With regard to elections in Ukraine and replacing Zelensky, Moon of Alabama recently cited Gordan Hahn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_M._Hahn) on this topic and what he had to say was not optimistic (from the perspective of the Russians or anyone else wanting a de-Nazification of Ukraine, at least):
"Currently there are only two potential replacements for Zelenski. Ukraine’s ambassador to London and former commander of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, General Valery Zaluzny. His deep relations with the radical (fascist) right in Ukraine would make him reluctant to look for peace. The other candidate, less popular, is the Director of the Military Intelligence Administration (HRU) General Kyryll Budanov. He has his own relations with the fascist right which is the power behind the throne in Kiev."
This is a ceasefire hoax. See how 1st Channel News framed that first link above: "The US President declined to answer a question concerning steps in reaction to Russia's ceasefire violation " You see they are already accusing Russia of violating a non-existent, never agreed ceasefire. There will be more of this fakery and in rapid succession so that the MSM can roll out the Russia BAD meme for violating ceasefire. The media managed public will fall for it. The warmongering UKUSA does not give a toss about what Russia has said for years let alone even last week, they are setting up an escalation and framing it as Russia blocking elections, killing hapless troops and merciless brutes.
Note Trump has not demanded Zelensky order his troops to lay down arms and surrender. No, Trump is doing his old establish external adversary and drag a hapless victim on stage. He is a total scoundrel, a lying deceiving warmonger well aware that he can rely on the Murdoch Press. There is absolutely no evidence that the continuation of this war is a problem for the USA and in the last few weeks he has thrown the entire mess of potage to the european warmongers to 'manage'. Trump needs his weapons to supply Israel, crush Yemen and spook Iran. So he expects the europeans to grab the reins and charge off with the Light Brigade. Meanwhile Trump has absolved USA from the obvious demise of the ZelenSSky regime.
Agreed and it is fascinating to watch Team Putin manage the nazi delinquent and the USA gangster/mobster rsoles. The thought of Duterte and Trump sharing a cell in the Hague gives me hope that only one will emerge.
While I think there are some things that Trump has done that are fine I find other things very frustrating to understand.
His obsession and using tariffs to try to accomplish foreign policy it’s just not going to work and it’s not going to work for us here in the United States. Some of these policies are going to backfire on Trump and us as a country.
For instance, the quickest way to get Mexico and South America’s attention is not using tariffs, but rather cut off all remittances that are being sent to the south. You cut off all that money being sent home to Mexico and a number of the other South American countries that’s going to get their attention a whole lot quicker than tariffs.
Russia was never going to go for that cease-fire without a lot of conditions that are not being met and we’re never going to be. I saw that hypothetical about Ukraine having free elections during the cease-fire and that there was a conclusion if there was Zelinski would not be reelected president. Well none of us know that what if that were to happen we’re stuck with the same problem we were to begin with.
The Russians don’t want to deal with Zelinski under any circumstances so what what happened to any kind of peace deal .
I would suspect the Russians would just decide to go on and fight and win the entire thing and set terms and that’ll be the end of it .
We have the real problem of what to do about Israel and their ambitious agenda to take over everything from the Egyptian border up through an including Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Trump has been all over the place on what he wants to do about Iran.
So right now I look at our foreign policy and somewhat disjointed and I’ll be waiting for Monday to see what the next piece of information that supposed to come out to make us all confident about peace in Ukraine.
Spot on. I know this post is about foreign policy but I'm also growing more frustrated with Trump's domestic policy. The broader strokes are wonderful, but on the ground, the real achievements are less impressive. We got lots of "Golly Gee!" stories about ICE deporting a few hundred illegals, but nothing about enforcing existing laws against employers who use illegals in their workforces. Patel promises that the FBI will always fight crime. Big deal! The fire department will always fight fires. Meanwhile, there is crickets about sacking and arresting the hundreds of current and former top and middle FBI management who conspired to remove Trump and arrest conservatives. There seems little point in gutting the DoE or IRS if the attack dogs like the FIB and CIA are left intact. And don't even get me started on Bondi the Barr Blonde. In short, we are starting to see a pattern familiar from Trump 1.0: plenty of big talk but little real deep-level action. Please convince me that I'm wrong, because I really would like to be!
I had heard the Ukie election thing as well listening to a Duran episode today on my walk. Wasn’t extremely focused on the conversation, but it was from an episode last week some time. Another thing I heard somewhere else relates to where Trump wants to lead us to. He has to be careful of outlying the destination too soon because of enemies both domestic (especially) and foreign. Interesting times indeed.
With regard to elections in Ukraine and replacing Zelensky, Moon of Alabama recently cited Gordan Hahn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_M._Hahn) on this topic and what he had to say was not optimistic (from the perspective of the Russians or anyone else wanting a de-Nazification of Ukraine, at least):
"Currently there are only two potential replacements for Zelenski. Ukraine’s ambassador to London and former commander of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, General Valery Zaluzny. His deep relations with the radical (fascist) right in Ukraine would make him reluctant to look for peace. The other candidate, less popular, is the Director of the Military Intelligence Administration (HRU) General Kyryll Budanov. He has his own relations with the fascist right which is the power behind the throne in Kiev."
