Vladimir Putin has demanded that Kyiv cede more land, withdraw troops deeper inside its own country, and drop its Nato bid in order for him to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Putin’s fresh ceasefire demands were issued as envoys from more than 90 countries, including Ukraine, convene in Switzerland this weekend to discuss a western-led peace plan. Russia is not invited to the conference and the president’s remarks on Friday were likely to have been timed as a spoiler to that summit.
Speaking with diplomats at the Russian foreign ministry, Putin publicly updated his terms for ending the war in Ukraine for the first time since he launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, when he demanded regime change in Kyiv and the country’s “demilitarisation”.
The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, said Putin was in “no position” to make demands on Ukraine and could end the war he had started “today if he chose to do that.”
It’s like a house squatter demanding the house owner to leave to end the conflict.
Putin, just leave…
The reality is that both sides are laying out unrealistic terms for surrender right now… and that’s fine. The start of a negotiation is always to start with a stated position and go from there. This war will end at the negotiation table… at least we hope it does becuase unconditional surrender won’t come from Russia, but it could come from Ukraine.
The real question is have both sides suffered enough for a negotiated end to this war? Look, it sucks, but that’s the truth of it. It would be good to see an end to the fighting and dying in Ukraine. Wars suck. The only side winning in this war is the US. They/we spend a pittance of money and watch Russia burn their future generation, military reputation, and global standing to the ground. That’s the #2 political opponent the US has in the world, and it’s acting as a great example for to show China (the #1) why it should behave itself over Taiwan. Win win!
But wars suck. It’s easy to sit on the sidelines, but there a lots of people fighting and dying over there who have nothing to do with make the decisions for war. Yes Putin’s demands are ridiculous, but so are Ukraine’s. That’s fine. Put them in a room and hopefully they can figure out way to end the killing that’s in between the two.
What are Ukraine’s demands for surrender?
Mainly 100% removal from Ukraine (not unreasonable, but also not going happen without Ukraine doing much better on offense) and a shit ton of reparations for all the damage done and people killed (this is never going to happen).
IMHO The most likely scenario is Russia keeps 50 to 80% on land they’ve already captured and Ukraine agrees not to join NATO and the war stops. Keep in mind much of the land that they’re currently fighting over will be useless for a generation due to all the mines and shells shot into it. (Maybe “useless” is too strong, but it will take a lot of work to make it safe for living and farming.)
'Member when Ukraine signed a treaty with Russia that if they surrender all nuclear weapons, Russia would never attack them?
I know a very easy way for the war to end right now, Vlad.
You order your troops to leave Ukraine.
War over.
He most likely achieves internal goals through external means
So if the same applies to Russia Putin is okay with a foreign country invading Russia based on lies, capturing territory, targeting and murdering civilians and kidnapping children, violating treaties, and they would accept a ceasefire with the invader keeping everything they currently hold to regroup for another assault? Get the fuck out of here
Though I fully agree with you, here is some food for thought:
If, IF, come November, trump gets elected, then that’s it. He will remove all money from Ukraine, he’ll give Putin free reign to invade Ukraine and he won’t criticize Putin if he just streams on to the baltics and then poland too.
Get the fuxk out of here, indeed, but I fear that soon Europe will have to go to war with Russia
Biden’s last act should be to give Ukraine a pile of nukes.
Of all the ideas that anyone ever had, this one is the worst.
Citation needed.
In that case I will freshly issue a demand for Putin to surrender to Ukrainian forces step down and face trial for war crimes.
Or better yet, just let him withdraw his troops from Ukraine and live as he pleases
But how will he be able to keep his uber masculine persona alive then?
He will be the finest male within Russia 😏
Well, if he continues on the current path long enough he might be the only male within Russia…
With images like this, of coarse!!!
Hi Ukraine, we understand you didn’t want to immediately surrender your lands and rights. That’s very difficult, we realize. To address your concerns, we’re now offering an installment plan.
