RUNNING UPDATES ON THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE - 25.05.2024
RUNNING UPDATES ON THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE - 25.05.2024
Including geopolitical issues affecting the balance of power in the ongoing end game war to establish our common future, a closely monitored prison planet or tolerance for diverse modes of governance.
THE ROAD TO THE ULTIMATE CONCLUSION OF WORLD WAR III RUNS THROUGH HERE.
Please note: We will be in Indonesia for the next three weeks.
Updates will be sporadic and perhaps absent during much of this time.
Our apologies for this alteration to your daily updates.
*** HOW FAR WILL WEST PUSH RUSSIA BEFORE PUTIN SNAPS? ***
“Ukraine. What is the truth...?
Why won’t western media tell both sides…?”
VIRTUALLY UNREPORTED ATROCITY IN LUGANSK, 2nd JUNE 2014
A lot has been said about atrocities in the western media claimed to have been perpetrated by the Russians, for example at Bucha and Mariupol among others. These assertions are conveyed on the say so of the Ukrainian authorities. How willing though are western news broadcasters to convey atrocities attributed to the Ukrainians? The following will I think provide the answer.
If anyone wonders if they are receiving accurate coverage of the conflict in Ukraine I would suggest watching the video below of an event which occurred on the 2nd of June 2014 and ask themselves if they recall hearing about it on any mainstream media news channel at the time.
The video is harrowing to watch. The bodies (five women and three men) are real. Yet across western media there was only one single news report that occurred a day later. This was from CNN and occurred only because a CNN team happened to be nearby at the time of the atrocity and so the network could hardly ignore it as all others so obviously did.
The video below shows the unvarnished truth that was not considered newsworthy in western mainstream news.
THE SINGLE WESTERN MSM REPORT ON THE LUGANSK ATROCITY, 3rd JUNE 2014
The video at the CNN link below is the crime scene sanitised by CNN, though played straight with honest reporting on the scene not playing things to Kiev’s tune.
(There was a time early in the war in the Donbass when CNN were not afraid to contradict the Ukrainian regime in Kiev.) Watch, because it's the first and last time you will see this.
5 women and 3 men died, all civilians.
Air attack on pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk kills 8, stuns residents.
COLLECTIVE WEST-UKRAINE <-> RUSSIA
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‘Zelensky Used To Be President…’: Putin Stings Ukrainian Leader After His Term Expires | Watch:
Zelensky’s legitimacy has expired – Putin.
Russia believes there is now a question mark over who legally can represent Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has said.
Russia must be absolutely sure it’s dealing with the legitimate Ukrainian authorities before it can engage in meaningful and legally binding talks to conclude the conflict between the two nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. He noted that Vladimir Zelensky’s term in office has expired.
The president made the remarks in Minsk on Friday during a joint press conference with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. Putin was asked for comment on Zelensky’s presidential term running out earlier this month and the impact of this development on potential talks.
Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness to engage in talks with Ukraine to end the hostilities, stating that negotiations must be based on “common sense” and acknowledge “realties on the ground,” while using the preliminary agreement reached in the early days of the conflict as the foundation.
“But with whom to negotiate? That’s a peculiar question, I agree. We realize that the legitimacy of the incumbent head of the [Ukrainian] state has expired,” the Russian leader stated.
READ MORE: Biden to shun Zelensky ‘peace conference’ – Bloomberg
The upcoming “peace summit,” scheduled to take place in Switzerland next month and actively promoted by Kiev is designed, among other things, to prop up Zelensky in his role, Putin said.
“I think one of the goals of this conference for the Western community, the sponsors of today’s Kiev regime is to confirm the legitimacy of the current – albeit no longer valid – head of state,” he suggested, adding that “such PR moves are meaningless for legal documents.”
READ MORE: Only ‘enemies of Ukraine’ dispute Zelensky’s legitimacy – top MP
It’s up to Ukraine’s legal system, its “parliament, constitutional court and some other governing bodies” to determine whether Zelensky is now a legitimate leader or not, according to Putin. As for Russia, in order to engage in any meaningful talks with Kiev, it must be absolutely sure it’s dealing with the country’s legitimate authorities, the president stressed.
