This is not a “peace negotiation” or even “talks”. This is an act of denying Ukraine any agency or say in their own future. It denies European nations agency in how they are to interact with their Ukrainian brothers. It is arrogant and over reaching by Trump and Putin. It is the coming out party for the new axis of authoritarianism. It is the funeral for NATO and the post 1945 rules-based order. It is indeed a partitioning of not just Ukraine, but spheres of influence which Putin will ignore anyway. It is the harbinger of the next Great War unless we collectively stand up and say, “No! Never!”
Oh, and it is meaningless as Ukraine and Europe will keep fighting. It is check in between the handler (Putin) and the traitor doing his bidding (Trump).
While we seem rarely reminded that both USA and Russia committed to the future protection of Ukrainian borders if it would give up its nuclear weapons left after the breakup of the Soviet Union, these “talks" prepare us (and the world) for the loss of Taiwan and the renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America prepares the world for the Chinese takeover of the South China Sea and any number of future territorial aggressions by large powerful autocracies including of Greenland, Antarctica and likely even the moon. Once started, this abandonment of the international rules of law becomes increasingly open season for powerful autocratic countries.
I think ‘spheres’ is the end game. Justify the land grabs. Wouldn’t the Brits have anything to say about Canada? Commonwealth only, I guess. I get the feeling China is surprised things are moving so fast, “oh yeah, sure, we’ll take some.”
Europe needs to time things to drag them out so that Trump, as he consumes all of the US money for his billionaires and takes it out of our economy that the US will lose heft in the world and that means that less negotiating power. It is the natural outcome of him turning the US into a third world country. Something he is trying to do rapidly.
America, under trump, has arrogantly announced that it will negotiate solo with the aggressor, without the attacked country being present. Its friends and supporters, whose future is also at risk- also not needed
America's gonna take care of that on its own. The attacked country doesn't need to be there. The aggressor may not lose any captured territory; the attacked country can't join NATO- announced before negotiations begin. By the helpful self chosen negotiator.
I expect a very excellent peace proposal being quickly offered to those'difficult, stubborn' Ukrainians--really, the 'best possible deal' they could ever have hoped for(many say), taken care of for them, by a crack team. A deal they'd be fools to decline.
I also expect a fruitful meeting between the 2; no translators notes. Helsinki 2.0.
Yes! Ukraine and Europe will keep fighting! And what will Russia and the United States do when confronted with that? I hate to even think of the worst case scenario…
However, Trump intel is mostly going to be coming from Russia at this point, and his military has not been tested with why they would help Russia and ignore the constitution that Trump is ignoring. Still, I am thinking Trump is going to use stealing Ukraine's minerals as a reason to help Russia with that being the transaction that he gets from giving Ukraine to Russia. The Europe is not going for that though. So, we shall see.
You leave out, Paul, all the U.S. (and imported from South Africa) tech billionaires.
Don't they plan totally to rule -- plus the dark money U.S. billionaires, the international oligarchs, the standardized testers, and the run-of-the-mill dictators?
They think they are in control…until they are not. But yes, they think that is how it will turn out, but ask the oligarchs under Putin who have fallen out of windows or had their companies taken away how it all turned out.
I agree. NATO is dead. French President Macron is hosting Europe’s leaders today in Paris, where I’m certain they are discussing how to live in a world in which the United States is no longer their ally in the war against totalitarianism. One analyst I trust predicts Europe plus Canada will create their own army… Cutting themselves off from the US military. I personally think that would be a very wise thing for them to do.
And then perhaps invade America, rousing popular support against Trump and his minions who would immediately surrender and then they could forced to spend the rest of their days in Guantanamo Bay.
Might be interesting to have Canada annex the United States and create new provinces like New England, the Old South, the Wild West, Alaska, the Pacific, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Gulf of Canada Provinces.
Indeed! And they could take back my hometown, Schenectady, with its old Dutch homes along the Mohawk River in the Stockade Section. This was the original area inside the stockade which was attacked in 1690 by Indians and French, so Simon Schermerhorn rode furiously to Albany to warn settlers there of the massacre! Still a famous rid re-enacted each year by the mayor of Schenectady, usually on horseback . . .
It seems like European countries are trying to rethink NATO without the US. That seems wise, even if they don't publicly put it like they are doing that.
I think people should be considering what living in the US is going to be like for themselves as well, and prepare to be in an autocracy.
