Double realpolitik spoiler: Zelenskyy expects that and is instead setting up a narrative to demand more action from sane countries (Canada, Europe) when the US inevitably renegs.
But as a fun little gift Rubio set the US up to look like assholes with a statement last night:
Rubio noted that if the Kremlin rejects the ceasefire proposal, “then we’ll, unfortunately, know what the impediment is to peace here.”
“Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking,” Rubio said, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump has been clear that he wants to stop the war swiftly.
This will be egg on the administration’s face when they try and walk it back when Russia says “fuck off”.
This will be egg on the administration’s face when they try and walk it back when Russia says “fuck off”.
That entire meeting was zel driving a wedge between Putin and Trump. If that wasn’t obvious when zel said he thought Putin was afraid of Trump then I’m not sure what else would make it obvious.
Now it’s to the point where it’s basically like whoever blinks first is the pussy, think of it like a really dumb petty Cuban missile crisis.
That’s exactly how this was resolved. Ukraine forced trump to show his weakness so now he either has to step up involvement in Ukraine or very visibly cowtow to Putin on the world stage.
I dunno if you keep up with history but that’s quite literally how the Cuban missile crisis ended, in negotiations behind closed doors and I might add with resolutions that weren’t public for iirc about a decade and even then the government didn’t want people to know.
Again, of course we all know that, we all know that Russia is the aggressor here and Trump is clearly trying to put them in a favorable position for some reason that may be related to blackmail, future aspirations or just wanting to gargle Putin’s balls. These are facts that can’t change - but by accepting the cease fire and making these statements Zelenskyy is trying to maximize the blow back if and when America renegs to, ideally, maximize the support Ukraine can receive.
In the world of diplomacy appearance matters more than facts - three months ago America was the dominant economic force and had a military that could curb stomp anyone in formal battle - today America is still the dominant economic force and has a military that can curbstomp anyone in formal battle but they’re an unreliable partner and so America has lost nearly all of their outsized soft/diplomatic power - the facts are still essentially the same, but the perception massively shifted.
He set us up to look like assholes if we set Zelensky’s whole visit up to dunk on him and blame him for Russia’s invasion, so Rubio’s sprinkle of respectful/rational comments doesn’t really change things
Double realpolitik spoiler: Zelenskyy expects that and is instead setting up a narrative to demand more action from sane countries (Canada, Europe) when the US inevitably renegs.
But as a fun little gift Rubio set the US up to look like assholes with a statement last night:
This will be egg on the administration’s face when they try and walk it back when Russia says “fuck off”.
That entire meeting was zel driving a wedge between Putin and Trump. If that wasn’t obvious when zel said he thought Putin was afraid of Trump then I’m not sure what else would make it obvious.
Now it’s to the point where it’s basically like whoever blinks first is the pussy, think of it like a really dumb petty Cuban missile crisis.
The Cuban middle crisis was resolved through negotiation and concessions, not by a game of nuclear chicken.
That’s exactly how this was resolved. Ukraine forced trump to show his weakness so now he either has to step up involvement in Ukraine or very visibly cowtow to Putin on the world stage.
I dunno if you keep up with history but that’s quite literally how the Cuban missile crisis ended, in negotiations behind closed doors and I might add with resolutions that weren’t public for iirc about a decade and even then the government didn’t want people to know.
Dumb, “petty,” and over a million casualties so far. I don’t recall anyone dying during the Cuban missile crisis.
Not the war, this dumb fucking standoff that Trump just lost.
Like we didn’t already know that (see: Russia’s initial invasion). But facts and reason don’t matter to these clowns.
Again, of course we all know that, we all know that Russia is the aggressor here and Trump is clearly trying to put them in a favorable position for some reason that may be related to blackmail, future aspirations or just wanting to gargle Putin’s balls. These are facts that can’t change - but by accepting the cease fire and making these statements Zelenskyy is trying to maximize the blow back if and when America renegs to, ideally, maximize the support Ukraine can receive.
In the world of diplomacy appearance matters more than facts - three months ago America was the dominant economic force and had a military that could curb stomp anyone in formal battle - today America is still the dominant economic force and has a military that can curbstomp anyone in formal battle but they’re an unreliable partner and so America has lost nearly all of their outsized soft/diplomatic power - the facts are still essentially the same, but the perception massively shifted.
He set us up to look like assholes if we set Zelensky’s whole visit up to dunk on him and blame him for Russia’s invasion, so Rubio’s sprinkle of respectful/rational comments doesn’t really change things
Respectful/rational? Rubio acting like he’s just realized that Putin might not be on the level? He’s either playing dumb or actually is dumb.