For Those Who Might Be Wondering Why We Might Be In Ukraine

[Rightguide]

Zelensky surrenders to Trump and 'will sign mineral deal within hours'​

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and PERKIN AMALARAJ

Published: 18:12 EST, 21 February 2025 | Updated: 11:13 EST, 22 February 20

Donald Trump appears to have won his trade standoff with Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Ukrainian president is set to give in and sign a deal giving the U.S. access to deposits of critical minerals.

The deal was seen as crucial for satisfying Washington's demands for a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia to end their three-year long war.

told a nightly video address on Friday that teams of American and Ukrainian negotiators are working on a draft agreement, signaling an imminent deal.

'This is an agreement that can strengthen our relations, and the key is to work out the details to ensure its effectiveness,' he said. 'I look forward to the outcome - a just result.'

More here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ers-donald-trump-sign-mineral-deal-hours.html

WSJ source link here: https://archive.is/qibth

 

[ll74]

Zelensky surrenders to Trump and 'will sign mineral deal within hours'​

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and PERKIN AMALARAJ

Published: 18:12 EST, 21 February 2025 | Updated: 11:13 EST, 22 February 20

Donald Trump appears to have won his trade standoff with Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Ukrainian president is set to give in and sign a deal giving the U.S. access to deposits of critical minerals.

The deal was seen as crucial for satisfying Washington's demands for a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia to end their three-year long war.

told a nightly video address on Friday that teams of American and Ukrainian negotiators are working on a draft agreement, signaling an imminent deal.

'This is an agreement that can strengthen our relations, and the key is to work out the details to ensure its effectiveness,' he said. 'I look forward to the outcome - a just result.'

More here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ers-donald-trump-sign-mineral-deal-hours.html

Zelensky proposed the mineral deal to Trump last year.

 

[Rightguide]

You're a fucking idiot

The Press Secretary says something and I'm an idiot? Maybe she knows something we don't know. You ever think of that?

 

[ll74]

The Press Secretary says something and I'm an idiot? Maybe she knows something we don't know. You ever think of that?

Lol....you do suck 47 cock quite a bit.

His administration has abandoned our allies and capitulated to Putin on every foreign policy decision.

His position on Ukraine is disgusting and dishonorable.

 

[Rightguide]

Lol....you do suck 47 cock quite a bit.

His administration has abandoned our allies and capitulated to Putin on every foreign policy decision.

His position on Ukraine is disgusting and dishonorable.

Three fucked up brainwashed statements.

 

[ll74]

Three fucked up brainwashed statements.

47 has literally said that Ukraine started the war.
47 has literally parroted every single Russian demand in every single interview.
47 refused to invite Ukraine to the negotiating table.

Disgusting and dishonorable to treat our ally like that.

 

[Rightguide]

47 has literally said that Ukraine started the war.
47 has literally parroted every single Russian demand in every single interview.
47 refused to invite Ukraine to the negotiating table.

Disgusting and dishonorable to treat our ally like that.

Your problem is historical ignorance as well as traditional ignorance. You post from emotion.

 

[ll74]

Your problem is historical ignorance as well as traditional ignorance. You post from emotion.

You want an alliance with Russia and an exit from NATO.

The historical and traditional ignorance isn't on my side. I'm well aware of why NATO exists and why Russia is our adversary. I'm also aware that Putin is the dictator,, not Zelensky.

And absolutely I'm emotional about the disgusting and dishonorable position we have taken here. We have joined forces with our long-standing adversary and rejected our 80+ years of allies.

We a
Re embracing autocratic dictators and shinning Western democracies.

 

[ChloeTzang]

 

[ll74]

View attachment 2501244

When so many dipshits think firing a park ranger will let them buy eggs, why do you think this graphic has any bearing?

 

[ChloeTzang]

LAV III's have been in service since 1999 and is the basis for the US Stryker. Canada has about 650 LAV III's so this is not a big hole in their inventory. 25 seems more of a token gesture at this point.






https://nationalpost.com/news/canad...sing-funds-from-seized-russian-assets-trudeau

 

[ChloeTzang]

When so many dipshits think firing a park ranger will let them buy eggs, why do you think this graphic has any bearing?

