OPINION: Trump’s Efforts to Brown Nose Putin Continue

The US has switched sides.

Ukraine has already figured that out.

Zelensky pushed back on Trump’s ceasefire plan, expressing reservations about enforceability, and gets sanctioned for it through withdrawal of US military and intelligence support.

Putin pushed back on Trump ceasefire plan, expressing reservations about enforceability, and gets praised by Trump for his response.

It’s clear that in negotiations Trump bullies the one he perceives as the weaker party, and panders to the one he perceives as the strong/bully.

Mike Waltz now appears on TV and pre-announces that Ukraine gets no NATO membership and it has to give territory away.

Seems self-evident that the US under Trump has switched sides.

Trump is set on a reset in relations with Putin and Russia and he is prepared to sacrifice Ukraine to achieve that.

Trump is not prepared to sanction Putin – he is scared of him.

Ukraine will be presented with a terrible, pro-Russian deal, and Trump will bully Zelensky to accept that.

Zelensky won’t be able to accept that as it will mean the end of Ukrainian sovereignty so, after playing for time, Ukraine will eventually walk away.

I think what we are seeing in Kursk, et al, is Ukraine preparing the way for a withdrawal of US support and consolidating its position for the long war with Russia.

Trump will maximize pressure on Europe both to also pull support from Ukraine but also to lift sanctions on Russia. Neither are in Europe’s interest so let’s see how long both Ukraine and Europe can hold out.

Other Topics of Interest

Iran Rebuilds Missile Arsenal During US Truce, Stockpiling Fresh Russian Munitions

Iran has restored approximately 75% of its pre-war missile and drone stockpiles during its recent truce with the US. Despite massive US and Israeli air campaigns designed to permanently cripple Tehran’s offensive capacity, Tehran preserved its core hardware inside deep underground bunkers. Since the April 8 ceasefire took effect, Iran has cleared rubble from blocked bunker entrances, regrouped its forces, and likely replenished its stockpiles with newly manufactured Russian missiles, severely complicating any US calculations to resume full-scale military operations.

Reprinted from the author’s tashecon blog See the original here.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.