The Game of Chicken

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The Trump administration’s opening of direct talks with the Russians setoff panic in Kiev and the capitals of Europe. The reason for that is Project Ukraine was centered on the acceptance that there could be no direct talks with Moscow, until the Russians surrendered their country to the control of the usual suspects. Trump’s call with Putin and then the meeting in Saudi Arabia violated this central assumption. First there was panic and now there is a game of chicken.

The Trump administration has concluded, after assessing the situation inside and outside the issue of Ukraine, that normalizing relations with Russia is in the best interest of the United States. One of the obstacles to that is the war in the Ukraine, so logically they are looking to wrap up the war as quickly as possible. The Russians have agreed to talks with Ukraine but insist on elections in Ukraine first. They point out that by the laws of Ukraine, Zelensky does not have the power to sign a deal.

Russophobes argue that this is a stalling tactic, but they are the ones demanding the unconditional surrender of Russia before any talks can start, so this is the usual projection that is a feature of the post-liberal West. The Russians, having been burned by the Minsk agreements charade, want the next deal to have teeth, so they are insisting that it be signed by the internationally and domestically recognized leader of Ukraine, which means new elections.

The Russians would probably drop this demand if the EU were willing to co-sign whatever deal is struck, but such an offer will never come. The reason is the whole project relies on never having direct talks with the Russians. This is the trap setup in 2023 to keep everyone committed to Project Ukraine. Ukraine passed a law forbidding direct talks with Russia in exchange for unlimited support. Europe signed on in exchange for unlimited support from Washington.

The reason the Biden administration expedited the remaining weapons and money allocated to this project was an effort to prevent the incoming Trump administration from rethinking these arrangements. They would not have time to do that, as Ukraine would immediately need more money and weapons. The assumption was that they would have no choice but to go along with more money and weapons, thus entangling Trump in the Ukraine trap.

The underlying assumption was that Trump would not walk away from Project Ukraine and risk the image of Russian tanks rumbling through Kiev. This is the assumption the Europeans and Zelensky are relying on as they deal with Trump. In fact, Zelensky is so confident of this that he is going out of his way to jerk around the Trump administration on the mineral rights deal. Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer are coming to Washington this week to set Trump straight.

Reportedly, Starmer and Macron will present a plan to Trump that has the UK and France putting troops into Ukraine, while the United States provides air cover from bases in Poland and Romania. In effect, the United States must create a no-fly zone over Ukraine and go to war with Russia if the Russians violate it. The madness of the scheme is so beyond the pale it is hard to accept as real, but the Europeans are operating in an alternative reality from the rest of us.

The Trump people see that the main obstacle to their plans for normalizing relations with Russia is Zelensky. Anyone who has dealt with a deadbeat knows Zelensky and the best way of dealing with this type is to get rid of them. Elections will remove him from the picture. The end of American support will also remove him from the picture, as the only reason for him to exist is as a facilitator of money and arms into Ukraine, mostly the money, which is stolen by Ukrainian officials.

The danger of pulling the plug on Ukraine is that it could be bad public relations, which is where the mineral rights dispute comes into play. The point of this is to make it appear as if Zelensky is unwilling to make a deal for more money and make it look like he is the obstacle to a peace deal. Trump’s team has figured out that Zelensky cannot sign the mineral deal, and he cannot agree to negotiations, so they are pressing on both in order to shift the blame to him.

What is setting up is a game of chicken. On one side we have Zelensky and the Europeans, who are sure Trump will never walk away from Ukraine. It is why they are getting bolder in their demands. They think Trump is bluffing. On the other side we have Team Trump who is sure the Europeans will fall in line, rather than risk a break with Washington, even if it means abandoning Ukraine. Zelensky is sure he has fooled everyone with his latest schemes.

For their part, the Russians are making the prudent bet. It costs them nothing to talk with the Trump administration and there is a good chance it leads to a positive outcome, so they will follow that route to the end. Similarly, the Chinese have made positive noises about the start of talks between Moscow and Washington. Like the Russians, the Chinese welcome the return of normalcy to Washington. China and Russia are open for business and ready to make deals.

It is too soon to know how this ends, but this game of chicken revolves around Zelensky being the ruler of Ukraine, which means the way to avoid a collision is to remove him from the equation. The Russians figured this out two years ago. The Chinese figured it out last year when they had talks with him. Now the Trump administration has arrived at the same conclusion. That leaves the Europeans and the bet in the White House right now is they will choose Washington over Zelensky.

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Comments (Historical)

The comments below were originally posted to thezman.com.

