A significant data-point to keep an eye on is whether there will be an extension to the suspension of sanctions against Russian energy products (oil and LNG) for the global market.
The current sanctions relief measures are scheduled to expire on April 11th, tomorrow.
April 9 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev is currently in the U.S. and is meeting members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for discussions on a peace deal for Ukraine and U.S.-Russia economic cooperation, sources with knowledge of the visit told Reuters.
The visit comes before the U.S. decision on whether to extend sanctions relief on Russian oil, which expires on April 11 and could also be on the agenda.
The United States issued a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea, in what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described as a step to stabilize global energy markets roiled by Iran war.
The sanctions relief took place after a call between Trump and Putin on March 9 and a subsequent visit to the U.S. by Dmitriev to discuss the energy crisis with a U.S. delegation that included Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. (more)
It would only make sense to extend the sanctions relief. There is nothing to gain in reimposing them.
Does impacting Russian ships unloading their oil motivate any Europeans consuming it to show more enthusiasm in policing the Strait of Hormuz?
Their lack of “enthusiasm” for the mission is directly linked to their inability to actually do it.
Russia will be a more reliable ally than UK-France-Germany=Spain.
I doubt that the U.S. will be basing military assets in Russia during my lifetime, even if we do pull out of Europe, so I would temper any hope for an “alliance” with a country that is still a strategic competitor and has a history of breaking agreements.
Suffice to say that in many ways, including their inability to honor agreements, the NATO countries are becoming more like the old Soviet Union than is acceptable for countries that are, on paper at least, U.S. allies.
J
I think the word that you’re looking for is “vassal,” not “ally.”
To be fair, many countries would say the same of the U.S.
It would make more sense to end the sanctions. Russia didn’t start the war, contrary to the western intel-fabricated narrative that was spread and amplified by western media. They were more or less forced to respond to the Ukrainian Azov Nazis’ artillery slaughter of ethnic Russians in the Donbas that began in 2015, courtesy of the CIA’s incitement of the paid & played maidan uprisings (in order to install a corrupt western-controlled puppet government in Ukraine).
^
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Absolute FAX!
Absolutely. Russia would be an excellent, mutually beneficial ally. No begging bowls attached to the alliance. Can the same be said for ANY of our current “allies”?
If we want Russia for an ally (and we should, especially for the long game: China), we should act like one.
End the sanctions.
THIS
Or just letting them expire.
Boy, this administration is such an improvement over the previous collection of arses.
The previous arses overthrew PDT in 2020 for the specific goal of Manufacturing this Cannon Fodder War into Existence.
Psalm 37
8
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
10
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11
But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12
The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
Yes, Lord!
Because Democrats and their donor class do not want real improvement to those they govern. They only seek to continue their financial well being and Biden’s of the world garner more wealth via yours and our loss. Our loss is their gain. It’s by design. To be fair you can lump the country club Republicans into that lot as well. As Sundance had often stated “Once you see the strings of the marionette, you can never unsee them”.
So true Jett. The Democrats and RINOs see the pie as only so big and they keep wanting bigger slices. Their vision becomes accurate as their policies at best keep the pie the same size but usually the pie actually gets smaller.
Lets all hope so.
And the earth is in motion relative to the pendulum.
Literally the earth is moving beneath our feet and the geopolitical world seems to be changing simultaneously. All roads lead to President Trump……uh hum….
Info on the Foucault pendulum that used to be an exhibit at the Smithsonian……the one that knocked little pegs over as the earth moved causing it to seem the pendulum made one complete circle in a 24 hour period
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/foucault-pendulum
A clock that is really special
https://www.monticello.org/encyclopedia/great-clock
We may not feel the earth moving under our feet, Monti. But we know it is. In every way…
Thank you for the links, dear friend.
“THE PENDULUM IS IN MOTION”
You spelled sledgehammer wrong……
In the velvet glove of diplomacy 😎
Hi Betsy…..I would like see …Vincent Price’s….the pit and the pendelum ….on them…
Hey there, sejmon…
Metaphorically of course.😉
“Gentleman the ball is in motion” General Grant hearing cannon fire at breakfast announcing the beginning of the battle at Shiloh to his staff.
