Tag: vladimir putin

Trump – Putin Breakthrough?

The most interesting part of this to me is the breadth of issues discussed. That’s what Putin wants—a broad ranging agreement, maybe literally global in scope. The title line is a bit misleading—both leaders extended mutual invites although, as you’ll see at the end, Putin’s invite was perhaps the more concrete. That’s good, especially if Trump can do this—it changes the Overton window in the US. Or so it seems to me. I think the American people will welcome a Trump visit to Moscow.

Putin Invites Trump To Visit Moscow In ‘Highly Productive’ Call, Ready For Peace

US President Trump and Russian President Putin held a nearly hour-and-a-half call this morning which the US president described as “lengthy and highly productive.”

Trump said on Truth Social that both leaders had extended invitations of “visiting each other’s nations,” while, the US leader said he would be calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “right now” to inform him about the call.

President Trump took to his Truth Social account to explain what was discussed (emphasis ours):

I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects. We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many!

That’s a pretty comprehensive list, although arms control is left off. But notice that #2 is “the Middle East.” Could it be that Trump’s crazy rhetoric has been a ploy to draw Russia into negotiations more quickly that Russia was perhaps inclined to do? Possible, although the blowback in the region could be lasting.

Keep reading

REPORT: Trump’s Peace Plan for Russia and Ukraine Allegedly Leaked – Talks Between Putin and Zelensky – Ceasefire by Easter – No NATO for Kiev

Remember when any talk of peace negotiations was strictly forbidden, and anyone talking about that would be branded a ‘Putin puppet’?

Well, now, hardly a day passes by without some relevant development and statement by the central players about the peace process between the US and Russia that will end the war in Ukraine.

Today, a rather sensational report emerged from the Ukrainian press, alleging to be a ‘leak’ of US President Donald J. Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine.

According to the unverified ‘plans’, Trump will force Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky into a ceasefire with Russia by Easter.

Daily Mail reported:

“The unconfirmed plans, reported by Ukrainian outlet Strana, have been doing the rounds in ‘political and diplomatic circles’ in Ukraine, and will include a ceasefire by April 20 that would freeze Russia’s steady advance, a ban on Ukraine from joining NATO, and a demand for Kyiv to accept Russian sovereignty on annexed land. On top of this, Ukrainian troops will be made to leave Russia’s Kursk region, where it launched a counteroffensive in August, while a contingent of European soldiers, which could include British troops, would be asked to police a demilitarized zone. American troops will not be involved in this contingent.”

Keep reading

Putin declares Zelensky illegitimate, stalls peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his stance that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is “illegitimate” and lacks the authority to sign any peace agreements, according to an interview broadcast on Jan. 28 with state TV channel Rossiya 1. This declaration comes as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to strain international relations and humanitarian conditions on the ground.

Putin’s assertion hinges on a decree issued by Zelensky on Sept. 30, 2022, which banned negotiations with Russia, specifically with Putin himself. This decree was a response to Russia’s illegal annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. Putin argues that because Zelensky’s presidential term officially ended in May 2024, he is no longer a legitimate leader and cannot revoke the ban.

“Negotiations can be held with anyone. But due to Zelensky’s illegitimacy, he has no right to sign anything,” Putin stated. “If Zelensky wants to take part in talks, I will delegate people who will conduct such talks. But the key issue is the ultimate signing of the documents.”

The legitimacy of Zelensky’s presidency under martial law has been a point of contention. Under martial law, which was imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, presidential, parliamentary and local elections are banned. According to Putin, the decree can only be revoked by the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, who should have become the acting president after Zelensky’s term expired.

However, leading constitutional lawyers and legal experts dispute Putin’s claims. They argue that the Ukrainian Constitution allows for the extension of Zelensky’s term under martial law and that his presidency remains legitimate. The constitution states that the president of Ukraine, even under martial law, cannot extend his term, but the representative branch, the Ukrainian parliament, can have its term extended.

“If there is a will, any issue of a legal nature can be resolved. But so far, we haven’t seen such willingness,” Putin said, suggesting that the Ukrainian leadership could find a way out of this situation by having the parliament circumvent the ban.

Keep reading

‘Let Biden Go With Blinken To The Electric Chair’ – Russia Asks US To Probe ‘Biden & His Henchmen’ For Trying To Assassinate Trump, Putin, Orban, Fico & Other World Leaders

Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Wednesday he would like the United States Congress to open an investigation into alleged attempts by the Biden administration to assassinate anti-globalist heads of state.

