Americans caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Ukraine, Rubio, and Witkoff.

Americans caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Ukraine, Rubio, and Witkoff.

Trump’s interest in Ukraine and Russia is twofold, the first as a war profiteer. He inserts himself between two warring parties and insists on being peace broker. Neither party asked him to take up that position, but he assumes it. Once entrenched, he offers victory to Russia is return for certain business advantages and offers weapons to Ukraine at a price.

Trump has always maintained business interests in Russia, and Russia has consistently demonstrated an interest in Trump. In the past, many failed Trump businesses were kept afloat with Russian cash. One example is Trump Tower in New York, which held many empty high-cost apartments paid for (above the asking rate) by Russians who never occupied them. Dubiously legal, it wasn’t something Russia would do for nothing. His interest in Ukraine revolve around obtaining privileged rights to Ukrainian mineral wealth, especially rare earths. By manipulating both sides Trump hopes to secure mining rights no matter who wins. The sooner anyone wins, the sooner he makes a metaphorical killing.

It is greed that motivates Trump, not a desire for peace. He would start a war anywhere if he believed he would profit, which appears to be his intention in Venezuela.

Trump’s second but lesser interest is in projecting himself as ‘peace maker’ in his insatiable desire to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. Laughable as it is, he is desperate to obtain it. He could place the award beside his self-awarded golf championship trophies in Mar a Lago.

Last week Ukrainian intelligence services discovered Trump had arranged a secret, or at least confidential meeting in Miami between the US delegates Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, Steve Whitkoff, Trump’s special envoy to Russia and his son-in-law Gerard Kuchner, whose role seems to be to sit on the side and make sure all financial benefits are protected.

Taken by surprise at US deception, the Ukrainians insisted on a meeting between their delegates before the Russian meeting to establish American intentions and then take counter measures. Ukrainian experience of negotiating with Russia and previously with the Soviet Union have given them ample abilities to deal with the less skilled and more obvious Trump regime.

Once in the room at Witkoff’s country club, it was blatantly clear there was a serious level of embarrassment on the part of the Americans. Witkoff had returned from a visit with Putin where a conversation was leaked in which Witkoff briefed his Russian counterpart on how to manipulate Trump. The Russians understood they were dealing with amateur diplomats and presented Witkoff with twenty-eight parts ‘peace proposal’ to take home to the USA in triumph.

The Russian proposals were the same maximalist demands Putin had been making since the war started. Essentially, they were a surrender demand. Ukraine stops fighting, relinquishes Donbas and Zaporizhzhia, reduces it’s armed forces, promises not to join NATO or the EU and return to the status of a Russian vassal state.

The demands were presented in the Russian language and were not immediately translated. Witkoff, relieved to have something to take back to Trump, returned, had them translated and presented to Trump as a ‘New Peace Proposal.’ These Russian demands were then presented to the media as an official US proposal to present to President Zelensky. The Ukrainians consider Russians to be stupid, by now they must justifiably have the same opinion of Americans. The US press corps ripped into Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. They accused Witkoff of doing a Google translate on the Russian demands and then presenting them as an American proposal. Enter little, wide-eyed Marco Rubio who tried to clean up the mess with more obfuscation. While Trump was proclaiming his new US proposal, Rubio was telling the world the so-called plan was merely new ‘Russian’ proposals. Rubio’s emphasis appeared to be on ‘future prosperity’ for Ukraine. Money being the focus of the US delegation rather than defeat of the aggressor and peace. The attempt to promise riches in return for surrender was ignored. Ukraine and Europe know, peace will only come from the defeat of Russia.

By the time the Americans sat down with the Ukrainian delegation the animosity was tangible. Witkoff sat well away from Rubio and appeared to be sulking. Rubio kept his eyes lowered revealing his embarrassment at having to work with someone as incompetent as Witkoff, and Jared Kuchner sat beside Rubio like a vulture watching to see who would die first.

Caught with their hands in the cookie jar the Americans ate a huge slice of humble pie and left early. Ukraine supported by the ‘coalition of the willing’ left Rubio with a clear message from President Zelensky. Ukraine will not and cannot relinquish any of its lands.

A new European plan reduced to twenty points has been offered as a starting place for peace talks, after a ceasefire. President Zelensky knows the Russians will reject the plan and continue the war. Without any impending return on his investment Trump will most probably find someone to blame for his failures and turn his attention elsewhere.

It is the hope of Ukraine and their allies that the USA will continue to provide assistance. Continued US military aid and intelligence support would certainly shorten the war by accelerating a Russian defeat. If not, then Europe and the ‘coalition of the willing’ have more than enough financial and military power to defeat Russia, if only they have the will.

Slava Ukraini!

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Robin Horsfall.

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