Who will have more leverage going into negotiations between Ukraine and Russia?

from Quora

by Elena Gold 

Who will have more leverage going into negotiations between Ukraine and Russia?

3 years ago, Russia was in suburbs of Kyiv. Russian special forces were trying to advance toward the government buildings in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The Russians were ambushed and exterminated in the streets of Hostomel airport, just outside the capital.

It’s literally just 32 km to the central square of Kyiv, the Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti).

That’s how close Russians were to capturing Kyiv — the goal of their “special military operation”.

They were very close.

Russia invaded Ukraine from 9 directions.

The columns were rushing towards Kyiv from 3 directions — plus there were helicopters arriving by air.

The special forces arriving by helicopters were supposed to clear the area for military planes to be able to land and bring troops and equipment.

That was a very scary moment for Ukraine.
Putin immediately asked for “negotiations” and dictated the conditions of Ukraine’s surrender. Ukrainians refused.

Instead of surrendering to Putin, the Ukrainians destroyed the Russian special forces that landed in Hostomel. And they destroyed the landing strip, so the Russian military planes couldn’t land.

Russians were standing 30 km from the heart of Kyiv. But they never were able to take Kyiv — and in 5 weeks, the Russian troops were pushed away from the capital.

Imagine how scary it was back then.
Yet, the Ukrainians didn’t surrender.

And that’s the situation on the ground today — as compared to 3 years ago.

Now, tell me: who is winning?

Ukraine controls more territory today than 3 years ago.

Is Russia “winning”?

  • Is Putin any closer to achieving his strategic goals: replacing the Ukrainian government with his puppets, Ukraine having no army, no weapons, no agency?
  • The answer is clearly, “No”.

But now, Trump wants to give Putin everything that Russia wanted:

  • Ceding territory to Russia — more than the Russians are controlling.
  • Reducing the size of the Ukrainian army.
  • Ukraine getting no foreign weapons.
  • Having elections under modified conditions that would allow Russian assets to participate — and possibly win.

And that’s what Trump wants Zelenskyy to agree upon now — a worse “deal” to what the Ukrainians rejected 3 years ago.

And Putin’s asset Elon Musk has the brazenness to openly demand Zelenskyy to be arrested, calling him “evil”.

Musk is the closest person to Trump right now, and Trump doesn’t demand him to stop.

So, the Ukrainians didn’t surrender to the prevailing Russian military forces 3 years ago — but somehow Trump and Musk think that the Ukrainians will surrender now, because a cabal of cyber bullies and crypto scammers demands it?

What a bunch of beta morons.

The Ukrainians hold all the cards.

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