Amidst all of the hype surrounding this week’s phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump concerning the future of Ukraine, many people tried very hard to remain optimistic, hoping that this would be the first major step toward an end to Russia’s illegal war of attrition.

But some of us didn’t, because — based on an over-abundance of historic examples — we could not overlook the ingrained duplicity of the man who started that war.

Seriously . . . would you buy a used car — or a candy bar, for that matter — from this man?

On March 16th — the day before the scheduled phone call — I posted a tongue-in-cheek version of the way I thought their conversation would go. But I was completely serious when I predicted that Putin “ . . . will no doubt reiterate — for perhaps the hundredth time — his preposterous demands that Ukraine give up everything, while insisting that he really does want peace . . . but on his terms.”

And I forecast that a follow-up statement from the Kremlin would repeat their ludicrous claim that Ukraine has been the root cause of this “special military operation” from the beginning, and that their President, Volodymyr Zelensky, is the one holding up the negotiations.

So . . . was I right?

Tragically, yes . . . I was. Because all Trump — and therefore Ukraine — gained were a promise to engage in further negotiations, and a watered-down commitment to pause, for one month, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s “energy and infrastructure” . . . or was it Ukraine’s “energy infrastructure”?

And there you have it. While the White House interpreted the agreement to include all infrastructure, the Kremlin says “Nyet!” It is just energy infrastructure.

Big difference.

Putin also, as predicted, refused to back off on his other requirements that Russia must keep those portions of Ukraine it now occupies, including Crimea; and that Ukraine never be granted membership in NATO or the EU.

And let us not overlook the attacks that continued on the very day the “agreement” was reached . . . and since.

So, I’m sorry to say, I was right . . . and so was everyone else who really knows what Vladimir Putin and the Russian government are about. Everyone, it seems, except Donald Trump.

But oh, how I wish we weren’t.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/20/25