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Zelensky was certainly unprepared for what awaited him that Friday, 28 February, when he arrived at the Whitehouse to sign the minerals agreement with Trump.

He walked into an ambuscade, filmed live on TV, surrounded by a horde of carefully chosen journalists monitored by Trump and his Vice President, JD Vance. He was immediately submitted to a gruelling discussion with Trump, sequenced by aggressive interjections from Vance.

Zelensky had been set up. The whole scene had been carefully planned and orchestrated. He was bullied and humiliated. A journalist even had the nerve to ask him why he was not wearing a suit.

The question was posed by Brian Glenn, the Chief White House Correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a right-wing network with a show lineup chock-full of Trump allies.

Trump subsequently told Zelensky to leave the Whitehouse without signing the minerals agreement.

Zelensky did not cede to Trump’s bullying tactics. Consequently, Trump decided to suspend all military aid to Ukraine.

Trump continues to declare that he wants peace. But suspending military assistance to Ukraine does not achieve peace — it has exactly the opposite effect. It facilitates and encourages Russia’s continued aggression.

By suspending military aid, Trump is ensuring that Putin has no real reason to stop the war — Russia can now capitalize on Ukraine’s and America’s weaknesses to take more land, kill, rape and torture more people, kidnap more children and destroy more towns cities and villages.

Trump accuses Zelensky of being a dictator who does not respect democracy and does not have the support of his people – all of which is false. Zelensky even has more support than Trump — Zelensky 57%, Trump 46% (http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/favorability/donald-trump/). Both were democratically elected, but the Ukrainian Constitution prevents any further elections of any sort during periods of martial law due to war.

Also, in my view, Zelensky’s Churchillian democracy is preferable to Trump’s fledgling autocracy (cf. his steady stream of executive orders seeking to consolidate power in the White House and upend long held policies and norms, weakening the application of the principle of the separation of powers).

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Zelensky offers a partial ceasefire with Russia to restart peace talks

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Here is an interesting article in The Washington Post on this new offer by Zelensky :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/03/04/trump-ukraine-aid-pause-reaction/

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Hi Banjo,

I can only agree with what you said above. Trump is fast becoming like another fella from history, a democratically elected dictator. Zelensky and Ukraine, and its people, are just another tool to be cynically exploited in the name of "peace". How sick that sounds.

So I guess that's a 'NO' from Banjo in regards to watching the entire 40 minute meeting rather than the soundbites fed to an anxious public.

"Zelensky had been set up. The whole scene had been carefully planned and orchestrated. "

Zelensky had requested the photo op and asked that the press be allowed to witness the discussions.

But that doesn't suit the narrative so we'll pretend it didn't happen.

Russia refuses to freeze Ukraine war, rejects proposal for ceasefire along frontline 26 Feb 2025
http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-refuses-to-freeze-ukraine-war-rejects-proposal-for-ceasefire-along-the-frontline-in-ukraine-8759521

>>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has made it clear that there will be no ceasefire along the contact line in Ukraine, Russian state media reported on Wednesday (Feb 26).
Lavrov emphasised that Russia has a constitution to uphold and cannot agree to any deals that would involve further arming the Ukrainian government.
"We have a constitution," he said, adding that such a cessation in fighting is not feasible.
The Russian Foreign Minister also highlighted that they will not accept any agreements that involve further arming the Ukrainian government.
"It is impossible to enter into agreements that would involve pumping the Kyiv regime with weapons again," he concluded.
Lavrov had earlier rejected the notion of deploying European peacekeepers to Ukraine, stating that Russia hasn't received any such proposal and doesn't view it as a viable option.<<

How many times do I have to spell it out for you lot?
Image you are watching a boxing match, the fighters are in the 12th round and half way through the round the losing fighter 'proposes a ceasefire'.
The other fighter isn't going to stop until 'Mr Ceasefire is on the canvas lights out or the end of the fight'
You people are deluding yourselves.

From Banjo's WP article:
"The idea for a partial ceasefire was originally floated by France, which suggested a potential one-month “truce in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure,” which could be better monitored than ground fighting along the lengthy front line. If it holds, a truce could be paired with negotiations on security guarantees and other issues, and followed by a potential European troop deployment in the event of a settlement."

It's a ruse to rearm, bring in 'foreign peacekeepers' and back them with security guarantees that would create a tripwire that commits US forces to fight Russians.

Trump says no significant security guarantees in Ukraine minerals deal - Thu 27 Feb
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/26/trump-no-significant-security-guarantees-ukraine-minerals-deal

Russia says NO. Trump says NO.

The Europeans can jump up and down screaming all they want but it won't change anything.
Remember Putin / Trump phone call a few weeks back? Europeans were complaining they didn't get a seat at the table.
They are irrellevant. They had 3 years for peace but are committed to Ukrainian victory.
They don't have the money, manpower or weapons to affect anything. They have no cards to play.
Trump will exit Europe and cut their LNG.

http://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114098542644386176
Trump: "TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS!"

Trump doesn't even have to sign any minerals deal.
Russia already dangled that carrot.
http://youtu.be/i7Ri0Z5zQ4I

And China isn't concerned about it.

Xi tells Putin that China is pleased with Russia’s efforts to end Ukraine war
http://apnews.com/article/xi-putin-china-russia-ukraine-9f4ce5483298822edf8878c9b3d9ca00

Meanwhile...

Trump considers selling hundreds of government buildings
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doj-fbi-lease-sale-courthouses-b2708952.html

Trump’s FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to do
http://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-fisa-russia-2d215ded96ad8a08689b6f7f0b2d49ec

Kash Patel: “I’d shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state,’” Patel said in an interview on the “Shawn Ryan Show” that aired in September. “Then, I’d take the 7,000 employees that work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals. Go be cops. You’re cops — go be cops.”

Drain the swamp.