Zelensky’s term expired on Monday, while no elections were held under the pretext of the martial law introduced by Kiev early in the conflict with Russia. The Ukrainian Constitution explicitly prohibits holding parliamentary elections under such circumstances, yet does not mention presidential elections. However, while setting the length of the presidential term, it also specifies that power is transferred the moment a new president is sworn in.
Zelensky’s legitimacy has expired – Putin.
THE GRAYZONE LIVE: Yes, but they're our bastards.
MARK SLEBODA: All Roads Lead to Kiev: Ukraine's Terror Tactics, Russia Turns Up the Heat.
Presidents Putin and Lukashenko hold press conference in Minsk.
GEORGE GALLOWAY MP: If the Red Army had not stopped Hitler then no Jew would be left alive in Europe.
BORZZIKMAN: Ukrainian Soldier Defected To Russian Army In A Stolen TANK┃KIEV Is Preparing For A Massive Retreat.
Jose Vega CONFRONTS Corporate Dem To Stop War.
NATO ‘preparing for war’ with Russia – Orban.
Hungary is reassessing its role within the bloc as it has no wish to take part in a conflict against Moscow, the PM has said.
Hungary is reevaluating its role in NATO, as it has no intention of taking part in actions that could involve member states in the Ukraine conflict and lead to a direct clash with Russia, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.
Speaking on local Kossuth Radio, Orban stated that his country has already been relegated to the role of a non-participant within the US-led military bloc due to its stance on Ukraine, and Budapest is now working on legal ways to retain its membership but reserve the right to abstain from joining NATO operations it disagrees with.
“Hungary’s position must be redefined, our lawyers and officials are working on ways to allow Hungary to continue to exist as a NATO member without participating in NATO activities outside the bloc’s territory. We need to create a new approach, a new definition for our position as a pro-peace force within NATO,” Orban said.
According to the prime minister, there are “alarming similarities” between the emotionally charged media publications and statements by Western politicians regarding the Ukraine conflict and the atmosphere preceding the First and Second World Wars.
READ MORE: Blinken lobbying for strikes on Russia – NYT
“What is happening today in Brussels and Washington… looks like warming up for a possible direct military conflict. We can safely call it the preparation of Europe’s entry into the war,” Orban said, adding that there are working groups within NATO that are assessing the best ways for the bloc to further boost its participation in the conflict.
He warned that the end result of these actions could be a direct conflict between the EU, NATO, and Russia – a “grim prospect,” as the conflict would involve nuclear powers.
Someone tell me why instead of isolating this conflict – because it is a war between two Slavic peoples, despite all the arguments on the side of Ukraine – we choose to jump into this war?
Orban noted that the bloc was created with the purpose of defending member states against aggressors, not waging wars outside its territory. Commenting on Western claims that Russia could attack Europe if it defeats Ukraine, Orban said the chances of this happening are extremely slim, and these warnings only serve as an excuse to become directly involved in the Ukraine conflict.
READ MORE: NATO state says Western policy on Russia-Ukraine has ‘completely failed’
Hungary has opposed NATO funding and arming of Ukraine from the outset of the conflict in February 2022. The country has not sent any weapons to Kiev, and has not allowed its territory to be used for their delivery, despite pressure from both Brussels and Washington. Budapest has called for a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
NATO ‘preparing for war’ with Russia – Orban.
ISRAEL <-> PALESTINE-IRAN-SYRIA-IRAQ-LEBANON-YEMEN
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DANIEL DAVIS: Can Israel Learn from America's Middle East Wars?
DANIEL DAVIS: Would a Two-State Solution Reward Hamas?
KATIE HALPER: INSANE Bill Rewards Americans For Serving In Israeli Army.
EMIL COSMAN: UN top court orders Israel to “immediately” STOP its operation in Rafah. Israel rejects the order.
[ Analysis ] International Court of Justice ruled against Israel's Rafah Offensive.
Syria calls for worldwide recognition of Palestine as an independent state.
Al-Qassam Brigades Trick IDF With 'Fighting Compounds' In Jabalia; Troops Call Them 'Daring'.
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Israel Pays Heavy Price Of War Against Hamas; 3 More Hostage Bodies Found In Gaza | Watch:
COLLECTIVE WEST <-> GLOBAL MAJORITY
CHAS FREEMAN: The US Trapped in Delusions as Russia & China Experience a Transformational Moment.
MATT HOH: Assange's Last Chance for Freedom.
