Ukraine said ages ago that peace negotiations can't happen until Russia gets off their turf. That's fair enough. But it seems to be the US that's completely dismissing China's proposal. Instead, if the US wanted to broker peace, they could have advised that they amend the proposal to include a withdrawal. Of course the Russians would reject that, but at least then it would be undeniable in the eyes of the world that Russia was hellbent on conquest and are lying about 'the west' being the aggressor.
Unless of course the whole thing is rubbish. Russia should pull back to where they were at the start of 2022 and then start talking.
I think the worry is that Russia would keep pecking away at Ukraine for years, sign a ceasefire then in a couple of years mount another "special military operation" and grab a bit more territory. They have to withdraw or be pushed back.
I totally agree that they have to withdraw. So why don't the Americans, who seem to be making most noise about China's peace plan, suggest that as an amendment? We all know that Russia won't accept that, but for 'the west' to be seen as squeaky clean, they need to be talking, and not just rubbishing ideas without proposing an alternative. The way I see it, 'the west' is doing the exact opposite of trying to promote peace. They're flatly refusing to even talk. Of course there might be communications that are kept out of the public eye, but surely the first thing we could say to Russia could be, 'show some signs of withdrawal, and we'll consider stopping sending weapons'.
There's a build up to a US election and Burden needs to (try and) show he's forceful; to America this seems to translate as be against China and Russia. America is also being repeatedly embarrassed where China acts as mediator and succeeds where the US failed. It's playground rules. The UK seems intent on destroying it's economy and striking, same for France, and the US is banging the same drum it always has but it might s l o w l y dawn that they aren't the big cheese they once were on a global stage. Really, all China need do at the moment is sit down and twiddle their thumbs in between bringing different elements of the middle east together. I can see the Ukraine war slogging on for years unless there's a popular uprising in either Russia or Ukraine
I'm not sure what to make of this. No Ukraine offensive without more weapons – Zelensky Zelensky has said that Ukraine will not launch a counter offensive unless the west sends more weapons and ammo. By saying that publicly, he has in effect told Putin that Ukraine is defeated, Russia has won, and the only thing that can change that is if the west chooses to defeat Russia. Putin can now legitimately say that Russia has been successful in it's special military operation, and any further attacks on Russia will now come from NATO and western allies.
I think the west is quick to promise and slow to act, but how much of that is down to the training needed. Zelenski has always been bullish about how the west has to support Ukraine, I realise that is how he has to be, but bearing in mind its not a NATO country the amount of help that has been piled in there has been big.
There's another news article of Russia getting very old tanks out of mothballs. Who knows what to believe? You could read the article of 'no offensive without more stuff!' as opening the door for Russia to pause and retreat. Which they won't
I do wonder if they're tricking the Russians. They did a few months ago when they told everyone they were going into one city, had the Russians reinforce that city, then went elsewhere. I have no problem if Ukraine is tricking Russia. I just don't like the messaging of it, it feels like Zelensky is saying to Russia that he's setting the west into them.
Ukraine has lost c. 200,000 troops now according to a US retired General. The media dont tell us that . Germany and UK are critically low on arms now so cant send anymore to Ukraine. Ukrainians aged 15 -60 are being rounded up in the South and being sent to the front lines with 2 weeks training...and dying. Ukraine will have to talk peace with Russia. Crimea and Donbass stays Russian, Ukraine doesnt get to join n a to. Or everyone gets nuked. Btw 10 Russian nuclear bombers just been deployed to Belarus. Just that little bit closer to us.
Report actually says "US estimates 200,000 military casualties on all sides in Ukraine war (my underline)". US estimates 200,000 military casualties on all sides in Ukraine war
Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark struck a deal to run their 200+ advanced fighter jets as a single fleet, creating a new headache for Russia