Lmao
Putin, please stop this war without demands.
The joke is that even if Ukraine would agree, it’s just a trick to gain more land and do it again.
What’s new about it? His demands always were “Give me everything I want or I will take it by force”
Guess the new part is he pinky swears they can keep the Western half of Ukraine. As long as they don’t form alliances and agree to weaken the military protecting the Western half…
Removed by mod
Yes, but now their propaganda machine can say that they want to stop the war.
As far as I can tell, that’s de rigeur for these now. It’s largely the same on both sides in the other war too.
I think international pressure needs to be brought to bear. I can appreciate that the end of the war will likely require unpopular concessions. But I think humanitarian concerns as well as the need to halt the advance of authoritarian nationalism around the world requires an end to the two big wars.
If we can’t find an end, the US should withdraw from both. Our role is prolonging them.
Can I come to your house and start taking your things and say you’re prolonging the suffering if you try to stop me, and we should just stop and go our separate ways (after I take a few more things)?
I don’t really get how this analogy is useful. I’m not of the opinion that anything Russia is doing is justifiable or just.
Putin’s was of aggression is very bad. We agree on that.
Yeah you relayed your humanitarian concerns
Lots of passive voice here. Ukraine is fighting off an existential threat from a historically genocidal state. All Putin has to do is stop issuing orders and the war ends right this second.
Obvious troll is obvious.
At least I hope you get paid to peddle that nonsense.
The sovereign government in Ukraine asks for our help in their defense. Why should we not?
This is a good question.
I think I would support their defense more assertively if I was presented with a compelling case of what the options are, and what outcomes each might lead to.
Currently, I feel like I’m only really presented with the demand that we continue to send enough weapons with restrictions that we keep the war going, as a way to weaken Russia geopolitically and to give money to the military industrial complex without a clear plan beyond that, or any sign that a victory is on its way. And then eventually, Biden loses in part because his foreign policy is broadly unpopular, and most likely Trump cuts off all aid and the Russia conquers Ukraine.
I don’t see a coherent strategy to improve Ukraine’s negotiating position from where it is. Just a lot of jingoism. If there’s an actual plan to win, lay it out. Otherwise, it feels like the alternative is just the same outcomes currently on the table (or worse), but after more people are dead.
The initial plan of US was to weaken Russia and make putin withdraw on its own.
With recent delivery of long distance munition, changing policy on hitting into Russia and imposing sanctions on banks it is clear that the policy changed to let Ukraine defeat Russia even if it would result in a collapse of RF.
I appreciate that this is a little closer to an objective, but it doesn’t seem serious or coherent.
For instance, why not fully commit? Why not give Zalinsky full permission to do whatever he wants? Why not let him strike Moscow? Why not threaten Moscow with a direct American attack?
Are we willing to collapse the country or not? Are we committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure a complete victory for Ukraine or not?
People act as though anyone who discusses limits to assistance is a traitor to our ally like we haven’t already been placing huge limits on our assistance, and like they themselves aren’t all opposed to actually doing the things I think it would take to win.
Why are my limits a traitorous betrayal and Joe Biden’s limits courageous support of an ally when it’s not clear that there’s a meaningful difference in the outcome of the war?
Oh, don’t worry, there will be full permission. In a few weeks, and it will be without headlines.
Hi Dimitri 👋🏼
oh he can do that? i wanna do that too.
i demand russia to be renamed shitlands. and the russian sea shall be renamed to turdy waters. and maybe a weapons and travel ban for 50 years is a nice gesture so china can learn a bit too.
“I demand that you surrender!”
What a cunt
If he actually did this from a position of power, one might understand this. But in the here and now, it is totally ridiculous.
This fuckin guy! He should do stand-up or clown school.
Meanwhile real stand-up comedian: when to laugh?
I heard US bragged about bunker-penetrating rockets. Do they still have them?