Hahn had other interesting things to say:
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/03/gordon-hahn-on-europes-role-and-a-possible-coup-in-kiev.html
Meanwhile, in other news, the Russians have taken even more Ukrainian territory. They're negotiating with pipelines and drones.
This is a ceasefire hoax. See how 1st Channel News framed that first link above: "The US President declined to answer a question concerning steps in reaction to Russia's ceasefire violation " You see they are already accusing Russia of violating a non-existent, never agreed ceasefire. There will be more of this fakery and in rapid succession so that the MSM can roll out the Russia BAD meme for violating ceasefire. The media managed public will fall for it. The warmongering UKUSA does not give a toss about what Russia has said for years let alone even last week, they are setting up an escalation and framing it as Russia blocking elections, killing hapless troops and merciless brutes.
Note Trump has not demanded Zelensky order his troops to lay down arms and surrender. No, Trump is doing his old establish external adversary and drag a hapless victim on stage. He is a total scoundrel, a lying deceiving warmonger well aware that he can rely on the Murdoch Press. There is absolutely no evidence that the continuation of this war is a problem for the USA and in the last few weeks he has thrown the entire mess of potage to the european warmongers to 'manage'. Trump needs his weapons to supply Israel, crush Yemen and spook Iran. So he expects the europeans to grab the reins and charge off with the Light Brigade. Meanwhile Trump has absolved USA from the obvious demise of the ZelenSSky regime.
Agreed and it is fascinating to watch Team Putin manage the nazi delinquent and the USA gangster/mobster rsoles. The thought of Duterte and Trump sharing a cell in the Hague gives me hope that only one will emerge.
While I think there are some things that Trump has done that are fine I find other things very frustrating to understand.
His obsession and using tariffs to try to accomplish foreign policy it’s just not going to work and it’s not going to work for us here in the United States. Some of these policies are going to backfire on Trump and us as a country.
For instance, the quickest way to get Mexico and South America’s attention is not using tariffs, but rather cut off all remittances that are being sent to the south. You cut off all that money being sent home to Mexico and a number of the other South American countries that’s going to get their attention a whole lot quicker than tariffs.
Russia was never going to go for that cease-fire without a lot of conditions that are not being met and we’re never going to be. I saw that hypothetical about Ukraine having free elections during the cease-fire and that there was a conclusion if there was Zelinski would not be reelected president. Well none of us know that what if that were to happen we’re stuck with the same problem we were to begin with.
The Russians don’t want to deal with Zelinski under any circumstances so what what happened to any kind of peace deal .
I would suspect the Russians would just decide to go on and fight and win the entire thing and set terms and that’ll be the end of it .
We have the real problem of what to do about Israel and their ambitious agenda to take over everything from the Egyptian border up through an including Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Trump has been all over the place on what he wants to do about Iran.
So right now I look at our foreign policy and somewhat disjointed and I’ll be waiting for Monday to see what the next piece of information that supposed to come out to make us all confident about peace in Ukraine.
Spot on. I know this post is about foreign policy but I'm also growing more frustrated with Trump's domestic policy. The broader strokes are wonderful, but on the ground, the real achievements are less impressive. We got lots of "Golly Gee!" stories about ICE deporting a few hundred illegals, but nothing about enforcing existing laws against employers who use illegals in their workforces. Patel promises that the FBI will always fight crime. Big deal! The fire department will always fight fires. Meanwhile, there is crickets about sacking and arresting the hundreds of current and former top and middle FBI management who conspired to remove Trump and arrest conservatives. There seems little point in gutting the DoE or IRS if the attack dogs like the FIB and CIA are left intact. And don't even get me started on Bondi the Barr Blonde. In short, we are starting to see a pattern familiar from Trump 1.0: plenty of big talk but little real deep-level action. Please convince me that I'm wrong, because I really would like to be!
Hard to argue against what you're saying. So I won't try.
Here’s the problem with having free elections. What if the Ukrainian people reelect Zelinsky?
Or he cheats.
Right. People do crazy things. It's the same problem with free elections everywhere.
Then they'll be just as misguided as the good people of Canada... which, sadly, is my country
I had heard the Ukie election thing as well listening to a Duran episode today on my walk. Wasn’t extremely focused on the conversation, but it was from an episode last week some time. Another thing I heard somewhere else relates to where Trump wants to lead us to. He has to be careful of outlying the destination too soon because of enemies both domestic (especially) and foreign. Interesting times indeed.
Israel is a much bigger problem.
.
AM: Trump's imperative to end the war is so strong that that will be the ultimate driver. What explains this strong imperative?
Unfortunately a great likelyhood is one key driver is the The Key Driver is :
Pivot to Isreal and remove all Palestinians from Gaza take over West Bank
then complete expansion in Lebanon and Syria
Sadly But True the appearance is :
All focus on the prize:
All monies, time, effort, weapons, must be focused on the prize
complete the Ethnic Cleansing complete the expansion of Israel
.
Thanks as always, Mark.
He should do what LBJ was advised to do about Vietnam: Loudly declare victory and walk away.