So, I’m confused…. Is Ukraine a US puppet state or not? It is going to be EU puppet now, I suspect.
Nonetheless, it has served its purpose well, to rid the West of much expired and obsolete military equipment, which will all have to be replaced. As for the profit motive, at least for the Biden Crime Syndicate, as Trump likes to describe them, the concerted efforts by the last administration were all to make a fast back for the Biden family and their networks of patronage.
Ukraine is also serving as a “last-ditch military proving ground” in terms of where test new systems, and to get rid of Western military equipment which needs to be decommissioned (a very expensive prospect), while political and economic interests are held in abeyance, such as those linked to the Biden administration and inner circle of Kiev, who have profited the most from the situation.
Flags of Choice!
The removal of U.S. flags from their equipment by Ukrainian soldiers raises questions about the underlying dynamics between Ukraine and its Western backers, implying a growing disillusionment or distancing from the U.S. However, anything is better than German flags in the face of those who remember the history of the Great Patriotic War.
Nonetheless, much now all depends on what percentage of GNP a NATO member is willing to spend, and its willingness to turn a blind eye to where the weapons and assistance disappear to. It will be interesting once peace is achieved, to find out how many donated weapons will, or have already, ended up in the hands of international terrorists and drug cartels, on top of what they already have been supplied with.
I also wonder how soon will Make Europe Great Again campaign posters be selling, and if they too will be like the MAGA posters, turn them over, and you will see MADE in China!
There is a veritable mudslide of information on peace, and future prospects for peace and security, in Ukraine, so much so that it is mind-boggling. Just trying to keep up with the rhetoric leaves little time for deep analysis, however, the tendency is clear: Ukraine is one hot potato that nobody really wants to hold for long, and the political consequences, either the blowback of doing nothing, maybe just letting nature take its course, or the suicidal option of international expansion of the war, are politically not an option, especially for the Germans.
Recently, there was a CGTN talk show that displayed an unusual sense of reality, especially in terms of the diversity of opinions. Both German and American Professors (Ulrike Guérot and Anthony Moretti) seemed to agree with the suggestion that Europeans act like lost children who would eventually come to Daddy, i.e. Trump. Not so Ann-Elizabeth Moutet, the Paris-based British journalist writing for the Telegraph, who went ballistic by the end of the show.
She was screaming about bullies, immorality and other platitudes. It was nice to see the reality which of the diversity of opinions exposes, how this reflects the European Security outlook, including the idea of regeneration of the German military as the main force in Western Europe. It is becoming clear this may be a more actual threat, and not only among the political class, who are more often than not clueless of what is actually going on and where it can lead.
Schism Among European?
China, Russia and the United States are finding common ground over bringing the War in Ukraine to an end, and they are not so worried not about any Ukrainian claims of territorial integrity or the demands of the European Union, collectively or by individual members, thus creating a schism amongst erstwhile American and European allies.
There are broader geopolitical implications, with Germany and other European powers unwilling to fully confront the fallout of a protracted war and eventual defeat. This is the reality that showcases a growing rift between the U.S. and its European allies, especially after the U.S. voted against a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression.
The war has another reality, and smaller NATO countries, especially new ones, may be getting themselves involved with more than they bargained. Ukraine’s role in the war is increasingly should be perceived as being a tool for other nations’ strategic interests, with little focus on its own agency or future, and that there is a growing consensus that the war has dragged on too long, with “bigger fish to fry” for global powers, especially the US, China and Russia.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz, and the winner of Germans elections, adds another layer of complexity, even before the election he was pushing for increased aid to Ukraine, including the supply of Taurus missiles, which would require the involvement of German military technicians, as well as promising to rebuild the German military to face Russia.
Lack of Institutional Memory!
The problem in describing what is happening in Ukraine, and the prospects for now and the future, lies in institutional memory—what is known but not openly acknowledged. While alternative media have extensively documented the illegal overthrow of Ukraine’s government in 2014, even events dating back to 2004, the Orange Revolution, mainstream narratives largely overlook this fact. As various players seek to assert their influence and consolidate power, past events are conveniently ignored.
For instance, the controversy surrounding Donald Trump and the initial lethal military aid to Ukraine. While much attention has been given to his threat to withhold assistance, few acknowledge that he was actually the first U.S. president to provide lethal aid to Ukraine, and bears much of the responsibility for much of what has gone wrong, notwithstanding the Biden administration.
We should not forget about previous deals, not only rare minerals. Hunter Biden, despite lacking relevant experience or academic credentials, was hired by the Ukrainian Gas Company Burisma Holdings in 2014—just two months after Ukraine’s pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted in a U.S.-backed coup. Meanwhile, his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, played a key role in supporting the new Western-aligned government.
Ukraine is one self-inflicted mess, with the US and EU sharing the blame.
Off to Meet the Wizard of Oz
The situation is further complicated by the train wreck of a state visit by Zelensky to the White House to meet Trump, during which both presidents were expected to sign the now infamous deal giving the US access to Ukrainian resources and their exploitation. Zelensky, well known for his trademark GI Joe “combat look” had been warned that protocol and dress code required he wear a suit to the White House. Needless to say, puffed up by three years of globalist hero worship, Zelensky thought the rules did not apply to him.
Needless to say, Trump was not impressed.
Things only got worse from there. Zelensky began attacking both President Trump and Vice President Vance over their desire for an immediate ceasefire and peace process. Zelensky was at his worst, demanding, insulting, arrogant, and entitled.
All this has worked with other leaders, who were afraid to reject or correct “the hero of the hour”, particularly Biden, but for Trump, it is apparent that “The Emperor has no clothes”, with his statements such as “You are gambling with millions of lives, you are gambling with world war three!” and “You have no cards to in your hand” and “You don’t want peace!” bringing home the stark reality that faces Ukraine and the Ukrainian (mandate expired) president’s refusal to see reason.
And the Russian mat did not help…
During the increasingly heated exchanges, Zelensky was seen to mouth the words (quite clearly directed profane language) at Vance. It is interesting that the great Ukrainian patriot prefers to use Russian when stressed.
All the while, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US looked on in horror, repeatedly covering her face with her hands in bewilderment.
Things got so bad, that the much trumpeted agreement on US access to Ukrainian resources remained unsigned, with President Trump cancelling the signing ceremony and taking the unprecedented step of evicting Zelensky from the White House and refusing to allow him to return under he was willing to take peace with no string attachment.
Even the rabid warmonger, Lindsey Graham said, “What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we could ever do business with Zelensky again” and this is coming from one of the foremost champions of Ukraine to date!
It seems that Ukraine has become a European proxy, particularly that of Britain. Upon his ejection from the White House, Zelensky gave a handful of interviews to mainly left-wing media like MSNBC, before running to London, where he has received a hero’s welcome from Starmer on Saturday, before a “Pan European” summit to support Ukraine on Sunday.
How exactly Europe, with its anemic defense industry and severe lack of wweapons,intends to keep Ukraine fighting is anyone’s guess. I suspect they are about to find out that overprinted fiat currency does not solve every problem!
Henry Kamens, columnist, expert on Central Asia and Caucasus
