Details, Details, Details

Too bad they're so damn important.

One of the most dishonest things that Zelenski stated today was that Putin can't be trusted, specifically because Russia broke the ceasefire deals, Minsk I and II. The fact is that we can't really Trust Ukraine, because they were in fact the ones who broke the deals and now they are lying about it to Trump and Vance, along with the rest of the American public.

Top NATO generals have all admitted that Russia was not a party to the ceasefire violations during the Ukrainian civil war, nor where they providing substantial aid to the separatists. We were though and much of it was off the books. People talk about the aid given openly by Obama and the Javelins that Trump sent, but both of those shipments were a pittance compared to the covert aid that was flowing in. Most of the covert stuff was soviet block equipment that Ukraine knew how to use, it's the same stuff we supplied terrorist in Libya and Syria and other places with as well, it's cheap and it's easily obtained.

The Minsk accord ceasefires were not concluded between Putin and Ukraine, it was a deal between the Separatists and Ukraine. It's tough to violate an agreement you aren't party to.

Zelensky tried to clarify by claiming that Russia didn't live up to a prisoner swap with Ukraine. But Russia had no prisoners, the separatists did and the agreement was that if the ceasefire held, then and only then would they swap prisoners.

The ceasefire didn't hold because the Right Wing Nationalist Militia members thought it was fun to go hunt Russians in Donbass. Why would the Separatists release these militia guys so they can go right back into the bunkers and start killing civilians again? Keep in mind that our own congress led by Democrats passed a resolution to stop arming these Right Wing Militias. Biden turned around and told Ukraine to just make them part of the military and now we gave them tanks and artillery, drones, etc. There is an entire Right Wing Nationalist Brigade.

The vast majority of the fighting in the civil war took place inside of the Donbass, not in the rest of Ukraine. Once in a while return fire would land inside government held territory, where the militias had set up networks of fortifications, but even that was rare because the vast majority of the militia trenches were set up in Separatist territory on Russian speaker's land.

Keep in mind the Government attacked into the Donbass and almost pushed them completely into Russia. The Separatists never once went on offensives into Government held land.

Furthermore, there were practically ZERO civilian casualties inside of the Government areas, the thousands of civilians killed in the civil war were all from the Russia speaking areas, which makes sense considering that is where all the fighting took place.

On top of this, the Leader of Germany and other world leaders have admitted that the Minsk accords were a ruse used to buy time to re-arm Ukraine.

In the weeks leading up to the invasion Ukraine violated the cease fire Hundreds of times and lobbed thousands of shells at the separatists, they also conducted sabotage raids. This wasn't new but it was a large increase. I'd like to know if they were encouraged to break the ceasefire, I suspect they were.

Russia was not party to the Minks accords and they did not violate them, Zelesnki should not be allowed to get away with a lie like this, but I'm sure that Tulsi Gabbard will let Trump know about that little detail. This is why her appointment was so important. It's details like this that matter.

Furthermore, It was the US who lied when they told Russia that NATO was not going to be pushed one inch closer to Russia. If the US was being honest with Russia, Zelenski would have been told he would not be allowed into NATO a long time ago, same for all the other nations we have pushed to join.

Trump is right about this, if he lets Ukraine think we will continue to have their back no matter what, they really will keep fighting to the last Ukrainian. At a minimum it will continue until Russia has taken every bit of land it wants. That could take years and another million lives, that's even if the US blows another treasure.

Ukraine needs to be told that they can either sign a ceasefire and work towards a permanent deal or they can see how the war goes without us. That threat should include taking away star-link and satellite intel on Russian movements. And yes I know this sounds harsh, but it's tough love actually. They should not be given any real choice in the matter and in a way that's even the best for Zelesnky.

Zelensky has been told by these Right Wing Nationalist Militias that if he plays ball it could be the end of his life. If he has ZERO choice, there is a chance they will let him live. There is even a chance that this was in fact the game Zelenski was playing at. He needed a VERY public smack down so that he can say he's done his absolute best and that Trump just isn't having any of it. Keep in mind that both Trump and Zelenski are actors.

This war has raged on for long enough, Trump is far from perfect but he's right on this one and it's likely going to take maximum pressure to get a deal done.

This was another step in the right direction.

One last thing, there always is.

I wasn't going to comment on Zelensky's choice of clothing but why not. One Senator asked him why he didn't have a suit on and Z said he will put on a "costume" when the war is over. The problem is , he runs around in military style duds all the time and that for sure is a costume. He's not a soldier and never has been.

Was his choice of the word "costume" a Freudian slip? Take the costume off bozo, that's what's annoying people.

I know one thing as a soldier, I don't want to see a president pretending he's a soldier. I didn't like seeing presidents run around in uniforms or jackets etc. and neither did any of my buddies.

You are the civilian boss, not a general and you sure as hell ain't a grunt, so stop acting like it. If the bad guys come over the hill your boys will either protect you or you will be the first Russian infantryman's pin cushion.

h/t Brad Smith

Speaking of Tulsi Gabbard: Here’s her report on 30+ Biolabs in Ukraine

And this.

BW