172 Comments

Silver #445325 February 24, 2025 7:40 am 89
At this point the Eurorats should go all in and see how quickly their native population starts building guillotines. What else is left but a complete collapse of EU? I live here and I love my heritage but the cancerous parasites must die before our people can once again begin to innovate, create and find a spiritual calling.
Jack Dobsen #445341 February 24, 2025 9:18 am 46
Many young Englishmen and Frenchmen have stated they will go to prison before they go to Ukraine. It is hard to see how an inevitable miliary draft wouldn’t set off domestic unrest that would quickly spiral out of control. That might even be a good thing for indigenous Europeans.
Xman #445363 February 24, 2025 10:36 am 33
“Many young Englishmen and Frenchmen have stated they will go to prison before they go to Ukraine.” LOL the “young Englishmen and Frenchmen” are all named Mohammed and Abdul…
Jack Dobsen #445375 February 24, 2025 11:00 am 20
France no longer maintains demographic breakdowns, for reasons, but it it is believed most under 18, let alone those who are older, continue to be white. That obviously is the case in Britain as well, although there are hard numbers to back that up. There are now more non-white births in the United States than white ones. No European country is as bad off.If drafts are implemented, the way to bet is Mohammedans would be excluded even though they are not the majorities; again, for reasons. The problem for the warmongers is both the French and British white youth are just about as opposed to being drafted.
Compsci #445383 February 24, 2025 11:29 am 11
“No European country is as bad off.”Not so sure. With respect to Germany, the influx of “refugees” in 2015 was over 1.2M. The overwhelming bulk were males of military age. This I’ve read caused an imbalance of marriage age men to (German) women. Hence a demographic catastrophe was set in the making.I tried to get current figures on births and heritage from ChatGPT, but (not surprisingly) ChatGPT dances around the question—refusing to present current figures on such. My general thinking is that Germany is as screwed—if not worse—than the USA demographically. If Germany still retains a slight edge in military aged “White” recruits, their loss in combat duties will certainly make the predominant minority—Middle Eastern Mohammedans—the new majority.I don’t see any upside. Demographics is destiny.
3g4me #445391 February 24, 2025 11:49 am 9
Compsci: Use Yandex as your search engine, and try different wording for searches. I got results of 87.2% ethnic German in 2018 and 86.3% in 2021. Yes, I’m certain current birth %s are far worse, but there is no European country as far gone demographically as the US. They may have more Mussulmen, and may have lost their more nationalist/martial men, but they are still unquestionably majority White – not in the big cities, but in the nation overall.
Mycale #445400 February 24, 2025 12:00 pm 5
The big issue, and I am going from memory here, is that the people coming to Germany (and England, and France, and other countries) have a lot of children and Germans have almost zero. So while the top line number might be better than the USA, the next-generation is much closer to the USA’s.
3g4me #445424 February 24, 2025 1:18 pm 9
You are correct that the next generation is going to be the issue – for all formerly White nations. The older and dying are Whites. The births everywhere are majority non-White. Yes, I know some sperg will comment that “acshually, Latinos in the US average ‘x’ kids” but overall, each succeeding 10 year cohort is less and less White.
Tired Citizen #445500 February 24, 2025 11:49 pm 0
The elementary school in my neighborhood is probably 95% non-white. There’s even more negros than Whites, but it’s mostly pajeets and mestizos. Let that sink in.
Paintersforms #445425 February 24, 2025 1:19 pm 2
Right. They’re where we were in the 80s. Also, Hispanics vs. Muslims and so-called ‘Asian’ subcontinentals. Play it out. Cultural differences will be a much bigger factor over there.
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Ben the Layabout #445413 February 24, 2025 12:48 pm 4
In fairness, the USA began with a significant handicap of the (now) obsolete farm equipment as well as the various indigenous tribes as well as the substantial Mestizo population from what we annexed from Mexico. Of course percentage of total population has changed over time. I know we were “majority white” as recently as late 1950s but might that include whites that later were reclassified as “Hispanic”? That term has to be the #1 weasel word of demographics. To claim “Hispanic” or “Latino” is a race is as ludicrous as it’d be to claim than a Patwah-speaking Jamaican Negro and a scion of Britain’s Royal family are both “White” because they speak the King’s English (after a fashion). Granted they were a small minority in the New World, but a full-blooded Castilian would be insulted at being lumped in with the Mestizos of the Americas, never mind the Mulattos of the Caribbean.I admit I don’t know European nations’ history in detail, but my impression is that, before the mid-20th century, Europe, at least Western Europe was substantially 100% “White” (ignore sub-categories for the moment, “Nordic”, “Italian”, etc.)
pyrrhus #445415 February 24, 2025 12:54 pm 12
No, before the 1965 Immigration Act opened the doors to massive 3d world immigration, America was more than 80% white….
Ostei Kozelskii #445436 February 24, 2025 1:56 pm 13
Closer to 90%.
Horace #445476 February 24, 2025 5:16 pm 2
1950 census iirc: 90% European, 10% African, to the 1% level. yes, there were some browns including Amerindians, but they did not rise to the 1% level
Steve #445445 February 24, 2025 2:35 pm 4
My late Uncle Gabriel would agree. His family came from a region of northeastern Spain that’s right at the base of the Pyrenees. When I was a kid he would say that they were the original “Blue bloods”. He had fair hair and gray-green eyes, was tall and had fair skin. Yes, his family looked Germanic.
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Mycale #445392 February 24, 2025 11:50 am 22
Yep. You read about the mass migration of Germany in 2015 and it basically wrecked the demographics of the country in one fell swoop. What they did to the USA starting in 1965 and rolling on over decades, they did to Germany in basically one year. Even Canada needed like five years to be destroyed.Of course it’s not just demographics, it wrecked their social safety net, it wrecked the jobs market, it wrecked their pension system, it wrecked their housing market, it destroyed the healthcare market, it wrecked the policing of the country, it led to mass rapes and other sexual crimes, all done with an incredible efficiency.
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3g4me #445428 February 24, 2025 1:24 pm 7
Another issue is the size of the native population. Canada has land mass but a relatively small population. The massive number of immigrants in the last decade, plus their younger average age and higher birth rates, has left native Whites swamped. Same is happening in Italy and Sweden and Germany – almost no native White births.
Jack Dobsen #445438 February 24, 2025 2:02 pm 7
Yes. White TFR in the States remains just slightly below (1.6 vs. 1.75) the overall TFR nationally, so the large existing white population as a percentage, despite the Boomer die-offs, means a plurality for some time. Smaller white populations with far lower TFR’s than the nons in Europe could feel the shock in short order. Again, the US is far worse as things stand overall right now but that disparity with Europe could disappear rather quickly. I hope Europeans see what is unfolding in North America and adjust while they can. Whites very well could be a minority already in the United States and that cannot be reversed and at best can be stabilized. Europe still could arrest it.
Compsci #445456 February 24, 2025 3:51 pm 5
Well, if you consider “race traitors” within the White population, Whites are already a plurality of the population. When you look at a demographic percentage as per the last Census—say 60% White—subtract at least 20% off of that.
3g4me #445482 February 24, 2025 6:08 pm 4
Subtract 2% Jews, 1.5% Muslims/Arabs, another 2% at least for Mestizos and dot Indians who consider themselves White – the official 58.9% ‘non-hispanic White’ is based on self-declaration of race on census reports. So Whites of European Christian heritage are about 55% at most. With Biden’s open borders and non-White births I suspect it’s closer to 50%. If you subtract the “race-traitors” and those simply blind to reality, you’re lucky to have 35% Whites who give a damn for their heritage and their children.
Ostei Kozelskii #445437 February 24, 2025 1:58 pm 11
Sounds very much like a planned extermination.
Jack Dobsen #445442 February 24, 2025 2:08 pm 10
It is genocide. Mass migration was part of it, the Ukraine war was supposed to be part of it.
Jack Dobsen #445433 February 24, 2025 1:37 pm 6
Compsci, Ben: as 3g referenced, as things currently stand the United States still is the worst numerically (it is interesting how difficult it is now to readily access these statistics). Long term whites in the States as currently configured will be a plurality for the indefinite future and in some European nations that is not as assured in the years ahead. It is especially galling what is underway in small nations such as Ireland, in which the natives might not be even a plurality in relatively short order. In the States, the future either will be Brazil or a separation. My money is on the latter. I’m still more bullish on European nations remaining intact as they see what unfolds in North America.
William Quick #445458 February 24, 2025 4:09 pm 3
