None of this will fly with Putin. From Andrew Korybko at korybko.substack.com:
Trump appears to be pushing his luck with Putin, who’s open to compromises, not concessions, let alone significant security ones. If this approach doesn’t change, then a serious escalation is expected.
Western security guarantees for Ukraine are one of the main issues delaying a political resolution to the conflict. Russia launched its special operation (SMO) primarily in response to NATO-emanating threats from Ukraine. It would therefore be a significant concession for Russia to agree to some level of those threats, perhaps even in some more intense forms than pre-SMO, remaining after the conflict ends. As it turns out, however, that’s precisely what Trump envisages per his own statements and recent reports:
* 18 August: “Ukraine offers Trump $100bn weapons deal to win security guarantees”
* 23 August: “Pentagon Has Quietly Blocked Ukraine’s Long-Range Missile Strikes on Russia”
* 25 August: “Trump says US has stopped bankrolling Ukraine”
* 25 August: “US won’t play key role in Ukraine’s security guarantees – Trump”
* 26 August: “US offers air and intelligence support to postwar force in Ukraine”
The corresponding takeaways are that: 1) Ukraine wants Trump to continue his new policy of indirectly arming it via new arms sales to NATO; 2) although Ukraine is no longer allowed by the US to strike universally recognized Russian territory, 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition air-launched missiles were just approved per the aforesaid policy; 3) such deals represent his new approach to the conflict; 4) he’s reluctant to get any more deeply involved; but 5) the US could still aid EU forces in Ukraine.
Reading the Thinker’s update and the Coke Plant/Slag Heap were important where villages are not?
China supplies the fiber optic cables, that’s what allies are for.
Look at all those mini cauldrons brewing!
US security of F-35 NO go showboats in the air?
Fake it till you make it doesn’t work in WAR.