms of reparations!!! There is nothing complicated here. There is NO
reason to delay the ENFORCEMENT of the present agreement by those involved…. Does anybody see a problem here??
Since Obama got his Nobel Prize, Trump must have one at all costs to others. He could not lose to Obama both on crowd size and Nobel Prize. With the two peace treaties accomplished, no matter how unjust they are, Trump may get that Nobel Prize, I just can only hope not.
Could it be more clear that the US had sacrificed Ukraine for Trump promise to be done in a short time.
Russia is at its weakest point in its history. It can barely manage the battle fields. Its economy is in tatters, but the US had chosen to walk away, leaving Ukraine to the wolf, a deeply wounded wolf.
I have no doubt the EU will step in to fill the vacuum.
Btw, I am not a fan of Obama, the most ineffective and the weakest president of the US, receiving the Dalai Lama three times from the back gate of the White House because he was so afraid of China.
Crimea was taken in 2014 by Russia, under his watch and nothing done.
Canada will join the EU, finished its Trans Mountains pipeline to supply oil to Europe and can be totally independent from the US.
How many times can the US show its ugly face? Hopefully this is the last time.
every analysis and discussion based on only what we SEE, what we get told, what media anyway reports, in time of doubtless complete change of attitudes certainly is as much sleeping at the wheel as Europe rightfully gets accused for.
But other than indicated in comments down here - Europe right because of that DOES have what could be the ONLY rock to hold on in that disastrous torrent downwards, of post truth take over of us the people:
Values.
Even if difficult. It is thereby predictable, stable and reliable.
Yes.
And successful. Even Orbàn's Hungary managed a - mediocre though - economic development and improvement of Hungarian's prosperity - that it would not have achieved in any other way.
So - any further analysis has to get down into what really the strings are that are pulled right now.
Hegseth, Tulsi, Rubio, Kellog are just mouthpieces holding jobs.
So is Trump!
In fact he is a vehicle.
As Vance towards the Ohio-Senate race - he got hooked at the financial strings of Musk/Thiel when he needed money most for his campaign, in fact to end his life outside prison.
And had to install Vance at his side.
For Peter Thiel that is like check mate.
There is now his senile mouth peace in the Oval nobody wants to remove because everybody knows, that the replacement would even be more efficient for Peter Thiel - and thereby the agenda of Curtis Yarvin.
And here everything starts making sense:
This feudal Tech-Oligarchy, it includes the anyway trans-national fossile barons, for them CAN run the world well - with all the other Oligarchs of other places.
Never forget the admissions in their projections.
Musk talked to German AfD-nuts about freedom from the "world elite".
Who heard about that "world elite" before?
Who had any idea, what that could be - would we not know about that Curtis Yarvin thing.
This "world elite" just has to share what they grabbed.
Grabbing more makes it easier - and easier to in the same time spread some crumbs among the population to keep it silent.
That is going on RIGHT now!
With Ukraine as the first and major "plaything" (Amb. Yovanovich) in all that.
What can WE the people do?
Those outside US:
Bank on the EU.
Just put aside all that nonsense-bashing due to environmental rulings, immigration and bureaucracy:
A: None of those that do that bashing understand it, see the complexity. But all fall into intentionally disinformation (just take the pain to scroll through twitter feeds of Orbàn, Alice Weidel and alike).
B: In total effect and value all what gets bashed is absolutely secondary. Mora than 80% of the discussion is caused by less than 20% of the actual effects and costs.
When done with that:
Kick Europe ass!
Europe has been the continent of right such conflicts of "spheres of influences" as now bringing our world to the abyss with Greenland, Canada, Panama, Ukraine, Gaza, Taiwan.
Only a single European country today has such an issue on its agenda: Hungary.
The rest rightfully owed the 2012 Nobel Peace Price.
And can be trusted and banked on, to prevail as that anchor, haven and beacon of rule of law, human rights and human dignity, fight against propaganda, lies and corruption and FOR the planet - that THEN will accelerate the collapse of necessarily expansionist autocracies and allow the step out of that downward torrent back to a civilized world.
The old adage "Hope Springs Eternal" came to my mind at first . However,. I've been sick with worry about the type of 'deal' zelensky will be forced to swallow with TWO of the world's most horrible leaders possible. WHY Russia gets a voice when they started this war is proof that UKR will get the short end of the stick. Europe will have to stand up to their own defence & ensure that Ukraine is NOT used a meat for the deal.
Everything that Trump has done continues to be focused on two things....getting the rest of the west to man up. This is not only with respect to defense but also to energy.
Secondly, no matter what window dressing Trump puts up to entice Putin not to press the button, Trump is adamant that Putin must not win. As we speak, top US officials are forging the Lend Lease deal with Zelenskyy. Ukraine will have all the weapons it needs to prevail. https://x.com/Mylovanov/status/1889809111677608060
And this will be a huge win win. Trump is turning useless army surplus into modern manifestations of gold - the rare earth minerals that the West needs. It will also create a huge number of jobs and industries in Ukraine; a boom that will keep Ukraine's soldiers fighting on a more lucrative front.
