Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump at the G20 summit, Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019
Wednesday’s Coverage: Russia’s “Absolute Depravity” with Attack of Almost 1,000 Missiles and Drones
UPDATE 1013 GMT:
At least 15 Zimbabwean citizens have been killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
Zimbabwe Information Minister Zhemu Soda said the men were victims of human trafficking. They were deceived into enlisting by the Russians, including through social media.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: The Trump Administration has linked any US security guarantees for Ukraine to Kyiv’s full withdrawal from the Donetsk region in the east of the country.
In an interview with Reuters, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the Trump ultimatum, “The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas [the Donetsk and Luhansk regions].”
He said the US-Israel War on Iran has been a catalyst.
The Middle East definitely has an impact on President Trump, and I think on his next steps. President Trump, unfortunately, still chooses a strategy of putting more pressure on the Ukrainian side.
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine will not give way to the pressure: “I would very much like the American side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees.”
Ukraine controls around 20% of Donetsk, with Russia struggling to advance despite years of offensives incurring heavy casualties. Significantly, the Ukraine-held territory is part of a “Fortress Belt” protecting the rest of the country.
The Trump Administration has swung back and forth on the issue. Donald Trump’s envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, has been a loud advocate of the Kremlin’s demands. In late October, he and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner colluded with Vladimir Putin’s top financial advisor Kirill Dmitriev on a 28-point ultimatum to Kyiv.
Howevers, others in the Administration supported Ukraine and Europe as they pushed back with a counter-proposal. Security guarantees, including the US role, have been a central part of the plan.
Zelensky avoided any criticism of Trump:
I am not a box of chocolates or a car, to be liked or disliked by one person or another. In my opinion, the President of the United States looks at this more pragmatically, and he probably wants the war to end quickly. We also want to do so quickly.
Zelensky also spoke of Russia’s offer to the Trump Administration: Moscow will stop sharing military intelligence with Iran — including information targeting US warplanes, warships, and troop positions — if the US will stop intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
The President said Ukraine’s military intelligence service has “irrefutable” evidence of the offer.
I have reports from our intelligence services showing that Russia is doing this and saying: “I will not pass on intelligence to Iran if America stops passing intelligence to Ukraine.”
Isn’t that blackmail? Absolutely.
