That is the opening line from a children’s poem written in 1828 by Mary Howitt. Little did Ms. Howitt imagine at the time that her words would become a meme that would live for the next two centuries.

Nor, I suspect, would she have imagined “spiders” the likes of which have come to lead so many of the world’s nations today.

Like this guy:

We all know what an evil creature he is. But why do I now compare him to Mary Howitt’s eight-legged enticer? Simply because of his latest tactic in delaying negotiations toward bringing his war of attrition against Ukraine to a peaceful end.

After years of refusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s offers to meet face-to-face, or simply not showing up at scheduled meetings and instead sending a lower-level delegation, Putin has now come up with an offer of his own. As a condition to a personal meeting, he has invited Zelensky to come into the ultimate spider web: the Kremlin.

Not neutral territory. Not the UAE, or any of the several countries where Putin — subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes — is still welcome. But his turf.

Does Putin really think Zelensky is that stupid . . . that he won’t see this for what it is: another attempt to posture himself as the peacemaker and blame Zelensky for sabotaging negotiations?

Following recent remarks by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterating Zelensky’s readiness to meet with Putin, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said yesterday:

“We have never refused and do not refuse this kind of contact” . . . but then added that Zelensky should travel to Moscow if he wants to talk to Putin. And as an added “incentive,” he said that Moscow is prepared to ensure Zelensky’s security and working conditions there. [Tim Zadorozhyy, The Kyiv Independent, January 28, 2026.]

I can’t explain why, but somehow I don’t find that terribly reassuring.

As a final touch, our old friend, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, said today that they had not yet received a response from Zelensky. And I can hazard a guess as to why:

He probably hasn’t stopped laughing yet.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/29/26