USA
CHAS FREEMAN: The US Trapped in Delusions as Russia & China Experience a Transformational Moment.
RUSSELL BRAND: Tulsi Gabbard’s Chilling Warning About Voting for Democrats.
REDACTED: U.S. Issued GLOBAL Terror Alert for LGBTQI+... Really?!?
MULTIPOLARITY - RUSSIA-CHINA / BRICS
DANNY HAIPHONG: What China just did to the U.S. Military is SHOCKING and Taiwan is in Trouble.
'Will Backfire If...': China Breathes Fire At U.S. Over Taiwan, Warns Of New War | Watch:
Jaishankar Jabs Western Media For Criticising India: 'International Khan Market Gang' | Watch:
EUROPE / UK
DAVID X. NOACK
Here Is Why They Are GASLIGHTING You About Georgia being "Pro-Russian".
AFRICA
African unity: Why the world celebrates it.
May 25 marks the date when a summit in Addis Ababa laid the foundations for today’s African Union.
FILE PHOTO: Hundreds of people adorned with traditional regalia march through the streets of Durban to celebrate Africa Day on May 23, 2015. © RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP
Africa Day is celebrated around the world annually on May 25. Formerly known as African Freedom Day or African Liberation Day, this day marks the foundation of the Organization of African Unity – known today as the African Union – on May 25, 1963.
The origins of African unity
The idea of bringing together the leaders of African countries for an official conference was first proposed by Ghana. On April 15, 1958, a little over a year after the country gained independence, Kwame Nkrumah, who was then Prime Minister of Ghana, convened the First Conference of Independent States. The leaders of Ghana, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, and Ethiopia arrived in the city of Accra to participate in the conference.
At the time, only eight African countries were independent. However, the conference demonstrated Africa’s strong determination to renounce colonial and imperialist rule. The meeting in Accra was the first pan-African conference which brought together various African nations, and it became a platform for further cooperation in the field of decolonization and peace efforts.
At the conference, the participating countries adopted a special declaration and a set of political resolutions for coordinating their further work. The meeting confirmed Africa’s desire to cooperate in the field of peace and security, jointly work towards stopping the production and testing of nuclear weapons, and reduce the number of conventional weapons.
The member countries agreed to respect the UN Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence laid down at the Bandung Conference, which had been held three years earlier. The participants also agreed to strengthen solidarity with the dependent peoples of Africa, work towards eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms, and jointly defend their independence and territorial integrity.
President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah (1909 - 1972) at London Airport (now Heathrow), London, 3rd August 1958. © Stanley Sherman / Daily Express / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
At the next conference, held in 1960 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the member countries were joined by a ninth African nation – Cameroon, which gained independence from France and Great Britain that same year – on January 1, 1960.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of Algeria’s National Liberation Front, which led the war of independence from France in 1954-1962, and delegates from Nigeria, Somalia, and Congo (Leopoldville), who had the right to an advisory vote. The latter countries declared independence shortly after the conference.
At the 1960 meeting, the participants first drew attention to the danger of neocolonialism. They decided to establish control over foreign companies and to require Western powers to set exact dates for granting independence to the remaining African nations.
Addis Ababa summit
The question of creating a political organization made up of African nations was finally settled in May 1963. That year, the pan-African conference, which was again held in Addis Ababa at the invitation of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, was attended by representatives of 31 African countries, who proclaimed the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
The OAU was established on May 25, 1963 – the day which later became known as Africa Day. In one way or another, this day is commemorated all over the world, and in some African countries, including Ghana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mali, and Zambia, Africa Day is a public holiday.
Delegations from 30 independent African nations get together at heads of state conference, which opened May 22, was climaxed May 25 by the signing of a charter for a new organization of African unity to replace rival blocs with the continent. © Getty Images
The organization’s core principles included strengthening unity and solidarity, developing comprehensive cooperation between African nations, protecting the independence and territorial integrity of the countries, eliminating all forms of colonialism, preventing interference in internal affairs, and settling conflicts in a peaceful way. Members of the OAU agreed to coordinate their actions in the fields of foreign policy, economy, defense and security, science and technology, education, culture, and healthcare.