Dump ChatGP. Use Grok: Grok says: Thus, as of the end of 2024, approximately 15-18% of Germans under the age of 21 are likely non-white, based on migration trends, birth data, and demographic shifts. This is a rough estimate, as precise racial data isn’t available, and “non-white” is a subjective category not officially tracked in Germany. The true figure could vary depending on how one defines “non-white” and the pace of integration and immigration through 2024.
Ben the Layabout #445412 February 24, 2025 12:36 pm -2
I’m too lazy to check sources, but I am doubtful. The White population in most nations has been far, far below replacemnet values and for a long time. I’d bet good money that EU-wide Whites are < 50% of live births in country.
3g4me #445427 February 24, 2025 1:22 pm 3
Officially, in 2023, overall EU births 78% was to two ‘native-born parents.’ What % of those ‘native-born’ are Turks or Moroccans or Nigerians is impossible to find. But with 22% from one or both parents being foreign born, one can guesstimate that at least 33% of all births are non-White. Likely significantly higher.
Jack Dobsen #445435 February 24, 2025 1:45 pm 2
From memory, that pretty well corresponds with the last stats I saw some time back.
Mycale #445440 February 24, 2025 2:07 pm 6
Also IIRC, France doesn’t even keep these statistics by law, and we all know that France is the worst European country on this front by a large margin, I would be surprised if 40% of the births in that country are two actual-French people.This isn’t to say “my country is better than your country”, which is something I’ve noticed a lot of Euros do on sites like X and the chans, but merely to say that we are all on this sinking ship. Many Euros seem to be under this delusion that they are still European countries when the people in charge are working very very hard and very fast to change that.
Jack Dobsen #445444 February 24, 2025 2:22 pm 6
The French stopped keeping these statistics some time back. Interestingly, they did the same in colonial Lebanon when it became likely the Maronite Christians (many of whom probably qualify as white like their Cypriot neighbors) became a minority and different Muslim sects (who uniformly are non-white) became the majority. Different reason, same tact.
c matt #445622 February 25, 2025 3:04 pm 0
Mohammed is the #1 new born boy’s name in Britainistan.
Ben the Layabout #445409 February 24, 2025 12:33 pm 7
EU should offer all so-called “asylum seekers” a choice of: Either a one-way ticket back where they came fromorsome quick military training, here’s a rifle, and send to the front lines in Ukraine. Those who survive might – might – be offered residency in a EU nation (note I didn’t say “citizenship”).
Compsci #445457 February 24, 2025 3:56 pm 5
Careful what you ask for. Training and arming a 5th column within your country? Also note that we—the US—gave up the draft in late stages Vietnam conflict because of the problem with recalcitrant troops who were then being drafted as well as protests back home.
NoName #445468 February 24, 2025 4:57 pm 0
Jack Dobson:Many young Englishmen and Frenchmen have stated they will go to prison before they go to Ukraine. It is hard to see how an inevitable military draft wouldn’t set off domestic unrest that would quickly spiral out of control. That might even be a good thing for indigenous Europeans.I don’t know what things are like in Europe, but in the USA right now, we are rapidly losing the Testicular Fortitude necessary for fighting any war whatsoever; the following are the new GLBTQ+ numbers from Gallup:Silents: 1.8% GLBTQ born 1927-1945 Boomers: 3.0% GLBTQ born 1946-1964 GenX: 5.1% GLBTQ born 1965-1983 Millennials: 14.2% GLBTQ born 1984-2002 GenZ [aka Zoomers]: 23.1% born 2003-2021https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4299867/posts https://www.christianpost.com/news/americans-who-identify-as-lgbt-have-nearly-tripled-in-12-years.html https://x.com/Gallup/status/1892712736758304856GkREHRJWcAAPHFoAt this rate, our species is gonna go extinct within the next Century or two.
Tired Citizen #445499 February 24, 2025 11:46 pm 0
You got that right. And that’s exactly what it’s going to take. Once your people have finally had enough, let the games begin. The same thing is going to be required here.
pyrrhus #445329 February 24, 2025 8:25 am 47
“The Russians would probably drop this demand if the EU were willing to co-sign whatever deal is struck..” No, not a chance…That was Minsk I and II..Russians would trust a rabid dog before they trusted the EU or the Ukraine…It’s Trump only and entirely, and Russia would demand many safeguards, probably with Russian troops embedded…Which is why a deal is very unlikely…which is why the war will end only when Trump pulls all US support for the criminals who run the Ukraine…
Captain Willard #445350 February 24, 2025 9:47 am 32
Yeah, this is a Gordian Knot. From Putin’s point of view, with whom is he signing a deal? Obviously not Zelensky, since his term has expired. With Europe? What’s that? On top of it all, Scholz is done, Starmer will be done soon and Macron has lost 3 elections in a row. Even if he trusted Trump, Putin may fear that Trump/Vance could be done in 4 years and he may have to relitigate (or re-fight) the whole thing again. It’s just a mess. These knuckleheads have created a generational problem in Ukraine. Even breaking up Ukraine along the lines Putin has already suggested is fraught with unforeseeable problems.
pyrrhus #445418 February 24, 2025 12:57 pm 10
What Russia needs to do to avoid future headaches is to take the entire Ukraine, disarm it, get rid of the neo-nazis and put in a rump pro-Russian government with all foreign NGO’s banned, and some Russian forces based there to make sure it stays that way…
Pip McGuigin #445368 February 24, 2025 10:44 am 8
Dealing with Ukraine is like dealing with Californication.
pyrrhus #445420 February 24, 2025 12:59 pm 2
Same solutions are necessary….But it will probably exit the US at some point, since its leaders don’t want to obey US laws…
Filthie #445328 February 24, 2025 8:21 am 41
Somebody needs to look at a map. Those mineral deposits are mostly in areas currently controlled by the Russians. Unless Trump betrays the nation as all his predecessors have, Macron and Starmer are wasting their time. How soon they forget the clown show when Angela Merkel loomed over him, trying to intimidate him as he sat at the negotiating table. I don’t think a couple Euro soy boys will have any better luck, but whadda I know. I also think Zelenskyy is either going to disappear with his stolen millions or have his Ceauşescu moment soon. The world is changing.
Captain Willard #445355 February 24, 2025 9:56 am 24
The people who talk about “valuable mineral deposits” have never spent one day analyzing mineral or oil projects, nor have they ever bought a single share in a mining or oil stock. I have lost money in “valuable mineral/oil deposits” on every continent at this point (except Europe haha). Fertile agricultural land (of which Ukraine has plenty) holds its value though, assuming they don’t take it away from you.
DLS #445360 February 24, 2025 10:33 am 13
The problem is that the “valuable mineral deposits” are not sitting in a vault, like our gold at Ft. Knox (sarcasm). It is very expensive to mine them, which is why they are still in the ground.
The Infant Phenomenon #445373 February 24, 2025 10:58 am 11
And the Rare Earths are *very* costly and “environmentally unfriendly” to process after they have been mined. Even more unfriendly than the dreaded carbon dioxide.
Alzaebo #445452 February 24, 2025 3:42 pm 1
It turns out there might not really be any more than the usual, the “rare earths” were just snake oil, a trick.
BigJimSportCamper #445361 February 24, 2025 10:34 am 7
Value, sure, once they’re cleared of millions of mines.
Compsci #445387 February 24, 2025 11:33 am 0
Not sure about the “mines”. Russia may not abide, but from what I read for many years is that NATO and American stuff has timers to make them inactive after a period of months/years, which is why we’ve never signed any of the UN BS agreements.
Jeffrey Zoar #445394 February 24, 2025 11:54 am 2
I had long been under the impression that it was the Korean DMZ keeping the US from agreeing to any of the anti-mine treaties
Compsci #445453 February 24, 2025 3:43 pm 1
That’s probably correct. Mines deactivating was (IIR) the sop we gave to continue their use.
Cal #445334 February 24, 2025 8:52 am 39
Apparently, soy boy Starmer and his gay sidekick Macron are planning to create their own no-fly zone over Ukraine, with planes based in Poland. Of course, these planes will quickly be shot down, and possibly the bases in Poland will be attacked too, as Russia has previously promised. They hope this will provoke an “Article 5” event, forcing the US to join the war. Yes, they are insane. And no, I don’t think Trump will go along with it.
Vegetius #445358 February 24, 2025 10:29 am 31
France is irrelevant. The UK is worse than irrelevant.What matters is Germany. Right now there is an illegitimate caretaker regime in Berlin. And so what matters in Germany is where the new regime will position itself on the Ukraine question.At the moment, this is unclear. But given the most likely complexion of such a coalition, the range on Ukraine appears to run from no change to cosmetic change, i.e. more drift.But one clue is a bit of timing. The incoming Chancellor, Merz, has said that he expects to have a new coalition — one that will exclude the second most popular party in the country — by Easter. Which falls late this year. This means no effective government in the most important country in Europe for another two months.The German political elite clearly want this thing over sooner rather than later, as it has wrecked much of their economy. But they do not want to be blamed for the inevitable failure of the Ukraine project.My guess is that the Germans will drag out forming a government for as long as possible and hope something changes in the meantime. The government they form will be as useless and unpopular as the current government, but it will buy the globalists a few more years of suzerainty.In times like these, the tribes of Europe, despite their advanced civilization and high opinion of themselves, tend to behave like Africans. Hence GW’s about entangling alliances.
