London Peace Talks Collapse, US Splits With UK

 It looks like the Americans are finally telling the Brits to take a hike. It also exposes the really 'exactly-who-the-hell-are-you' position of the British in this whole Ukrainian disaster.

The Brits called for yet another round of 'peace talks' (it happens like once a week now) in London. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday (day before yesterday). They invited the US, France, Germany and Ukraine to attend. Actually they invited all the EU countries but none would come.  

Then on Tuesday Zelenskiyy the Ukrainian president (acting on London's instructions of course) said that he rejected the American ceasefire plan. Donald Trump immediately felt the slap in the face. So Trump cancelled America's attendance at the London talks the next day.

When the Americans pulled out, the Germans and French also pulled out. Leaving only the Brits and the Ukrainians to have tea with vodka.  The collapse of the London talks even before it began represents the collapse of the really foolish European alliance against Russia. The western alliance is dead. Correction : it never was.

It exposes the British as having absolutely no standing in this whole affair. Say what you want but the Americans still have huge clout in Europe. And with the US and Russia having an increasingly better working relationship the American clout is not going to go away too quickly.  

Two weeks ago Russian President Vladimir Putin personally met face-to-face with Steve Witkoff who is President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East and Europe. (For some reason Mr Trump has not given the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this most important role). The fact that Mr Putin a head of state was willing to meet a mere 'special envoy' was only possible because Steve Witkoff reports directly to President Trump. But what is of much greater interest is that Mr Putin and Steve Witkoff met and discussed matters for FIVE HOURS. I think they must have ordered 'take away' too. It was not small talk during those five hours. They must have discussed things down to the details. 

I believe Mr Putin has informed the Americans what exactly the Russian Army will achieve on the ground and Mr Trump fully endorses the Russian position. 

Mr Trump is also fully aware that the Russians have unilaterally offered (and kept to) two ceasefires, both of which have been rejected by Ukraine.  Now Ukraine is also rejecting the American ceasefire plan.

Things are moving to a clash between the US and the Brits. The US will likely cut off all intel support to Ukraine especially satellite intel and Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications (it is still operating). And when the American weapons also stop the war in Ukraine has to stop. That is a no brainer. Mr Putin and Steve Witkoff must have discussed all this in those FIVE HOURS.

I think Mr Putin has suggested to the US that if the EU and Ukraine were to embarass Mr Trump (by rejecting his peace proposal) Russia will help save face for Mr Trump. After Russia rolls over the rest of Ukraine they will give America 'most favored nation' status for investments in "Russian" Ukraine. In exchange America will also drop all economic sanctions against Russia. 

This is already happening because on 7th April (18 days ago) an American astronaut blasted into space onboard a Russian Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Russia - along with a team of Russian cosmonauts. They are flying together into space already.

Russia is now the largest economy in Europe. They produce more than twice the amount of steel that Germany produces. And according to Andrei Martyanov for the first time ever in the history of Russia  the Russian people are enjoying a higher standard of living than Europeans in France, Germany or the UK. 

While we have all been talking about China, China, China there is another giant getting up and about in "eastern" Europe. And Russia is also the birthplace of this tribe called the Caucasian people - the umbrella term (I know the DNA part is debateable) for the entire white skinned race. And they are orthodox Christians as well. This means they look like each other, they can get along well with each other, they believe in the same god, they both have biker gangs and their young people like rock music and rap.  

And Trump's wife Melania was born in communist Slovenia/Yugoslavia (1970 inside the Soviet Russian orbit) where her father was a member of the Communist Party. They have fond memories of their early years.

They do not put vodka in their tea. They should be able to read the tea leaves.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.