I so hope you are right. IF UKR gets back 'all' the land Russia grabbed, I'll applaud this deal whole heartedly.
Who knows....maybe there will finally be a Russian Nuremberg where ALL genocide victim countries (no statute of limitations) have their claims resolved. Ukraine used to be a lot bigger and some of those areas might need to be a part Ukraine again. The Crimean bridge might come in handy some day. https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/4h5ycv/a_post1945_ethnographic_map_of_ukraine_then_the/#lightbox
Well, the Democrats who held Biden's puppet strings didn't seem to be in any hurry to stop the deaths and destruction of Ukraine these past three years - other than spending billions on military equipment and implementing "sanctions" which didn't seem to stop Putin but instead encouraged him to move closer to N Korea and China - so how can this progress towards a peace "deal" by Trump on Day 24 of his administration not be a good sign?
Europe dug the hole they are in with their climate nonsense and their open borders (ask young white women how that's been working out), and are going to have to pay the price by supporting Ukraine in whatever way is necessary to assure long-lasting peace.
As for Putin and his cronies, they need to be removed by the Russian people, and that will not be easy or bloodless... or perhaps even possible.
Prime Minister Chretien used to say that a year in politics is a long time. That was 1995. In the Trump era, a week is a long time. The bad news, there is no good solution for Ukraine at this point.
The good news, any deal can be rejigged if circumstances change, e.g. the EU could actually develop a back bone by 2026 and let Ukraine into NATO.
Good Morning, Diane. You should know you are a very reassuring commentator because you attempt to balance your blogs: i.e., the sky is not falling, but there may be some setbacks. If you have not done so already, I urge you to view this video of a CNN interview with Amb. Bolton whom I personally know from the Reagan era and whose opinions I value. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ1NfTlg3Yk.
Perhaps - in your next blog - you can follow up on the broader issues affecting global security that he sees in the known features of Trump's heretofore dealings with Z. It is very troubling because it is a fact that Putin appears happy with the outcome of his dealings with Trump and any time Putin is happy makes me sit up and try to find out what I may have missed. And when Trump says anything, I simply don't believe him because he's certified (by his close family members, one of whom has a PhD. in psychology) as a sociopath whose particular pathology is to lie in everything to achieve his personal goals. So Ukraine and the world are facing a KGB murderer and a pathological narcissist and liar.
I am still haunted by the cryptic clip of a few days ago that shows Putin and one of his cronies gleefully stating that we will see in the near future (when "the deal" is finalized?) how they (Ukrainians?) will be at the feet of their "master" (putin?) wagging their tails. Tell me it "ain't" so, Diane.
As I've depicted many times both Trump and Putin are open books.
Morning Diane, I am encourage by your belief in Ukraines sovereignty and I also believe that yes, the EU/NATO should have stepped up to the plate when Russia invaded Ukraine. The Europeans have no one to blame but themselves for their lack of urgency or preparedness. They should immediately release the frozen $300 billion of Russian assets to Ukraine. That would at least enable the Ukrainians to buy the weapons they need and support the civilian infrastructure required for the next 2-3 years. This would also give the Europeans time to rebuild its own civil & military forces to take on Russia.
Also remember, that both Vietnam and Afghanistan (x2) defeated invasive nuclear powers, so no one should expect that Ukraine to be doomed, but they do need the support of outside powers. Remember that only 15,000 Russian soldiers where killed in Afghanistan over a 10 year period. Possibly, nearly 200,000 have been killed so far in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. How long can Russia keep it up or should we say how long can Putin keep it up and survive?
While cold, hard economics in regard to rare earths in Ukraine may play a part in the cease fire negotiations, they really should not be part of the negotiations. In reality these resources do not belong to Zelensky or Trump, they belong to the nation and people of Ukraine. They will be needed for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. The US (weapons) and EU (troops & materials) are more than able to defeat Russia without the proposed access to Ukraines natural resources. Is there a moral issue here?
Where I do disagree with you is that you seem to believe that Trump has all the answers.
I do not understand where all this belief in Trump comes from. I can remember the collective sigh of relief when Trump was defeated in 2020. It was chaos then and there is even more chaos now. Trump has been in office for only 3 weeks and in that time he has threatened to absorb Canada, buy or invade Greenland, invade Panama and take over (buy/invade/develop) Gaza, to say nothing of his threats of and withdrawals of tariffs to all and sundry.
He is incapable of speaking the truth, he has no idea of what an ally is, exaggerates everything and like all bullies, backs down when threatened. I have seen more coherent speeches from a 10 year old than I have seen from Trump.
Musk appears to hold more sway in the White House than Trump, even Musks 4 year old son seems to recognise that Trump is not the real President and given all the dramas happening in the US government now, he could be right.