Jack Dobsen #445384 February 24, 2025 11:29 am 3
Sharp, particularly the insight about the long delay in forming a government.
DLS #445362 February 24, 2025 10:35 am 11
A stunt like that would create a nice opening to pull out of NATO. Trump 2.0 might just have the balls.
Jeffrey Zoar #445372 February 24, 2025 10:57 am 15
While I would be overjoyed to see that, I don’t believe the majority of my fellow “countrymen” would. Although they would struggle if asked to articulate what interests of ours are served by remaining a member of the alliance. It’s just what they’ve been conditioned to believe.
DLS #445377 February 24, 2025 11:14 am 7
You’re probably right. And Trump still has enough normie in him to stop short. But he can bluff right to the edge, which will scare the Euro girl bosses into submission.
The Infant Phenomenon #445376 February 24, 2025 11:10 am 6
Trump had better remember that he promised–promised–no wars. The voters were quite clear about that. And the mid-terms are not far off. And his hold on the House is razor-thin. And after shooting him, impeachment and prison for him and his whole family would be a minor thing for a new House, and 30 Senate seats are open in ’26. He would do well to remember all that.
DLS #445380 February 24, 2025 11:23 am 6
You might be right that this is an issue that can be finessed. He can pick his spots for soft power. But on almost every other issue, I prefer balls-to-the-wall beast mode, and let the chips fall. My entire life, the Repubs took the “wait until after the next election” approach on every issue, and lost every time. He has DOJ and will have at least 40 in the senate. If he loses the house, they can impeach him and hold as many House investigations as they want.
Ben the Layabout #445423 February 24, 2025 1:07 pm 6
If I were a Federal official, I would lose no sleep over impeachment, no matter how crooked I was. There have been 22 impeachments and only 8 removals (all judges) in our entire history. Out of how many thousands of officers?
Ostei Kozelskii #445393 February 24, 2025 11:52 am 23
NATO should have been disbanded directly the USSR collapsed. The fact that it not only did not but continued to expand toward defeated Russia gave the lie to the notion that NATO was strictly a defensive entity. Ever since 1991, AINO/NATO has been the belligerent and Russia the prudent state. And unless Trump radically alters the dynamics, that is still the case.
Xman #445414 February 24, 2025 12:53 pm 12
Yes. There’s no question that the U.S./ZOG/GAE/EU are the aggressors. Hell, Team Obama overthrew the “democratically elected” Viktor Yanukovich in 2014. Now they have that champion of “democracy,” Zelenskyy, who canceled elections, LOL.GAE/NATO wanted Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO. Imagine how we’d freak out if the Warsaw Pact were still in existence and the Russians wanted Mexico to join so they could station troops in Tijuana and Juarez.Of course the Western Europeans were the aggressors in WWII, also… remember, France and Britain declared war on Germany after Poland as partitioned — but didn’t declare war against the USSR…
Ben the Layabout #445422 February 24, 2025 1:04 pm 5
Just load up all our nuclear warheads and fly or ship them back Stateside, likewise for any classified gear or for those that can’t be removed for whatever reason, lay a thermite grenade on top of it. Tell the Europeans they can have whatever’s left, and good luck. If they want nukes, maybe ask Britain or France, they might have a few.
steveaz #445470 February 24, 2025 5:01 pm 4
France’s tool in Ottawa just gave 5 billion to Zelensky. The EU wants to replace America’s uncertain funding, and keep the war going. Meanwhile, Americans are still strapped into France’s and England’s defence should Russia strike one of them in retaliation. NATO-EU have roped a millstone around our neck, and are proceeding to toss it overboard!
august #445611 February 25, 2025 2:26 pm 0
>>>The EU wants to… keep the war going. The EU is now realizing that the Ukraine War has been lost; additional funding at this point is just an attempt to end the war with bettercosmesis, since martialgloryis far beyond them, even in theory.
Steve #445446 February 24, 2025 2:40 pm 3
Or in the event that an attack is not forthcoming, a false flag event will be provided for the necessary outrage.
Karl Horst #445342 February 24, 2025 9:19 am 31
It’s been clear from the beginning of this debacle that European leadership is nothing but empty vests. I applaud Trump and Vance and hope they simply ignore the Europeans and just work with Putin.If Putin wants Zelensky out, then get the elections done as quickly as possible regardless of any European complaints that they’re not somehow sitting at the negotiation table. Considering they have absolutely nothing to bring to the table means there’s no reason for them to be there anyway.Like her or not, Angela Merkle was correct decades before that it’s in all of Europe’s best interest to work with and do business with Russia.The European leaders are like the old British bobbies where the joke was they would shout, “Stop! Or I will say ‘stop’ again!”.
Jack Dobsen #445344 February 24, 2025 9:23 am 24
The call for Ukrainian elections also is propaganda gold. Westerners have been told the country is a democracy and probably buy into it.
joey jünger #445349 February 24, 2025 9:43 am 30
Some people hate Trump and will always hate him. Some people hate Putin and will always hate him. It seems to me, though, that everyone outside of the hothouse of propaganda and official narrative hates Zelensky, including the Ukrainians. That hothouse support might mean something if Trump’s team weren’t cutting off funding everywhere, destroying the propagandists’ main force multiplier in this psyop. But as it stands, the Ukraine flag pin wearers shouting “Keef!” are now shouting it into the wind .The main impediment to peace is Zelensky, who is weak, unpopular, and corrupt, and probably a physical coward. But he’s more of a glitch in a program than a large boulder placed on a road. One would think that there would be a creative way for the Trump people to do to Zelensky what was done to the Nordstream pipeline. It would be obvious who did it and why—or maybe not, since, again, lots of people hate Zelensky—but Trump would have plausible deniability when the time came. He could even be golfing when Zelensky—dressed as a woman, a few million in a suitcase, hoping to cross a border incognito—ended up hanging from a lamppost.Of course, engaging in such behavior would be against “our conservative principles,” which is another reason the Trump people should just go ahead and do it. Just seeing the weepy reaction from the Hollywood crowd when the green dwarf got his would make it worth it.
Arthur Metcalf #445379 February 24, 2025 11:15 am 24
Von der Leyden and other EU leaders took the Special Forces train to Kiev this morning to pledge more weapons and support, and to urge Ukraine to continue the war. A big middle finger to Trump and Putin.How does this end? With Trump declaring war on the EU? What’s wrong with these people? It’s like the governor of Maine with the trans thing — there can’t be any other reason for this than money. They’re the only people who want it. And they’re destroying all of us to get it. It’s got to stop. Europe will be gone in a decade and we’ll be left hoping the Russians can save the Louvre and historic vineyards from Muslim maniacs.
ray #445382 February 24, 2025 11:26 am 14
‘How does this end? With Trump declaring war on the EU?’ Be still mine heart! Commandos in Brussels. . . van der Leyen in chains. . . .
Zulu Juliet #445416 February 24, 2025 12:54 pm 14
Von der Leyden and other EU leaders took the Special Forces train to Kiev this morning to pledge more weapons and support, and to urge Ukraine to continue the war. You go Girl! It is to laugh: Without Uncle Sugar these EU leaders have nothing to offer.
Evil Sandmich #445430 February 24, 2025 1:33 pm 6
Trump telling the Euros that he’s making up with Russia and that they’re on their own.
c matt #445621 February 25, 2025 2:52 pm 0
Just treat NATO like our version of the Minsk agreements with EU.
iForgotmyPen #445327 February 24, 2025 8:10 am 24
Will no one rid me of this turbulent dictator?
Rented mule #445333 February 24, 2025 8:39 am 14
I would not bet on zelinski ever being able to ejoy the billions he has stolen, unless his tribe gets him out. Like the way they got epstine out.After some plastic surgery he & jeffery can sit on a beach somewhere & talk shop.
Jack Dobsen #445343 February 24, 2025 9:19 am 16
While the Russians certainly would do it, the far more likely outcome always has been a murder of Zelensky at the direction of Western intelligence or Ukrainian nationalists.
Rented mule #445359 February 24, 2025 10:30 am 16
Either way works as far as repeating history, I like option #2.Cherry on top.String Z & his wife upside down,Mussolini style.Bastard earned it.
Pozymandias #445431 February 24, 2025 1:33 pm 2
Western intel agencies, the Ukie Nazis, and Russia’s FSB could all have a big love-fest. Killing Zelensyyyy is probably the one thing they can agree on.
SamlAdams #445326 February 24, 2025 7:56 am 21
Have to question what Zelensky thinks is the “move”. Normally the local dictator would have departed for Caribbean or Riviera pastures by now, rather than get Diem’d.
Trek #445332 February 24, 2025 8:38 am 16
Since Zelensky is not an ethnic Ukrainian and only learn to speak the language a few years ago I wouldn’t think he would hang around and go down with the ship. But he seems wildly overconfident.
Salmon Jones #445337 February 24, 2025 9:06 am 22
Chutzpah. His kind always doubles down when cornered. They can’t not. It is of them. You can bet on it. It’s like the tide.
Tarl Cabot #445366 February 24, 2025 10:40 am 7