One of the OAU’s main tasks was to promote the decolonization of African countries such as Angola, South Africa, Mozambique, and Southern Rhodesia. The OAU promised to support the fight for freedom in these countries and to close military access to colonial powers. A charter was also adopted to improve the living conditions of OAU member states throughout Africa, to which Selassie added the following words, “May this convention of union last 1,000 years.”
African Union
Throughout the years, the Organization of African Unity steadily expanded. By the end of 1973, it included 42 countries. Its main governing bodies – such as the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the Council of Ministers, and the General Secretariat – were established at that time. The African Support Committee which provided aid to national liberation movements in Africa was also created, and members of the OAU agreed to contribute 1% of their national budgets to the Africa Fund.
Inter-African economic cooperation also developed. With the assistance of the OAU, the African Development Bank and the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) were founded.
Important decisions on combating the remnants of colonialism and racism were made during the organization’s annual meetings. For example, a resolution on general disarmament, the prohibition of nuclear weapons, and the declaration of Africa as a nuclear-weapon-free zone was approved during the OAU’s second assembly, held in Cairo in July 1964.
At the fifth assembly, which was held in Algeria in 1968, the OAU condemned the actions of Israel – which captured the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem,and the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War – and demanded the liberation of all occupied Arab territories. In 1971, the so-called “Declaration on the Question of Dialogue” was adopted at a meeting in Addis Ababa. This document rejected the idea of a “dialogue” between independent African nations and South Africa, where the apartheid regime was still in force.
South Africa became a full member of the OAU only in 1994, after the end of apartheid. On July 9, 2002, thirty-nine years after its establishment, the Organization of African Unity was transformed into the African Union (AU), with South Africa as one of its founders.
Libyan President Moamer Kadhafi arrives 9 July 2002 at a stadium in Durban for the official launch of the African Union (AU). © RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP
Although the headquarters of the AU is still in Addis Ababa, its legislative body, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), is located in Midrand – a suburb of Johannesburg.
Agenda 2063
Although the need for a “broader mandate to meet the challenges of a rapidly globalizing era” led to the formation of the African Union, pan-Africanism and the unification of Africa remain one of the AU’s main goals. Despite the fact that the AU is a political organization, it pays particular attention to economic integration as a means of achieving political unity.
The African Union adopted an important document titled “Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want,” which defines Africa’s goals in the coming decades. It was adopted during the celebration of the OAU/AU’s Golden Jubilee in 2013 and is a sort of blueprint for the continent’s future (2063 being the 100th anniversary of the organization) as seen by AU and African leaders.
Delegates arrange themselves for a group picture at the headquarters of the African Union (AU) on March 18, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. © Sean Gallup / Getty Images
The document outlines social and economic development, continental and regional integration, democratic governance, and peace and security issues. The agenda also confirms the AU’s pan-African course.
Read more: The triumph of Adwa: An epic story of African victory over European colonizers
In 2018, the African Continental Free Trade Area was established as a means to encourage the development of continental and regional integration. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the project was launched only in 2021. However, in the future this initiative could help eliminate economic barriers that facilitated the trade of African companies with foreign markets but hindered intra-continental business operations.
Meanwhile, certain other goals outlined in Agenda 2063 have not yet borne fruit. For example, the presence of terrorist organizations in the Sahel and Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram militant groups in Somalia and Nigeria demonstrate that the organization needs to update its security policy. There are also problems in the economic field. As a result of Covid-19, the continent’s economic growth slowed to 3.3% in 2020, and Africa entered its first recession in 25 years.
Despite the fact that the organization has made great progress since its founding, Africa Day serves as a reminder that the AU still has a long way to go to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.
What’s so special about Africa?
Africa is the second largest and most populous continent after Asia. There are 54 countries in Africa, but the African Union is made up of 55 countries, including Western Sahara (SADR), which is not recognized by the UN. Between 1,000 and 2,000 languages are spoken on the continent – which, according to a report by Harvard University, is about one third of the world’s languages. There are five subregions in Africa (North, South, Central, West, and East Africa), and they all greatly differ from one another. Africa’s total area, including adjacent islands, is about 30.3 million square kilometers – which corresponds to about 6% of the total surface area of the Earth and 20.4% of its land area. As of today, the population of the African continent amounts to about 1.49 billion people.
With its great number of countries and ethnic groups, Africa is a treasure trove of languages, traditions, and cultures.