The Russians have been kidnapping Ukrainian children and fostering them with Russian families (Putin apparently obsesses about the low birth-rate in Russia). I don't suppose that's going to play any part in these 'talks'.
The US had Lindsay Graham discussing the US's role in the Ukrainian war at the Munich Security Conference, and his 2 ideas were that 1) if Russia violates a negotiated peace with Ukraine, Ukraine automatically gets into NATO which would probably make Russia not want to end the war. 2) If Ukraine gives more minerals to Trump than the US has given to the Ukraine in support militarily than the Trump can convince Americans to continue supporting Ukraine because we would be protecting our own investments. It is extortion.
What I would like to imagine is if someone in Europe besides Scholz or Merz either, would lead Europe to stand up to both the US and Russia. They have been having it good, and need to wake up that they cannot live off the peace that the US has provided them, and the looking down on Slavs Euro Hierarchy that allowed the rest of Europe to allow Ukraine to have to be in this situation in the first place. Can they get over it? It is needed now.
I have to tell you, Linda, that it's really not been that great since the 2008 financial crash. The pandemic has been another blow and almost every incumbent leader has faced electoral disaster. There's a lot wrong with the EU and people never tire of pointing this out, but consider what came before it and the wisdom of Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman to create an organisation that has maintained peace in Europe after 100 years of relentless war and which is the most stable alliance of nation states in the world today. It's really not an inconsiderable achievement.
As far as I see it, Trump is trying to see who will give him greater access to Ukrainian mineral assets, Russia or Ukraine. I believe it has been decided in favor of Russia already. The whole situation stinks, and while I can understand the other NATO countries still pretend that Trump is a partner, I am betting behind closed doors there is a plan B being developed but not shared. That is wise. Transparency with a fascist is just giving them tools to bring you down. Let us hope the Democratic Party is operating under these beliefs as well and actually have more planned than they are saying.
Every voice must proclaim our American Tyrant is betraying Democracy, embracing Putin, and throwing Ukraine to the same fate Czechoslovakia suffered under Hitler.
Here is an interview for the ages. An honest man, a fair man, a true Champion of Democracy and Freedom. Telling the world that Putin is simply a killer, who will kill unless stopped from killing. That American betrayal will only lead to torture, rape, mass slaughters. That Ukraine continues to stand ready to be Free.
Everyone must hear this great man, great for being Free. All our Freedom is at stake, this interview shows the way to keep Free.
Thank you, thank you for this cogent analysis!!! We must all stand for Ukraine! There are so many reasons to take to the streets. Is there anything else we could be doing? Asking as a Canadian.
As a dual national (Canadian/Latvian), I feel helpless even though I support Ukraine primarily by raising and donating money to fight this war. When writing on this subject, I use lowercase for 'putin,' 'russia,' etc. Big deal, eh? What truly hurts me is that I now feel compelled to use lowercase for 'america.' The usa is no longer my hegemon! Still helpless."
You make so many good points, such as that law and ethics ought to be a part of these so-called peace negotiations. Key word: "ought." Our bought and paid for stooge of a PINO never, ever respected the law or legal limits, unless they were backed up by the threat of incarcerating his sorry a**. His stance is a naked grab for colonial power. What? Ukraine should give the US half of its mineral resources? On what planet would that be a 'good deal'? The other thing Trump is doing is paying Putin back for all of his support in getting him elected. And probably buying into his cryptocurrency scam of untraceable "donations' aka bribes.
Leigh, I think that is the REAL deal here. Payback to Putin. But very possibly Putin has plenty of kompromat on Trump and so there is blackmail/protection money involved.
For all the advice given today by TS we need a daily reality check that reaches Americans. No such thing exists. Democrats need to provide it. I’ll keep saying it until it happens.
We don't have any equivalent to the FOX and Sinclair megaphones. Coupled with Roberts' blessing of political corruption in his 2010 Citizens United decision - we've devolved to where a South African immigrant is our President and Foreign Minister. We need McConnell, Thune, Cornyn, Collins, and even Rubio to now more than ever rediscover the backbones their were born with.