Zelensky may be counting on Congress to save him. We will see what comes out of budget reconciliation, but our legislators, who are probably looking for new kickbacks in the wake of DOGE, might unlikely to leave him high and dry. Trump could impound some of it, but not forever, and Zelensky could probably borrow against its eventual release.
TomA #445354 February 24, 2025 9:55 am 19
An excellent synopsis. Russia’s ultimate goal is a NATO retreat from Eastern Europe and the removal of bases in which a nuclear armed missile can reach Moscow in less than 5 minutes flight time. This is rational, and we would not accept this dilemma if it were DC in the crosshairs. Trump is willing to comply but wants something in return, hence the negotiations. European governments are broke and need a war with Russia in order to mask their impending sovereign debt disaster. The wildcard is this is what will the 3rd World invaders do when the gravy train derails?
mmack #445365 February 24, 2025 10:40 am 16
European governments are broke and need a war with Russia in order to mask their impending sovereign debt disaster. The wildcard is this is what will the 3rd World invaders do when the gravy train derails? I was just thinking perhaps the Europeans want a war to 1) Hide their level of indebtedness and 2) hopefully force the immvaders back to their home countries, or at least take evidence of their “stabby-stabby, ‘splodey-‘sploey, screeech-splat!” tendencies off the front pages, TV and Computer screens.
LineInTheSand #445370 February 24, 2025 10:52 am 6
Tom, any thoughts on Dan Bongino’s appointment as Deputy Director? I recall that you listened to him as a barometer of conservative thought.
TomA #445434 February 24, 2025 1:40 pm 5
Bongino will swing a wrecking ball through the FBI, which is why he was brought in. He will also force into the limelight a lot of the malfeasance previously committed under Comey and Wray. Expect to see huge revelations regarding the Russia Collusion Hoax, the DNC pipe bomb incident, Jan 6th, and other less well known covert OPs run through the FBI. Expect a lot of resignations in order to avoid indictment. All of this is good stuff and should be praised, but never forget that Dan is owned lock, stock, and barrel by the Zionists.
Fast-Turtle #445484 February 24, 2025 6:35 pm 2
Hmm. SO let’s say ONE part of an organization is found to be “criminal.” Isn’t there a precedent that the ENTIRE organization, every man and woman, is thus a “criminal”?
Ben the Layabout #445426 February 24, 2025 1:22 pm 3
The dissolution of NATO is inevitable over any sufficiently long time period (to borrow from Zero Hedge’s slogan), the survival rate is zero. This isn’t being anti-NATO, although that seems to be the popular view here, it’s just an historical observation. The Roman legions that once garrisoned Britannia or Gaul are long gone. Some day so will be NATO’s (well, ok, we left Gaul when politely asked…) The only unanswered and unanswerable questions are precisely when and under what terms we shall leave. Will it be with a whimper or a bang?As I already made the case elsewhere, Europe has or can easily get its own nuclear missiles to point at anyone it wants. America’s legitimate role in that area expired long ago, indeed if we ever had any business being there in the first place.
Fast-Turtle #445486 February 24, 2025 6:37 pm 4
NATO has no viable plan. Finns and Swedes are like children, wanting to be ‘in’ this dying little ‘club.’ Okay, say you are Lithuania. The plan says you get invaded by big bad people. Your valiant 50 man army with one Jeep holds out until the ‘cavalry’ arrives. That is the plan, right? A long column of proud Frenchmen, Brits, and Germans rides in and saves your little country. Right?
Fast-Turtle #445487 February 24, 2025 6:40 pm 1
Everyone watched when a column of proud Frenchmen and Brits rode in to save little Finland. Oh, the humanity! Let’s turn back the clock. It’s 1939 and instead of Lithuania, you are Poland. While waiting for a long line of proud Frenchmen and Brits to ride in and save your country … they did give you a ‘guarantee’, yes? They watch Stalin ride in, get more than the German half. Then become allies of Stalin.
Fast-Turtle #445488 February 24, 2025 6:44 pm 2
When Hitler’s generals ordered the 22nd Panzer Division to move out and relieve the quarter million trapped at Stalingrad … mice had a say in the matter. Just like they do if you store your car over the winter on the side yard. Nukes? What about the mice? When some 250,000 Axis soldiers, mostly Germans disappeared into the POW pens after Stalingrad IIRC a whopping 5,000 or so made it home after the war. Also using recall, it was blamed on typhus. Bad disease.
Arshad Ali #445346 February 24, 2025 9:30 am 18
“The Russians would probably drop this demand if the EU were willing to co-sign whatever deal is struck, but such an offer will never come.”The Europeans co-signing wouldn’t give the agreement teeth either. Look at the Minsk agreements. Sorry to use such blunt language but the European “leaders” are a bunch of faggots whose word or signature means nothing. The Russians have to be knowing this.“Reportedly, Starmer and Macron will present a plan to Trump that has the UK and France putting troops into Ukraine, while the United States provides air cover from bases in Poland and Romania. In effect, the United States must create a no-fly zone over Ukraine and go to war with Russia if the Russians violate it. The madness of the scheme is so beyond the pale it is hard to accept as real, but the Europeans are operating in an alternative reality from the rest of us.”What I hope to happen is that Trump keeps them waiting for a couple of hours outside the Oval Office, then gives them a perfunctory ten minute audience, and then summarily boots their sorry asses out. And they return to Europe with their tails between their legs.“On one side we have Zelensky and the Europeans, who are sure Trump will never walk away from Ukraine. It is why they are getting bolder in their demands. They think Trump is bluffing.”No, he’s not bluffing. They just don’t know who they’re dealing with.“That leaves the Europeans and the bet in the White House right now is they will choose Washington over Zelensky.”It’s no bet. They have nowhere else to go. They are vassal states of the GAE and militarily occupied by the USA. All this Macron talk of an independent European military and “strategic autonomy” is so much bullshit. The Europeans don’t have the muscle and balls for this kind of endeavor. Trump will deal with these gauleiters like the no-account scum they are and tell them what’s what. There is no alternative for faggots like Starmer and Macron.
mmack #445367 February 24, 2025 10:44 am 12
Reportedly, Starmer and Macron will present a plan to Trump that has the UK and France putting troops into Ukraine I keep coming back to “What troops from where?” Then I think “Maybe they think Trump will commit US troops to pick up the burden.” As they used to say back in the day “WWW dot NOTGONNAHAPPEN dot COM”
Jack Dobsen #445388 February 24, 2025 11:37 am 6
That quite possibly is the plan–a DMZ-type tripwire where their soldiers get slaughtered and it pulls in the United States. I’m not so certain France and Britain are domestically stable enough to withstand the blowback from such folly, and the United States more than likely would not intervene unless the Russians rolled into France and Britain faced the prospect of invasion. It’s a very stupid strategy based on wishful thinking, which is keeping with the whole shitshow. As an aside, NATO is more a concept than reality now and that will not change.
Arshad Ali #445407 February 24, 2025 12:26 pm 11
“That quite possibly is the plan–a DMZ-type tripwire where their soldiers get slaughtered and it pulls in the United States.” Trump won’t go for this bait. He will just say, “Look, it was your half-assed idea to send your troops there. They got killed. Now you sort it out. Not my problem. This is assuming they send any troops there in the first place. Which I doubt. It’s just more hot air.
Mike #445432 February 24, 2025 1:35 pm 6
Macron made the pilgrimage to DC this morning. Rather than Trump greeting him at the WH entrance, he had to some in alone. That was a pretty big snub right there and it’s likely that he will slink out alone with no changes in policy. That no-fly zone is a non-starter no matter what.
Fast-Turtle #445489 February 24, 2025 6:48 pm 1
Macron sure married a real looker there. How real?
Tars Tarkas #445474 February 24, 2025 5:14 pm 3
but the European “leaders” are a bunch of faggots whose word or signature means nothing. Their signatures have got to mean more than America’s signature. America’s signature is not worth the paper it’s not even printed on. Putin doesn’t even know who the heck is in charge here. Is Trump’s name worth anything? He won’t even be here in 4 years. Perhaps the EU’s signature is worthless (I don’t know), but how much more worthless are theirs than ours?
Puszczyk #445485 February 24, 2025 6:35 pm 0