Events elsewhere might contribute to this decision.
Slovakia as PM Robert Fico has threatened to stop electricity to Ukraine. I would be shocked if President Trump and/or his lieutenants were not communicating in some way with the region’s leaders.
From TASS…
https://tass.com/world/2088651
And…
https://www.globalabankingandfinance.com/slovakia-threatens-stop-electricity-ukraine-unless-kyiv/
Putin Mocks Effete Effeminate Rent-Boy-Associate Keir Starmer—Disinformation Expert Ace:
“Putin has been sending his illegal sanctioned “Shadow Fleet” oil tankers through England’s bathtub — or its former bathtub, as you’ll see — the English Channel.
Keir Starmer told Putin to stop using the Channel for the illegal transport of sanctioned oil or he’d seize the shadow ships. And you know that when Keir Starmer acts tough, people take notice.
So Putin sent his own warships into the Channel to protect the ships.
England used to own the English Channel. Owning the English Channel protected it from invasion many times, from the French during the 100 Years War though World War II. Operation Sea Lion, I think Hitler called the plan to invade England, cancelled because the Nazis realized any attempt to reach English shores would result in disaster.
And now? Not only does England no longer “own the seas,” it can’t even patrol its own Channel.” …….
You could rename it “The Gulf of Mexico”. We’re done with it.
This sounds analogous to the Monty Python skit of King Arthur outside of castle.
“Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred quest.”
King Stammer has no navy (save one vessel in dock for repairs).
UK is the dork in 7th grade gym class with shorts pulled down to his ankles. Watching Russia sail sanctioned tankers through the channel is hilarious
Better to get along with Russia than not.
Absolutely!
Just in from BioClandestine
The world as we know it is about to undergo a MASSIVE transformation.
The “Old Guard” who once pulled the strings, has been outmaneuvered.
Once we settle all family business and tie up loose ends, the US MIL will be consolidating in the Western Hemisphere. The days of forever wars, color revolutions, proxy wars, human trafficking, drug trafficking, big pharma, bioweapon development, corrupt media, mass manipulation, unchecked crime, nuclear arms races, enslavement of The People, etc., all of it is coming to an end.
Once Trump has all rogue assets eliminated and the global board entirely secure, we can proceed to rebuilding this world the way it was intended to be, without the tentacles of the establishment subduing us for their own nefarious agenda.
We are witnessing the dawn of a The Golden Age of Humanity.
Rose colored glasses are great. You are forgetting about the weaponization of AI where the infrastructure for control is actually becoming more sophisticated, not less.
As Trouble Maker posted early today, Turley suggests Europe will suffer from the techno-Jacobin mind set where democracy will be used to eliminate freedom. Some call this the Saturn gene, where revolutions tend to devour their own children.
While the U.S. faces similar economic threats, Turley remains more optimistic because of the American cultural and legal emphasis on individual rights and skepticism of state power. This skepticism creates a natural resistance to the techno-enslavement that he sees as a more immediate threat in the EU.
Psalm 105
So our navy will just turn the phillipine sea, indian ocean, red sea, and mediterranean over to the chinese. I don’t think so. We will still have to keep the oceans open to free trade.
Now Iran is in the Trumpian vice it’s time to turn to Ukraine, given Russia is linked to both it will be interesting to see what the next moves are. Xi will be watching anxiously to see if another BRICS brick is slowly eased out of the wall he planned to build around the US, whilst Zelensky is already practicing his pre-emptive whinging that the US is ignoring the conflict (i.e. his Euro-backed corrupt endeavours).
I propose we trade US support for Russia’s annexation of the ethnically Russian Donbas region and permanent removal of all sanctions in exchange for their support in eliminating all support for the IRGC and ceasing all trade with China.
That feels like a win-win deal to me.