Volodin was responding to a statement by Tucker Carlson earlier this week where he told fellow journalist Matt Taibbi that former United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and “the Biden administration tried to kill” Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian politician requested the U.S. Congress launch an investigation into the alleged plot to kill Putin as well as reported Biden-led schemes to assassinate President Donald Trump, Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

“All of these around the administration of Biden and his henchmen,” Volodin said, adding, “Let Biden go with Blinken to the electric chair.”

He also suggested President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio should try and get to the bottom of Carlson’s claims.

Keep reading

Putin Declares He Won’t Negotiate With Zelensky As Ukrainian Leader Has Outlawed Peace Talks

In a huge development which significantly raises the stakes for any future potential Trump-backed negotiations related to seeking ceasefire in the Ukraine war, President Vladimir Putin has said that he won’t negotiate with Ukraine so long as President Volodymyr Zelensky is in power, and on the other side of talks.

“If he wants to take part in negotiations, I will select such people, it’s not an issue. The question is about the final signing of the documents,” Putin said in a state broadcast TV interview on Tuesday. He argued that because of canceled elections Zelensky’s legitimacy has expired, and this means he “does not have the right to sign anything.”

Early in the war Zelensky had authorized a decree outlawing peace negotiations with Moscow. This happened in 2022 and there have not been direct engagements since, other than UAE-brokered POW swaps.

It was actually Zelensky who long ago declared that it is Putin who is illegitimate, and that Ukraine won’t enter peace negotiations so long as Putin is in power. It appears the Russian leader is now using the same tactic to turn the table, and create additional leverage at a moment Trump is pushing for talks and a final deal.

“On the question of the final signing of the documents…there cannot be a single mistake or wrinkle. Everything must be polished,” Putin emphasized.

But Putin in the fresh comments did leave an opening. “If there is a desire, any legal question can be resolved. So far, we simply don’t see such a desire” from the Ukrainian side, Putin stressed.

Essentially Putin is saying Zelensky would have to ‘move first’ to cancel that prior law banning talks with Putin’s government. This could by why the Kremlin is slow-playing Trump overtures which are meant to encourage everyone to get to the negotiating table.

Keep reading

Russian President Vladimir Putin: “2020 Election Victory Stolen” From President Trump – Acknowledges Ukraine War Never Would Have Happened Under Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin has broken his silence on the 2020 Presidential Election between President Trump and Joe Biden.  In a recent interview, Putin stated the President Trump had his victory “stolen” from him and that “perhaps the crisis in Ukraine that arose in 2022 wouldn’t have happened” if he had been re-elected.

The Russian leader also called out the previous “United States administration,” presumably Joe Biden, for refusing to “communicate” with Russia, stating that he had “business-like and pragmatic” relationship with the Trump administration before.

In a clip from an interview, Putin stated:

“I’d like to say that Russia never refused to come into contact with the United States administration and it is through no fault of ours that the previous administration refused to communicate.  I always had business-like relations with the previous US President, that were very business-like and pragmatic.  But there was trust as well.

If he had been the President, if the victory wasn’t stolen from him in 2020, maybe the Ukrainian crisis that arose in 2022 would have [appeared]”

Keep reading

WINDS OF PEACE: Kremlin Welcomes Trump’s Readiness To Negotiate With Putin – Russians Have No Preconditions – Both Sides Are Now Preparing the Meeting

While the outgoing Joe Biden administration from hell is still trying to escalate the military conflict in the Ukraine, there’s already a lot of diplomatic work in progress, and a meeting between Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be an upcoming reality – confirmed by both Trump and by the Kremlin.

The Russian Government says it welcomes Trump’s readiness to meet with Putin, a senior Moscow official confirmed yesterday (10).

Associated Press reported:

“Russia attaches no conditions to the possibility of face-to-face talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a conference call.

Trump said Thursday that ‘Putin wants to meet’ and that a meeting is being set up. He indicated that efforts to end the almost three-year war between Russia and Ukraine were behind the overtures for talks. ‘We have to get that war over with’, Trump said when referring to his possible meeting with Putin.”

Keep reading

Sorry, But The Russian ‘Caesar’ Is Not Going To Bring Down Putin

At CDM, we strive for truth in our reporting, no matter where that truth lands, or whose ox it gores.

For instance, we were the first to verify the attempted coup against Russian President Vladimir Putin by Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was indeed a coup; Prigozhin did indeed lead troops against Putin to Moscow. Other ‘Conservative Inc’ personalities came up with wild theories as to why the Wagner movement of forces from Donbass on the Russian capital was an elaborate ruse, to move mercenaries to Belarus.

Anyone with sources on the ground, like CDM has, would have known this not to be true, and farcical.

