Results of the Alaska Meeting between Trump and Putin.

Alastair Crooke : Why Trump Abandoned His Ceasefire Demands.

Over the weekend,  a number of friends asked my opinion of the results of the Putin-Trump meeting in Alaska. Below is basically what I wrote yesterday; it corresponds to the comments of former British intelligence officer Alastair Crooke, (see above link) who gives much more insight and more in depth explanations. In fact, it is important that people listen to and consider Crooke’s remarks. It runs for less than a half hour.

It is to Crooke’s framework that I will respond to questions, comments.

Results of the meeting as I understand it:

• Good thing although more symbolic than real.
• Russians give Trump a lifeline (something to divert attention from the Epstein scandal that won’t go away).
• Given the military realities on the ground in Ukraine, Trump is forced to accept Russian framework – ie, negotiations need to center around European Security – getting NATO away from Russian borders.
• Appears Trump forced to agree, and significantly – addressing the nuclear arms race – with Ukraine being reduced to a small piece in a broader puzzle.
• There will be no Ukraine ceasefire unless the broader framework is addressed. In fact, there will be no ceasefire period, just negotiations over a peace settlement. .
• A small step towards normalization which Trump will have difficulty “selling” to a most reactionary Congress with all the neocons and Zionists now in power.
• Ukraine war will be settled on battlefield.