Well, unfortunately for Russia, none of that will matter, since the latest strike wave on Novorossiysk and the Sheskharis terminal matters far more. The implications are devestating to Russia. Sheskharis is one of Russia’s key Black Sea export chokepoints, and Novorossiysk also serves as the Black Sea Fleet’s fallback base after the retreat from Sevastopol. Yeah, Ukraine’s Kinetic sanctions supercede paper sanctions, and to date, Ukraine has shut down 40% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity and worse, Russia literally has no means whatsoever to prevent Ukrane from shutting down 100% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity. Russia’s air defense is now completely obsolete. The EU has been begging Ukraine to not do this, but Zelensky declined their pleas, stating that he will do what is best for Ukraine.
Many have said that Russia is suffering from Dutch disease, which I suspect is accurate, amd if true, this means that if (or when) Ukraine does shut down 100% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity, the entire Russian economy will crash.
eye roll lol
Explain….
THIS IS FACT: Ukraine has shut down 40% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
Are you rolling your eyes at the statement that Ukraine has the ability to shut down 100% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.?
Are you rolling your eyes at the statement that Russia air defense is now obsolete?
Are you rolling your eyes at the statement that the entire Russia ecnomy is now Oil/Gas exports?
Yeah. I want some of whatever he’s been drinking.
Bless your heart.
Please explain your condescending reply.
Was there something I posted that was innacurate?
(1) Ukraine has shut down 40% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
(2) Ukraine has the ability to shut down 100% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
(3) Russia air defense is now obsolete.
(4) The entire Russia economy is now Oil/Gas exports.
Then why is Ukraine still dealing with Russians in their house?
How about you tell me which of these is not true:
(1) Ukraine has shut down 40% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
(2) Ukraine has the ability to shut down 100% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
(3) Russia air defense is now obsolete.
(4) The entire Russia economy is now Oil/Gas exports.
Reminds me of the book Red Storm Rising. Terrorists destroyed a very large oil field so Russia was going to run out of energy. They had just enough to try to Conquer Europe.
Ukraine is systematically surgically taking on critical arteries in the Russian industry infrastructure. It is a slow process. But Russia cannot stop it. These are precision strikes with relatively low yield artilery, they are not huge, but they are surgical, thus effective, enough.
And…. Much of the Russian infrastructure uses parts that Russia can only acquire on the black market.
The Russian airforce has not been able to easily acquire parts since 2014. Maintenance and normal wear and tear can eventually become a problem. The Russian airforce has been flying virtually daily missions for 4 years now. Do you know the percentage of Russian Jets that are not failing solely due to engine or part failure? The number is very high.
Just think about this for one minute.
Daily. Flights. Every. Single. Day. For. Four Years.
Do you realize that eventually the entire Russian fleet is going to have maintenance issues if they are not serviced regularly? That is just a fact.
Russia Territory is massive. Massive.
Defending Russian territory requires a massive amount of resources.
And they are now spread very thin.
This is a problem, for Russia.
Every day that the war continues, the Russia military is slowly being drained, depleted, and worn down.
Ukraine military is using drones. Easy to make. Cheap.
Russia’s air defense is now completely obsolete.
Then should not the Ukraine’s air force be buzzing over Moscow day and night?
As that would seem an obvious outcome of an obsolete air defense.
Everyone has pooh-poohed FriendofK ‘ 4 points, but no one has provided any facts to disprove his 4 points. I would like to know if any of what FriendofK claims is true. I believe that there was q large strike by Ukraine on the Russian ports on the Black Sea. What damage was actually caused. Anyone have any facts to share?
Everything I shared is 100% accurate.
I doubt Friend of K facts. Russia has sustained some hits on oil but no where near the percentage that he states. Ukraine has suffered huge hits on oil and electrical systems.
Russia is still shooting down most of the drones and missiles as of this morning.
The articles and pictures by Sundance showed us a good economy.
Russia gains territory every day.
Oil has shot up in price and the rise should sustain the economy and war for a lot longer.
If Russia was going to suffer what FOK says, the response would be devastating.
Strategy in war is an involved discussion.
Would you like to engage in that discussion?
What strategic purpose would it serve to buzz Moscow day and night?
