Churchill supposedly said “Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing after they’ve exhausted all the alternatives.” An apt way to look at Trump’s outreach to Russia & Ukraine? Visiting European leaders are still choosing doltish alternatives
Understanding that No Means No on NATO
Trump has better intel advisers than the clowns who told Biden in mid-2023 “Putin has already lost.” Acknowledging that Putin’s NYET on Ukraine-in-NATO is “written in stone”, Trump says he “understands Russians’ feelings on this “right on their doorstep”
Bob and Ray Talk Russia-US Relations
Bob and Ray (Scheer and McGovern): Their weekly Tuesday discussion came just minutes after an early spring thaw in US-Russia relations took concrete shape at mtg of the two delegations in Saudi Arabia. Implications are HUGE (and not only for Ukraine war).
Cautious Optimism for Russia and US
Graham Fuller & I discuss Six Days That Changed the World, as Russia and US try to recoup a measure of trust – on Ukraine, Palestine, West Asia, as well as in bilateral relations. Obstacles remain formidable, but some hope now warranted. Europe, Grow Up!!
Elites Weep End of War
European elites gobsmacked, meet, and weep. Trump & Putin deal. Russia’s Lavrov says today’s talks in Saudi Arabia with Secretary of State Rubio were “very useful”. Rubio concurs. As for Zelensky, see Garland Nixon’s suggestion re the “Samsonite Option.”
Wider War Threat Removed by Trump and Putin
BREATHE EASIER: PEACE IS AT HAND. Trump and Putin have removed the threatening shadow of wider – even nuclear – war stemming from Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov just termed today’s talks in Saudi Arabia “very useful”; so did the US troika. See:
Rapid Rapprochement with Russia
FAST MOVING US-RUSSIA RAPPROCHEMENT. Feb 12th: Trump-Putin 90-min telecon; 13th: Hegseth: No Ukraine in NATO; 14TH: Vance: Why not fix Democracy in Europe? 15th: Rubio-Lavrov: Repairing the damage done by Obama and Biden and preparing for Russia-US summit.
Wide-Ranging Conversation on Consortium News Live
Scott Ritter, Patrick Lawrence, Joe Lauria, and I in Consortium News Live’s freewheeling exchange on Trump-Russia-Ukraine AND Trump-Russia-Israel-Egypt-Gaza-Saudi Arabia. Discussed Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel, as well. I learned a lot; hope you will too.
Taking on the Germans
UNPRECEDENTED: That’s the word for today’s bitter exchange between VP Vance, after his stunning speech, and German President Steinmeier, who excoriated the new US govt for “showing no respect for established rules, partnership, and trust built over time”.
Can Tulsi Take Down the Undertakers
Tulsi Gabbard confirmed. Can she face down the good ol’ boys who conceive and undertake cockamamie covert action? Can she transfer to the motor pool the malleable analysts posing as Russian experts? Also latest on Trump-Putin on Ukraine; ceasefire in Gaza.