According to Politico this morning:
Donald Trump said he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. “A lot of work's been done over the weekend,” the U.S. president — who is asking the Kremlin to agree to his 30-day ceasefire proposal in Ukraine — told reporters on Air Force One. “We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I think we have a very good chance.”
Asked about concessions, Trump said: “We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants … we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about that, dividing up certain assets.”
So, when it comes down to it, according to Trump and Putin it's all about assets, land and power, both in terms of energy and politics.
Where do people come into this?
Or cultures?
Or traditions?
Or respect?
Does democracy matter?
Of course, none of those things matter, according to Trump and Putin, and I strongly suspect Starmer will go along with this, applauding the efforts of his 'reliable friend', Donald Trump.
During my life I have never felt that some of the most basic conflicts have been so apparent in plain sight as they are now.
One such conflict is between people and those who would extract value from them by claiming the right to rule.
There is also the conflict of caring and indifference.
And the conflict between respect and contempt.
Coupled with the conflict between the right to be, and the random chance of surviving.
What is being played out before us is the right to be human, or to be treated as an object.
And do not think this is remote, or unrelated to life in the UK. When Starmer is determined to redefine disability for the sake of finance, exactly the same contempt by those with power is happening in plain sight here in the UK.
Callousness, and an age of indifference, is rampant and we will pay a high price for it.
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Yes, good post.
What angers me about Trump is that I think we all know that all he is doing is disarming Ukraine (materialistically and politically) , so that when it all falls through, he will just walk away and say he tried but all he will do is meet his kompromat debt to Putin.
That is why it is so important that Europe does what it has hopefully set out to do – but time is tight.
As for the UK, what could we do? Nothing. We not in the EU, we don’t even know how to prepare for war. We don’t even know how to protect our public services for goodness sake.
What your post means though is that we know what happens when a people are rolled over and treated as if they are not there. Nationalism and then terrorism – an extreme form of not being forgotten. That is what Putin and Russia will be left with. It’s not worth it – but trying telling him that.
This is a replay of WW2 – where the quasi senile racist warmonger Churchill was happy to trade away much of eastern Europe to Stalin (@ Yalta, Rooseveldt was dying). The players change, the weaknesses are different, but the countries remain the same: two colonial powers (USA & Russia) deciding on the shape of Europe – which is more populous and more economically powerful than either or inded – both combined. The only reason that Mango & Putler can do this is a failure by Europeans to agree amongst themselves.
It is time to turf the US military out of Europe, time to face Russia and tell it that either it respects Ukraines international borders or else ……the Baltic closed, Kallinigrad is sealed (starve them out) the Black Sea is closed, straits of Dover & North Sea closed to any & all Russian vessesl …and “contractors” will help the Ukrainians obliterate Russian air defenses – after which what is left of the Russian army will be “encouraged” to leave Ukrainian territory. Mango is right – peace could happen real quick. Oh & all Russians interned, all Russian embassies closed.
I’m sorry, but Mike Parr’s proposed solution would directly cause untold human suffering and misery. And that is even before the quite inevitable Russian response to us, or “Europe” as Mike would have it.
Can you write that sort of thing and still describe anyone else as a “warmonger”?
Aaah forget it. Just write this off as ‘trolling’, delete it and leaves Mike’s suggestion to starve out Kaliningrad as is.
The trouble is, extreme as Mike’s suggestion is, it sounds more sane than what you might offer, which would appear to be nothing at all.
Well, with respect Richard,
(I) your own post is also free of any alternative solution to that being pursued by Donald Trump. Is there another peace plan being offered to the parties to this conflict? Are you offering one? If so, please do say
(ii) Mike Parr’s solution is for Europe to issue an ‘or else’s ultimatum to a superior military force and then to engage in a military block aid of the Russian nation. It is difficult to see how that is “more sane ” than anything else imaginable.
(iii) My solution would be.. well, negotiations, which will need to recognise the legitimate grievances and aspirations of both parties.
I suppose now it’s over to you for an alternative proposal.
OK let’s start with the assumptions.
1) We need to be free of fascism
2) We need to Make America Go Away, whoich means NATO hets rid of the USA and stands by Canada and Greenland
3) We need European coopertation, including on defence. We outgun and outresource the Russians and US in Europe – and the fight against fascism demands that we cooperate againmst them
4) European states that are pro-Russian and neo-fascist need to be named as such – and be sanctioned
5) The aim is as in 1939 – to free Europe from fear
6) We have to accept the risks in doing so
7) Then we have the strength to negotiate
Your objections are?