It is the most poor and raggedy ass state in New England, in many places more like Mississippi than Massachusetts. The coastal towns are swinging like Portland but you go further into Aroostook County it can be a bit out of “Deliverance”. She has a lot of seniority but one hand giveth, the other taketh away. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/09/susan-collins-reminds-us-she-is-hardly-a-moderate.html
Trump is a Russian asset. Been one since the 1980s when Russia was the only place he could borrow. The Trump Tower in NY was full of (the) Russian mafia. If one looks at everything Trump does through that lens, it makes perfect sense. NATO - at least with the US - is finished. It would be wise for Europe, Canada and everyone to treat US spies as they do Russian spies. Trump is looking to annex Canada, Greenland, Gaza. Every large country in the world has an authoritarian leader, even including India. We're devolving into a feudal but technologically advanced world with Kings, oligarchs and serfs. And a few in-between.
There made two telling historical observations yesterday: First he said Russia defeated Germany in the Second World War, Two, that the Russians defeated Napoleon. Wonder who highlighted those talking points for him? Putin of course. In point of fact Ukrainian soldiers did a lot of the heavy lifting for the Russians. So much so that Stalin went to great lengths afterwards to write ethnic Russians into the narrative and Ukrainians out. I'm no expert on Napoleon either but last time I checked there was a case to be made that he defeated himself when he took the decision to invade in the first place. Those would be my points to Putin should he bring up such nonsense. But Trump just nods in agreement. God help us.
First paragraph to this article trump has Napoleon floating around his head. Fears that the United States is in the midst of a constitutional crisis—or something significantly worse—intensified Saturday after President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post that "he who saves his country does not violate any law," a variation of a quote attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-quotes-napolean
The "Russia defeated Germany in the Second World War" is definitely Putin. I'm waiting for Trump to start referring to WWII as The Great Fatherland War.
SAD. Thune, McConnell, Graham, Rubio, Cornyn, Collins. Please read TS. Tell me it ain't so: "But redefining the war as an opportunity for the United States to make money seems designed to manipulate Trump."
This is the Chairnan of the annual Munich Security Conference, responding with great sadness at the conclusion of the conference, after absorbing the impact of the United States’ decision to side with Russia and abandon support for Ukraine (other earth shaking statements from the USA’s Vice President Vance and Defence Secretary Hegseth too). An emergency meeting of Europe’s leaders is taking place in Paris today, hosted by French President Macron. They are deciding what to do now that America is no longer their ally in the war against Russian totalitarianism.
As some people know, I am autistic, and when I visited the United Nations at age 7, the subject of World Peace was imprinted on my young autistic brain. This shaped my experience of the world around me, which I view largely through the lens of what creates peace, and what creates war. Alliances for progress, create peace, alliances for destruction, and taking what you want without regard to others needs creates war. Today is the saddest day in my 70 years, with a possible exception of the day President Kennedy was assassinated.
“On Sunday, the U.S. national security adviser, Mike Waltz, indicated it was at least partly for past support. 'The American people deserve to be recouped, deserve to have some kind of payback for the billions they have invested in this war,' he was quoted as saying. 'I think that Zelensky would be very wise to enter into this agreement with the United States.'”
Hi, Karen. Yes, definitely, that's been clear from the beginning. Zelens'kyy is the opposite of Putin in many respects, but especially in his bravery. What's more, everyone can see it, including Putin.
Thank you Professor Snyder this is essential information. We have learned how to support Ukraine 🇺🇦. How do we now let The European Countries know that we as individuals support them.
What to do: Make financial donations to Ukrainian groups who have lost USAID funding, support US companies who are pushing back, attend town halls by representatives who are questioning what is going on, and attend national protests. If you live in a red state ask your representatives if they approve of Trump’s actions. If so, support primary challengers for the next election. Write letters to newspapers, post online, question why we are allowing the billionaire class to steal Ukraine’s resources. This will only end when Trump leaves office, demand impeachment.
I think money is not as much of an issue to the EU as it is to Ukraine. USAID was providing funds for de-mining, evacuation of civilians, food & medicine in the front line areas. Individual military units need drones, pickup trucks, and drone jamming equipment. I think the best support for the EU is to protest Trump’s actions. I plan to support the movement to impeach Trump https://freespeechforpeople.org/about/
Minute 24 on Keith Olbermanns Countdown Feb 17 -giving ex Republican strategist Sherry Jacobus credit for the idea to create a Shadow Press to cover Democratic point of view https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QC-Qc_cz5oA. At least the idea is simmering
This is not a “peace negotiation” or even “talks”. This is an act of denying Ukraine any agency or say in their own future. It denies European nations agency in how they are to interact with their Ukrainian brothers. It is arrogant and over reaching by Trump and Putin. It is the coming out party for the new axis of authoritarianism. It is the funeral for NATO and the post 1945 rules-based order. It is indeed a partitioning of not just Ukraine, but spheres of influence which Putin will ignore anyway. It is the harbinger of the next Great War unless we collectively stand up and say, “No! Never!”
