Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau presents a well-articulated change in perspective from the U.S. State Department.  The response comes following the EU decision to levy a compliance fine against the social media platform X.

[SOURCE]

What Christopher Landau notes as the contrast and conflict in ideological priority from the EU can just as easily be applied to the USA dynamic with Canada.  As noted by Twitter user John Frank, “The same observations can easily apply to the relations with Canada, given the divergence between the US role in the military alliance with Canada, while Canada is involved in activities which work against US interests.”

At a certain point it does become necessary to distinguish exactly what values, benefits, perspectives and priorities frame the positions that determine who our U.S. allies really are, and who should benefit from that relationship.

It is good to see a structurally different perspective from the U.S. State Department that puts a bold underline under the term “western alliances.”  What values are those alliances based on?

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If we read between the lines in the latest update from President Trump emissary Steve Witkoff, we can clearly see the negotiations have entered into that critical phase where payments to all of the stakeholders will determine a successful outcome.

Pragmatic people have long predicted the ultimate solution to the bloodshed will only be determined once western interests get to the point where negotiators propose a long-term plan for continued financial benefit.  Too many people, “stakeholders” are making money from the conflict.

From a western perspective, support for the Ukraine conflict is based on money. Therefore, the solution to the conflict requires a system where the western opportunity for financial benefit continues.

Written in polite diplomatic terms, the continued payments are identified as “the prosperity agenda which aims to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, joint U.S.–Ukraine economic initiatives, and long-term recovery projects.” This is codespeak for the U.S. Senate and EU will retain a financial mechanism to exploit for personal benefit.

From the language it appears that Witkoff and Kusher are confident they can construct a financial reward system for western banks, investors, politicians and Ukraine officials that will retain the benefits of war without the ancillary ingredient of bloodshed.

If the U.S. delegation can pull this off, then Russia can gain the territory they want, corrupt Ukraine officials can keep skimming investment money, the EU can retain the power it wants to extract financial payments, American politicians can use the “long-term recovery projects” for money laundering and quasi-public/private investment banks can benefit from the exploitation of Ukraine resources.

Again, from a ‘western geopolitical perspective’, the territorial issues, security guarantees, EU membership status and the position of NATO are downstream details once the larger payment system is organized.  Put another way, they are down to the stuff that really matters, the money.

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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Paris talking to Emmanuel Macron last weekend while Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner were meeting with Ukraine officials in Florida.  This telephone call is reported to have taken place the following day, on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and European Council President António Costa held a conference call.

A transcript of the call was leaked to Spiegel, a German news outlet. According to the narrative the assembled group of EU leaders were discussing how the Trump administration was going to betray Ukraine in order to get a peace deal with Russia. The gist of the narrative sounds accurate, though some of the EU leaders are denying the specifics of the wording used.

EUROPE – “There is a possibility that the U.S. will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clarity on security guarantees,” Macron said, according to Spiegel, adding there was “a great danger” for Zelenskyy. The Élysée did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment. Spiegel reported the Élysée denied in a statement to the German outlet that Macron spoke of any betrayal. “The president did not use those words,” Macron’s office said, per Spiegel.

Merz chimed in that Zelenskyy had to be “extremely careful in the coming days.”

“They are playing games, both with you and with us,” Merz said, seemingly referring to Washington’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — the son-in-law of American President Donald Trump — who spent five hours locked in talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

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On the sidelines of a trade and economic discussion with the govt of Kyrgyzstan and the CSTO summit, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin took questions from media about the Ukraine -vs- Russia conflict.

Now, due to the significance of his remarks, and keeping in mind these responses are in the Russian language, it becomes important for WESTERN READERS to evaluate the translation.  Vladimir Putin speaks in direct terms that are often not understood in western translation, the nuance within the translation is important.

That said, I am going through the remarks; I will share the video and ongoing translation while extrapolating against the known backdrop of communication as shared by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Emissary Steve Witkoff and ultimately, President Donald Trump.

It appears that Russian President Putin is expecting the arrival of a U.S. delegation to Moscow, likely Witkoff, Saturday, Sunday or Monday (early next week).  This aligns with the prior statements of President Trump during remarks aboard Air Force One.

In general, and in the specifically official nuance that Russian President Vladimir Putin is known for, Putin affirmed that Steve Witkoff and Yury Ushakov are key “informal” negotiators. Each emissary from each leader allowed space for plain language discussions.  Witkoff represents the voice of Donald Trump, and Ushakov representing the voice of Vladimir Putin.

Witkoff and Ushakov can meet and discuss the reality of things without concern for the noise of diplomatic stakeholders. Both men are closely trusted advisors of their principals, Trump and Putin.  When the elements of their discussions need to transfer to formal contexts, Witkoff/Trump bring aboard Secretary Rubio while Ushakov/Putin bring in Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.  The official teams transfer the common language objective into diplomatic details.

As to the status of the current conflict from the Russian perspective.  Vladimir Putin was brutally honest and pragmatic in his remarks.