In response to all.
I’m not a war monger, but, at what point does one stand up to bullies. Mango is a bully, Putin is a bigger bully &… Russia under Putin killed circa 250,000 people (mostly civilians) between 1999 and 2014 in various bits of Russia and ex-Russia. (The USA in the same period probably killed as many in Iraq and Afghanistan plus other places). Closing the Baltic etc to Russian traffic of all sorts is not difficult to do. It would lead to few deaths, if any. Forcing the Russians out of Kaliningrad (WW2 consolation prize) through starvation, ditto – they would leave, they would not be happy. In the case of Ukraine, to raise pressure: ALL Russians in Europe into internement camps. It would not be nice – but it would not kill people. Confiscation of ALL Russian assets would not be nice, it would not kill anybody. Closure of ALL Russian embassies – ditto. At some point, the Russian elite would realise that Europe was… serious. Russia needs Europe far far more than Europe needs Russia. We (Europe) need to use that to the max. In an ideal world both Russia and the USA would be broken up – both are deeply unpleasant colonial states who think that they can push others around. This has to end.
“During my life I have never felt that some of the most basic conflicts have been so apparent in plain sight as they are now.”
Yes, it is in plain sight, like this.
Introduced in House (02/10/2025)
Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025
This bill authorizes the President to enter into negotiations with the government of Denmark to purchase or otherwise acquire Greenland. The bill also renames Greenland as Red, White, and Blueland.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1161
Is anyone taking any notice?
Now going on the blog – thanks.
[…] mentioned by commentator MarP on this site, this Bill has been introduced into Congress in the […]
My objections are: well plenty actually!
I asked what was your proposed solution was to large-scale warfare being waged today. I gave my thoughts; Mike Parr gave his and i gave my thoughts on Mike’s thoughts. By contrast and to be quite frank, I find your protestations of high value principle a bit of an evasion.
We need to be free of fascism.
Great. And what does that statement really mean in the context of the hundreds of thousands of young men from two European nations, Ukraine and Russia facing off and being slaughtered RIGHT NOW? What should our actions be THIS WEEK? Should we offer military backing to one side? Should we refuse to offer military backing to either side? Should we, as Mike suggests, issue the largest nation on our continent with an empty threat of blockade that we cannot follow through on?
NATO needs to get rid of the USA and stand by Canada and Greenland
Which you know it cannot do. And if it could, are you suggesting standing by Greenland and Canada MILITARILY? And again, how is that an answer to my request for a solution to this war, NOW?
We need European cooperation, including on defence.
Really? Who, how, when? And even if we had that, how would you bring that to bear on the battlefields of Ukraine TODAY?
We outgun and outresource the Russians and US in Europe.
Do we? OK, let’s say we do. What impact does, should, this have on this war being fought today?
European states that are pro-Russian and neo-fascist need to be named as such – and be sanctioned
So, escalate and expand the conflict? Interesting.
The aim is as in 1939 – to free Europe from fear
Since we have no idea what steps you would take today regarding Russia, we can’t really have any idea what you mean by this.
We have to accept the risks in doing so
Those risks being?
Richard, my central point remains: we have the option of continuing here with conflict and slaughter. We may feel that higher principle require us to take that route now; we did in 1940 and I am pleased and proud we did. Certainly that appears to be Mike Parr’s opinion.
My opinion though is the underlying causes of this war can be addressed and and end to the conflict, peace, can be achieved, imperfect though that will be.
Your opinion: we still don’t know. Is that deliberate on your part Richard?
I think you are a Trump troll
You I have commented
You have wasted my time
Surely, personal animosities should not come into a discussion as ‘existential’ as this?
Maybe, we should start from a base that no-one wants any more war? Because, obviously, it’s not your child nor mine that will be doing ‘boots on the ground’.
So, how is the best way to stop/delay any further escalation to the on-going conflict in Ukraine?
Isn’t it best to talk?
Maybe Macron and Starmer think they have the solution. ( However, I think they should get the Sardinians involved, as they were in the Crimean War, of not so distant memory for Russians-nor students of English poetry….) All wars end in peace treaties, so isn’t it about time that we followed the trend? Even if it does mean agreeing with such an odious individual as Donald Trump?
The route to a peace negotiation was what I described.
Mr Giles:
“Should we, as Mike suggests, issue the largest nation on our continent with an empty threat of blockade that we cannot follow through on?”
