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when a cold shower is more like a hot boiling bath....

Europe and the United States should gradually normalize relations with Russia once the Ukraine conflict is over, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said.

The statement comes a day after the head of the US-led military bloc met President Donald Trump at the White House and amid ongoing efforts by Washington to establish a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev.

 

NATO countries should restore ties with Russia – bloc chief     It would be “normal” for relations to be resumed once the Ukraine conflict is over, Mark Rutte has suggested

 

Trump has also expressed interest in restoring economic ties with Russia, an idea that was supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Friday, Rutte recalled that he had “many dealings” and “many negotiations” with Putin while prime minister of the Netherlands.

“Long-term, Russia is there, Russia will not go away,” he said. “It’s normal if the war would have stopped for Europe somehow, step by step, and also for the US, step by step, to restore normal relations with Russia,” he argued.

Ukraine’s possible membership of the bloc is off the table in the current peace process, Rutte confirmed, a point Moscow has insisted upon.

Most EU leaders, with the notable exceptions of Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico, have advocated for continued confrontation with Russia, despite the ongoing peace process.

European NATO countries have been supplying weapons to Kiev since the escalation of the conflict in 2022. Some bloc members, such as France, have floated the idea of deploying troops in Ukraine to monitor a truce. Russia has denounced the idea and insisted that any NATO contingent in Ukraine deployed without a UN mandate will be considered a legitimate target.

Moscow has accused the EU of militarizing against Russia, after the bloc’s leaders backed €800 billion ($860 bn) in debt and tax-breaks for its military industrial complex.

As NATO’s biggest financial contributor, Trump has consistently criticized the bloc’s European members for not meeting the defense expenditure targets.

NATO has maintained a hostile position towards Moscow since Crimea joined the Russian Federation in 2014 and the subsequent escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The developments led to the suspension of practical cooperation and a significant military buildup in NATO countries on Russia’s borders.

https://www.rt.com/news/614242-nato-russia-relations-rutte/

 

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

 

SEE ALSO: 

when the good cops and the bad cops are equally mad.....

zelensky wants war...

 

BY Ilya Tsukanov

 

 

 

30-Day Ceasefire Push: Putin Seeks Long-Term Peace, Zelensky Wants War and Trump Stuck in the Middle

 

 

 

Russia's president has expressed interest in Trump’s 30-day ceasefire idea, but cited important “nuances” that must be accounted for first, since Volodymyr Zelensky has opposed peace at every turn. Here’s the evidence of their divergent approaches.

 

 

 

1. Fate of Kursk Cauldron

 

Putin: “What will we do about the incursion zone in Kursk region? If we stopped military operations for 30 days, what would this mean? That all [enemy forces] would just walk out without a fight?”

 

Zelensky: “Our troops in Kursk region continue to carry out their tasks.”

 

 

 

2. Respite for Ukraine’s Mobilization Campaign?

 

Putin: “How will these 30 days be used? To ensure the continued forced mobilization in Ukraine?”

 

 

 

Zelensky aide Podolyak and Rada Defense Committee chairman Kostenko: Ceasefire WON’T stop mobilization, WON’T end martial law, and WON’T trigger elections.

 

 

 

3. Handling of Potential Violations (Armed Attacks, Incursions, Missile Strikes)

 

Putin: “Who will be able to determine where and who has violated a possible agreement on a ceasefire across a 2,000 km front?”

 

 

 

Zelensky: Complained to Trump last month, claiming Russia violated ceasefires 25 times since 2014.

 

4. Verification of measures related to mobilization, supply of weapons

 

Putin: “How will issues of control and verification be handled – how will they guarantee that nothing like this will happen?”

 

 

 

Zelensky: Even if a ceasefire turns into something more, Ukraine will not recognize the loss of territory to Russia. “This is the biggest red line.”

 

 

 

5. Fundamentally diverging attitudes toward peace

 

Putin: “The very idea is great, I think is correct, and we of course support it.” “We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities, but proceed from the assumption that this cessation should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of this crisis.”

 

 

 

Zelensky: “Now we have all heard from Russia very predictable, very manipulative words from Putin in response to the idea of quiet on the front – he is actually preparing a refusal.”

 

 

 

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250314/30-day-ceasefire-push-putin-seeks-long-term-peace-zelensky-wants-war-and-trump-stuck-in-the-middle-1121639177.html

 

 

 

RUSSIA HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO REFUSE THE CEASEFIRE WHICH IS A SHAM TO RE-ARM THE KIEV REGIME...

