Summary
Secretary of State Marco Rubio grew visibly frustrated during an ABC News interview when questioned about the Trump administration’s approach to Russia.
Defending Trump’s push for peace talks with Putin, Rubio insisted negotiations were necessary but admitted the administration didn’t know Russia’s demands.
He clashed with host George Stephanopoulos over Trump’s refusal to call Putin a dictator and the U.S. siding with Russia in a recent UN vote.
Rubio also compared Trump’s handling of Ukraine to Biden’s approach to Israel, further escalating tensions.
Compare the way he talks about Putin with the way he talks about Zelenskyy.
With Putin, we have to see what he wants, we have to try to work with him and understand his position, we can’t do anything that might make him uncomfortable so he doesn’t decide he doesn’t want to talk to us, and his broken agreements are in the past while we need to be moving forward.
On the other hand, he repeatedly states that they’ve “explained this” to Ukraine, that we can’t discuss what they want or what their concerns are, we need to focus on getting peace first, and Zelenskyy is at fault because was disrespectful which apparently we can’t ignore for the sake of peace the way we can ignore a history of Putin violating peace deals.
If they actually meant what they are saying and this was all about diplomacy and achieving peace, they wouldn’t be picking a fight with Ukraine, they wouldn’t be publicly undermining them and trying to coerce them, and they wouldn’t be refusing to acknowledge any of their concerns. These motherfuckers think that it’s a good look for them to be throwing a tantrum about the way Zelenskyy dresses and getting pissy about him not being thankful enough for the way they are so generously pursuing a peace that carves up Ukraine and comes without security of any kind. That’s the way they want to spin this. Because apparently they think acting like thrid grade bullies who try to pick on the smaller kids is admirable, that people will see it and think they look smart and tough.
The only thing I even find remotely believable in this interview is Rubio’s mantra of “I don’t understand.” Just in general I think it’s pretty clear that there’s a hell of a lot he doesn’t understand. Things like human decency, geopolitics, basic negotiation tactics, and parables about riding tigers and giving rides to scorpions. But I think he probably does understand that his position is pure bullshit and that his only job here is to try and tow the line while defending the indefensible. That’s why he got so panicked when a tweet from a fellow republican came up, because his strategy was to avoid details and try to frame the backlash as partisan politics, so he can’t really respond to Republican criticism.
Well said. Username also checks out
While the title is the usual nonsense, the interview is the usual nonsense delivery that the master of deals is going to save the day, when he couldn’t deal his way out of a wet paper bag.
As a European, only the complete collapse of the Russian federation in an acceptable outcome.
Suppose there’s a cockroach colony in a residential building. Separating it into few parts is not going to do much good. If you mean that by collapse - same elites retaining power - then it’s just not good enough.
And if you mean removing them, rich natural resources have proven to be good for those who have them and bad for those who don’t, so no.
Turning it into a real federation or even confederation - yes. Like Germany.
I mean the russian people doing to Putin and the oligarchs what the Libyans did to Gaddafi.
No, death is erasure of information. He’s head of state. He should be convicted in court and be put in jail.
Also showing that a head of state will be held accountable and then put behind bars is very useful, it’s a treasure that shouldn’t be destroyed by lynching.
Even in EU high-level politicans and bureaucrats already behave as if they can’t be convicted for real crimes (scandals of the “he has a second apartment with nice door” are not that, I mean criminal decisions on post and assisting kickoff schemes, things legal only because there’s nobody to judge officially otherwise, like surveillance legislations, and such). That’s very dangerous, they should always remember they are not immune, neither in theory nor in practice.
This is the same with all of Russia’s government. They shouldn’t be just banned from working in such positions again, shouldn’t be lynched or something, deprived of stolen properties. They should be thoroughly investigated and convicted accordingly.
Because otherwise it’ll be just another change of leadership of a pirate colony, like in Syria. The king is dead - long live the king. No. These people should be shown to not be kings, just citizens who got too far, which shouldn’t happen again.
What would be the best way for that to happen? More specifically, how can we pull this off safely?
We have very little historical precedent to go on. The USSR collapsed in 1991. There was some nervousness around what was going to happen with all their nukes. Ultimately, we ended up with Russia, led by Putin.
How would we stop Putin from triggering nuclear retaliation?
If we stop that, how do we make sure some other oligarch doesn’t immediately take his place?
If Russia were to completely collapse, what would happen to Russia? Would we be willing to let China take over? If not would we be willing to maintain an indefinite occupation of Russia?There may be good answers to all of these questions. It seems the more practical solution is to contain Russia. Do you think the EU would be ready to adopt a constitution if it came up again?
Russian federal subjects would semi-autonomously be their own countries. Falling under supervision of the UN and neighbouring countries
But that is on the US and China agreeing to it when currently both are against that
It does give China potentially direct control over some resources they would want but they already can get those without weakening their position
I can see why this would be a good outcome for Europe.
It essentially turns Russia into a puppet state. If we were to eliminate China and the US, that would make Russia Europe’s puppet state. While it has some obvious advantages to Europe, it’s clearly not in the interest of either Putin or Russia (the most pessimistic estimates put his approval rating at over 60% among Russians).