I don't, really. Those that support Ukraine already do. Those that don't at this point will likely never be convinced. Personally, I hope Europe steps up and gets real. Trudeau with his token 25 LAV III's is not setting a great example. Now 200 LAV III's, which Canada could easily spare and replace (they make them, after all) would be a real genuine contribution.

As it is, I'm disgusted with Trump over this. I'm by no means a single issue voter, but this is way bigger than internal US domestic politics. Trump is reneging on agreements we signed and which Ukraine signed in good faith, trashing NATO, which has been one of the foundations of our security since shortly after WW2, and now he's into econimic extortion and blackmail. I voted for gutting the US Federal Govt, but I did NOT vote to fuckover Ukraine, and THAT is a game-changer for me. And for a lot of other people as well.

 

[ll74]

. I voted for gutting the US Federal Govt, but I did NOT vote to fuckover Ukraine, and THAT is a game-changer for me. And for a lot of other people as well.

Would you vote for Trump again if he promised to continue this approach?

 

[ChloeTzang]

The Government of Ireland is to donate a substantial portion of Ireland’s ageing air defence systems to protect towns and small cities in Ukraine. Saab Giraffe Mark IV radar systems will be transferred to the Ukrainian armed forces. Ireland possesses seven of the Giraffe systems. It has not yet been determined if all are to be donated. Sources said at least three are to be handed over.

Interestingly, Wikipedia shows Ireland as having one. It appears they have a few more that flew under the radar.

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/...systems-to-ukraine-as-war-enters-fourth-year/

 

[ChloeTzang]

Would you vote for Trump again if he promised to continue this approach?

Fucking over Ukraine? Nope. I honestly thought all the yap yap yap before the election was just rhetoric to play to the MAGA crown, but it seems Tucker Carlson's bullshit got to him. I had hoped people like Rubio and Kellogg would inject a bit of sensibility into what's going on, but with Trump's US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, referring to the early 2022 Istanbul protocols as offering "guideposts" for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine I can't see this happening.

An agreement based on those protocols would be a capitulation document. The Istanbul protocols emerged from Russia-Ukraine negotiations in March and April 2022 as Ukraine was still reeling from the initial Russian invasion and do not reflect the realities of the situation today. The draft agreement included the following key provisions that would destroy Ukraine's ability to defend itself and prohibit any state from helping Ukraine do so:

Ukraine would have had to amend its constitution to remove the clause committing Ukraine to NATO membership, add Ukraine’s commitment to permanent neutrality; and make Russian an official language of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces were to be capped at 85,000 and restricted to 342 tanks, 519 artillery pieces, and missiles with ranges under 40 kilometers.

The provision to Ukraine of any foreign weapons including missiles of any type, armed forces, and formations was to be banned.

The US, the UK, China, France, and Russia were to guarantee Ukraine’s neutrality, but all parties were to have to agree on a response to any violation, giving Russia a veto over any action.

The guarantors were to commit to ending permanently all bilateral security agreements with Ukraine including those regarding the provision of military aid.

These demands, which Vladimir Putin has often reiterated, amount to complete Ukrainian capitulation, not a sustainable peace in the interests of the US or Europe, to say nothing of Ukraine. Witkoff also stated that “deals only work… when they’re good for all the parties… that’s the pathway we’re on here.” Istanbul cannot be the basis for any such agreement, and if that's where they're at, Trump's initiative will go down in flames.

So no, if Trump goes down this path, I would not vote for him again and I will not vote for Vance in 2028 either.

 

[ChloeTzang]

As for Ukrainian sentiment, Denys Prokopenko (CO of Azov Brigade) sums up the attitude of the Ukrainian military - they will continue to fight without US aid if necessary...., Ukraine will triumph in the end, but rather than what could have been out strongest European ally, America will have created a powerful state that does not trust us and instead is far more closely aligned with Turkey - an alliance that will dominate the Black Sea and the Caucasus.

 

[ll74]

So no, if Trump goes down this path, I would not vote for him again and I will not vote for Vance in 2028 either.

