Imagine, if you will, a massive power failure occurring just as you’re about to put the Thanksgiving turkey into the oven, with a blizzard raging outside and twelve people on their way to your house for dinner.

Then multiply that 1,000-fold, and imagine how Volodymyr Zelensky must feel today, with the existence of an entire nation resting on his shoulders; Russian attacks on civilian population and infrastructure increasing incrementally; a corruption scandal involving a number of his top government leaders and close associates bubbling over; and — to top it all off — having just been told that four years of living in the hell of war while fighting for his country’s survival have been for nought.

And that, thanks to the back-room machinations of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, is precisely what has happened. The peace proposal that the Trump administration has handed to Zelensky, details of which were not available earlier in the day, has now been revealed to carry with it an ultimatum: accept it, or lose U.S. support. And we’d like that done by Thursday, please.

Those with knowledge of the details of the 28-point proposal have said that it basically represents capitulation to Putin’s demands that Russia retain all occupied and disputed territory in the Donbas region, that Ukraine drastically reduce its military capabilities, and that it permanently forego any possibility of membership in NATO.

In a single word: Surrender.

All of this has been engineered without input from Europe’s Coalition of the Willing, who have been unflinchingly supportive of Ukraine while attempting to find a path to peace.

A cheerful Vladimir Putin said the plan could “form the basis of a final peace settlement,” though claiming that it had not been “substantively” discussed with his side. He offered that he is ready to “resolve the issues by peaceful means” . . . and in the next breath threatened that if Ukraine rejects the proposal, Russia will continue to push forward “through military means, through armed struggle.” [Yuliya Talmazan, Monica Alba, Peter Alexander, Courtney Kube and Gordon Lubold, NBC News, November 21, 2025.]

In response, Zelensky addressed the Ukrainian people in a ten-minute video, saying:

“This is one of the most difficult moments in our history. Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner, either the difficult 28 points, or a very difficult winter.” [Id.]

Under the circumstances, “difficult” seems like a gigantic understatement.

*. *. *

Does anyone truly believe that all of these events occurring in rapid succession — the corruption scandal, the increased bombardments, and Trump’s sudden push to end it on Putin’s terms — are coincidental?

Seriously?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
11/21/25