Putin’s demands keep getting more outrageous … and Trump is looking weaker
Russian madman Vladimir Putin must believe he has President Trump in a corner. Having utterly failed to take over all of Ukraine, he is demanding terms for a “temporary” ceasefire that would essentially be a total victory for Putin.
Even as Trump speaks optimistically about an eventual peace agreement, the pint-sized Putin is kicking sand in the face of the allegedly most powerful man in the world. Russia — with a GDP ($2.1 trillion) slightly smaller than New York State ($2.15 trillion) and half the size of California ($4.1 trillion) and a military that is better suited for a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta –is currently playing David to the United States’ Goliath.
Putin apparently believes that Trump is so desperate to broker a peace agreement — and is so unhappy with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – that he will agree to anything. He will give Putin everything he wants now – and set the Russian dictator up for a future invasion to take over the rest of Ukraine. Sadly, Putin could be right. The man who brags about his negotiating skills – with some justification — is having his clock cleaned in this one.
So … what is Putin demanding for a dubious “temporary” pause in his plan to take over all of Ukraine?
First of all, he wants all the land his military currently occupies – and even some that is in contention. On April 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected Trump’s proposals, saying that Moscow would accept nothing less than “total victory”.
He added that Russia had no plans to enter into negotiations until it was preliminarily agreed that Ukraine would permanently cede 20 percent of its land to the Russian Federation – including the Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. The inclusion of Kherson and Zaporizhia were new demands – not included in Putin’s 2021 demands. Russia rejected even minor concessions, such as returning a small portion of Kharkiv to Ukraine as proposed by the United States.
In addition, Russia demands the West – and especially the United States – lift all sanctions and lawsuits … cancel all arrest warrants … return all frozen assets. (Lavrov did not mention it, but I bet they also want the World Court’s war crimes indictment against Putin dropped)
While they want assurances that neither the United States nor NATO nations will enter into security agreements with Ukraine … provide military assistance … or have bases in Ukraine. Lavrov said, “We will also insist on obtaining solid security guarantees for the Russian Federation”.
Putin is demanding that Ukraine amend its constitution to remove language that addresses the nation joining NATO. Other land concessions to the Russian Federation would also require amending the Constitution and possibly a plebiscite.
Nowhere in the negotiations has Putin addressed the issue of the more than 20,000 Ukrainian children he has kidnapped and sent to Russification camps and into military training. Although it is not among Putin’s demands, he has strongly hinted for a regime change in Kyiv.
There can be no mistaking Putin’s intentions. He wants a full victory in this, his third phase of military conquest of Ukraine. And he has no interest in a serious, permanent peace agreement. Rather, he wants a pause as he plans and builds up for a future invasion. And he has every right to expect as much since neither the United States nor NATO did a damn thing to stop his two previous incursions into Ukraine.
So far, Trump’s reactions to Putin have been threats. No action. But what about the natural resource agreement between Ukraine and the United States?
Some have characterized it as a form of a security agreement for Ukraine. They argue that with a vested interest in Ukraine resources, the United States would not allow another effort by Putin to take over all of Ukraine.
Putin might assume that, since the United States and NATO are unwilling to protect their profound current security and commercial interests now, why would they do so in the future?
Should Trump and the world democracies allow Putin to prevail in this phase of his empirical plan, it would be a diplomatic and foreign affairs disaster that would make Biden’s surrender and bungled exit from Afghanistan appear as a minor diplomatic faux pas by comparison.
So, there ‘tis.
So, there ’tis.
America’s faith in Trump is misplaced. We can’t be assured our President knows what he is doing on any of the various fronts where we, the people, are under attack. A majority of those fronts we are under attack from Trump himself. America First is an isolationist look inward toward domestic issues thinking America is going to wall itself off from the rest of the world.
Trumps’ idea of solutions for problems outside America’s boarders are no solutions at all. For Trump 2.0 heads come on to fast, to furious, to rushed, to much at once. He has been running headlong and uncontrolled in sensitive areas that are critical to insuring national security.
He appears to want all government payed employees who are loyal to him first. All others need not apply. That no legal or correct workforce management. But, that is probably how it’s done in autocracies.
Trump and Musk operating DOGE has turned out to be both ironic and pathetic. Neither of them has background experience dealing with QC and efficiency control. Slap/Dash/Slash/Hack has been found inefficient and often uncalled for when done in both private and public companies across industries.
Trump’s 100 days happened to be making Project 2025 and it’s 900 pages leap off the theoretical page directly into operation. What could go wrong there?
Extrapolate from Project 2025 based Executive Orders in the 100’s and then concentrate on Putin’s hard line demands that hand him a victory (win)
Trump’s word is not reliable. He repeatedly contends that he is the most Common Sense President in history about his policies. “The most” is a set up for a lie. “Common Sense” does not apply. Trump will not concede to be common in any way, shape, or form. His history out in public speaking is sufficient evidence of his lacking sense of people time, and place.
Given who Trump is and what he has been allowed to be, as president, does not imply that Putin will put up with Trump’s character shenanigans. Getting a deal done with Putin is high stakes and unlike golf. International diplomacy rules don’t give mulligans and cheating will not be tolerated. Period.
In Putin’s case with Ukraine Trump’s preferred tactic would be the stalling strategy. He has found “the stall” works to his advantage. There is no practical transferable understanding between litigation and negotiation
Trump likes to think he is an eloquent orator who succeeds when he goes on stage unprepared and can wing it untethered on personality alone.
You are accurate in your assessment, because it’s no secret. Putin is one tough contender. His bullying skills are legendary, Trump’s NYC style bullying is no match for Putin.
This Ukraine situation compares to America investing in the stock market and accepting high risk level stocks.. The first rule in investing your own money is do not invest more than you are willing to lose.
Our investment in Ukrainian military support has been massively generous if not all in.
Are we willing to lose it all and Ukraine is worse off afterwards.
Beating Putin and Russia to save Ukraine. That’s the deal Trump must close.
If the Republicans measure Trump with the same stick they used on Biden, how would Trump come out.
Should Trump do a “presidential debate” with Biden at this moment considering Trump current state of mind and observing Biden attending the Pope’s funeral and moving easily among the crowd there and comfortably conversing with national leaders.
Trump would stand there saying “I don’t know”, we have good lawyer counsel”. WHAT! Not good optics Donny, old man. What! As in what were you thinking, Trump, when publishing that picture of you dressed in Pope’s robes and topper? Disrespectful of the Pope for sure. But you have disrespected many times over the Office of President. How is it 100’s of millions in USD were spent so you could buy the Presidency’ and after winning and being installed in that office, then you proceed to trash its power, misappropriate its authority, and squander its good name everyday and everywhere around the world.
Just for Trump the constitution should be changed to replace the term of the president to align with representatives serving in the House of Representatives (2 years) except the President is allowed one term only.
When Trump’s 2 years are up, then the President’s term will revert back to pre-Trump wording.
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Would you like to measure trump’s stick?
Amazing to me Larry how you can speak (and apparently understand) the ignorance that is characteristic of Donald trump with regard to his idol Vladimir Putin, and then bloviate about what a wonderful job Donnie is doing in all other areas? The administration is a daily shit show, orchestrated by our demented commander in chief Antagonize Allie’s? Check. Deport people without due process? Check. Render people to a gulag in a foreign country from which they are unlikely to emerge? Check. Institute extreme tariffs to be paid for by the poor and middle class? Check. Allow his largest donor to run ruffshod through the government without understanding what they do? Check. Eliminate government agencies that provide aid to foreign nations and enhance our reputation around the world? Check. The bottom line is that this regime has been a complete failure and you are too ignorant to see clearly…