Celebrating Africa Day
When representatives of Africa’s 31 sovereign nations met for the first time in 1963, an Africa that would be completely free from the apartheid regime and colonialism seemed like a distant dream. 60 years later, the dream has come true: today, the African Union consists of 55 sovereign member states that jointly act in accordance with the concept of “an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”
A plaque stands outside the headquarters complex of the African Union (AU) on March 18, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. © Sean Gallup / Getty Images
The theme for Africa Day 2023 was “Our Africa, Our Future.” It reminded all Africans that the continent belongs to them, and that they are the ones who should shape its future. This theme echoed the words of Haile Selassie, spoken at the organization’s first meeting in 1963, “Africa is today at the midcourse, in transition from the Africa of Yesterday to the Africa of Tomorrow. Even as we stand here, we move from the past into the future. The task on which we have embarked, the making of Africa, will not wait. We must act, to shape and mould the future and leave our imprint on events as they slip past into history.”
READ MORE: 'We have suffered because we were Negroes': It took this man 200 days to become a legend in the fight against Western exploitation
Every year ahead of Africa Day, the African Union sets a special theme for the celebrations, which it considers particularly important. The 2024 theme is: “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century.” The AU attributes the urgency of this problem to the global education crisis and challenges in meeting the organization’s Sustainable Development goals.
The fundamental human right to education is essential for progress, but access to education remains a problem for Africa’s young people. One of the most problematic regions is sub-Saharan Africa, where, according to UNESCO, one-fifth of African children aged 6 to 11 do not attend school, and 60% of young people aged 15-17 do not have a basic education. Africa’s main challenges include the lack of access to schooling, the poor quality of education, and gender inequality. One of the AU’s goals is to alter this situation across the whole continent.
By Tamara Ryzhenkova, orientalist, senior lecturer at the Department of History of the Middle East, St. Petersburg State University, expert for the Telegram channel ‘Arab Africa’.
Russia deepens geological research ties with African state.
A cooperation agreement has been signed between the National Museum of Geology of Mozambique and the Karpinsky Institute.
Russia has deepened cooperation with research organizations in Africa by signing a new agreement with the National Museum of Geology of Mozambique. The A.P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute has launched a specialized geology class, the institute’s press service reported on Wednesday.
The ceremony was attended by representatives from Mozambique’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy and Russian diplomats.
Mozambique is rich in natural resources, especially in coal, graphite, iron ore, as well as natural gas and bauxite, and others.
Speaking at the event, Pavel Khimchenko, the head of the institute, noted that the contribution of Soviet geologists to mineral management awareness in Mozambique is significant. “We are glad to return to this cooperation and transfer our knowledge, strengthening friendly and professional relations,” he said.
READ MORE: Russia and Africa to explore fishery resources – Putin
“In our Karpinsky Classes we share with students and experts the results of the latest research by the Karpinsky Institute geologists and we show modern methodological and IT developments,” he added.
Khimchenko also stated that the new facilities would advance the Russian geological school through hosting open lectures, seminars, and hands-on activities. The classes will also function as hubs for collaborative projects.
The geological class is equipped with methodological and graphic materials, specialized geological literature and maps. Additionally, the classroom is set up to facilitate regular online sessions, including professional courses for geologists and popular science lectures for a broader audience, following a methodology developed by Russian experts.
The institute's geology course in Mozambique has become its third in Africa. In December, Russian geologists launched Karpinsky Classes in Ethiopia and Ghana, two African nations known for their rich natural resources. Ethiopia in particular is noted for its production of gold and precious stones, along with deposits of tantalum ore, coal, and other minerals.
Russia deepens geological research ties with African state.
NON-ENGLISH NEWS
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VICTORY BELONGS TO RUSSIA: IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
Each day that passes makes a conclusive Russian victory in the Donbass and beyond more certain. As Russia bolsters her forces, and weaponry, those of Ukraine decrease. Russian forces gain ready access to rest and recuperation as troop numbers increase. The increasingly exhausted and demoralised Ukrainian troops have an ever decreasing prospect of such respite. This situation is likely to bring them to complete breakdown as Russia unleashes the firepower of the more modern and advanced weaponry that is arriving with the newly mobilised Russian troops.
The various Ukrainian offensives are now weak when confronted by the reinforced Russian lines. A few futile efforts achieve quite miserable results before fire reigns down on the Ukrainian troops and they are forced back to their starting positions.