For Europe to liberate itself from the American Empire would require to renounce the imperial ideology of post-liberalism/post-modernism. Given the origin of post-WW2 Europe this would amount to de-facto patricide and complete uprooting of the reigning order (EU included). This is not so much an issue of “balls” (later on that), but the organic inability to divorce themselves from the very order that they owe everything. Only Renegades seek to upend the established order as they see no desirable prospects for themselves in thestatus quo.This not to mention the fact that the (real) Politics would re-enter Europe in its brutal glory, completely destabilizing the Continent.Vance’s speechwas a bit reminiscent of lateGorbachev’svisit to DDR (1989) in an attempt to persuadeHoneckerto reform the system as the contemporary arrangement became impossible to uphold. Honecker’s failure to adapt to the new reality led to a short phase of Egon Krenz who was really just a liquidator of East Germany (as its fate was eventually decided between the USSR and Western bloc countries). The feelers sent towards parties likeAfDmight be an attempt to search for potential liquidators as a part of the wider restructuring of the Outer Empire (NATO+bilateral alliances).Ukraineis the most raw template: the country is practically a fiction and needs to be set up again to make the new possible.The current Euro elite is clinging to “the good old days” agreements, likely lulled by the Biden administration’s cynical appearance of “partner ” relations (in truth both sides have been participating in this charade as it was mutually beneficial).Trumpbehaves more like new Mafia Don who, after overthrowing the old, feeble geezer, announced a New Order in Town, starting with the disciplining of the spoiled underbosses and caporegimes (and what a better way than to exact a tribute).Vance‘s role in this undertaking appears to that of a consigliere, a “nice” face of the Boss who tries to gently ease the underlings into the new reality. Smarter capos likeOrbanhave been keeping their options open which gives them more choices at their level now. Old cretins and toadies are either left with puffing their flabby chests or breaking down in tears like that former aide ofMerkel. I guess that’s where the “balls” stuff comes in.Zelensky is more of a soldier whose happy antics became more trouble than they’re worth. At a right time his bodyguards can be persuaded to call in sick.
Fast-Turtle #445490 February 24, 2025 6:49 pm 1
“Look at the Minsk agreements…” Yup, the fugly ex Stasi nudist harridan Merkel said they never planned to honor that one. Great way to cement Putin’s opinion that The West thinks it’s still treating with Sitting Bull…
ray #445352 February 24, 2025 9:49 am 16
Ukraine is too far away to maintain logistics, except at ruinous cost. Obviously known years ago. Not practical to support war there. Not winnable nor sustainable. So the reasons for extended engagement are not military. The whole world knew ground troops in Afghanistan was madness, futile, but it went forward anyway. So for the U.S., this was about money, not conquest. Bankster wars.
Jack Dobsen #445340 February 24, 2025 9:16 am 16
I have far more questions than commentary. As Trek asked below, exactly why is it that Zelensky cannot sell the mineral rights? Laws do not seem to matter to him. Is it a previous public commitment or one made in private to a Western corporation such as Blackrock or to European and American officeholders? I actually LOVE Trump’s mineral acquisition proposal because it drops all pretense of Muh Principles and cuts to the heart of what drives everything in the modern world, money. The prominent folks banging on most about Muh Democracy (vs. the retarded NPC chorus) are the greediest and most corrupt bastards.How could France or England increase their military manpower without a draft? Wouldn’t that set off domestic upheaval? Would the United States deploy its Color Revolution tactics against both nations to make sure it happens now that it is “our” USAID?Has there been any suggestion made that Russians occupy eastern Ukraine and Europeans occupy the west such as happened elsewhere during the Cold War? Would Ukrainian nationalists accept such an occupation by anyone? Have Ukrainian nationalists agreed even to European occupation of the west?Everything coming from European leaders is incoherent and/or insane. It certainly has modified my previous perception of the Ukraine war as a purely cynical American neocon project. My only concern is for both white Americans and indigenous Europeans, and it seems a break in military ties between leaders of those blocs is the best possible outcome for both groups. While many nationalists were saddened by Germany’s election results, they reveal the younger people, particularly men, there are ready to leave past arrangements behind them.
Lavrov #445357 February 24, 2025 10:19 am 12
It is For the same reason as you cannot sell Brooklyn bridge. You do not own it. The access to rare earths is contingent on US troops taking over Donbas from the “weak” russkies.
Pip McGuigin #445371 February 24, 2025 10:55 am 5
OK… How about this possibility? Trump makes a deal with Putin for the minerals and then tells Europe and Ukraine to corrupt each other to death?
Jeffrey Zoar #445439 February 24, 2025 2:05 pm 5
In fact there was a guy who successfully sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice.
c matt #445616 February 25, 2025 2:42 pm 0
You can sell it – whether the buyer receives anything is a different issue. Which should make it difficult to find a buyer. Don’t know why Zel doesn’t just go with the deal. When he loses the war, it would be no skin off his nose. If by some miracle it works, he’s no worse off either.
Tars Tarkas #445381 February 24, 2025 11:23 am 15
“They point out that by the laws of Ukraine, Zelensky does not have the power to sign a deal.” Rules for Radicals. Always make your opponents live up to their professed beliefs. All the kvetching about Putin being a dictator and how we are the good democrats defending “our democracy” while allowing Zelensky to cancel elections is hypocrisy at its worst.
Arthur Metcalf #445385 February 24, 2025 11:30 am 7
No, by that they mean that Zelensky has already signed legislation making it illegal to negotiate with Russia. It’s unlikely he will tear up that decree in order to make it legal for him to do so, after he signed a previous document saying it was illegal for him to do so. That would compound the retardation beyond limits previously thought unthinkable according to human logic and reason. Basically, Zelensky and that law have to go before they can negotiate with Russia — that’s what it means.
The Infant Phenomenon #445389 February 24, 2025 11:39 am 16
“That would compound the retardation beyond limits previously thought unthinkable according to human logic and reason.” You seem to have forgotten who these people are.
Ostei Kozelskii #445404 February 24, 2025 12:05 pm 6
Funny how democracy so often leads to hypocrisy.
Pozymandias #445443 February 24, 2025 2:08 pm 2
And to outcomes that directly defy the “will of the people”. In the case of Ukraine it’s also another case of “we had to destroy the village in order to save it”
ProZNoV #445330 February 24, 2025 8:31 am 15
It’s obvious the Euros are running the oldest play in the “democratic” book: unite your increasingly restless populace by presenting an outside enemy. In this case Russia, but soon, the US.According to Grok (I know, I know) the US sells/supplies somewhere between 55-63% of all European armaments. It’s been increasing steadily since the mid 2010s.The US is THE arms merchant for NATO. These countries will take years to retool their arms factories.I’d be shocked if the US couldn’t “brick” the high tech stuff immediately as well via software back doors.The US holds all the cards when it comes to Western Europe. They’re our proverbial bitches.(Not mentioned: we also control LNG imports to Germany)
Mow Noname #445351 February 24, 2025 9:49 am 14
Great essay, as usual. One nit, however, in spelling “Kiev”. According the current AP style guide, it is spelled “Keeeeeeve”.
Ostei Kozelskii #445401 February 24, 2025 12:04 pm 15
Just as yet another blade in a Gillette razor gives you a noticeably closer shave, and still one more type of cheese on a DiGiorno pizza makes it so much tastier, every addtional “e” in Kiev augments the writer’s virtue.
august #445619 February 25, 2025 2:49 pm 0
Noticeably closer perhaps, but probably not notably closer. YMMV!
RealityRules #445338 February 24, 2025 9:07 am 13
Perhaps Zelensky can go on a tour of the capitals of the world playing the piano with his dick dressed like he is ready for a night out on the Castro district underground.
tashtego #445369 February 24, 2025 10:46 am 12
If there ever was even a kernel of truth to the ideological motivation for NATO as deterrent to the aggression from the totalitarian Soviets as opposed to just naked expansionism, that motivation can no longer exist. The European rulers are openly anti-democratic and hostile to their own populations. They enthusiastically embrace many of the hallmark characteristics of the kind of ideology and political organization that the US was previously ready to nuke the entire world to prevent from ascending to power globally. Up to a month ago our own rulers were aligned with these authoritarian malefactors who assume the power to control even the very thoughts of the populations they rule over.Of course the materialistic motivations for preserving NATO are independent of these truths but judged from a moral perspective, which we have all agreed are the primary lens through which people make judgements about how to behave and what to aspire to, withdrawing participation from a military pact that pledges support for the kind of evil totalitarian rulers it was formed to deter is both morally justifiable and logically consistent.Rather than unilaterally walking away abruptly it would be preferable to use whatever powers of persuasion available to the premier power of the alliance to effect positive change in the subordinate members and is worth the attempt but I hope the administration is dead serious in its rhetoric and intents and is not playing chicken at all.
Alzaebo #445481 February 24, 2025 5:57 pm 4
