3 Dec, 2025 14:09

Fyodor Lukyanov: Washington and Moscow are edging toward a deal

The next phase of the Ukraine conflict may be the last before a settlement

As expected, Tuesday’s five-hour meeting in the Kremlin produced no breakthrough. Moscow made it clear it will not compromise on its demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the remaining parts of Donbass under their control. Kiev, for its part, insists that any voluntary pullback is impossible. And it is doubtful the US administration could compel Ukraine to do so now, or perhaps ever.Which means Moscow’s alternative remains on the table: taking the territory by force.

US President Donald Trump prepared the ground by warning in advance that he would not set deadlines and could not promise results.This is uncharacteristic for him. It would be cynical to suggest that the American president is again giving Moscow time to further narrow Kiev’s room for maneuver, both literally and politically.Then again, perhaps the cynicism is not misplaced.

From the moment news broke that the envoys were heading to Moscow, it was clear that another round of talks would be required before anything concrete could emerge. The coming meeting will effectively be the fifth.And as long as diplomacy grinds forward, the military campaign will continue at full intensity. The negotiating phase will run alongside the fighting, not pause it.Exactly as predicted. Moscow will not accept a ceasefire until the parameters of a final settlement are agreed. Washington, for now, is committed in trying to reach one.

One detail stands out. The American delegation is flying straight home without stopping in Kiev or European capitals. That implies there is nothing yet to show. It also suggests that both Moscow and Washington intend to cut a deal directly, without the distraction of additional intermediaries.

Since February, the Trump administration has in practice acted as the central mediator, communicating closely and directly with the two sides. Western Europe is entirely absent from this configuration. Its involvement depends entirely on whether Kiev chooses to use it.For the European Union, which made the Ukrainian issue the organizing principle of its foreign policy, this is an odd place to end up: reduced to a tool rather than a participant.

Still, there is one encouraging note. There is a growing chance that the next military-political turn may be the last before the war ends.

(PDJT is over Ukraine, and is stopping being a mediator. Zelensky and the EU deserve what they get.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/628869-fyodor-lukyanov-washington-and-moscow/

3 Dec, 2025 14:13

Belief in Russian defeat ‘a complete illusion’ – Belgium

Prime Minister Bart De Wever is opposed to funding Ukraine through a loan, which Kiev could repay only if Moscow agrees to pay war reparations

Belgian Prime Minister Bart DeWever has launched a new attack on the EU’s plan to use frozen Russian assets for a loan to Ukraine, describing it as “a complete illusion” to think that Kiev could defeat Moscow and force it to pay reparations.

Under the proposal, the bloc would leverage about €140 billion ($162 billion) in immobilized Russian sovereign assets – most of them held at Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear – to guarantee a so-called ‘reparations loan’ for Ukraine. Belgium has vehemently protested the plan, demanding that other EU nations share responsibility for the move.

Russia, meanwhile, has branded such ideas “theft” and warned of far-reaching legal and retaliatory steps if its reserves are stolen.

In an interview with La Libre daily on Tuesday,De Wever acknowledged that the pressure surrounding the loan issue is “incredible,” adding that the political appeal of supporting “the good guy, Ukraine,” at Russia’s expense obscured unprecedented legal risks and would break historical precedent. “Even during World War II, Germany’s money wasn’t confiscated,” he said.

“At the end of the war, the losing state must relinquish all or part of these assets to compensate the victors. But who really believes that Russia will lose in Ukraine? It’s a fable, a complete illusion.”

According to De Wever, even despite the current tensions, “it’s not even desirable for them [Russia] to lose” due to likely instability and nuclear weapons risks spiraling out of control in this scenario.

The Belgian leader further warned that Moscow would not “calmly accept” confiscation, pointing to the risk that Russia could seize Western-owned factories and some €16 billion ($18.6 billion) held by Euroclear in Russia. He added that Belarus or China could follow suit by targeting Western assets on their soil.

De Wever also previouslywarned that the de facto seizing of the assets – the final decision on which is expected at a summit in Brussels on December 18 – would essentially derail the ongoing Ukraine peace process. The latter has gained momentum with the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Tuesday.

https://www.rt.com/news/628874-russian-defeat-complete-illusion-loan-ukraine/

The EU is trying their hardest to hide all their corruption, theft and illegal things they all did, if Ukraine gets exposed the EU gets exposed thoroughly.