And now, all this being said, we have arrived at the wet, and later, freezing conditions where these pathetic Ukrainian forces will be subject to myriad forms of abject misery with death and injury all around them while they lie sodden or frozen, abandoned to their fate by Kiev.
The pitiable young and old of Ukraine have been frogmarched to their deaths as cannon-fodder while the bestial elites of the collective West urge their "president" to add more to their number there at the gates of Hell and their doom. We must feel for the majority of them as they are not the Nazis we revile, in most part they are decent men, fathers, sons, brothers, husband and uncles, who no doubt saw through the coup of 2014 for what it was. But sadly, their fate seems sealed.
Nothing will stop Russia now. Every factor favours them. Victory will be Russia's. In Donbass and beyond and in due course across the world.
Victory belongs to Russia: It is now only a matter of time.
UPDATES TO BE ADDED HERE AS AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
UPDATES TO BE ADDED HERE AS AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
THERE WILL BE A NEW BEGINNING FOR UKRAINE
Vladimir Putin has, in the last few hours, apparently once again reiterated he is ready to authorise talks with the aim of arriving at a settlement with Ukraine that once more brings peace.
Putin, in my opinion, is doing something eminently sensible.
I believe he knows that new elections will be held in Ukraine once a peace settlement is agreed and that these will lead ultimately to renewed peace. Those elections, he knows, will bring to power Ukrainian politicians seeking permanent peace with Russia and with it, permanent neutrality. The Ukrainian people, heartily sick of the war, will certainly wish an end to the possibility of future war. They will thus vote in political representatives who also hold this view.
Russia is already renewing the infrastructure in the lands that have become part of the Russian Federation since February 24th 2022, and is bringing to the people there all the many social, financial and health benefits that all citizens of the Russian Federation enjoy. The people in the new regions will prosper and Ukrainians seeking work will migrate there and it is inevitable too that trade between Ukraine and Russian will recommence in even greater measure than before.
The situation between Russia and Ukraine will gradually inevitably normalise. There will eventually be no significant antagonism between the two as the years roll by as brother and sister nations of Ukraine and Russia recommit to peace. I believe Putin knows all this and that is why he has said again that under the right circumstances he is ready to have negotiations begin that can lead to a settlement.
Some may say he should keep fighting to take all the territory up to eastern bank of the Dnieper River. This would have the benefit of creating a buffer between western Ukraine and what would be territory of the Russian Federation. Yet in fact no such zone would exist due to the fact that the territory east of the Dnieper would naturally also be part of Russia and in the years to come, if the war was continued, would inevitably be attacked. So where is the gain? Where is peace to be permanently established in this scenario?
Others will say he should urge the Russian army to take the entirety of Ukraine. This would obviate the problem in the case above where Russian territory continues to be attacked. Yet the problem of ruling a nation of ethnic Ukrainians who bitterly resent their Russian occupiers should be obvious. Russia would be in no end of trouble with the resistance which would follow and would be made to expend continuing and possibly unsustainable amounts of money to maintain its control.
So where to stop? It seems to me that, with the view that things would normalise eventually wherever you stop (as described above) it may well be an arbitrary place on the map. So why not stop now? Of course the greatest risk is that the Ukrainian regime will refuse entirely to countenance Russia remaining in control of all the territory it has now. This would very definitely be the sticking point. For this reason it is unlikely that Putin’s current proposal to have a negotiated peace settlement will bear any fruit. As long as Zelensky remains in power it appears that the war will continue, determined as he insists he is, that Russia must give up all its newly won territories.
The crucial factor ultimately will be the western powers insisting to Zelelensky that he MUST start talks because they are no longer willing to supply the finance and weapons to support his war effort. Currently there are few signs that the West is willing to take this step. But what a new administration in the USA and potentially in the UK would do on seeing the futility of supplying these into the indefinite future is hard to predict. Though I see it as inevitable that at a future, unidentifiable date after upcoming elections, that the awareness of futility in going down the same road and only losing ever more in terms of finance, weaponry and territory within Ukraine will hit home hard. And then we will quickly see negotiations followed by a permanent peace finally arrive.
Then, as I see it, the prospects of a new beginning for Ukraine cannot help but also arrive.
