Trump says U.S. will sign Ukraine minerals deal soon; peace efforts going 'pretty well'

Trump has achieved only a one-sided protection of energy infrastructure which is not a big win for Ukraine.

Peace efforts have stalled and Trump isn't skillful enough to get them back on track.

Actually, to be fair, the main reason is that Putin does not want peace at all.

Russia wants a comprehensive settlement that finishes the conflict for good.

No one has satisfactorily explained why Russia, holding the battlefield initiative, should sign a full 30-day ceasefire. Indeed, certain quarters have refused to explain or outright lied.

On top of that, Moscow has indicated there will be no Minsk 3.0 for Ukraine and its sponsors to flagrantly violate, which they proudly bragged about doing with the previous ones on the public record. Now will they allow a breather for Kyiv to rearm and recover, which was the cynical purpose of said violations.

Also, Russia has every strategic incentive to conquer more territory. While it is going 'slowly', this is how steamrollers move as it very slowly picks up speed, which will almost certainly happen coming into the decisive spring-summer campaign seasons.

So hopefully we'd save thousands of people a week from dying.

If Trump really felt that way, why did he shut off desperately needed intel for Ukraine and why didn't Trump criticize Putin for all of the bombings Russia did of civilian areas in Ukraine which killed so many innocent people?

Is Trump really more worried about people suffering and dying than some fantastic money scheme for precious minerals? Judging by the way that Trump and Musk have taken a chainsaw to the U.S. government, that's rather hard to believe, isn't it?

JJE

Russia wants a comprehensive settlement that finishes the conflict for good.

Of course they do. That's why we can't give it to them.

Then why are you calling for a ceasefire?

"So hopefully we’d save thousands of people a week from dying. That's what it's all about. They're dying so unnecessarily, and I believe we'll get it done."

this!

Is Trump more interested in minerals than peace deals?

JJE

Then why are you calling for a ceasefire?

I'm not.

Is Trump more interested in minerals than peace deals?

both. A win/win.

war over and we get our money back that Biden foolishly wasted.

Mineral deal V2-3.0 ? :

This deal is shady.

Let's start with the facts. Ukraine's proven resources are unclear except for one point - the bulk and most of the key ones fall in the south-east (i.e. in territories under Russian control and likely to fall under Russian control), making extraction unfeasible. Then there is the economic dimension - the proven economic feasibility of a certain theoretical extraction operation is far from established.

Then we have the deal itself - the article mentions we don't know exactly what is in the deal but most likely it is unchanged from last time or if anything more 'beneficial' to Washington. Can't imagine any security guarantees would have sneaked in there without word leaking (it always does).

One theory which is gaining traction, is this is a boilerplate which in the short term has more to do about Washinton exerting complete control over Kyiv, further sidelining the EU/UK bloc. Down the track, it may act as a poison-pill-style mechanism - once Washington 'discovers' there are no minerals/maps were doctored/they were 'disingenuously mislead', it will provoke a harsh reaction in said place creating negative repercussions for Kyiv.

One conclusion is certain though: this 'deal' won't save Kyiv's bacon and insulate themselves from the provoked repercussions coming their way from Moscow.

What did we get for our 150 billion and 150 billion more of “the world” money?

nothing but unnecessary death and destruction that requires more money to rebuild.

--They're dying so unnecessarily, and I believe we'll get it done."

this!

Your compassion for humanity is a daily gift to all of us here.

What did we get for our 150 billion and 150 billion more of “the world” money?

A democratic country not being completely annexed by Russia, that's what "we" got.

If you don't think that's important, you're on Russia's side. The country led by a murderous dicator and one of America's biggest enemies. That's who you're rooting for.

Your compassion for humanity is a daily gift to all of us here.

indeed it is.

a counterbalance to the left and your “put 100,000 more Russians in the ground” and “fight to the last Ukrainian except Zelensky” bloodthirst.

That's who you're rooting for.

no, I’m rooting for what 150 billion of our own wasted dollars could have done for American taxpayers.

The American defense of Europe is also the defense of itself. Europe is America's first line of defense. Trump wants to weaken the American defense with fewer troops. Putin will be watching and planning his next invasion knowing America is a pushover in peace deals.

no, I’m rooting for what 150 billion of our own wasted dollars could have done for American taxpayers.

Ooooh you care about the American taxpayers?? So of course you're outraged by the millions of dollars Trump is wasting on his regular golf outings and various trips to sporting events, right? It's all millions that could have done SO MUCH for American taxpayers! Riiiight??? I'm kidding, I know you don't care about that full-fledged waste, just the stuff you perceive to be wasteful because you're rootin' for Putin.

If you think empowering America's enemies is good for the "American taxpayers", you clearly don't understand anything.

You comparing a couple million to 150 billion.

adult Biden children had 25 full time Secret Service agents assigned.

Eliminating that cost alone covers any minor expense of Trump’s golf and sports.

"We would love to see that (war) come to an end, and I think we're doing pretty well in that regard," Trump said.

"So hopefully we’d save thousands of people a week from dying. That's what it's all about. They're dying so unnecessarily, and I believe we'll get it done."

Excellent. This is what it's all about, saving lives Next step to focus on - getting the peace deal signed and rebuilding the country.

Blacklabel

You comparing a couple million to 150 billion.

That's nothing compared to Trump's tax cuts:

Trump Tax Priorities Total $5 to $11 Trillion

https://www.crfb.org/blogs/trump-tax-priorities-total-5-11-trillion

I'd like to know more about this great "deal" by Trump. Namely:

1) Given that a large portion of the minerals is in areas currently occupied by the Russian war criminals, does it exclude these areas?

2) If it excludes them, is Trump willing to provide the means to Ukraine to win them back? Or is he planning to do a separate deal with Putin that allows him to keep his ill-gotten gains, then sell the minerals to the US?

It wouldn't surprise me if Trump plans to gift Putin his spoils of war, then use US taxpayer money to buy stolen minerals from him.

He will then sell that to the MAGA crowd as a "win," and complain that he's not getting the Nobel Peace Prize.

JJEToday 08:19 am JST

Russia wants a comprehensive settlement that finishes the conflict for good.

So does the free world:

Russia to withdraw its invading hordes, pay its reparations, and Putin to submit to his war crimes trial at The Hague.

minor expense of Trump’s golf and sports.

It's not "a couple million". It's at least $50 million a year. And because the secret service has to stay at Trump's resorts, he ends up making money off the taxpayer.

It shows pretty clearly that Trump doesn't give a hoot about your taxes. He wants to join the Putin oligarchy club and win a Nobel peace prize.

You comparing a couple million to 150 billion.

I'm comparing saving a democratic country in Europe to useless golf outings, yes. I know which one is more important.

adult Biden children had 25 full time Secret Service agents assigned.

Eliminating that cost alone covers any minor expense of Trump’s golf and sports.

Oh I am all for eliminating all secret service agents protection for everyone, current administration included. If Hunter Biden doesn't need protection, Don Jr. certainly doesn't either. He's a "tough guy", he can fight anyway.

Like the good scavenger vulture that he is, he's off to eat Ukraine's leftovers.