Meeting in London

While the president was golfing and the vice president was skying, there was a European summit in London. This is the class photo for this historic event. Like it or not, the US is now out of any Western leadership position.

First, let’s discuss what is happening. Then, I will offer you a few posts from Volyamedia that, if true, have enormous consequences. What is happening makes them possible.

So, first, let’s talk about Europe and the meeting, but I will start with the upcoming meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. It will make sense once you get to the Volyamedia posts:

❗️”The Trump administration has staged a skirmish with Zelensky to undermine his authority and remove him from the path as an obstacle to what is being prepared next” — CNN

The publication writes that the Trump-Putin summit , which is on the agenda, is now being accelerated.

So the US wants Volodomyr Zelensky out of the way. There are reasons and now here is the European reaction:

Any new agreement to support Ukraine must be supported by force — the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom At the summit agreed to four important steps: to continue supplying military aid to Ukraine and to increase economic pressure on Russia. The lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table of any peace negotiations. In the event of a peace treaty, European leaders will seek to prevent any future Russian invasion of Ukraine. 📌 There will be a “coalition of those who wish” to protect Ukraine and guarantee peace in the country.

We are not in this. Europe will break away from the United States, and some of this is already happening. A Danish company refuses to fuel US Navy ships, but the government will continue to do so.

Now let me take a side trip to Afghanistan because it will give you some necessary background for what Volyamedia posted today:

Trump had previously negotiated minerals with another country, Afghanistan, but when the government in Kabul agreed to such cooperation, the US surrendered the country to the Taliban.

Vladislav Olenchenko, co-founder of the analytical platform Mikhailovsky Club, spoke about this on the air of the Moseychuk Podcast project.

He recalled that in 2017, Trump met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. At that time, the development of $1 trillion worth of deposits was discussed, and Kabul agreed to cooperate.

However, Washington soon turned to the Taliban, despite the fact that at that time the US had already been fighting them for 16 years.

“After the official Afghan government approved the deal, Trump began secret negotiations with the Taliban. After eight rounds, he signed the agreement, effectively handing over the country to them,” Olenchenko emphasized.

Recall that the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attack. The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan for the first time at the time, were accused by the Americans of collaborating with Al-Qaeda and sheltering Osama bin Laden.

Trump was taken for a ride. The US has received zero contracts in Afghanistan to exploit the mineral resources under those mountains. He also set a trap for Joe Biden, who had to follow what the Trump administration signed.

Now to the promised pieces from Volyamedia. I also ask that you use the necessary amount of caution. However, events confirm some of this. I also wrote that the Riyadh meeting was about a division of spheres of influence. It also points to how well the Russians know Trump. So with no further:

The Trump-Zelensky “Conflict”. Part 3. A Tale from the Paperclip: How the Russians Tried to “Buy” Trump

What is written below should not be taken as 100% information or insider information, consider it a tale told by a high-ranking Russian official who managed to sit at a well-laid table in the Moscow region with one of the participants in the first meeting of US and Russian representatives in Riyadh on February 18.

The story was told to us a couple of days after the meeting in Saudi Arabia; we were unable to confirm it from other sources (not surprisingly, the participants in the negotiations were unlikely to have arranged a dinner tour of all the officials and security forces of the Russian Federation), but it was indirectly confirmed in publications in Western media, including Bloomberg .

So, what was said at the dinner mentioned above. A participant in the meeting in Riyadh proudly said that they had prepared for the meeting with the Americans in order to “play them like a banjo.” Trump, Vance, Rubio, Musk, in the opinion of the Russian elite, are neophytes who have seized power and who want even more power, and most importantly, respect. This respect was given to them with all due honors.

First, Yuri Ushakov, as the elder, started a conversation about the long-standing relations between the USA and the USSR, which even during the Cold War treated each other as equals, with respect and recognition of the greatness of each side. Then he threw in a word about the joint victory over Hitler, whom the world would not have been able to cope with without the USA and the USSR. The Americans, supposedly, listened attentively and nodded and agreed with pleasure.

After the end of the Cold War, the world slowly sank into insignificance, leaders became petty, forgot how to speak the language of real politicians and strategists. Instead of caring about their countries, they cared more about benefits and imaginary justice that had nothing to do with reality. For many years, no one was able to make decisions worthy of the era of real leaders. Trump’s rise to power for the first time gave a chance to restore the “normal” world, but it was short-lived. And the Democrats, who were spinning the helpless Biden in all directions at once, were afraid of both Trump and Putin. Because both are real leaders from the “era of heroes”. They did not allow Trump to win the elections, influencing their results, and they tried to drive Putin into isolation and destroy him with the hands of Ukraine.