Ukraine’s DRONES are what has made the Russia Air Defense obsolete.
Ukraine uses UNMANNED Air attacks because they want to minimize their casualties, because they care deeply about the loss of Ukraine life.
FACT: Four weeks ago, for 5 consecutive days, Ukraine actually did send wave after wave of drones to swarm over Moscow, they were taking out the AIR DEFENSE systems, in particular the RADAR. Why? We are not sure.
What was the kenetic effect?
Well,Moscow must be defended, and the Ukraine has been destroying the Russia air defense systems all over Russia for 3 years now, and with the sanctions, it has been difficult for Russia to replenish those systems due to the need to acquire parts on the black market. So, at this point, the Russia air defense systems are being depleted, and I would imagine that they are having to canabalize the air defense from other regions.
For over 3 years now, Ukraine has surgically been taking out electronioc factories and chemical refineries, train and roads and bridges, systematically degrading and eventually disintergrating Russia’s war machine.
Trump’s decision to attack Iran has delivered a crippling blow to Russia’s ability to wage drone warfare.
And don’t forget, Ukraine has to always dedicate a percentage of their daily drone resources to the DEFENSE of Ukraine against Russia drones, and to neutralize the Russian offensive attacks to take more land…. tanks, vehicles, soldiers, etc.
Ukraine drones are taking out Russian Jets and Helicopters and Boats and submarines, etc.
So I will answer your question with a question:
Why would Ukraine waste resources to “BUZZ MOSCOW”.? And, Ukraine does not target civilians, unlike the Russians.
Ukraine wants the citizens of Russia to turn against Putin, so they are very careful not to attack the citizens.
Obsolete is not the same as non-effective.
After all, the United States sill uses obsolete equipment that has effectiveness in spite of it’s age.
I would not underestimate the Russian’s capabilities for developing new tech with novel solutions either.
For the past 3 years, every 60 to 90 days, Ukraine has been producing a new generation of Drones, evolving and improving with each new cycle.
Ukraine society has been fostering innovation.
Russia society has not been fostering innovation.
Russia cannot keep up.
Why?
I don’t know, maybe it’s because Russia is a closed autocratic society with severe censorship. In fact, they recently shut down the internet. They shut down TELEGRAM because the state could not eavesdrop.
From what I’ve read, the War has caused a massive amount of their young intelligent population to be lost, either as soldiers in the war, or they fled Russia because they didn’t want to die in the war.
Iterative design of drones is not evolution, it is refinement.
Interesting example of Telegram. The very same one that France had arrested the CEO and further threatened if he didn’t give backdoor access to the platform for enforcing censorship on all their users around the world. Not the best example of singling out Russia.
You neglected to mention that Russia has temporarily shutdown local networks to keep them from being used by drones for navigation and targeting purposes in addition to those other things.
Strange, that I hear of proportionally more Ukrainian’s fleeing an unpopular war than Russians. Zelensky has no legitimacy since he suspended elections and would lose in an otherwise fair election.
….are you OK ?? FoK
Please explain your condescending reply.
Was there something I posted that was innacurate?
(1) Ukraine has shut down 40% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
(2) Ukraine has the ability to shut down 100% of Russia’s Oil/Gas export capacity.
(3) Russia air defense is now obsolete.
(4) The entire Russia economy is now Oil/Gas exports.
Ukraine is targeting Russian oil and gas:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/key-russian-oil-export-hub-141310907.html
FTA:
SNIP
“Ukraine’s military has said the Kirishi refinery is among the three largest oil‑processing plants in Russia, including the production of “fuels that support the armed forces of the aggressor state”.
Three oil tankers, five fuel tanks, three berths and facilities belonging to Russian natural gas giant Novatek were damaged after dozens of drones targeted Ust-Luga on Wednesday, triggering a fire at the port.
The multipurpose facility, which handled more than 130 millions tons of crude oil, petroleum products, liquid chemicals as well as coal, fertilizer, agricultural products, containers and other cargo in 2025, was hit again on Saturday, sparking another blaze.