Trump has destroyed any belief that the US had a role as leader of the free world. No one will trust the US anymore. Perhaps that is not a bad thing and we will learn to stand on our own two feet. Remove access to US bases around the world and see how long they remain a super power. I know it is not a simple as that, but despite what the US has done for Europe and others, the time is past for the US to claim a god given right to rule over lesser nations. US allies have backed the US around the world in the past multiple times, but perhaps it is time to say goodbye.
Biden/Sullivan are the polar opposites of Trump/Hegseth, why is it that the US is unable to find a leader who is neither?
In 1994 the United States, United Kingdom, France and the Russian Federation agreed to and signed the Budapest agreement guaranteeing Ukraines sovereign borders (of course, Crimea was included as part of Ukraine). In return, Ukraine gave up the nuclear arsenal that was imbedded on its territory to Russia for dismantling and disposal. SO NOW, there really is nothing to talk about other than the date Russian troops leave all of Ukraines territory and the amount the Russians must pay in terms of reparations!!! There is nothing complicated here. There is NO
reason to delay the ENFORCEMENT of the present agreement by those involved…. Does anybody see a problem here??
Since Obama got his Nobel Prize, Trump must have one at all costs to others. He could not lose to Obama both on crowd size and Nobel Prize. With the two peace treaties accomplished, no matter how unjust they are, Trump may get that Nobel Prize, I just can only hope not.
Could it be more clear that the US had sacrificed Ukraine for Trump promise to be done in a short time.
Russia is at its weakest point in its history. It can barely manage the battle fields. Its economy is in tatters, but the US had chosen to walk away, leaving Ukraine to the wolf, a deeply wounded wolf.
I have no doubt the EU will step in to fill the vacuum.
Btw, I am not a fan of Obama, the most ineffective and the weakest president of the US, receiving the Dalai Lama three times from the back gate of the White House because he was so afraid of China.
Crimea was taken in 2014 by Russia, under his watch and nothing done.
Canada will join the EU, finished its Trans Mountains pipeline to supply oil to Europe and can be totally independent from the US.
How many times can the US show its ugly face? Hopefully this is the last time.
every analysis and discussion based on only what we SEE, what we get told, what media anyway reports, in time of doubtless complete change of attitudes certainly is as much sleeping at the wheel as Europe rightfully gets accused for.
But other than indicated in comments down here - Europe right because of that DOES have what could be the ONLY rock to hold on in that disastrous torrent downwards, of post truth take over of us the people:
Values.
Even if difficult. It is thereby predictable, stable and reliable.
Yes.
And successful. Even Orbàn's Hungary managed a - mediocre though - economic development and improvement of Hungarian's prosperity - that it would not have achieved in any other way.
So - any further analysis has to get down into what really the strings are that are pulled right now.
Hegseth, Tulsi, Rubio, Kellog are just mouthpieces holding jobs.
So is Trump!
In fact he is a vehicle.
As Vance towards the Ohio-Senate race - he got hooked at the financial strings of Musk/Thiel when he needed money most for his campaign, in fact to end his life outside prison.
And had to install Vance at his side.
For Peter Thiel that is like check mate.
There is now his senile mouth peace in the Oval nobody wants to remove because everybody knows, that the replacement would even be more efficient for Peter Thiel - and thereby the agenda of Curtis Yarvin.
And here everything starts making sense:
This feudal Tech-Oligarchy, it includes the anyway trans-national fossile barons, for them CAN run the world well - with all the other Oligarchs of other places.
Never forget the admissions in their projections.
Musk talked to German AfD-nuts about freedom from the "world elite".
Who heard about that "world elite" before?
Who had any idea, what that could be - would we not know about that Curtis Yarvin thing.
This "world elite" just has to share what they grabbed.
Grabbing more makes it easier - and easier to in the same time spread some crumbs among the population to keep it silent.
That is going on RIGHT now!
With Ukraine as the first and major "plaything" (Amb. Yovanovich) in all that.
What can WE the people do?
Those outside US:
Bank on the EU.
Just put aside all that nonsense-bashing due to environmental rulings, immigration and bureaucracy:
A: None of those that do that bashing understand it, see the complexity. But all fall into intentionally disinformation (just take the pain to scroll through twitter feeds of Orbàn, Alice Weidel and alike).
B: In total effect and value all what gets bashed is absolutely secondary. Mora than 80% of the discussion is caused by less than 20% of the actual effects and costs.
When done with that:
Kick Europe ass!
Europe has been the continent of right such conflicts of "spheres of influences" as now bringing our world to the abyss with Greenland, Canada, Panama, Ukraine, Gaza, Taiwan.
Only a single European country today has such an issue on its agenda: Hungary.
The rest rightfully owed the 2012 Nobel Peace Price.
And can be trusted and banked on, to prevail as that anchor, haven and beacon of rule of law, human rights and human dignity, fight against propaganda, lies and corruption and FOR the planet - that THEN will accelerate the collapse of necessarily expansionist autocracies and allow the step out of that downward torrent back to a civilized world.
Diane,
How do we fight back? Which organization is legitimate to make contributions to?
Musk and Trump are really dismantling our democracy, one institution after another.