Putin was forced to react, he was provoked, he did not want war, he wanted peace, which there was no one to conclude with, because there was a collective Biden around. Putin wanted an agreement with an equal, with someone who would truly understand geopolitics, who would be aware of the responsibility to future generations. The world requires a new reorganization, because the agreements once signed by Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill no longer work. President Trump is the person with whom Putin wants and can talk as an equal, because Trump understands how the world really works. Trump’s team understands this too. They cannot be manipulated, the Europeans and the Democrats who have completely moved to the left are afraid of them, the artificially inflated bureaucracy and lobbyists, those who are called the Deep State in the US, are afraid of them.

Putin believes in the possibility of dialogue, in the possibility of revising outdated agreements in favor of new ones. In the prospect of creating a new world order, based, as before, on mutual respect and the right of the strong, based on fair laws defined and formulated by real leaders.

This passage allegedly impressed the Americans, and then Kirill Dmitriev stepped in, outlining the prospects for cooperation. The Russians’ main trump card was a project to create port infrastructure in the Arctic, develop the Northern Sea Route and river shipping along the rivers of Siberia. This project would allow respected partners, together with Russia, to gain access to huge reserves of hydrocarbons and other minerals, develop production facilities for their processing and provide the United States and Russia with long-term partnership and prosperity. A partnership between the two countries would allow them to force both the Europeans and China to submit to the will of real leaders.
@Volyamedia

This would rescue Russia and establish a friendly government in Ukraine for Moscow. It would also separate the US from its traditional allies. And let's face it: It plays to Trump’s ego.

It’s the multipolar world and the return of great powers that Putin has been looking for. It’s a new Yalta conference. Let’s face it: Trump thinks this is great for him.

But there is more, and just posting the sections that point to this geopolitical change:

Trump and Zelensky’s “Conflict”. Part 4. How China Reacted to Russia’s Attempt

Yuri Ushakov transferred the large-scale project for the exploration and development of the Arctic and the extraction of minerals to the geopolitical plane, clarifying that it was not in vain that Russia concluded agreements on strategic partnership with North Korea and Iran. In this way, it does not intend to form an “Axis of Evil”, but seeks to strengthen global security. New strategic partners are dependent on Russia, so it can control them. And together with the United States, it will be able to influence the policies and decisions of the leadership of China, the trade confrontation with which leads to a decrease in the income and standard of living of US citizens, for whom Donald Trump cares like a father.

As for Ukraine, its leaders, and Zelensky in particular, were plotting around Biden, asking him for help and provoking Russia to take active actions. Zelensky secured the support of European leaders, the support of Democrats in the US, and then portrayed himself as a victim in order to stay in power as long as possible, using “Russian aggression” as a cover.

Russia, according to Ushakov, could have completed the “special operation” back in March 2022, but this would have led to huge casualties among the civilian population, which the Ukrainian government was hiding behind. Russia and Putin personally could not allow this, so they are conducting military operations very slowly and carefully so that as few innocent civilians as possible suffer. For three years now, the Russians have been carefully advancing, and Zelensky and his entourage are throwing almost children to the front lines. Zelensky is losing the war, he has no chance, but he does not spare his people, just to stay in power. Zelensky is not supported by the people, he is not legitimate, he has intrigued and is intriguing against the US President, he is stealing money and does not want to return it.

According to a participant in the meeting, the American side “paid great attention” to these passages, and Rubio allegedly said that “our eyes were opened to a lot.”

Judging by Trump’s statements after the American delegation returned from Riyadh, he was told almost verbatim what the Russians had said, and it impressed him. Trump began making statements that Ukraine was losing, that 700,000 soldiers had died, that Zelensky was destroying his own people, etc.

But besides Trump, the content of that conversation was also learned in China. And, apparently, they were very surprised. Back in the summer of 2024, we wrote about the negotiations between Beijing and Moscow on the joint development of the Arctic, the construction of ports, the development of the Northern Sea Route and the Northern Latitudinal Passage.

The Russian side then hoped that the Chinese would cover the costs of the mega-project, but they were in no hurry and suggested that Russian companies participating in the venture take on all the costs of the zero and first stages of the project. State corporations were not thrilled with this proposal and tried to shift the costs to smaller companies and to the regions (which do not have the funds for this at all). As a result, by January 2025, the joint Russian-Chinese project remained at the project stage. The Russians tried to persuade the Chinese to invest. The Chinese refused and limited themselves to sending delegations to the northern regions of the Russian Federation to assess the prospects on the spot.

The attempt of the Russian comrades to sell one pair of pants for two markets did not please the Chinese. According to rumors, they intensified negotiations with European countries on joint business projects, and according to information from Russian sources, they expressed bewilderment to the Kremlin. In response, Sergei Shoigu was hastily dispatched to China to assure Xi Jinping of Moscow’s good intentions.

