Yesterday Presidents Putin and Trump had their second telephone call. It lasted between 90 minutes to two hours. Of course this is a very good sign for world peace. Except the insane British who are hopping mad that President Trump even spoke to Putin.
Here is a gist of what transpired. The headings in blue are mine.
PUTIN STANDS FIRM
- 90-minute conversation y'day, Presidents Trump and Putin discussed Ukraine
- Putin rejected full ceasefire
- demanding West cease all military, intelligence aid to Ukraine
- Military aid to Kyiv must stop as part of ceasefire
- Putin outlined complete cessation of foreign military aid to Kyiv
- Putin agreed 30-day halt on bombing Ukraine's energy infrastructure
- Russia-Ukraine have already agreed to exchange of 175 prisoners
- necessity of improving U.S.-Russia relations
- Trump/Putin agreed improved US/Russia relationship has huge upside
- This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability
- potential co-operation in Middle East to prevent future conflicts
- discussed need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons
- both shared view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel
- Under leadership of President Putin and Trump, world much safer place today
There will most likely be follow up conversations between Presidents Trump and Putin. Both of them want a stop to the hostilities.
The British, the EU and the ex-president Zelenskiyy are opposed to peace. The insane British really want to send British soldiers to Ukraine. I hope the British public will come to their senses and show Keir Starmtrooper the fire escape at No. 10.
The French who have the dubious honor of losing or surrendering so many battles in history (including getting their butts kicked out of Russia) are also taking an unusually belligerent approach towards ending the Ukraine conflict. They want the war to go on.
President Trump's wife Melania is Slovenian and has close 'traditional' links to eastern Europe. At home their son Barron speaks fluent Slovenian with his mother and his Slovenian grandparents - who helped to raise their grandson. This may give them a more benign view of the 'old countries' - including Russia of course.
Ukraine "invaded" the Kursk area of Russia in August 2024. The Russians actually allowed them into Kursk. They occupied 1,100 sq km of Russian territory. This is the first time that a foreign army had invaded Russia since the failed German invasion during the Second World War. In the six to seven months since that invasion the Ukrainians have lost 67,000 dead inside Kursk. This is according to General Gerasimov the Chief of the Russian Armed Forces. The Ukrainians also lost thousands of tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery pieces.
Then just over four weeks ago the Russians suddenly got up and kicked out the Ukrainians from Kursk. All the Ukrainian troops have fled from Kursk. End of invasion. Kursk was a trap for the Ukrainians.
It has been reported that the Russians want to keep Zaporizhzhia which they captured in 2022. Zaporizhzhia houses Ukraine's largest nuclear power plant - which the Russians captured and have safely shut down.
The Russians also want the port city of Odessa which they have not captured. This may be a bargaining tactic because the Russians already have the Crimea and the port of Sevastopol which was established by Imperial Russia in 1783.
It has been reported that President Trump has agreed to recognise Russia's sovereignty over the Crimea.
Things are moving closer to a conclusion.