Sweden have diesel submarines. From time to time they take part in “war games” with the US Navy. The outcome of most of these war games is that US carrier fleets (note this phrase) get sunk. This is because the Swedish subs are soundless (useful for working in the Baltic) & cannot be detected by the US (& thus by extension the Russians).
Empty threat? Not from where I’m sitting
Don;t like what I’m saying – go on the Internet yourself – it’s all there. The only reason Russia (& the USA) are able to do what they do is due to European disunity. European weapon systems? as good as anything the USA has (carriers excepted) and often better.
I am so disappointed with your response to David Giles, Richard. He is trying to address really difficult questions, I have great sympathy for his concerns about what seems like a headlong rush to disaster. This blog is so often the voice of reason. Please accommodate those of us who don’t see conflict as the only option.
I don’t see conflict as the only option. It’s the last thing I would ever want. Did you not note my point 7 (I think). I set out the conditions for negotiating peace – which always has to be done from a position strength.
I could do more on this – I gave a five minute response – and I have reasons to mistrust the precviously unknown David Giles’ credibility.
So I think I was generous. On how many blogs of this sized does the author ever engage with comments?
Hi, me again,
What about hearing from a legendary investigative journalist, the late John Pilger?
https://johnpilger.com/2022/09/08/silencing-the-lambs-how-propaganda-works/
Genuinely, wishing all the very best to you and yours.
I have a number of Pilger’s books. The one covering Year Zero is harrowing & contains some writing that is hard to read without crying. However, Pilger with this article is falling victim to the same sort of propaganda that he accuses the US of being responsible for:
“In February, Russia invaded Ukraine as a response to almost eight years of killing and criminal destruction in the Russian-speaking region of Donbass on their border.
In 2014, the United States had sponsored a coup in Kyiv that got rid of Ukraine’s democratically elected, Russian-friendly president and installed a successor whom the Americans made clear was their man.”
Crap. I know its crap because the Ukranian family that has stayed with me for 3 years had their dad on Maidan & he was no US stoge (& plenty of others with him). Pilger was a great journalist, was. He is past it, but, like so many, is stuck in old narratives. FFS – look at what Russia did to the Chechens – look what they did to Grozny – I remember it – I could not believe what I was seeing. I will leave you with words written +/- 2000 years ago – humans have learned NOTHING since: (Tacitus, Agricola, quoting (or paraphrasing) Calgacus)
These plunderers of the world after exhausting the land by
their devastations, are rifling the ocean: stimulated by avarice, if their
enemy be rich; by ambition, if poor; unsatiated by the East and by the West:
the only people who behold wealth and indigence with equal avidity. To ravage,
to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make
a desert, they call it peace.
I admit that I have not been a fan of Pilger for a long time
It’s sad that some on the left fell so easily for Russian disinformation about Ukraine. It seems to arise from the mindset that the US and NATO are the fount and origin of all evil in the world. Noam Chomsky is another name that comes to mind.
Are youy suggesting Mike has done that?
Hi,
You can also read a lot of articles published by Eva Bartlett, an independent Canadian journalist, who has actually visited the Donbass region of Ukraine to report on what is happening:
https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2022/08/10/what-ive-seen-of-ukraines-war-crimes-against-civilians-in-the-donbass-over-the-years/
Thanks again, and wishing all the very best to everyone.
Hi again,
In defence of John Pilger (who shouldn’t really need to be defended; did anyone read the reports from the Donbass by Eva Bartlett?):
https://consortiumnews.com/2024/09/30/vips-memo-advice-to-us-vice-presidential-candidates/
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/02/25/ukraine-timeline-tells-the-tale/
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/02/25/the-west-not-russia-drove-the-ukraine-conflict/
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/02/27/jeffrey-sachs-the-geopolitics-of-peace/
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2025/03/the-moral-balance/
Thank you, and wishing all the very best to all.
Citing Craig Murray will never help your case
Thank you for mentioning that there are people involved in the outcome of these negotiations. The way Trump talks about the disputed ‘land’ almost implies that it’s empty, whereas there are many people in the occupied territories. They’ve been terrorised for three years; forbidden to speak Ukrainian; forced to accept Russian passports with the threat that their children will be taken away if they don’t comply; forced to vote for Putin at gunpoint during the last phoney election; forced to watch their children being ‘Russified’ or brainwashed at school into despising their Ukrainian heritage and worshipping Putin; had their churches closed or forcibly turned into Russian Orthodox Churches – just to name a few of the atrocities that take place there.