I asked, “why not Cuba?” and surmised that the Cold War was a kind of stable balance of powers. I was utterly, completely wrong.The function of the Cold War and Intelligence- that is, the State Department’s CIA and its various cohorts- wasnot to fight Communism, but to enable its spread.That’s why our “intelligence gathering” never predicted or prevented anything. The goal of the the covert was to sabotage pro-Western regimes from within…even their own countries.Through inaction, seeming mishaps, or disguised as incompetency, or disarray amongst would-be allies, withdrawal of support, or outright hostility…Ignoring or fumbling Cuba. Assassinating Diem and his brother. Overturning Nixon’s victory in Vietnam. Blocking support of the French and British in the Suez. Keeping the French dangling in Indochina until they were too depleted to win. Pulling Degaulle into the Algerian Independence trap (I was wrong about that too). Abandoning Chiang KaiShek and the nationalists in China.Making sure the Contras went bad, very very bad, putting Honduran butchers into Guatemalan villages. Feeding off of Columbia’s cocaine trade, pulling Panama and Salvador into its orbit, then moving its banks into Mexico City. Withdrawing support for the Rhodesian government, then outright propaganda pieces labeling them as apartheid nazis. What was done to the Nazis and Fascists themselves.Supporting communist gangs in WWII Europe as the Resistance. Supporting scumbags from Communist-supplied Africans, to drug/trafficking gangs, to Albanian KLA, to forcibly unemployed Sons of Iraq AND Shia insurgents, to Kurdish PKK, Baluchi MEK, to Afghan jihadis as “freedom fighters.”Cointel, Wizner’s Wurlitzer, MLK, Elijah Muhummed, the Kool-Aid Acid Trip and Laurel Canyon in America.Europe, and the UK Commonwealth- Canada, Australia, Caribbean- today.All of these and countless more…to weaken the nationalists and wealthy classes who would defend their own countries.Ostensibly, to weaken not just our would-be allies,but also our near-peer competitors.Cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.Rather than a united Western front, the West was reduced to rationing, playing with New Deal socialism and Labor governments, losing her hard-won colonial gains piece by piece and then, to “rescue” the precious GDP, sold outright not to a steeply discounted Russia, no, sold out to a totalitarian Communist China.WW1 broke the West’s age of Empires in four years. WW2 came along and enshrined federal socialism as the new managerialist order. A generation later Laurel Canyon, Civil Rights, Stonewall, abortion and the Pill pointed the way towards a moral ummah, which is what communism is: a secular Islam, a totalitarian religious-political culture that transcends borders (they just took the God parts out to make it easier to evangelize with, more relatable and relevant to a secular political age.)It behooves us to note the mercantile creators of the CIA, the adepts who usurped the nomadic State Department: the adherents of Mammon, who knows no bounds, who overthrows all ancestral gods that it alone might be the standard of worship. Monarchies and the nation-states they represent may not stand before its communal equality. Money, like the Colt revolver, makes all men equal.
tashtego #445548 February 25, 2025 10:57 am 1
I believe there is a lot of truth to that but I do think there was significant internal tension with traditionalists (allied with former enthusiastic Soviet ex-pat aliens) throughout and up until the purges during the Barack Hussein admin. One further observation in support of general idea you express is the abrupt reversal of Democrat party sympathy for Russia once it was no longer a soviet dystopia. Only then did Democrats start wrapping themselves in the flag and begin expressing faux patriotism and mock outrage with respect to Russian political realities which was startling for its outrageous hypocrisy, coming from the very same people that advocated appeasement and accommodation with the communist totalitarian state.
Zulu Juliet #445410 February 24, 2025 12:34 pm 7
It seems a rather lopsided game of chicken; The U.S. has no long-term interest in Ukriane [now that the Biden’s don’t need it to launder money anymore]. If the U.S. walks away there might be a lot of screaming from the usual hysterics, but there is no material downside.Even the Euros could walk away, and very little of real significance will happen. Ukraine won’t be any worse off than it is now, except they won’t have the “excitement” of war.Zelinsky and the Euro stooges who run France, Britain and Germany are the only ones playing chicken, because they don’t have any other play left that doesn’t end with “lights out” for themselves.
c matt #445612 February 25, 2025 2:34 pm 0
Even if they scream, real people are beyond caring anymore.
Jeffrey Zoar #445364 February 24, 2025 10:39 am 7
What does the “new” oligarchy that’s backing Trump want re: Ukraine? If the public face of this oligarchy, Elon, can be considered representative of them, then they want out, Ukraine and the EU be damned. Maybe especially if Ukraine and the EU are damned, as a feature and not a bug. (whether or not Elon really speaks for them, another discussion). Thus I conclude that little to no concessions to Zelensky or the Eurocrats will be made. Whether and how this is to be sold to Civnat G. Normiecon, conditioned to see Russia and Putin as the current incarnation of evil, and the Euros as our indispensable allies who love us, appears to be the larger problem. Like it or not, a majority of the AINO public seems to approve of “fighting” in Ukraine indefinitely as long as its Ukrainians who are dying and not Americans. And they would probably approve of a few Americans dying there too.It struck me how, once the election season heated up last year, the war in Ukraine disappeared. Until the last week or 2 when Trump’s people started making public overtures to the Russians, it was hard to tell that the war in Ukraine had existed for a good six months. There had been virtually no news whatsoever.
Pozymandias #445447 February 24, 2025 2:41 pm 2
Civnat G.Normiecon believes whatever the TV tells him to. What needs to happen is that Conservative Inc and Fox News needs to start “discovering” that Zelenskyyyy is a crook and a dictator – “I’m shocked, shocked! to discover that corruption is going on here!”. I occasionally listen to local neocon talk radio blowhard Lars Larson in my car. I’ll be listening especially to see if he starts putting this kind of stuff in his Boomertard listeners’ heads.Civnat G.Normielib believes whatever the hosts of “the View” tell her to. All that’s needed there is some pussy-grab stories about Zelenskyyyy misbehaving with some NGO xirls.
Hokkoda #445451 February 24, 2025 3:34 pm 6
If Starmer and Macron pitch that ludicrous idea, Trump no longer has to play chicken. He can simply walk out and call an end to US support for Ukraine on the grounds that the only “peace” plan suggested by Europe is a de facto declaration of war on Russia through a no fly zone.The American people sniffed this trick out almost 2 years ago. Everyone knows a NFZ means Americans and Russians engaged in aerial combat over Europe. The NFZ is, in itself, a bluff.I somewhere saw an interview with Eric Ciaramella. He’s the fake Ukraine whistleblower from the impeachment hoax. In the interview he says that the mineral rights idea was meant as a way to lure Trump into caring about Ukraine. The problem? As soon as those idiots brought it up, Trump aggressively demanded HALF! ROFL! That man is a mad genius. Half!!! There’s no chance of that happening.Trump can quickly end this charade and the Europeans seem prepared to hand him the easy button. Except they have no idea it’s the easy button.The war in Ukraine is over. Only the residual shooting remains. Zelensky reported keeps having fits of rage. The only deal left that the US might offer him is a free plane ride out of Ukraine. But that corrupt ahole doesn’t seem to have any trouble flying around the globe while his people suffer.
Fast-Turtle #445459 February 24, 2025 4:32 pm 7
“The war in Ukraine is over.”The ‘war’ in Ukraine was always over. There never was a shred of a plan, no path to ‘victory’. The vast using-up of obsolete war materials … the waterfall of money ‘sent there’ that got as much there as Haiti money got past the greedy mitts of Hugh Rodham and his leering rictus war criminal sister.Russian internal lines of communication. Cheap energy cut off from Eurotrash could never be cut off from the source: Russian Federation. This thing the shysters call “money” … and wielded via sanctions never, ever was going to have more value than raw materials.Gutted manufacturing capabilities in The West. No new soldier being born, and former enthusiastic huwhytes warned off.Some evil people got more of the lucre of this world. Many masculine men died. There is no threat to scare anyone with. No ammo. No weapons. No people.The Nudelman woman, the fat rat that looks like an engorged tick in his uniform Vindemann. High level statesmen that pledge allegiance to other countries and religions before the nation they purport to serve. Finally a war criminal that plays piano with his sexual organ on television.Yeah, ‘over.’
Ostei Kozelskii #445479 February 24, 2025 5:23 pm 3
Why not a free helicoper tour of the Black Sea? I understand it’s lovely this time off year…
Fast-Turtle #445483 February 24, 2025 6:20 pm 1
“Dat Omar wuz alwaze a peece of chit.” My favorite movie helicopter scene.
Ketchup-stained Griller #445503 February 25, 2025 8:52 am 1
What about Ride of the Valkyries?
Moran ya Sis ba #445429 February 24, 2025 1:32 pm 6
The Russia haters in Europe and elsewhere are dangerously detached from reality. Russia might have taken the bait in the 1990s. But that is both literally and figuratively a different century. And the Russians are not going to fold now. Trump’s election is America admitting globo insanity is not working and abandoning it. The European minions and princelings who have gotten rich selling out their heritage, are still in denial. And that is dangerous, especially for Europe
Dutchboy #445398 February 24, 2025 11:58 am 6
There will be no peace until Trump tells the Ukes and the Euros that the jig is up and there will be no more largesse from the USA (and does it!). It is the only thing keeping this war going.
Tarl Cabot #445374 February 24, 2025 11:00 am 6
At this point, i’m more interested in what Putin thinks the endgame is. Hard to believe he will accept any deal that includes NATO peacekeepers or even bilateral security guarantees, let alone a no fly zone. Even a minerals deal, however sketchy, looks like a trap. They might just force him to take the whole thing, and turn Ukraine into Belarus.
Xman #445339 February 24, 2025 9:08 am 6