I appreciate your indepth response. I was honestly just curious if the topic was a make or break with you. Thanks.

The approach to Ukraine is disgusting and dishonorable to me. I didn't expect such an abrupt support of Putin and dismissal of our allies. I'm still working to understand how any politician could pivot like this. Before now, I gave more benefit of the doubt to 47..... Which went further than many ..... Because I want to be patient and understanding of current events.... But fuck all of he just ran it over with a truck

 

[ChloeTzang]

Meanwhile in Kyiv....who's missing?

 

[ChloeTzang]

I appreciate your indepth response. I was honestly just curious if the topic was a make or break with you. Thanks.

The approach to Ukraine is disgusting and dishonorable to me. I didn't expect such an abrupt support of Putin and dismissal of our allies. I'm still working to understand how any politician could pivot like this. Before now, I gave more benefit of the doubt to 47..... Which went further than many ..... Because I want to be patient and understanding of current events.... But fuck all of he just ran it over with a truck

I'm 100% in agreement with you. For me, it's definitely make or break. And I agree that what Trump is doing here is both disgusting and dishionorable, and I'd go a bit further and say it's downright dangerous to the interests of the USA. Biden and his adherence to the 1994 agreement was wishy-washy, but at least he offered help - and while I was critical of what the Biden Admin was doing, it was the extent of that help and the political gaming. Anything Biden wrong, and there was a lot, pales into insignificance in comparison to Trump's betrayal.

Trump is reneging completely on an agreement that the USA signed, and not only renegeing, he is activly breaking it by using extortion, and THAT is even more disgusting. Worse, in doing so he has invalidated the worth of every international agreement we are party to, now and in future. We were a bit flakey before, but who will now trust a thing we sign?

Nobody in their right minds.

Personally, I gave the benefit of the doubt to Trump to, obviously rather more than you did. But yeah, he's run over that good faith with a truck, absolutely, and is busy guaranteeiing I wont vote for Vance in 2028. And I have emailed those sentiments to my House rep and Senator.

Like I said before, nuclear proliferation here we come.....and I have no doubts that Ukraine is already working on that one. They'd be silly not to at this point. This is existential for them, and you do what you have to do.....

 

[ChloeTzang]

On the plus side - the Spanish government will allocate €1 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2025. The new military aid package will include military equipment, artillery ammunition and other military equipment.

https://mil.in.ua/en/news/spain-to-provide-ukraine-with-e1-billion-in-military-aid-in-2025/

 

[ChloeTzang]

Sweden to Supply Ukraine with Air Defense Systems worth $113 mln Including Tridon Mk 2​

Sweden has previously supplied the Ukrainian Armed Forces with short-range RBS 70 anti-aircraft missile systems, so these systems are already known to Ukraine’s military. However, in the case of the Tridon Mk 2 anti-aircraft artillery system with a firing range of up to 12 kilometers, this is a completely new development, the first user of which will be the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

BAE Systems represented Tridon Mk2 anti-aircraft system during the Eurosatory 2024 defense exhibition. The claimed range of Tridon Mk2 is up to 12 kilometers is, which is essentially the same as for a short-range SAM system. The Tridon Mk2 is powered by 40-mm Bofors 40 Mk4 autocannon, which is widely used in the navies of European countries and has proven to have the declared range characteristics in practice. The declared rate of fire for the Tridon Mk2 is 200-300 rounds per minute. Programmable Bofors 3P munitions are used to destroy air targets. All this makes this anti-aircraft weapon a kind of budget analog of a short-range air defense system.

https://en.defence-ua.com/news/swed...orth_113_mln_including_tridon_mk_2-13635.html

 

[ChloeTzang]

Ukraine’s Top Military Leadership: We Are Starting to Win and Russia Is Starting to Lose
This is why Putin is so desperate to use Trump to force an end to the war on favorable terms to Russia.