3 Dec, 2025 14:09

No security guarantees for Ukraine – Finnish PM

Petteri Orpo says there is a difference between aid and mutual defense obligations

Finland will not offer Ukraine NATO-style security guarantees, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has declared.

Kiev has been seeking formal security assurances from Western backers and insists they should come before any peace agreement with Moscow. Some media reports claimed that last month’s US peace roadmap included a NATO-style guarantee for Kiev modeled on Article 5, committing guarantor states to defend Ukraine in case of a potential attack, and listed Finland as one of the potential guarantors.

Asked about this at a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday, Orpo said he had neither seen the plan nor been consulted on it.

“I don’t know why Finland was mentioned in the paper,” he told the media.“We have to understand that a security guarantee is something very, very serious. We’re not ready to give security guarantees, but we can help with security arrangements. The difference between them is huge.”

Orpo stressed that helping Kiev with security differs fundamentally from mutual defense obligations referenced in the leaked US plan. He suggested major powers such as the US or larger European states should commit to guarantees, while Finland’s role would be limited to logistical and organizational support.

Sweden, while not mentioned as a potential guarantor in the leaked draft, believes European support should focus on helping Ukraine maintain a capable military as Kiev’s “most important security guarantee”, according to Kristersson.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that security guarantees remain unresolved after the latest talks between Kiev and Washington in Florida.Moscow has said it does not oppose security guarantees for Ukraine in principle but insists they must not be one-sidedor aimed at containing Russia, and should follow a peace deal rather than precede one. Russia confirmed receiving the “main parameters” of the US roadmap last week but has not commented on details or whether guarantees are included.

Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow on Tuesday for further talks on the peace plan. According to President Vladimir Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov, the discussions were constructive and Moscow agreed with some American proposals, but deemed others unacceptable, and“no compromises have been found as of yet.”

https://www.rt.com/news/628855-finland-ukraine-security-guarantees/

Some countries are completely over with Ukraine bullshit, and I agree no security guarantees, that put other countries to protect the shithole.

3 Dec, 2025 10:42

Witkoff-Zelensky meeting canceled – media

The Ukrainian leader earlier said he expected “signals” from the US after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, canceled a planned meeting with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in Europe and have flown back home, according to media reports.

Zelensky earlier said he expected to hear back from the US delegation after its high-stakes Kremlin talks on a peace plan for Ukraine.

On Tuesday, journalist Alex Raufoglu, who writes for the Kyiv Post, initially reported, citing sources, that “Zelensky is slated to meet in Brussels tonight” with the US officials. Hours later, however, he saidthere had been a change of plans, and “the Brussels meeting is called off” and “Zelensky is returning home,” without elaborating on the reason.

A plane apparently carrying Witkoff made no stopovers in the EU after leaving Russia, flying directly back to the US, TASS reported, citing a European air-traffic source.

Earlier, Axios also reported that Witkoff was expected to meet with Zelensky and brief him on the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian leader said he had expected signals from Witkoff and Kushner, suggesting that if the Kremlin talks went well, he could meet with Trump very soon. The US president previously refused to meet with both Zelensky and Putin until a peace deal is in the final stages.

The apparent cancelation of the meeting came as Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said the American delegation had promised Moscow to return to Washington after the Kremlin talks and not travel on to Kiev.

His comments came following five-hour Russia-US talks at the Kremlin. Ushakov described the negotiations as “useful, constructive and meaningful,” while adding that “a compromise hasn’t been found” and “there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

The negotiations focused on a US-backed peace framework, initially tied to a 28-point draft leaked last month. The plan reportedly asked Kiev to relinquish territory in Russia’s Donbass regions still under its control, abandon its NATO ambitions, and limit the size of its military, which Kiev considers a dealbreaker.

https://www.rt.com/news/628860-witkoff-zelensky-meeting-canceled/

(The EU and Zelensky are cut out of negotiations, they were never invited in the 1st place.)

