Hungary is in trouble with the EU again for vetoing a 50 Billion package for Ukraine. The EU thugs plan to sabotage Hungary's economy as punishment. Some “union”!

Some funding to Hungary is already being withheld, and plans are afoot to weaken its economy and “reduce investor confidence".

The EU has a “ warped sense of democracy”, and according to one commentator, JD Vance's lambasting of them didn’t go far enough. The EU has persecuted populist parties of both left and right for the past 25 years, threatening them with fines and suspension if they act on the policies they were voted in to enact.

Brussels is a bully. Let's see how tough they are when Donald Trump removes 70% of their defence funding and puts it to better use in America as China becomes more aggressive, and Europe has to smarten up to deal with Russia and Ukraine by itself.

AC: "As for Kursk, that could be over in a matter of weeks"

I seem to recall you telling us that six months ago!!

AC,

You are continually changing what you think are Putin's war aims to match what you think he might be able to achieve. You've completely ignored that he wanted to keep NATO away from his borders and has utterly failed that. He wanted to capture Kiev and remove the current Ukrainian leadership. He utterly failed. He's conquered very little land and what he has conquered is a moonscape that'll take a generation to rehabilitate, and you ignore that. He's lost the flower of the 20-30 generation either to death or emigration, a generation Russia desperately needs to reverse their demographic decline. And you ignore that

This is 'yuge'. Zelensky is about caved to Trump's 'request' that the US be given access to Ukraine's rare earth deposits. The idea is that Ukraine and the US set joint ventures to exploit the deposits for the benefit of both parties.

You might recall that China has been trying to use its near monopoly on rare earth's to extract concessions from the west. The US has some deposits and they are rapidly developing them. Australia also. But the deposits in Ukraine are significant.

Marco Rubio explained a few days back that they told Zelensky that making the US a partner in a vital industry would increase their security. It would also send a message to Putin that any ideas he has of making peace now but picking up where he left off in a few year's time, would be out the window. Art of the deal.

And just like Trump to add this to the mix in the middle of negotiations.

_____________________________________________________________________

BTW, it'd probably do everyone good to ponder why the negotiations are taking place in Riyad. Why just Russia, the US and Saudi Arab? The three biggest oil producers on the planet. Think about it.

Europe no longer counts - at least not western Europe. And they don't like or understand the change.

But this isn't just about a peace plan for the Russian Steppes. Saudi Arab is vital to making peace in Levant and forcing the Palestinians to make a final deal with Israel. And if Russia can be convinced that they have nothing to fear from the west, then they can be bought into the fold to allow them to start to ponder what to do about the nation they do have a problem with - China. There has been growing unrest in Siberia and if you think China isn't at least partially behind it and that Russia hasn't noticed, then you're not keeping up. (NB China lost most of Siberia to Russia in the 19th century but have never accepted the loss)

Russia Prepares To Cut Off The Salient Military Summary 2025.02.22
http://youtu.be/xSBYP4YPZoE?t=440

"He wanted to capture Kiev and remove the current Ukrainian leadership."
- Still falling for USAID propaganda or following the ISW I see.

"He utterly failed. He's conquered very little land and what he has conquered is a moonscape that'll take a generation to rehabilitate"
- I'm guessing you missed the quote from Trump earlier where he stated "he doesn’t have to make a deal because if he wanted, he’d get the whole country" or are stupidly doing that thing you do again where you see a pile of turd and run over and stand in it?

Mariupol
http://youtu.be/U6-jpi5k8XA

"He's lost the flower of the 20-30 generation..."
http://www.youtube.com/shorts/R-g6jY8DI3c

Ukraine rare earths potential relies on Soviet assessments, may not be viable
http://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/news-insights/articles/2025/2/ukraine-rare-earths-potential-relies-on-soviet-assessments-may-not-be-viable-87318842

Ukraine's earth riches are rare and difficult to reach
http://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250222-ukraine-s-earth-riches-are-rare-and-difficult-to-reach
'Ukraine's soils hold some five percent of the world's mineral resources, which is what US President Donald Trump is anxious to secure, but not all of them are yet exploited -- or maybe even exploitable, according to experts.'

http://youtu.be/PouAZ_Wnujk
- Yawn.

"Marco Rubio explained a few days back..."
- Yes I saw the clip, but Russia won't accept freezing the conflict.
And it's the West pushing for peacekeepers so they can have a tripwire that Russia will be accused of crossing (like Obama's red line in Syria) while they re-arm Ukraine in order to have another crack in a few years time.
The Russians have already said no deal to that, and Trumps hanging all those people out to dry anyway.

'Negotiations', Lol.
what's to negotiate, what's Trump got to offer?

"And if Russia can be convinced" - that pigs fly backwards?

"There has been growing unrest in Siberia and if you think China isn't at least partially behind it..."
- Do tell. Maybe you can teach me something new mhaze.
I'm aware that Russia is not without its internal issues and dissidents, but probably just as likely the West trying to drive a wedge.

The DOGE team zeroes out the National Endowment for Democracy
http://newcriterion.com/dispatch/the-doge-team-zeroes-out-the-national-endowment-for-democracy/

Massive Drone Strike - Russians Prepare To Cross The Dnipro - Military Summary And Analysis 2025.02.23
http://youtu.be/ccxo_U6o-Bk

When you get to the 2 minute mark mhaze, you'll see the map I gave you yesterday, and I had it a day early.
I'd congratulate myself, but there's too many people dying for nothing, so there's that.

You could just watch the same things I do you know.

Oh and I forgot to mention, Musk's planning to turn off Skylink

Exclusive: US could cut Ukraine's access to Starlink internet services over minerals, say sources
http://www.reuters.com/business/us-could-cut-ukraines-access-starlink-internet-services-over-minerals-say-2025-02-22/

I suppose that's probably the reason for Zelensky's quick about face [shrugs]
But what do I know, right?