Oh, and it is meaningless as Ukraine and Europe will keep fighting. It is check in between the handler (Putin) and the traitor doing his bidding (Trump).
While we seem rarely reminded that both USA and Russia committed to the future protection of Ukrainian borders if it would give up its nuclear weapons left after the breakup of the Soviet Union, these “talks" prepare us (and the world) for the loss of Taiwan and the renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America prepares the world for the Chinese takeover of the South China Sea and any number of future territorial aggressions by large powerful autocracies including of Greenland, Antarctica and likely even the moon. Once started, this abandonment of the international rules of law becomes increasingly open season for powerful autocratic countries.
https://www.voanews.com/amp/why-is-trump-pausing-us-anti-bribery-law-/7976000.html. The world is his oyster as he collects $
Geez, the subtlety of this mob boss is overwhelming.
JohnM, as you note, a land grab is about to be legitimized.
So that other land grabs can be legitimized.
So that those Gazans, Canadians and so many others can finally have their dreams realized, and be owned by the US. (And cherished.)
I think ‘spheres’ is the end game. Justify the land grabs. Wouldn’t the Brits have anything to say about Canada? Commonwealth only, I guess. I get the feeling China is surprised things are moving so fast, “oh yeah, sure, we’ll take some.”
Europe needs to time things to drag them out so that Trump, as he consumes all of the US money for his billionaires and takes it out of our economy that the US will lose heft in the world and that means that less negotiating power. It is the natural outcome of him turning the US into a third world country. Something he is trying to do rapidly.
And Greenland becoming, the red-white-and-blue-land
America, under trump, has arrogantly announced that it will negotiate solo with the aggressor, without the attacked country being present. Its friends and supporters, whose future is also at risk- also not needed
America's gonna take care of that on its own. The attacked country doesn't need to be there. The aggressor may not lose any captured territory; the attacked country can't join NATO- announced before negotiations begin. By the helpful self chosen negotiator.
I expect a very excellent peace proposal being quickly offered to those'difficult, stubborn' Ukrainians--really, the 'best possible deal' they could ever have hoped for(many say), taken care of for them, by a crack team. A deal they'd be fools to decline.
I also expect a fruitful meeting between the 2; no translators notes. Helsinki 2.0.
Your sarcasm is underwhelming! Instead of the “Art of the Deal” it is the “Art of Weakness, Appeasement, & Authoritarianism”
Yes! Ukraine and Europe will keep fighting! And what will Russia and the United States do when confronted with that? I hate to even think of the worst case scenario…
Worst case scenario is Trump arms the Russian military and share intel with Russia on Ukraine. Not hard to imagine at this point.
Tulsi Gabbard, Paul, is already onboard to flow the intel to Putin.
Point well taken!
However, Trump intel is mostly going to be coming from Russia at this point, and his military has not been tested with why they would help Russia and ignore the constitution that Trump is ignoring. Still, I am thinking Trump is going to use stealing Ukraine's minerals as a reason to help Russia with that being the transaction that he gets from giving Ukraine to Russia. The Europe is not going for that though. So, we shall see.
You leave out, Paul, all the U.S. (and imported from South Africa) tech billionaires.
Don't they plan totally to rule -- plus the dark money U.S. billionaires, the international oligarchs, the standardized testers, and the run-of-the-mill dictators?
They think they are in control…until they are not. But yes, they think that is how it will turn out, but ask the oligarchs under Putin who have fallen out of windows or had their companies taken away how it all turned out.
I agree. NATO is dead. French President Macron is hosting Europe’s leaders today in Paris, where I’m certain they are discussing how to live in a world in which the United States is no longer their ally in the war against totalitarianism. One analyst I trust predicts Europe plus Canada will create their own army… Cutting themselves off from the US military. I personally think that would be a very wise thing for them to do.