Prigozhin was murdered shortly after the coup ended, when his plane was shot out of the sky by Russian military elements, verifying the veracity of our analysis.

The legacy media is now pushing a new theory, that a Russian national with the war name – Caesar – is going to bring down the Putin regime, leading a band of Russian national mercenaries, numbering a few thousand at best, against the Russian army to defeat Putin.

In a video posted by ‘The U.S. Sun’, ‘Caesar’ tells of how the ‘man on the street’ in Russia is talking about his efforts and a movement is spreading to create a new Russia, without Putin at the helm.

Once again, anyone with sources on the ground in Ukraine, and Russia, would understand this is ridiculous — no one is talking about ‘Caesar’ on the streets of Russia.

In fact, the situation is just the opposite – Russians believe Putin has outfoxed NATO and the West, and will ultimately be victorious in Russia’s goals for the ‘special military operation’ in East Ukraine.

On another note, anyone with knowledge of Russian history, would know ‘Caesar’ is pronounced ‘Tsar’ in Russian. No one in a Slavic population would use the word ‘Caesar’.

In addition, Russian military members do not speak English, especially those fighting at the grunt level on the ground. If they do speak English, it means they have studied at Moscow universities and have status in society. If they go to Moscow to study and gain status, they would not be a grunt in the army at the front.

Keep reading

Putin Reveals Biden Offered To Postpone Ukraine’s NATO Entry As Compromise 

Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions from journalists Thursday at the conclusion of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting held outside St. Petersburg. The Russian-led EEU economic bloc includes member states Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Among the more interesting moments was when Putin revealed what President Biden previously offered him in order to avert the Ukraine conflict, regarding the question of Kiev’s NATO membership.

The comments came in the context of a question over Trump’s reported peace plan and the idea of freezing the front lines. Putin described that such a plan is nothing new, and added the following per state media translation:

“I know that the current President Biden spoke about this, it’s no secret, back in 2021. He proposed exactly this to me – to delay Ukraine’s admission into NATO by 10-15 years, because [Kiev] is not ready yet,” Putin said, referring to the midsummer meeting he had with the US leader in Switzerland.

Keep reading

Putin’s game is hypersonic: Is that why we can’t see it?

On Nov. 21, Vladimir Putin presented a huge escalation challenge to the West: are you ready for Russia to strike NATO facilities anywhere in Europe with hypersonic munitions that you don’t possess?

Until Monday, Nov. 18, media outlets brimmed with pro-war activists urging Biden and other Western leaders to free Zelensky’s hand to use longer-range weapons deep inside Russia. Since the summer, bombastic British ex-military saber rattlers have been talking up the decisive impact that Storm Shadow missiles — and by implication, US ATACMS — could make on the battlefield in Kursk, with a range of 300 kilometers or around 185 miles.

They got their wish on Nov. 19, when the first salvo of ATACMS was lobbed at a military facility in Bryansk — outside the area in which Ukrainian forces are battling in Kursk. The following day, British Storm Shadow missiles were fired into Kursk, with the jubilant approval of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, no less. These strikes elicited widespread attaboy jingoism from the Western media, with hardly a word of caution.

However, those who call for the use of deeper strikes into Russian territory fundamentally misunderstand Russian strategy.

I have seen at critical points over the past decade that Russia seeks escalation dominance, a Cold War concept holding that a state can best contain conflicts and avoid escalation if it is dominant at each successive rung up the “ladder of escalation,” all the way to the nuclear rung.

Since the onset of the Ukraine crisis in 2014, Russia has sought to dominate each step up the escalation ladder. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 were major escalations that NATO didn’t meet head-on. This strategy is also seen in the diplomatic sphere, for example, Russia escalated a dispute with the U.S. in 2017 when it kicked 755 American diplomatic staff out of Russia. When Moscow over-escalates, it makes a gamble that its adversary will not be willing to step another rung higher on the escalation ladder.

There is a hard-wired view in Moscow, bolstered no doubt by Biden’s incrementalism, that Russia will always overmatch a divided and morally weak Western alliance when push comes to shove. Russia has something that the West does not have — the sovereign power and the political will to act unilaterally. Putin had been subject to criticism from hardliners in Russia that he hasn’t responded to the slow ratcheting up of military support to Ukraine from the West.

As indicated previously, Ukraine receiving permission to use ATACMS deep into Russia would leave Putin with no choice but to respond, having said in September that he would.

So, on Nov. 21, Russia launched a hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a well-fortified Ukrainian weapons facility in Dnipropetrovsk. This is the first time an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile has been used in combat.

Keep reading