It is written in the Old Testament (Book of Job, Chapter 1, Verse 21) that “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”
Unfortunately, there are those in this world who believe it is also their prerogative to give and take what they please, when they please, and to or from whomever they please. These people are variously known as autocrats, tyrants, dictators, ogres, and the like. And one of the most notable of that lot in our time is, quite obviously, Vladimir Putin.
When he (seemingly gratuitously) offers to undertake a second “humanitarian mission” in Ukraine — this time in the embattled city of Kostyantynivka — along the lines of the recently completed mission in Oleshky . . . well, you have to wonder what’s behind it. Because Putin is not, never has been, and never will be a humanitarian.
What he is, is a liar and a fraud.
While the six-day ceasefire at Oleshky enabled the de-mining of the surrounding roads, the delivery of desperately-needed aid, and the evacuation of busloads of desperate citizens, it also allowed Russia to continue its onslaught throughout the rest of Ukraine while simultaneously using the lull to bring in additional military equipment and rotate troops.
This week’s so-called peace talks at Abu Dhabi did not produce any substantive progress toward a settlement of the conflict; but it did result in a mutual agreement for a major exchange of prisoners in the near future.
But before you view this as a further indication that Putin may be growing a heart, take a look at what happened when Witkoff and his sidekick Jared Kushner traveled from Abu Dhabi to Moscow to meet with Putin.
After two and a half hours, there was an agreement that European representatives would take part in the next round of meetings, after being sidelined in Abu Dhabi. But Putin again insisted that the post-war presence of foreign (i.e., European or American) troops in Ukraine was not acceptable, claiming that their deployment would pose a threat to Russia’s national security — thereby effectively diminishing, or completely neutralizing, the post-war security arrangements that Ukraine would require to prevent any future incursion by Russia.
Putin also continues to insist that Russia be granted, not only the territory it presently occupies in Ukraine, but additional territory it has been trying to capture as well, supposedly as a “buffer zone” — again, allegedly for Russia’s protection.
None of this, coming from Putin, is particularly surprising. What he proposes is that he be rewarded for having invaded a peaceful sovereign nation, slaughtered hundreds of thousands of military personnel and civilians, destroyed vital infrastructure and historic treasures, and threatened Europe’s future security.
He offers to give a little — a bit of humanitarian aid here, a prisoner swap there — and seeks to take an immeasurable bounty in return.
He really must think he’s a god . . . which may explain why his big orange American friend keeps trying to offer him Ukraine as a sacrifice.
Just sayin’ . . .
Brendochka
11/13/26