“The Trump people see that the main obstacle to their plans for normalizing relations with Russia is Zelensky. Anyone who has dealt with a deadbeat knows Zelensky and the best way of dealing with this type is to get rid of them.” Maybe the little Jewish comedian will have to go back to playing piano with his dick for a living instead of grifting off the U.S. taxpayer… oy vey: Volodymyr Zelenskyy 2016 Playing Piano with Penis – YouTube
Ketchup-stained Griller #445356 February 24, 2025 10:08 am 11
I’m not clicking. It’s breakfast time here.
Ostei Kozelskii #445402 February 24, 2025 12:05 pm 5
You’re a wise man. Never click the links. NEVER click the links.
Xman #445419 February 24, 2025 12:57 pm 7
Well, it just goes to show that the guy is and always has been literally a carnival act. Funny how the same leftists who contemptuously derided Donald Trump as a “reality TV star” regard an actual Jewish-Ukrainian clown as some kind of latter-day Solon…
The Greek #445448 February 24, 2025 2:47 pm 4
I’m not so sure why people on our side are so confident that Zelenskyy will lose an election? They quote opinion polls as if they matter. It doesn’t matter who votes in the election, but who counts the votes. Are people on our side so confident that Zelenskyy is above election fraud? What matters is whether he can strong arm enough people internally into getting the right result.
Ostei Kozelskii #445473 February 24, 2025 5:12 pm 2
Presumably, any elections would be strictly monitored by people Trump trusts. That would have to be part of the deal.
Hun #445347 February 24, 2025 9:35 am 4
The Russians, having been burned by the Minsk agreements charade, want the next deal to have teeth, so they are insisting that it besigned by the internationally and domestically recognized leader of Ukraine, which means new elections. Is this even possible when Crimea and the new republics are not recognized as parts of Russia, yet, they are not going to participate in the elections?
Gespenst #445454 February 24, 2025 3:44 pm 3
Completely off any topic here, but I wish Zman would go full Orthodox Metropolitan with that beard. He could do it if he wanted to.
Alzaebo #445450 February 24, 2025 3:27 pm 3
Comments re Margaret Brennan’s interrogation of Steve Witkoff on Face the Nation:(As the President’s Emmisary, Witkoff met with Putin for 3 1/2 hours. He didn’t have his Vindmann, err, his political officer from Intelligence, with him; it was just him, the translator, and Putin. Brennan was aghast.) Query: why do people still watch the MSM?“Because…we enjoy watching the beatings.” “The gaming of the shrew…” “She reminds me of a little Chihuahua who attacks your ankles for just being in the same room.”
Ben the Layabout #445408 February 24, 2025 12:27 pm 2
Zelenskiyyyyy must have an extraordinarily competent security detail, or he would have been “removed from the equation” long ago.
The Greek #445455 February 24, 2025 3:48 pm 2
There have been substantial rumors that his personal security is actually headed by French special forces. This would explain not only their competence, but also a reluctance of internal enemies and Russia to unnecessarily bring the French into the conflict.
Trek #445331 February 24, 2025 8:36 am 2
This analysis makes sense. But why can’t Zelensky sign over minerals or agree to negotiations? Is it because the Ukrainians won’t let him do it?
Jack Dobsen #445335 February 24, 2025 8:54 am 5
My question, too. I assume it is legalistic. The reality probably has something to do with a corporation like Blackrock or public officials. promised the spoils in exchange for greasing the right palms.
Salmon Jones #445336 February 24, 2025 9:05 am 7
Most of the minerals aren’t in places he has any control over.
Marko #445345 February 24, 2025 9:27 am 10
I imagine that however maniacal our European and NATO “allies” are, native Ukes and their GAE running dogs have twice the mania. They really do believe that Russia is their greatest enemy, not the hordes from the global south, nor the sexual and racial ideologies from the GAE. Also he got mere gibs from the USA, but with Europe he has guarantees to repay.
Hemid #445441 February 24, 2025 2:07 pm 1
Europe seems to have no politics, and the post-Soviet states even less. The people—especially the ones who write English where we can see it—embrace their role as masses to be destroyed, weapons to be aimed at each other. The conservative myth of the Bloc’s hard-earned political wisdom, and the /ourguy/ idea of a based Orthodox East, are total bullshit. They’re just like us (with prettier girls).
thezman #445348 February 24, 2025 9:38 am 12
There are are three potential reasons for why he cannot sell the rights. One is he lacks the power to do it. These are surely owned by powerful people in Ukraine. The other is that he has secretly pledged them to Europe. The other is they do not exist. The good stuff is now under the feet of Russian soldiers and the rest may not be what they claim.My hunch is it is a combination of the first two. The Europeans took advantage of the Biden people, who were only concerned about war with Russia. These deals were made with powerful players inside Ukraine, not Zelensky.
Ben the Layabout #445417 February 24, 2025 12:57 pm 2
A fourth — oops no, I see it’s Z’s third — reason is that any “Rights” granted, to property ownership, etc. would be pretty close to fantasy in that part of the world. That would seem to hold true even for pre-war Russia and doubly so for Ukraine. These nations rank near the top of the list each year on indices of corruption, and that was true well before 2022.
Trump-hell Boldly Go #445378 February 24, 2025 11:14 am 2
Haven’t the rare earth mineral rights already been previously sold to Britain?
Hun #445403 February 24, 2025 12:05 pm 1
I would love to see Trump go to Britain and threaten Starmer (or whichever clown is “in charge” when that happens) to hand over the mineral rights or face sanctions.
Ostei Kozelskii #445405 February 24, 2025 12:09 pm 9
I’ll just want to celebrate if Rare Earth goes to Russia…
Hun #445406 February 24, 2025 12:16 pm 1
Isn’t most of Ukrainian lithium around Pokrovsk and already taken by Russia?
Ketchup-stained Griller #445411 February 24, 2025 12:35 pm 4
Just put your faith in the people.
BigJimSportCamper #445467 February 24, 2025 4:52 pm 1
But the people let me down..
Ben the Layabout #445421 February 24, 2025 12:59 pm 4
They had their hand on a dollar bill and the dollar bill blew away.
Danny #445477 February 24, 2025 5:17 pm 0
Excellent
ZFan #445449 February 24, 2025 3:24 pm 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVPLPFoJL0 that’s for you Ostei!
Ketchup-stained Griller #445469 February 24, 2025 5:00 pm 1
It’s a great old rock tune. It’s on my playlist of the 146 greatest songs of all time!
Ostei Kozelskii #445475 February 24, 2025 5:14 pm 1
Should I click on the link? Could it be a trick link with Zelenskyyyy playing a Strat with his li’l schlong? Aw hell, caution to the wind, why not?
Ostei Kozelskii #445478 February 24, 2025 5:19 pm 3
One of the very greatest funk-rockers. Nobody’s capable of making music like that these days. Nobody.
steveaz #445480 February 24, 2025 5:26 pm 1
In America, when one buys real property like land or cars, its important to verify all the title holders (including heirs, agents and “assigns”) so that all the seelers are properly listed as the “Grantors” on the deed of sale. Second, it is imperative that the property being transferred is properly described on the deed. Vague “rights” to resources require a description of the area’s geographical metes and bounds. Anyone interested in acquiring The Ukraine’s metallurgic resources must be aware that neither of these requirements can be fullfilled. To use an American auto trader’s vernacular, the title’s too dirty.
Jeffrey Zoar #445496 February 24, 2025 7:57 pm 0
That may be, but even so, if there are exploitable minerals there, someone is going to control them.
The Game of Chicken American Freedom News #445399 February 24, 2025 11:59 am 0
[…]https://thezman.com/wordpress/?p=33646[…]
TempoNick #445353 February 24, 2025 9:52 am 0
Re: Paul Ramsey The commercials I got stuck with were unbearably long and there was no option to skip through. It was something about people stealing the signal from your credit card. I clicked out of it. I’ll have to try again.
Arthur Metcalf #445386 February 24, 2025 11:33 am 2
His advertisers know his audience!
TempoNick #445390 February 24, 2025 11:46 am 1
^^^ Turns out it was a glitch, but I installed the rumble app so that I could multitask on my tablet and the rumble app doesn’t seem to like Android 15 at all.
Silver #445460 February 24, 2025 4:34 pm -3
Earn extra cash every week from the comfort of your home! This flexible part-time opportunity is perfect for anyone looking to make 300-1300 Dollars weekly. Start now and receive your first payment in just a few days. Don’t miss out—join today. Tap on Finance Economy OR Investing.Here’s what I do…………WORKPROFIT1.COM
Quartermaster #445497 February 24, 2025 9:52 pm -6
“Russophobes”This is a term similar to “racist.” It is meant to end any sort of reasonable conversation on the subject. Those telling the truth about Putin and Russia are not Russophobes. They are simply honest men.Trump, however, is extremely gullible when it comes to the Russians, and Putin is playing him like a cheap violin. Putin started the war and Trump has simply spewed the same lies Putin has been spewing about Ukraine. Geopolitical specialists are very nervous and for very good reasons. There has not been such negotiating incompetence since the Obama maladministration.If Trump keeps acting as stupid as he has been, there will be serious effects for Europe adn the US. The US is going to be taken off the world scene and left in poverty.
houska #445498 February 24, 2025 11:28 pm 4
Go away you bother me with your bs.
thezman #445502 February 25, 2025 7:39 am 4
Yes, you are stunning and brave for repeating what you saw on the television


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