And then perhaps invade America, rousing popular support against Trump and his minions who would immediately surrender and then they could forced to spend the rest of their days in Guantanamo Bay.
Might be interesting to have Canada annex the United States and create new provinces like New England, the Old South, the Wild West, Alaska, the Pacific, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Gulf of Canada Provinces.
The Dutch might like to take New York back.
Indeed! And they could take back my hometown, Schenectady, with its old Dutch homes along the Mohawk River in the Stockade Section. This was the original area inside the stockade which was attacked in 1690 by Indians and French, so Simon Schermerhorn rode furiously to Albany to warn settlers there of the massacre! Still a famous rid re-enacted each year by the mayor of Schenectady, usually on horseback . . .
Now that's what I call a proper mayor. One wouldn't see Rudy Giuliani doing that, even though he'd do almost anything else for Trump.
Canada will not want the Old South, Cathy.
Canada is really more closely tied to Europe than the US. That makes sense. Plus Canada may need to stave off a US attack at some point.
It seems like European countries are trying to rethink NATO without the US. That seems wise, even if they don't publicly put it like they are doing that.
I think people should be considering what living in the US is going to be like for themselves as well, and prepare to be in an autocracy.
https://open.substack.com/pub/lindaweide/p/a-plan-c-for-catastrophe?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
The Russians have been kidnapping Ukrainian children and fostering them with Russian families (Putin apparently obsesses about the low birth-rate in Russia). I don't suppose that's going to play any part in these 'talks'.
The US had Lindsay Graham discussing the US's role in the Ukrainian war at the Munich Security Conference, and his 2 ideas were that 1) if Russia violates a negotiated peace with Ukraine, Ukraine automatically gets into NATO which would probably make Russia not want to end the war. 2) If Ukraine gives more minerals to Trump than the US has given to the Ukraine in support militarily than the Trump can convince Americans to continue supporting Ukraine because we would be protecting our own investments. It is extortion.
I agree, but imagine for a moment their plight if they had nothing Trump wanted.
What I would like to imagine is if someone in Europe besides Scholz or Merz either, would lead Europe to stand up to both the US and Russia. They have been having it good, and need to wake up that they cannot live off the peace that the US has provided them, and the looking down on Slavs Euro Hierarchy that allowed the rest of Europe to allow Ukraine to have to be in this situation in the first place. Can they get over it? It is needed now.
I have to tell you, Linda, that it's really not been that great since the 2008 financial crash. The pandemic has been another blow and almost every incumbent leader has faced electoral disaster. There's a lot wrong with the EU and people never tire of pointing this out, but consider what came before it and the wisdom of Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman to create an organisation that has maintained peace in Europe after 100 years of relentless war and which is the most stable alliance of nation states in the world today. It's really not an inconsiderable achievement.
Apparently, there is a j.v. meeting in the UAR, with Zelensky present, to focus on just such issues.
Of course not!
Shameful Russian war of
aggression … and…Shameful"???
Peace-Talks' without Ukraine at the table!!!
As far as I see it, Trump is trying to see who will give him greater access to Ukrainian mineral assets, Russia or Ukraine. I believe it has been decided in favor of Russia already. The whole situation stinks, and while I can understand the other NATO countries still pretend that Trump is a partner, I am betting behind closed doors there is a plan B being developed but not shared. That is wise. Transparency with a fascist is just giving them tools to bring you down. Let us hope the Democratic Party is operating under these beliefs as well and actually have more planned than they are saying.
Thank you Professor Snyder.
Every voice must proclaim our American Tyrant is betraying Democracy, embracing Putin, and throwing Ukraine to the same fate Czechoslovakia suffered under Hitler.
I just saw President Zelensky on Meet the Press. https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/zelenskyy-warns-of-high-risk-putin-will-invade-nato-countries-full-interview-232118341582
Here is an interview for the ages. An honest man, a fair man, a true Champion of Democracy and Freedom. Telling the world that Putin is simply a killer, who will kill unless stopped from killing. That American betrayal will only lead to torture, rape, mass slaughters. That Ukraine continues to stand ready to be Free.
Everyone must hear this great man, great for being Free. All our Freedom is at stake, this interview shows the way to keep Free.
Thank you, thank you for this cogent analysis!!! We must all stand for Ukraine! There are so many reasons to take to the streets. Is there anything else we could be doing? Asking as a Canadian.
