There is nothing to talk about in Istanbul except Ukraine's capitulation.
The idea that Russia will pack up and go home without Slavyansk, without Kramatorsk, without every single blade of grass in the Donetsk People's Republic is just fantasy. I also think it is unlikely that these two places will fall this year, without the rate of collapse accelerating a lot. That means the war will roll into its fourth year in January.
Ian mentions sources in Russia familiar with [blah blah], who claim that Putin will cede territory. Who are these sources? They don't exist. They have been invented by the usual western 'journalists' (professional liars). You know the names of the news agencies and the newspapers.
The only territory Putin could conceivably concede is Kherson and Zapo oblasts west of the Dnepr, and only then on Russian military advice that they would be effectively undefendable.
But on the other hand, will Russia concede what parts of Kharkhov oblast under their control? Doubtful. And I don't see them 'negotiating' until they have more of Kharkhov than they do now. They lost brave men at Balakleya. Very difficult to imagine they won't go all the way back there, as they are currently going back to Redkodub, then Liman, then Izium.
A conflict freeze is useless to Russia and they will never go for it. Zapo NPP will be within missile and drone range. Ukraine's military is going to have to be totally dismantled, to the last drone, otherwise they will simply carry on, carrying out terrorist drone strikes on Russian territory.
I fully expect people in the UK to go on funding Ukrainian terrorism, via crypto mechanisms, even though legally they should be arrested and charged with funding terrorism, but the UK agencies will turn a blind eye to it, as they have been doing ever since the start of the SMO. People have openly contravened UK anti-terrorism legislation on Twitter, Facebook, for all to see. I have no doubt at all that some of these funds have been used to commit war crimes. Unfortunately I don't have the necessary legal powers to investigate. A commission is needed.
If you've knowingly sent money to named people in a named unit who are stupid enough to post videos of themselves running around inside Russia, near locations where Russian citizens have been massacred, it wouldn't take a genius (with the right legal powers) to join all the dots up.
But that's never going to happen is it. Not when you've got the Polish foreign minister Sikorski openly celebrating the terrorist destruction of the Nordstream pipeline, one that benefitted Polish and European citizens and industries, and nothing gets done about it.
Three years into the war, and the so-called 'collective' west have the same two choices they had three years ago:
1) Save face
2) Save Ukrainian lives
Sadly – and hopefully to their eternal damnation – they are only interested in the first one.
For the west to actually understand Russia's negotiating position, is to have the west admit to all its lies and provocations against Russia since 1997. Realistically, neither one is going to happen.
Political Theatre the West trying to fool Russia into believing they mean well! Putin knows this is Bollocks-Shoi Ballet Baldric Zelensky has a cunning Plan but only He knows what it is Hoorahhhh.
I am an avid follower of both Glenn and Ian, but here in the ex-Soviet Union, YouTube has been banned already for a long time. There are other equivalents like RuTube and VK Video. As a result, most interviews are unaccessible.
There is nothing to talk about in Istanbul except Ukraine's capitulation.
The idea that Russia will pack up and go home without Slavyansk, without Kramatorsk, without every single blade of grass in the Donetsk People's Republic is just fantasy. I also think it is unlikely that these two places will fall this year, without the rate of collapse accelerating a lot. That means the war will roll into its fourth year in January.
Ian mentions sources in Russia familiar with [blah blah], who claim that Putin will cede territory. Who are these sources? They don't exist. They have been invented by the usual western 'journalists' (professional liars). You know the names of the news agencies and the newspapers.
The only territory Putin could conceivably concede is Kherson and Zapo oblasts west of the Dnepr, and only then on Russian military advice that they would be effectively undefendable.
But on the other hand, will Russia concede what parts of Kharkhov oblast under their control? Doubtful. And I don't see them 'negotiating' until they have more of Kharkhov than they do now. They lost brave men at Balakleya. Very difficult to imagine they won't go all the way back there, as they are currently going back to Redkodub, then Liman, then Izium.
A conflict freeze is useless to Russia and they will never go for it. Zapo NPP will be within missile and drone range. Ukraine's military is going to have to be totally dismantled, to the last drone, otherwise they will simply carry on, carrying out terrorist drone strikes on Russian territory.
I fully expect people in the UK to go on funding Ukrainian terrorism, via crypto mechanisms, even though legally they should be arrested and charged with funding terrorism, but the UK agencies will turn a blind eye to it, as they have been doing ever since the start of the SMO. People have openly contravened UK anti-terrorism legislation on Twitter, Facebook, for all to see. I have no doubt at all that some of these funds have been used to commit war crimes. Unfortunately I don't have the necessary legal powers to investigate. A commission is needed.
If you've knowingly sent money to named people in a named unit who are stupid enough to post videos of themselves running around inside Russia, near locations where Russian citizens have been massacred, it wouldn't take a genius (with the right legal powers) to join all the dots up.
But that's never going to happen is it. Not when you've got the Polish foreign minister Sikorski openly celebrating the terrorist destruction of the Nordstream pipeline, one that benefitted Polish and European citizens and industries, and nothing gets done about it.
Three years into the war, and the so-called 'collective' west have the same two choices they had three years ago:
1) Save face
2) Save Ukrainian lives
Sadly – and hopefully to their eternal damnation – they are only interested in the first one.
For the west to actually understand Russia's negotiating position, is to have the west admit to all its lies and provocations against Russia since 1997. Realistically, neither one is going to happen.
Political Theatre the West trying to fool Russia into believing they mean well! Putin knows this is Bollocks-Shoi Ballet Baldric Zelensky has a cunning Plan but only He knows what it is Hoorahhhh.
West, the psychopathic bully, loosing the battle and the grips of enemies growing stronger.
Even the neighbouring countries can hear the voices in Europe are mixed with painful howls and angry contempt from their enslaved or obedient people.
Stupid Europe; if she can’t kill her enemies she will kill her children.
So this clown from irrelevant country achived absolutely nothing doing his job. Somehow we now want to ask for his opinion.
Should we bother?
I am an avid follower of both Glenn and Ian, but here in the ex-Soviet Union, YouTube has been banned already for a long time. There are other equivalents like RuTube and VK Video. As a result, most interviews are unaccessible.