Ukraine’s national military leadership headed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Sunday projected confidence and even cautious notes of optimism about the future direction of their country’s fight against Russia’s invasion, contradicting recent White House claims their country faces imminent defeat by Moscow. Zelensky and members of the Ukrainian senior national security team made the comments at the conference “Ukraine. Year 2025” in the capital, Kyiv. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s national military intelligence agency, HUR, said that his group’s collection assets in and outside Russia had strong evidence that Russian arms production during 2025 has flatlined and is likely to contract, because of parts and labor shortages.

Russia’s government plans in 2025 to induct into military service 100,000 men less than in 2024, Budanov said. Russian combat units already are chronically short of soldiers and the cut will worsen the Kremlin’s ability to deliver troop replacements to the front, he said. Combine that with Ukraine getting better and better at killing more and more Russians and the outcome is not favorable for Russia. Budanov also said Russian shell production was only able to produce about half of all Russian army needs. North Korean deliveries are filling that gap, but Pyonyang’s ammunition reserves are limited, he said.

Russian forces were nearing exhaustion due to heavy losses, particularly in men and battlefield heavy weapons like tanks and artillery. “Russia needs a ceasefire to respite in order to restore the economy, accumulate supplies, and prepare the army,” Ivashchenko (the head of Ukraine’s national foreign intelligence service the SVR) said. “Today we understand what is happening inside the Russian Federation, what plans and processes there are. Plans for Ukraine, plans for other states. We have studied and continue to study the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. We are aware of long-term plans, we are aware of these plans at least until 2030,” Ivashchenko said.

Ukrainian army commander-in-chief General Oleksandr Syrsky said that Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign into Russia would intensify and hit deeper into Russia in 2025. The combat capacity of Ukraine’s ground forces is growing, but Russia is far from defeated, he said. “Difficult times and new challenges await us ahead. But we have a combat-ready army that will continue the fight,” Syrsky said. “The enemy’s objective is unchanged – the capture of all of Ukraine.”

During a question-and-answer session with reporters at the end of the presentation, Zelensky said that media claims about Ukraine’s alleged near-total dependence on American assistance were inaccurate, and that, in fact, Ukraine’s war effort is roughly equally supported by the national economy, allied countries, and the US. The American contribution is significant but by no means dominant, Zelensky said. Independent fact-checks have generally confirmed the numbers advanced by Zelensky, and found no credible support for the figures put forward by Trump. Kyiv will not accept peace terms dictated by the US or anyone else, and Ukraine is able to fight on if necessary, Zelensky said. “Deciding on Ukraine without us is impossible. We will not recognize any agreements made in that format,” he said. “It is impossible to end the war this week.”

Seems to me Ukraine is sending an indirect message to Trump here that he should get real.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/47737

 

[icanhelp1]

I'm 100% in agreement with you. For me, it's definitely make or break. And I agree that what Trump is doing here is both disgusting and dishionorable, and I'd go a bit further and say it's downright dangerous to the interests of the USA. Biden and his adherence to the 1994 agreement was wishy-washy, but at least he offered help - and while I was critical of what the Biden Admin was doing, it was the extent of that help and the political gaming. Anything Biden wrong, and there was a lot, pales into insignificance in comparison to Trump's betrayal.

Trump is reneging completely on an agreement that the USA signed, and not only renegeing, he is activly breaking it by using extortion, and THAT is even more disgusting. Worse, in doing so he has invalidated the worth of every international agreement we are party to, now and in future. We were a bit flakey before, but who will now trust a thing we sign?

Nobody in their right minds.

Personally, I gave the benefit of the doubt to Trump to, obviously rather more than you did. But yeah, he's run over that good faith with a truck, absolutely, and is busy guaranteeiing I wont vote for Vance in 2028. And I have emailed those sentiments to my House rep and Senator.

Like I said before, nuclear proliferation here we come.....and I have no doubts that Ukraine is already working on that one. They'd be silly not to at this point. This is existential for them, and you do what you have to do.....

I follow your post quite closely. The Russians are building up their war machine. The interior politics in Russia is if any Russian citizens complains about the invasion into Ukraine its viewed as breaking the law, and we all know what happens in Russia when ya complain. I'm not looking for an argument but there needs to be a conversation, a plan as what does the West do if Russia overruns Ukraine. What happens then. Does the west put boots on the ground? Biden's feckless foreign policy has made the situation unattainable. Failure to give the Ukrainians every weapon system at the very beginning has given the Russians the ability to re-arm. Biden never took the advantage we had it. He did the same thing to Israel, fortunately Israel had the foresight to take matters in their own hand and fight their was their way.