As a dual national (Canadian/Latvian), I feel helpless even though I support Ukraine primarily by raising and donating money to fight this war. When writing on this subject, I use lowercase for 'putin,' 'russia,' etc. Big deal, eh? What truly hurts me is that I now feel compelled to use lowercase for 'america.' The usa is no longer my hegemon! Still helpless."
Never helpless! You have a voice. Canada and Ukraine have so much in common both bordered by monsters.
You make so many good points, such as that law and ethics ought to be a part of these so-called peace negotiations. Key word: "ought." Our bought and paid for stooge of a PINO never, ever respected the law or legal limits, unless they were backed up by the threat of incarcerating his sorry a**. His stance is a naked grab for colonial power. What? Ukraine should give the US half of its mineral resources? On what planet would that be a 'good deal'? The other thing Trump is doing is paying Putin back for all of his support in getting him elected. And probably buying into his cryptocurrency scam of untraceable "donations' aka bribes.
Leigh, I think that is the REAL deal here. Payback to Putin. But very possibly Putin has plenty of kompromat on Trump and so there is blackmail/protection money involved.
For all the advice given today by TS we need a daily reality check that reaches Americans. No such thing exists. Democrats need to provide it. I’ll keep saying it until it happens.
We don't have any equivalent to the FOX and Sinclair megaphones. Coupled with Roberts' blessing of political corruption in his 2010 Citizens United decision - we've devolved to where a South African immigrant is our President and Foreign Minister. We need McConnell, Thune, Cornyn, Collins, and even Rubio to now more than ever rediscover the backbones their were born with.
Unlikely. Susan Collins and her epic opinion, “Trump has learned his lesson”.
I know. She's was played for a fool. Embarrassing. Hope she's voted out in her next go-round.
It is the most poor and raggedy ass state in New England, in many places more like Mississippi than Massachusetts. The coastal towns are swinging like Portland but you go further into Aroostook County it can be a bit out of “Deliverance”. She has a lot of seniority but one hand giveth, the other taketh away. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/09/susan-collins-reminds-us-she-is-hardly-a-moderate.html
what next "go around" ?
She's running for a 6th term next year (2026). Sio Mainers have a chance to find an alternative with a backbone and a set of standards.
She is a dishonest manipulator, in my view.
The daily reality check will be the number of people losing their jobs & the diminishing service/economy that will result from this chaos.
Trump is a Russian asset. Been one since the 1980s when Russia was the only place he could borrow. The Trump Tower in NY was full of (the) Russian mafia. If one looks at everything Trump does through that lens, it makes perfect sense. NATO - at least with the US - is finished. It would be wise for Europe, Canada and everyone to treat US spies as they do Russian spies. Trump is looking to annex Canada, Greenland, Gaza. Every large country in the world has an authoritarian leader, even including India. We're devolving into a feudal but technologically advanced world with Kings, oligarchs and serfs. And a few in-between.
This approach to negotiations worked "so well* for the Afghans.
Same principal players with the same goal.
There made two telling historical observations yesterday: First he said Russia defeated Germany in the Second World War, Two, that the Russians defeated Napoleon. Wonder who highlighted those talking points for him? Putin of course. In point of fact Ukrainian soldiers did a lot of the heavy lifting for the Russians. So much so that Stalin went to great lengths afterwards to write ethnic Russians into the narrative and Ukrainians out. I'm no expert on Napoleon either but last time I checked there was a case to be made that he defeated himself when he took the decision to invade in the first place. Those would be my points to Putin should he bring up such nonsense. But Trump just nods in agreement. God help us.
First paragraph to this article trump has Napoleon floating around his head. Fears that the United States is in the midst of a constitutional crisis—or something significantly worse—intensified Saturday after President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post that "he who saves his country does not violate any law," a variation of a quote attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-quotes-napolean
It was a dog whistle- by doing so he also quoted the mass murderer and terrorist Anders Brevik.
https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/historys-darkest-echo-when-mass-murderers-af2?r=a219e&utm_medium=ios
The "Russia defeated Germany in the Second World War" is definitely Putin. I'm waiting for Trump to start referring to WWII as The Great Fatherland War.
One might add that the Russians first made a pact with Hitler so they only have themselves to blame that that didn't turn out well.
SAD. Thune, McConnell, Graham, Rubio, Cornyn, Collins. Please read TS. Tell me it ain't so: "But redefining the war as an opportunity for the United States to make money seems designed to manipulate Trump."