Since it’s obviously not to their advantage they won’t agree to it. That means someone would have to force them to accept that new status quo. The US just dropped all support and China has made it pretty clear that they’re not going to participate in any operation like that either.
So that leaves the EU. I’ll circle back to my earlier question. Do you think the EU is ready to adopt and ratify a constitution if it came up again? Absent that, do you think the EU can put together a military coalition that’s big enough and permanent enough to induce an immediate surrender by Russia? If not, do you think that the EU is willing and able to wage a protracted direct war against Russia?
It can’t be supervised by it’s neighbours if the two biggest neighbours aren’t apart of it
If the US and China abandon Ukraine WW3 will happen so to pretend there’s a safe way out of it is unreasonable
The US will look to Canada
Russia will look to Germany
China will look to Taiwan
I don’t know if any of your predictions are true. They might be, but I don’t have nearly enough evidence to be confident in any of them.
If they are, I don’t see how the complete collapse of Russia is even remotely feasible. Those predictions add up to saying that none of the necessary pre-conditions have been or will be met. Together, they say that we have no way to coerce Russia into the desired state and we have no way to re-align their interest to get them to do so voluntarily.
China definitely won’t swoop in to defend Ukraine against Russia. I think we can agree on that. It’s pretty clear the US won’t either. I think we can agree on that too.
That’s why I’m wondering if you think the EU can get big enough to do so on it’s own, and do so quickly.
i do not know if Europe can do it unfortunately
I am thankful that Europe knows enough about 2 front wars to not give up on us in Canada
Britain and France being nuclear powers and Germany having strong manufacturing may pose enough of a risk that they avoid a hot war and continue disinformation efforts
I guess if you don’t want the world to think trump isn’t sucking putins dick every chance he gets then i guess he should just stop sucking putins dick every chance he gets.
Hey hey hey don’t forget you’ve got to allow for all the time trump spends with putins dick up inside his arsehole - gotta be at least a 50/50 split imo
“What is wrong with being a peacemaker?” When the bully punches you dont ask him what he wants just punch him back you pussy.
having the intelligence to realize, but not have the balls to speak out to the fact that the Russian Mafia just regulatory captured your country is something to melt down over.
Yeah Biden placated netanyahu. It was bad, but for the lowest of bars, he at least was placating an ally instead of giving a hostile power everything they want and yelling at the ally they invaded
And placating Netanyahu and is better than finishing off that genocide with a nice ethnic cleansing
Yeah, but holy fuck I’m exhausted at the bar being that fucking low
Placating? More like deep throating. The US is gluckglucking Russia and liking it.
Listening to this guy reminded me of Thank You for Smoking, which is a dark comedy of a tobacco industry spokes person trying to make smoking cool and acceptable again. So much bullshit, so little substance. Marco, we’ve all seen your face during the meeting, bullshitting like this won’t save it.
We’re not placating Putin, we’re actively realigning ourselves with him. He is our ally in the Moscow-Maralago Axis of Evil.
the administration didn’t know Russia’s demands.
Liar
Biden’s approach to Israel
seems absolutely sane by comparison to your boss, there, buddy.
and if you were going to ‘biden’ your support for ukraine, there’d be a non-stop airlift going on with equipment and armaments.
seems absolutely sane by comparison to your boss, there, buddy.
Coming at the Israeli genocide in Gaza and calling it “sane” is one hell of a take.
He called it “sane by comparison”. He didn’t say it was sane. Words mean things.
He called it “sane by comparison”.
It’s genocide. There’s no comparison.
Oh, you’re one of those who can’t distinguish between genocide and super-genocide with golf resorts. I wish the world were as simple as people like you seem to believe.
This really is what people believe.
Oh Mr Rubio, only difference is Israel aipac is funding all of you congreswith bribes do their bidding
The U.S. isn’t placating Putin. The Republican party is. Because they’re traitors.
Article without paywall:
Trump is being blackmailed
That’s certainly possible, but it’s by no means necessary, and not even particularly likely.
Trump is a spoiled, petulant, childish narcissist. He wouldn’t react well to blackmail – his ego would lead him to be at least situationally passive/aggressive about it.
And in fact, that’s why I do think he’s being blackmailed by Israel (and specifically via information, evidence, video clips and so on that they got from Epstein). His sort of lukewarm, on-again/off-again support for them is just what I’d expect in that situation - he’ll go along, but he’s at least going to drag his feet.
With Russia though, I really think the primary motivator is that he idolizes Putin. You can see it in his face in any images from any of their meetings - he lights up like a schoolgirl with a crush. And that would explain why he’s so enthusiastic and even reckless about allying with Russia - because he thinks he can only gain from it, since he’ll get to be a trusted ally to his idol.
Which also illustrates the fact that he’s sort of stupid and short-sighted, because if he was smarter and more circumspect, he’d know that, given the chance, Putin is going to play him like a fiddle.
Putin is going to play him like a fiddle
already is, and has been for quite some time.
and the reason lord diaper is so fucking easy to control is because the fucktard thinks he is the one in charge.