2 Dec, 2025 22:22

Putin-Witkoff talks constructive and very useful – presidential aide

The discussion between the Russian and American delegations lasted five hours

Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, were constructive, very useful, and substantive, according to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

He made the comments after five hours of talks on Tuesday between the Russian president, his envoy Kirill Dmitriev, and Witkoff, which finished after midnight local time.

“No compromises have been found as of yet,” Ushakov said afterward, adding that a meeting between Putin and Trump is not currently planned.

“We discussed the substance, not specific wording and solutions. The parties see enormous potential for cooperation,” Ushakov said.

“Some American proposals are acceptable to Russia… others are not,” he stated, noting that the issue of territory was also discussed.

Asked whether peace is closer or further away following the talks, Ushakov said, “Definitely not further.”

According to the aide,the US delegation presented their Russian counterparts with four more documents regarding a settlement of the Ukraine conflict.

Dmitriev wrote on X that the session was “productive,” while Witkoff went immediately to the US Embassy compound.

Before departing for the meeting,Putin dismissed any contribution from Kiev’s European backers, citing their failure to recognize reality and accusing them of trying to disrupt the US-led process.

Putin also warned that Ukraine’s maritime access could be blocked if drone attacks on boats from third countries carrying Russian oil continue.

https://www.rt.com/russia/628842-putin-witkoff-talks-constructive/

3 Dec, 2025 12:28

Kremlin clarifies stance on US-drafted Ukraine peace plan

Moscow and Washington continue to look for a compromise, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said

Russia has not rejected the US peace plan on the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, adding that Moscow and Washington are continuing to work toward finding a compromise.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Peskov stressed that “it would be wrong” to say President Vladimir Putin had turned down the American proposals after the talks in Moscow with US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

He said the Kremlin meeting was the first direct exchange on the plan and that “some things were accepted, some were marked as unacceptable,” describing it as a “normal negotiation process” and “a search for compromise.”

He declined to spell out details of the four documents related to the Ukraine peace plan handed over to Moscow. “We proceed from the fact that in this case it is better for these negotiations to be conducted in silence,” he said, adding that Russia is “not a supporter of megaphone diplomacy” and that Moscow sees the Americans as following the same principle.

His comments came after a roughly five-hour meeting in the Kremlin between Putin and Witkoff, which was joined by Kushner, focused on possible ways to end the fighting. Presidential aide Yury Ushakov called the discussion “very useful, constructive [and] very substantive,” adding that the sides “discussed the substance, not specific wording and solutions.”

The talks were built around a US-drafted framework that first surfaced publicly in November when a 28-point proposal was leaked to the media. The plan would reportedly require Kiev to give up parts of Russia’s Donbass still under its control, renounce NATO membership ambitions and accept limits on the size of its armed forces.Since then, however, Ukraine and its EU backers attempted to impose their own conditions during several rounds of talks with the US.

While Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has publicly rejected any territorial concessions to Russia, he acknowledged that there were “no simple solutions” for ending the conflict, and that he expected “signals” from the US negotiators – who reportedly cancelled an expected meeting with him after the Kremlin talks.

(The US understands that the EU would be advising Zelensky, he cannot make a decision himself, but if they are included, they will jam up the settlement.Ignoring Zelensky is a very strong signal, Z is not in charge of anything, and never has been.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/628865-kremlin-us-ukraine-peace-plan/

Mike Davis With Updates On The NDAA & AI Amnesty: ‘Looks Like the WarRoom Posse Has Delivered Once Again’(Yes the Tech bros must be losing their minds now.)

8:17

https://rumble.com/embed/v70c432/?pub=4

Jason Cohen 🇺🇸

@JasonJournoDC

🚨NEW: Hakeem Jeffries BEGRUDGINGLY gives Trump "CREDIT" for securing border🚨

PAMELA BROWN: "Are you willing to give President Trump any credit for that?"

JEFFRIES: rambles without giving credit and attacks Trump

BROWN: "Can you give President Trump any credit for securing the border?"

JEFFRIES: "The border is secure. That's a good thing. It's happened on his watch. He wants to claim credit for it. Of course, he'll get credit for that."

@DailyCaller

12:11 PM · Dec 3, 2025

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https://x.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1996265947611439511?s=20