This is the Chairnan of the annual Munich Security Conference, responding with great sadness at the conclusion of the conference, after absorbing the impact of the United States’ decision to side with Russia and abandon support for Ukraine (other earth shaking statements from the USA’s Vice President Vance and Defence Secretary Hegseth too). An emergency meeting of Europe’s leaders is taking place in Paris today, hosted by French President Macron. They are deciding what to do now that America is no longer their ally in the war against Russian totalitarianism.
As some people know, I am autistic, and when I visited the United Nations at age 7, the subject of World Peace was imprinted on my young autistic brain. This shaped my experience of the world around me, which I view largely through the lens of what creates peace, and what creates war. Alliances for progress, create peace, alliances for destruction, and taking what you want without regard to others needs creates war. Today is the saddest day in my 70 years, with a possible exception of the day President Kennedy was assassinated.
Happy Presidents’ Day… not. 😢💔🇺🇸
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGJuhgGOi4K/?igsh=OWJrb2pzd2E2MzVi
“On Sunday, the U.S. national security adviser, Mike Waltz, indicated it was at least partly for past support. 'The American people deserve to be recouped, deserve to have some kind of payback for the billions they have invested in this war,' he was quoted as saying. 'I think that Zelensky would be very wise to enter into this agreement with the United States.'”
This is mafia talk. I fear for Zelens'kyy's life.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/world/europe/ukraine-minerals-us-deal-rejected.html?smtyp=cur&smid=bsky-nytimes
So do I. But I'm sure he is one who would rather die on his feet than live on his knees.
Hi, Karen. Yes, definitely, that's been clear from the beginning. Zelens'kyy is the opposite of Putin in many respects, but especially in his bravery. What's more, everyone can see it, including Putin.
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk-pm-starmer-offers-send-peacekeeping-troops-ukraine-2025-02-16/
I cannot but think but this is the beginning of a land war in Europe. An obviously incipient World War Three.
Unfortunately we don’t have FDR but rather Elmer Fudd.
Vladimir Fudd.
Let's see...Elmer Fudd..ah..any relation to Gomer Comer?? With the same,contrived hill-billy accent as John Kennedy (La.)?
We. should be collectively ashamed! We got what our population voted for! The mafia play just never ends...shame, shame, shame!
Thank you. Your writing is so helpful to me.
Thank you Professor Snyder this is essential information. We have learned how to support Ukraine 🇺🇦. How do we now let The European Countries know that we as individuals support them.
What to do: Make financial donations to Ukrainian groups who have lost USAID funding, support US companies who are pushing back, attend town halls by representatives who are questioning what is going on, and attend national protests. If you live in a red state ask your representatives if they approve of Trump’s actions. If so, support primary challengers for the next election. Write letters to newspapers, post online, question why we are allowing the billionaire class to steal Ukraine’s resources. This will only end when Trump leaves office, demand impeachment.
Thank you very good advice. I was wondering if the European Union would have a fund like United 24
I think money is not as much of an issue to the EU as it is to Ukraine. USAID was providing funds for de-mining, evacuation of civilians, food & medicine in the front line areas. Individual military units need drones, pickup trucks, and drone jamming equipment. I think the best support for the EU is to protest Trump’s actions. I plan to support the movement to impeach Trump https://freespeechforpeople.org/about/
Thank you again.
Hi Sara! I live in Berlin. Here’s one organization I trust, hope this is their site in English:
https://www.aktion-deutschland-hilft.de/de/spenden-nothilfe-ukraine/?wc_id=50793&ref_id=goo&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2cu9BhBhEiwAft6IxEkMh1Y7pgynUYE9d04MrniMtRS30MIVTJ_PB207KPnq3wKbekancBoC_e4QAvD_BwE
Thank you! The site translates. I feel better. my small donation says Thank You to Germany and helps Ukraine
Minute 24 on Keith Olbermanns Countdown Feb 17 -giving ex Republican strategist Sherry Jacobus credit for the idea to create a Shadow Press to cover Democratic point of view https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QC-Qc_cz5oA. At least the idea is simmering
Maybe Mr. Olberman himself could, er, take an off-camera role, given his history of appearing fairly arrogant himself on air?
I wish I knew how to reach him. I have left comments in numerous places but I am not on blue sky x etc.