The Trump administration is considering recognizing Ukraine's Crimea region as Russian territory as part of any future agreement to end Moscow's war on Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the matter. Administration officials have also discussed the possibility of having the US urge the United Nations to do the same, according to both people. Such a request would align the Trump administration with the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long seen Crimea as his nation's territory.
As "negotiations" with Putin continue, the Trump regime appears prepared to recognize Ukraine's Crimea region as Russian territory.
Also being considered is the possibility of having the U.S. urge the United Nations to follow suit.
Surrendering Crimea to Putin would be a ... [image or embed]
" Stephanie Kennedy (@wordswithsteph.bsky.social) March 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
That took about 5 decades
I've got the time. Let Russia suffer out in the cold for fifty years and see if it was worth it.
I don't know if a truce is possible but I do believe it should be first priority given the status quo is the classic definition of insanity.
#11 | Posted by BellRinger
That's for the people of Ukraine to decide. Since they were the ones that had their people murdered and their land stolen from them.
We shouldn't be giving up their land for them and handing out their natural resources to their invader.
Trump says Ukraine-Russia peace talks looking at dividing up certain assets'
www.cnn.com
The geopolitical landscape today is vastly different from the Cold War era, with China now identified as the United States' primary strategic rival. While Russia's invasion of Ukraine has drawn significant U.S. attention and resources, the broader concern lies in managing the Russia-China alliance, which has grown stronger amid Western sanctions and global realignments.
Strategic Context
China is the U.S.'s biggest geopolitical threat, and many argue that prolonged focus on Ukraine diverts critical resources from countering Beijing. Former President Trump has suggested a negotiated settlement to the Ukraine conflict, potentially involving a freeze along current frontlines, delayed NATO membership for Ukraine, and reduced U.S. military aid. This approach prioritizes de-escalation but risks legitimizing Russian territorial gains and weakening NATO unity.
Options Moving Forward
1. De-escalation: Negotiating a truce could end the immediate conflict but risks emboldening authoritarian regimes and undermining Western credibility.
2. Status Quo: Continuing military aid to Ukraine sustains a costly stalemate, draining U.S. resources and prolonging global instability.
3. Escalation: Increasing NATO involvement risks direct confrontation with Russia and potential nuclear escalation.
The war has reshaped global energy markets, strengthened Russia-China trade ties, and forced nations in the Global South to hedge between power blocs. Sanctions have hurt Russia but have not crippled its economy due to circumvention by allies like China and India.
De-escalation may align with U.S. interests in refocusing on China, but it carries significant risks of normalizing aggression and destabilizing Europe. The challenge lies in balancing support for Ukraine while maintaining strategic focus on countering China's rise"a delicate and increasingly urgent task for U.S. policymakers.
Citations:
[1] geopoliticaleconomy.com
[2] www.youtube.com
[3] www.max-security.com
[4] www.russiamatters.org
[5] moderndiplomacy.eu
[6] www.themoscowtimes.com
[7] www.atlanticcouncil.org
[8] euromaidanpress.com
Minibar - Holiday From Myself (2001)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
genius.com
...
If I was a friend of mine
I would surely be concerned
I'd recommend I take some time
Away from me
I think I need a holiday from myself
I need some time away from being me
I'm worried about my health
And I seem to be bad company
I need time
To be careless with my mouth
Not worry what I think about
'Cos it's all fine
I need the dawn
I never get to bed before
I don't sleep naked anymore
And I can't lie in
Imagine I could take a package deal
A SAGA tour of ancient Rhodes
A weekend break in Galashiels
Or circumnavigate the globe
I think I need
Two weeks in a caravan
To get away from who I am
And where I've been
So book me up
...
The critique that current ceasefire negotiations risk becoming a de facto division of spoils"rather than a balanced peace agreement"reflects valid historical and strategic concerns. Here's a breakdown of the dynamics:
Key Issues in the Proposed Truce
1. Territorial Concessions
Russia demands recognition of its annexation of Crimea (2014) and four partially occupied regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson)[2][4]. The U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal implicitly accepts freezing the conflict along current frontlines, leaving ~20% of Ukrainian territory under Russian control[1][6]. This mirrors historical precedents like the 1938 Munich Agreement, where territorial concessions were traded for temporary peace.
2. Ukraine's Sovereignty vs. Pragmatism
While Kyiv insists it will never recognize Russian claims or abandon NATO aspirations[2][3], its acceptance of the 30-day ceasefire reflects desperation to halt battlefield losses. With U.S. military aid potentially decreasing under Trump[1][5], Ukraine faces a grim calculus: concessions now may prevent worse terms later if Western support erodes further.
3. Asymmetric Enforcement Mechanisms
Putin's conditions"including bans on Ukrainian rearmament and NATO peacekeepers[4][5]"would lock in Russian advantages. Meanwhile, Moscow faces no comparable restrictions, allowing it to consolidate control over occupied zones and critical infrastructure like the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant[3][6].
Broader Implications
- Legitimizing Conquest: A deal granting Russia territorial gains without Ukrainian consent risks normalizing border changes by force, undermining the UN Charter's principles[2][8].
- NATO Cohesion: European allies like the UK and Poland have rejected terms that exclude Ukrainian NATO membership, fearing long-term security erosion[6][7].
- Global Precedent: Emerging powers like India and Trkiye are closely watching whether Western-backed rules-based order can withstand realist power politics[3][9].
Danforth's analogy holds merit: the proposed truce structurally favors Russia by codifying its territorial seizures and restricting Ukraine's defense capacity. While Kyiv's agreement may stem from immediate survival needs, the terms risk entrenching a volatile, unequal peace that rewards aggression. Without enforceable guarantees for Ukraine's sovereignty or security, this ceasefire risks becoming less a resolution than a temporary pause in a prolonged contest over spheres of influence.
Citations:
[1] www.washingtonpost.com
[2] www.npr.org
[3] www.aljazeera.com
[4] www.aljazeera.com
[5] www.cnbc.com
[6] www.reuters.com
[7] www.bbc.com
[8] apnews.com
[9] www.reuters.com
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