As Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev enjoys yet another free pass into the U.S. for a weekend of meetings with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in balmy Florida, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks optimistically of a possible trilateral meeting in the near future, Vladimir Putin has proclaimed “Bah! Humbug!” to any hope of progress during this pre-Christmas week.

Putin’s foreign policy guru Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow today not to expect a breakthrough from the talks presently underway in Florida, saying that, “The Americans are celebrating Christmas in these days. Not many people are going to be working,” and indicating that Dmitriev would simply be returning to Moscow to file his report. [RFE/RL, December 21, 2025.]

Okay . . . so Donald Trump has already retreated to Mar-a-Lago for a long winter’s nap, and the Republicans have deserted Congress to celebrate having evaded any action on a healthcare solution. But that doesn’t mean negotiators aren’t still working to find some common ground for a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Rustem Umerov, who is heading his country’s team in the Florida talks, said:

“We work constructively and substantively. We hope for further progress and practical results.” [Id.]

But Ushakov dissented, saying: “So far, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and it is not being worked on, as far as I know.” He added that Dmitriev was only “holding talks” with U.S. officials. [Id.]

And just to be sure we get the message, he had this comment on the 20-point European revision of Trump’s original 28-point proposal:

“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace.” [Id.]

So if the Russian and American contingents are not discussing a peace initiative, but are “holding talks,” then what are they talking about? Their Christmas plans? New Year’s resolutions? The price of eggs in Russia vs. the U.S.?

And why do we keep granting Dmitriev — who is under U.S. sanctions — exemptions to enter the country? What sort of deals are the money men — Dmitriev, Witkoff and Kushner — really discussing while Putin buys more time to gain additional ground in Ukraine that he can claim as his own?

We’ll never know, because no one is revealing details of these back-room talks taking place while Ukrainians fight for their very existence.

All we know for certain is that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come — in the person of Vladimir Putin — has spoken.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
12/21/25