Just maybe, creating an economic mining agreement for precious metals and other trade pacts with Ukraine may PROVIDE an equivalent to a NATO umbrella where American industry will be firmly planted on Ukraine soil.

Trump saying that Ukraine started the was was stupid, and I believe Trump knows that too. Trump's been pretty tough on Putin in the past and I don't believe he'll accept a capitulation. I also read that the Europeans gave financial and military assistance to Ukraine in the form of loans, the US just gave it without any return on investment.

 

[ChloeTzang]

The EU is providing Ukraine with EUR 3.5 billion funding for March 2025, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

https://uatv.ua/en/ukraine-to-receive-eur-3-5b-from-eu-in-march-von-der-leyen/

 

[ChloeTzang]

I follow your post quite closely. The Russians are building up their war machine. The interior politics in Russia is if any Russian citizens complains about the invasion into Ukraine its viewed as breaking the law, and we all know what happens in Russia when ya complain. I'm not looking for an argument but there needs to be a conversation, a plan as what does the West do if Russia overruns Ukraine. What happens then. Does the west put boots on the ground? Biden's feckless foreign policy has made the situation unattainable. Failure to give the Ukrainians every weapon system at the very beginning has given the Russians the ability to re-arm. Biden never took the advantage we had it. He did the same thing to Israel, fortunately Israel had the foresight to take matters in their own hand and fight their was their way.

Just maybe, creating an economic mining agreement for precious metals and other trade pacts with Ukraine may PROVIDE an equivalent to a NATO umbrella where American industry will be firmly planted on Ukraine soil.

Trump saying that Ukraine started the was was stupid, and I believe Trump knows that too. Trump's been pretty tough on Putin in the past and I don't believe he'll accept a capitulation. I also read that the Europeans gave financial and military assistance to Ukraine in the form of loans, the US just gave it without any return on investment.

I'm not sure of all the ins and outs of loans vs grants but I think the EU funding has largely been grants and internal funding between EU countries buying stuff from each other to send to Ukraine - the Czech ammo initiative being one example. US investment would be great, but not based on extortion the way Trump has been attempting.

I think what we see now is Ukraine going from strength to strength, not least of which is now their huge edge in drone warfare. THAT started out very ad-hoc, with small drone teams pretty much self-created and funded by Ukrainian Army units - and that was formalized. It's going beyond that now - they created "drone battalions" which work with the front line ZSU battalions and brigades, and now they are expanding these into Drone Brigades - and with hundreds of startups all innovating and working together - I read somewhere they expect to produce 4 million drones in 2025 now, and it may go beyond that. The last couple of attacks they have launched, for example, have been precded and accompanied by huge waves of drones and they are getting more and more capable. Those flamer-drones that use 3000F magnesium or something that melts thru tanks and does horrific things to Russians. Drones with machineguns for trench clearing, not to mention all the FPV drones taking out one Russian at a time. Casualty evac drones, Resupply drones. Drones laying mines....you name it, Ukraine has them and to a certain extent they are superceding artillery - and that is about all Ukraine is now reliant on the US for - artillery ammo and air defence - and Ukraine is apparantly working on a Patriot analog, Which WILL be very battle tested.

That, and the ZSU is getting more armor and equipment constantly. This is building up the strength of their combat unit - and the manpower, organizational and training issues are sorting themselves out even as the Russians continue to be thrown in with no training. Kursk for example - the ZSU is slaughterimg Russians and makimg opportunistic advances. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they do this again in Bryansk, pulling troops away from the Donbass and Kherson. And at some stage, that Bridge is gonna go boom-badda-boom and Crimea will be isolated......

I don't see any chance of Russia actually overrruning Ukraine at all here. And with the scale of this war, EU boots on the ground would be next to useless. The only armies big enough are Poland and Finland, and neither of those will go in.