 

 

 

REMEMBER ZELENSKY IS AN MI6 ASSET...

 

 

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

  

odessa....

Crimea is Russia and so is Odesa: USA wants to flush Ukraine down the toiletTrump giving up on Ukraine, lock, stock and barrelWorld  » Former USSR  » Ukraine 

Ukraine is seriously concerned that U.S. President Donald Trump might agree to transfer control of the port of Odesa to Russia, The New York Times wrote with reference to aides to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

 

The upcoming talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump can be compared to the Yalta Conference of 1945, where world powers redrew European borders.

"To hear President Trump describe it, he and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia are about to have something akin to their own Yalta moment, great powers determining borders within Europe," The NYT said.

Although Trump did not directly compare the situation to post-World War II events, he stated that he would discuss territorial issues and control over nuclear power plants with Putin.

"I think we'll be talking about territories-there are many… It's a big issue. But I think much has already been discussed by both sides," Trump said ahead of his March 18 phone call with Putin.

Notably, the Russian president had previously thanked Trump "for dedicating so much attention to resolving the situation in Ukraine."

Concerns Over Territorial Concessions

Meanwhile, according to NYT, Zelensky's aides are worried that Trump may agree to allow Russia to take control of some Ukrainian territories, including the strategically vital port of Odesa.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump's team and Ukrainian officials are directly discussing potential territorial compromises as part of efforts to end the conflict.

"The U. S. has never been closer to resolving the Ukraine conflict than it is now," Leavitt said, adding that Trump was fully committed to ending the fighting.

Previously, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz indicated that resolving the Ukraine conflict may require Kyiv to give up certain territories in exchange for future security guarantees.

Zelensky, however, has called the territorial issue "difficult" and has repeatedly stated that Kyiv will never recognize Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk as part of Russia.

Russian political analyst Konstantin Blokhin, a senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that Russia's demands will be a key topic in the upcoming conversation between Putin and Trump. Although this is an intermediate discussion, its outcome could shape the future of U.S.-Russia relations and potential future meetings between the two leaders, he explained.

Russia and Ukraine Clash Over Control of Odesa Port

As diplomatic talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine continue, the strategic port of Odesa has become a focal point of concern. Ukraine fears that U.S. President Donald Trump may consider allowing Russia to take control of the port, a move that would significantly impact Ukraine’s economy and security.

Ukraine’s Position

For Kyiv, Odesa is not just a critical economic hub but also a key point of access to the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will never cede its sovereign territory, including Odesa, to Russia. Ukrainian officials see any territorial concessions as a threat to national security and an unacceptable compromise in negotiations to end the ongoing conflict.

Russia’s Stance

Russia has not officially confirmed any direct claims over Odesa, but Moscow has long sought to expand its influence along Ukraine’s southern coastline. Russian forces have already taken control of major cities in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia and have targeted Odesa with missile strikes. Some analysts believe that Moscow views Odesa as a strategic prize, which, if controlled, could cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea entirely.

The U.S. Factor

The White House has acknowledged discussions about territorial concessions, but no official decisions have been made. Trump has suggested that territorial negotiations will be part of his March 18 phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns in Kyiv about a potential deal that could undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty. The battle over Odesa’s future remains a key issue in geopolitical negotiations, with Russia pushing for control, Ukraine standing firm, and the U.S. weighing its role in shaping the region’s future.

 

Details

 

The Port of Odesa or Odesa Sea Port, located near Odesa, is the largest Ukrainian seaport and one of the largest ports in the Black Sea basin, with a total annual traffic capacity of 40 million tonnes (15 million tonnes dry bulk and 25 million tonnes liquid bulk), the only port of Ukraine capable of accepting Panamax class vessels. The port has an immediate access to railways allowing quick transfer of cargo from sea routes to ground transportation. Along with its younger satellite ports of Chornomorsk (1958) and Pivdennyi (1973), the Port of Odesa is a major freight and passenger transportation hub of Ukraine. The port is located at the western shores of the Odesa Bay. It consists of several harbors which are divided one from another by a number of jetties, while the port itself is screened off from the open sea by few long breakwaters located in the Odesa Bay. Just around the southern jetty (Karantyny) located a passenger terminal with a multi-story hotel at the Nova jetty. Towards the middle there is a Ship Maintenance Factory "Ukraina". At the northern portion are located grain and main oil terminals, while at the southern there is a smaller oil terminal amid container loading quays.


See more at https://english.pravda.ru/world/161849-trump-putin-ukraine/

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

see also: https://yourdemocracy.net/drupal/node/44664

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.