Trump was supposed to force Putin into a ceasefire.
Trump was supposed to impose new sanctions if Putin refused.
Trump now says he doesn't know what's happening, the negotiations 'are up to them'.

Ukrainian negotiating team said Russia threatened to take one other region if Ukraine did not leave the remainder of the 4 occupied oblasts.

Russia says 'no we didn't, we said we would take another 8 regions'. Just to be clear.


Zelensky panic call to Trump but doesn't seem to have got any relief.

There will be no ceasefire before negotiations.

Still no announcement of new sanctions by the US well after the Monday deadline passes.

No announcement of any new aid package by Trump as the $60 Billion Biden package from last year finally runs out.

Increasing talk of a major US drawdown of military forces in Europe.

The coalition of the retarded are suddenly now very worried the US might not continue to back Ukraine and know they themselves can't replace US aid.

Seems Trump might be thinking of actually pulling the plug on project Ukraine after all?


Next up is a phone call between Trump and Putin on Monday morning (US time). Trump will also talk to Zelensky and the EU/UK leaders. Not sure if it's a conference call (Christ could you imagine it) or individual calls.

Trump himself is running out of time, he chose poorly and has painted himself into a corner. A lot of people are going to be very angry no matter which way he jumps.

Trump realised early on that Zelensky had no leverage over Putin but did not see until now that neither did he. The neocons were bullshiting all along about Russian weakness.

Russia have got a whole steamroller thing going on and nothing short of a nuclear WW3 is going to stop it.

All of Russia is on board, the govt, the people, the armed forces, industrial capacity, all working towards the same goals.

Compare that to the west. Reminder that for all their talk of strength not one new factory was built to increase capacity. The govts are divided, the people say no, their armed forces say 'in the state we're in you must be joking'.


Meanwhile,

Macron adamant “Ukraine/Russian negotiations won't resume where the 2022 talks left off.”

News for you then Macron because there's no chance Russia will offer such good terms again.

This clown, having just imposed the 17th round of EU sanctions, is threatening Russia with … you guessed it, MORE SANCTIONS.

The level of stupidity, self delusion and blatant disregard of reality is off the scale.

We are watching the 'weak men create hard times' meme in action.

Macron then goes on to talk about the 'pro-Russian far-right' candidate in the Romanian elections and the threat that poises to Moldova.

The threat to the biggest ever NATO military base that's currently being built in Romania more like.





Breaking: Trump Putin Zelensky Phone Calls this Monday /Lt Col Daniel Davis




Russia retaliation against EUROCLEAR. France-Italy entente

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
1 hour ·
The estimated total combat losses of the
enemy from 24.02.22 to 19.05.25
personnel ‒ about/
about 974770 (+1040) persons,
tanks ‒ 10833 (+1) units,
armored combat vehicles ‒ 22562 (+5) units,
artillery systems
– 28009 (+29) units,
MLRS – 1387 (+0) units,
anti-aircraft systems ‒ 1167 (+0) units,
aircraft – 372 (+0) units,
helicopters – 336 (+0) units,
UAV operational-tactical level – 36503 (+118),
cruise missiles – 3197 (+0),
warships – 28 (+0) units,
submarines – 1 (+0) units,
vehicles and fuel tanks – 48988 (+88) units,
special equipment – ​​3892 (+0)

More leaks from the Istanbul meeting confirm that the Ukrainians were taken aback at the force of the Russian demands and hence Zelensky's panic call to Trump.

The meeting broke up after just 2 hours the only thing being agreed was a prisoner exchange.

The Russians happily told the Ukrainians they were prepared to continue the war for 2 or 5 or 10 more years, however much was needed to reach all their goals in full.

The Russian's most recent position still stands, Ukraine must leave all 4 oblasts in full before any ceasefire would be considered.

It was noted was that the Kellogg plan (both sides pull back 15km) was not even tabled by the Ukrainians.

Also noted there was no date or plan proposed for any follow up meeting.

So no ceasefire agreement and the threat of more sanctions laughed off.

Trump's new plan is to call Putin on Monday but now has nothing to threaten him with and is instead expected to try to set up a summit meeting with Putin and presumably try to use his overpowering personality to win Putin over and get a ceasefire agreement.

The whole point of the ceasefire is to enable NATO troops a way into Ukraine as 'peacekeepers' which they hope would prevent Russia from going back on the attack after the end of the 30 days, = long-term frozen conflict, and allow European NATO some years to build up forces for another try later on.


The EU/UK are in a panic (along with Zelensky) at the prospect of a meeting between Trump and Putin, they need the 2 to keep warring, at least until a frozen conflict set up. As is they're not ready to handle this mess on their own.

According to the original plan devised in Obama's time, the US was always going to pivot away from the Russia war to a China war leaving the EU/UK to finish up the hostilities in Europe.

That's why the US first demanded EU/UK spend 2.5% of GDP on defence and raised it to 5% when they lagged behind.

The long game of course was always about saving the western hegemony.

BTW some pro-Russian commentators are reporting that Putin will not be interested in any new talks now until after October because their summer offensive is just getting underway.


--------

New NYT article says Russian troops are wary but want more of Ukraine (would seem a contradiction), Trump says Putin has 'had enough' but wants to continue the conflict (same contradiction).