The BBC said video, satellite imagery, including NASA heat detection data, which it had verified, showed huge fires burning at Ust-Luga and Russia’s largest oil terminal at Primorsk, 70 miles northwest of Saint Petersburg as well at the Kirishi oil refinery, inland.
Analysis of the footage and images indicated at least eight storage tanks destroyed or damaged at Ust-Luga, eight tanks destroyed or damaged at Primorsk and at least two storage tanks damaged at the Kirishi plant.”
More in the article.
(Posted for those dismissing FriendofK’s post).
Ukraine attacks nothing in and of itself. It is all Rogue CIA, EU, Oligarchy and World Mafia.
Z-Bag has an advantage in this sense; he doesn’t work for Ukrainians so he is perfectly content to butcher all of them to keep his own paychecks coming in. The Evil Empire wishes to repopulate Ukraine with Islam anyway.
His owners want World War III. They think they can conquer and loot Russia and install a puppet dictator like Biden, Zelensky, Starmer or Carney. And even if they don’t, they make money off the war itself.
President Putin is not a helpless bystander, not to mention President Trump. If Putin thinks Russia is being irreparably harmed, he will take action accordingly. Our President hates war, but he has a Cyrus Anointing from the Lord to bring down Babylon.
And Ukraine is downtown Babylon.
Corrupt, communist, and Ivy League deep state is going to lose their Schiff.
Does the UK even have any true alpha males in its whole citizenry? How on earth could true patriots stand idly by and allow what has happened to them?
The last two world wars in the span of decades broke what remained of them after centuries of European wars and empire thinning them out in the UK. Blood and treasure, indeed.
Britain is now like Norway, a sad remnant of a once-proud warrior people. Why GB is so cucked that they went after Obi Wan Nairobi for fighting terrorists and saving people.
I think some have and they get arrested.
Robinson, I think is the one who publicly stood up and was arrested. Don’t know his current status.
Yes, but they put all three of them in prison.
Perhaps Nigel Farage who is heading up the Reform Party. He was the energy behind Brexit. Otherwise I’m not seeing an alpha mail or even a Margaret Thatcher on the horizon.
When will the sanctions over the fake Russian Collusion hoax be lifted ?
Maybe now
“The current sanctions relief measures are scheduled to expire on April 11th, tomorrow.”
After that is resolved, how about lifting “sanctions” that prohibited the import of other products in lawful commerce, such as Beluga caviar and firearms, such as Saiga shotguns and rifles -as well as ammunition?
Alliance with Orthodox Christian Russia should have happened long ago. In fact we should have stopped Jacob Schiff & Co from financing the mass murdering Bolsheviks/Communists from overthrowing and murdering the Czar & his family and the holocaust of tens of millions of mostly Orthodox Christians and installing Bolshevism/.Communism.
Ty Colkitto……there is a lots of ppl as Jacob Schiff in the US Congre$$….and they will do everything even atempt WW3…to stop normalize US/RUSSIA relationship… saad
Why would the Demonrats be so against Russia helping stabilize the oil market when they laid completely silent when Osama and ALL of the Intelligence” community sat back and allowed Killary to give Russia Uranium for 145 million paid to her foundation ?
Leave Kushner and Witkoff out of it. They’re idiots.
Abraham Accords would beg to differ… 🙂
In the picture with Witkoff, what is he holding? Sorry if this has been asked and answered. I don’t always read every comment. Is it a pen and a journal to keep private notes? (I was kind of hoping it was “The Passion Translation” of the New Testament, then realized my over-active imagination working over time…) Curious minds wonder.
Love this Trump-Putin photo. Here’s the B2 Stealth and escorts flying over the pair.
That’s beautiful. *sniff*
They look like kids in a candy shop.
Orthodox Christian Russia was really fighting the War On Terror…………………………
Brzezinski to Putin: Stop hitting OUR al-Qaeda or it’s World War III*https://hwaairfan.wordpress.com/2015/10/07/brzezinski-to-putin-stop-hitting-our-al-qaeda-or-its-world-war-iii/