China’s potential rapprochement with Europe has also given Americans pause for thought. Trump suddenly forgot that he called Zelensky a dictator, started talking about supporting Ukraine, and apparently tried to make it clear to China that he is open to proposals.
@Volyamedia

We knew Russia was getting closer to China and that China wanted those resources. But I want you to pay attention to the highlighted sections. The American delegation received “confirmation” of what they already believed.

Russia may suck as an army. But they are outstanding in hybrid warfare. This is precisely what this is. And here we are, where Europe is moving away from the United States, and Trump will never get that peace prize.

It’s a geopolitical victory for Russia in ways I cannot even explain. The US is not just leaving the grand game but changing sides.

And this is the final piece of this puzzle, which is reflected in the western press:

“Conflict” between Trump and Zelensky. Part 5. How to break all promises and stay true to yours

If we assume that what was described in the two previous posts is reality (and it very much looks like it is), then Trump has found himself in a difficult situation.

Rapprochement with Putin will lead to a conflict with Europe. A conflict with Europe will lead to economic losses and the need to completely rebuild the American military doctrine. Rapprochement with Putin is also fraught with the fact that Europe will begin to improve relations with China (hypothetically so far) and with India (it has already begun). The “good deal” and “peace” promised to the Americans are obviously not working out. Zelensky is not ready to accept the proposed conditions, Europe is not ready to give up Zelensky. Without Zelensky and Ukraine’s participation, no peace agreements are possible. It is unclear what to do. In an unclear situation, Trump usually either makes a rash decision or takes a break.

According to Russian sources, negotiations between the Russian and American delegations were supposed to take place again on February 25, but they did not take place on the initiative of the American side. Which simply cancelled the meeting without explaining the reasons. The Russians allegedly asked for a new meeting with the same participants on February 25 and 26, but they were kept without an answer for more than a day, and then they were told that “at the moment, the meeting does not meet our interests.”

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, who had already flown to Saudi Arabia, turned to Qatar to save face. A diplomatic delegation from the United States also arrived there. But diplomats from both sides were not authorized to develop the results of the first meeting in Riyadh. This situation infuriated Putin, and Lavrov, on his instructions, declared that Russia was ready to discuss peace only on its own terms — recognition of the occupied territories as part of the Russian Federation, transfer of the entire territory of the Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, non-aligned status for Ukraine (and so on down the well-known list).

The pause did not improve, but worsened the situation Trump had driven himself into. Instead of peace in Ukraine and global hegemony, the far-sighted politician found himself in a situation where he could become the scapegoat for everyone. In addition, his support within the United States went down. Even ordinary guys from the American hinterland were not happy with Donald’s crazy, mutually exclusive maneuvers and statements. Trump needed to urgently find a way out. A large-scale project with the Russian Federation could not fail to interest him, people like Trump are always attracted by something big, epic and unique (there is another such leader in the world, you must admit), but it can only be implemented by abandoning peace in Ukraine. How can you abandon peace in Ukraine so that ordinary guys from the hinterland do not consider it cowardice or weakness? The right thing to do is to blame everything on Ukraine itself.

According to information from Kyiv, Zelensky was not ready to sign the agreement on rare earth metals in the form proposed by the Americans. He insisted on the version of the document prepared by the Ukrainian side, which spelled out security guarantees. Nevertheless, Zelensky was invited to Washington. Zelensky could not refuse such a trip. The United States is perceived by a significant part of Ukrainian society as the main ally and the most powerful country in the world. If Zelensky refused, he would be accused of putting personal ambitions above the interests of the country. It was necessary to go. But this trip initially implied the ending that everyone saw in the White House.

Meetings between the presidents usually take place when all the terms of the agreement have already been agreed upon. Joint press conferences are held after the negotiations, not before. And in equal numbers. Zelensky was deliberately provoked into conflict, and Trump did not initially plan to sign the agreement. He has already managed to say that he is “not ready to return to negotiations on rare earth metals” and that he will resume communication with Zelensky only after he says that he wants peace. The guys from the provinces should like it. They behave in much the same way with their wives — get offended when you screw up. The only problem is that Trump is in the White House, and not somewhere in Alabama.
@Volyamedia

The last point is also valid. Meetings at a presidential level are usually a formality. You do not have negotiations, but the signing of documents.

Trump seems to have lost the plot, and the Russians, assuming any of this is the case, played a fast one on Trump. But he is not a man who will admit he got played. But the damage is done. Given what we know, at least some of this is possible.

And in the meantime, Trump has lost the Mirror. And boy, they reflect the popular sentiment. For my American audience, this makes the Tea Pot dome scandal, which was over oil, look mild. It was worse than Watergate. And yes, that was also a Republican administration. Now, I offer this, but I will add some details. This is not just limited to the president and his people. There is quite a bit of corruption in Congress as well. This is why people like Senators Mike Lee and Thomas Massie want the US out of the United Nations and NATO. That is likely coming.