But as the NYT has already reported Russia has maintained a sizeable force in the rear that has allowed for regular rotations of troops on the frontlines and so resting some while giving experience to newer recruits.

Russia also has a sizeable number who have served out their contracts and been released from the army but who could be recalled if needed again.

Meanwhile, on the Ukrainian side, talk of mobilisations seem to have dried up all together. It certainly doesn't mean their army is at full strength. Ukrainian brigade commanders often complain their numbers are only at 40%.

More likely means they have simply run out of large pools to recruit from.


Not even threatening WW3 will give the US leverage. The US needs to get real. You can't just wish up what you don't have just because you really, really need it.




Western stores are empty so some more old junk for Ukrainians to die in.




US Ditching Ukraine “Peace Talks,” Predictable Continuity of Agenda Follows




Russia advances. Media ignores military reality

Ogee wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 7:24 pm
Western stores are empty so some more old junk for Ukrainians to die in.

Haha Australia sending over dud tanks. At least they got something

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
2 hours ·
The estimated total combat losses of the
enemy from 24.02.22 to 20.05.25
personnel ‒ about 975800 (+1030) persons,
tanks ‒ 10834 (+1) units,
armored combat vehicles ‒ 22567 (+5) units,
artillery systems ‒ 28067 (+58) units,
MLRS ‒ 1388 (+1) units,
anti-aircraft systems ‒ 1167 (+0) units,
aircraft ‒ 372 (+0) units,
helicopters / helicopters – 336 (+0) units,
UAV operational-tactical level – 36621 (+118),
cruise missiles – 3197 (+0),
warships / boats – 28 (+0) units,
submarines - 1 (+0) units,
vehicles and fuel tanks – 49093 (+105) units,
special equipment – ​​3894 (+2)

Reminder there's a reason there's such an urgent need for a ceasefire right now, and that's the realisation Russia is ready to mount a major offensive.

Despite Trump trying to make a big deal of that phone call, nothing really has changed.

Putin said during the call he'll consider a ceasefire after certain discussions and agreements which is what he's always been saying.

Those agreements need to be the resolving of the 'root causes' which Zelensky can't agree to and nor can the EU/UK, so no change there then.

Listening to Trump and Vance it's clear they're miles away from reality. Vance said Putin doesn't know how to get out of the war. Wrong, the Russian army is doing just fine demilitarising and denazifying Ukraine while creating a huge buffer zone between western Europe and Russia.

Vance also said the Russian economy is now mainly based on military production. Wrong, the economy is thriving because of all the new Russian firms taking the place of all the western businesses that left.

Rubio says the US can't keep wasting their time mediating but the US are actually participants not mediators, they're supplying all the bombs and bullets to one of the sides while trying to talk the other side into not attacking.

But that pretend mediator role is coming to an end as their stores of bombs and bullets are depleted and besides, they really want to pivot towards China.

So the US want to walk away but can't do it without it looking like they're running away and leaving Ukraine and the EU/UK in the lurch, which they will be. But what choice do they have – try more sanctions - again?

The role of pretend mediator was never going to back fill for long and now there's nothing left for the US to do here. Ukraine has run out of men, the west's military stores are gone and throwing money won't stop the Russian army.

And from the start there was nothing much the EU/UK could contribute and they'll be left naked and embarrassed once the US goes, and so they'll be making for the door themselves.

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will be a washout and Ukraine will be left on it's own.

Interestingly there is talk now that Russia really only wants the 4 oblasts it already occupies to be Russian as the people there voted to join Russia but will be looking for another 4 oblasts to act as a buffer zone.

Putin will also want to deprive what's left of a NATO Ukraine a port on the Black sea so will likely be looking to take the south coast and Odessa as well.

But Russia is certainly not interested in having anything to do with west Ukraine.

ChuChu Rocket wrote:

Haha Australia sending over dud tanks. At least they got something

Yeah, the general consensus seems to be that the Australian tanks gifted to Ukraine are a death trap.

The Russians are using refurbished T-72s but they have new guns, gun sights and armour. Without new guns and sights the Abrams tanks will will be taken out before they even see the enemy.

And if used as stand-off artillery without new armour drones with one shot will kill everyone inside. With modern armour one shot is only disabling a tank or APC allowing the crew to get out.

The real problem is that the west simply don't have anything better to give and that's very telling and very ominous for the Ukraine army.





Mark Sleboda On Trump's Putin Call: A Major Reality Check Looms

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
2 hours ·
The estimated total combat losses of the enemy from
24.02.22 to 21.05.25 were approximately /
The estimated total combat losses of the
enemy from 24.02.22 to 21.05.25
personnel ‒ about 976780 (+980) persons,
tanks ‒ 10835 (+1) units,
armored combat vehicles ‒ 22569 (+2) units,
artillery systems ‒ 28090 (+23) units,
MLRS ‒ 1388 (+0) units,
anti-aircraft systems ‒ 1167 (+0) units,
aircraft ‒ 372 (+0) units,
helicopters helicopters – 336 (+0) units,
UAV operational-tactical level – 36692 (+71),
cruise missiles – 3197 (+0),
warships – 28 (+0) units,
submarines – 1 (+0) units,
vehicles and fuel tanks – 49169 (+76) units,
special equipment – ​​3895 (+1)