Notes and Essays -- John Brown

21 minutes ago [Sun, Dec 28] The Hill Zelensky says US, Ukraine made progress on peace plan Max Rego Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that negotiators from his country and the U.S. made significant progress on his 20-point peace proposal. “We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework, which includes, and we have great achievements, 20-point peace plan [is] 90 percent agreed,” Zelensky said alongside President Trump after their meeting at Mar-a-Lago. The Ukrainian leader added that the U.S. agreed “100 percent” with the sections in the framework outlining American security guarantees, with the U.S., Ukraine, and European countries “almost” in agreement on joint security guarantees for the eastern European nation. Trump and Zelensky held a call with European leaders after their meeting. The president is also set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin via phone later today. Zelensky drafted the 20-part framework in response to the Trump administration prop...

from an earlier message: President Trump said Sunday that Russia’s war in Ukraine could continue “for a long time” if the sides do not reach a peace agreement in the near future. The Hill ,  10 minutes ago [Dec 28 5:14] Russian Envoy: 'Whole world' appreciates Trump administration's peace efforts Max Rego Russian Envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised President Trump and his administration on Sunday, as the president meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “The whole world appreciates President Trump and his team’s peace efforts,” Dmitriev said on the social platform X. Prior to meeting with Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago club, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he held a “very productive” phone call with Putin Sunday morning. The president told reporters upon Zelensky’s arrival that he will also call the Russian leader after his meeting with the Ukrainian president concludes. Zelensky also told reporters that he will discuss his 20-point peace plan with Trump duri...

Does Zelensky have more balls than Trump and JD Vance put together? Bill Langlais   [j b: parlez Vous anglais? ]·  Follow Former Republican and Trump Supporter prior to MAGA  Feb 28 Zelensky is no fool. Trump and Vance tried to get Zelensky to sign away 500 billion dollars of Ukrainian wealth to pay back at most 180 Billion dollars of support that the US “Gave” not loaned to Ukraine. Trump likes to say it is 350 Billion but the official amount is around $180 billion. Trump is trying to scam Ukraine and it is shameful. And he wants to get it without giving Ukraine anything. And all Zelensky wants is a security guarantee beyond Trump saying Putin promised me he would not go back on his word. (And I have a bridge that connects Crimea with Russia to sell you as well). It seems obvious to me if Zelensky did sign the agreement that would be the end of support anyway. Trump has no intention to help Ukraine whether or not it is signed. This was a confidence game by Trump and he i...

Dec. 28, 2025, 12:38 p.m. ET 4 hours ago Nataliya Vasilyeva Reporting from Istanbul; from The NY Times Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, on Sunday poured cold water on the idea of European peace-keepers’ being deployed to Ukraine, a possibility floated earlier by some of Ukraine’s backers. E.U. troops in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russia’s armed forces, Lavrov said in an interview with the Tass news agency. While lauding the Trump administration efforts for a negotiated settlement to the war, Lavrov lambasted E.U. leaders for propping up Ukraine. Europe has now become “the main obstacle to peace,” he claimed, and is “not even hiding plans for preparing for a war with Russia.” He insisted that there was “no need to fear” that Russia would attack Europe. Image Credit...

Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying an agreement that significantly simplifies the deployment of military personnel, warships, and aircraft between Russia and India. The document creates a legal framework allowing forces from both countries to be stationed, moved, and supplied on each other’s territory with fewer bureaucratic obstacles. from Quora