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The global intelligence motive (5 Eyes) would be laughable if it were not so transparent.  In an effort to create problems for President Trump and the Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations, an unknown intelligence agency intercepted the call then provided a recording to Bloomberg News.

The intercept was not likely U.S-based, or the leak would be to a different media outlet (WaPo, NYT or Politico). The Bloomberg angle indicates a likely EU intelligence source, with one of the “coalition of the willing” (U.K, France, Germany, or Brussels) the most likely suspect.  Given the nature of the intercept, and the intent behind the leak, the British seem the most likely of sources.

The phone call itself is generally a non-issue.  Essentially President Trump emissary Steve Witkoff and Russian Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov were discussing the best way for their two principals (Trump and Putin) to connect and discuss the potential for a peace plan on October 14, 2025.

Between the margins there’s something we have discussed at length on these pages, a coordinated messaging campaign between the Trump administration and the Putin administration with both private objectives and public statements aligned in common purpose.  The call itself is solid affirmation of our prior analysis of the relationship.

As we have long discussed, both President Trump and President Putin want to end the conflict.  However, the EU, NATO, British, French, German govts, as well as the U.S. congress and Ukraine want to keep the war continuing.

President Trump and President Putin both understand the nature of each other’s political position.  Thus, their communication is coordinated in public with back-channel messaging organized by their emissaries.

The October 14th call between the emissaries was intercepted, and with the Trump administration having brought Ukraine into the proximity of agreement, the call is leaked in an effort to weaken the plan sponsored by President Trump, Secretary Rubio and Emissary Witkoff.  Some unknown intelligence agency doesn’t want the peace deal to be finalized.

The transcript was prepared after Bloomberg reviewed a recording of the call.

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When we are reviewing ‘western’ media presentations about Ukraine, proceed with extreme caution.

Remember, (1) Zelenskyy is ideologically opposed to coming to terms for a ceasefire against Russia. (2) Zelenskyy has the full support of the European nations to continue fighting. (3) Ukraine has a habit of using positive statements as tools to try and box in President Trump, only to hold firm to certain positions in an effort to derail peace negotiations.

Western media are now reporting the 28 points of President Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire have now been reduced to a core 19 points that Ukraine President Volodymr Zelenskyy accepts. Previously secret meetings between U.S. military and Russia are taking place in Abu Dhabi.

WASHINGTON – Ukraine has agreed to the U.S. peace plan with only “some minor details to be sorted out”, an American official told CBS News on Tuesday. Top Kyiv security official Rustem Umerov appeared to confirm the report, writing on X this morning that Ukraine had reached an understanding on the “core terms” of the U.S. peace plan during the discussions in Geneva. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to the White House later this month to finalize the agreement.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Russia held secret talks in Abu Dhabi on Monday, according to reports by Reuters and the Financial Times, as the Trump administration tries to maintain the momentum of progress with its evolving peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, which still rages in the background. Those talks are set to continue on Tuesday. (more)

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Sometimes it pays to remind what Marco Rubio said back in February, “Ukraine is a proxy war between the U.S. and Russia.”  From that context the remarks from SSCI Vice-Chair, Senator Mark Warner, make sense.

Warner appears on ABC News ‘This Week’ to denounce the peace proposal now being negotiated in Geneva, Switzerland between Secretary Rubio and the Ukrainian delegation.  Senator Warner makes it clear he will not accept the end to conflict in Ukraine.  Video and Transcript Below:

[TRANSCRIPT] – Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner joins me now.

Good to see you this morning, Senator.

SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR: Good morning, Martha.

RADDATZ: What is your reaction to this peace proposal that is on the table?

WARNER: My reaction is it’s awful. It would make Neville Chamberlain’s giving in to Hitler outside of World War II looks strong in comparison. The fact that this was almost a series of Russian talking points, would require Ukraine to give the — totality of the Donbas, parts they still control, cut back their military forces going forward, never be able to join NATO.

This would be a complete capitulation. And it’s why I think you’re hearing from Congress, both sides, people pushing back. And, obviously, the Europeans feel like they’ve been totally left high and dry.

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President Trump confirmed on Fox News (during an interview with Brian Kilmeade) he gave Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a week to review the 28-point peace proposal organized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Ukraine will likely never agree to the proposal, because too many European and American interests are grounded in maintaining conflict between Russia and Ukraine.  However, the shift this time is that if Ukraine/EU/NATO and Congress do not agree to the ceasefire and peace proposal, President Trump has indicated he will withdraw all support.

Axios originally obtained the 28-page proposal, and Politico has confirmed it.

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When Europe goes to war with Russia, they will not require the military to fill out customs declarations as they cross borders within the EU.

Tanks, missiles, artillery and most combat weapons could be exempt from EU customs declarations if the plan by Brussels moves forward.

Additionally, under the proposal most drivers of military equipment may even be permitted to exceed the limits on driving times and rest periods, should the fight against Russia require extended physical effort.

The newly proposed objective is to empower European soldiers to make independent decisions without having to fill out the customary paperwork, requiring prior approval from the European Commission before affixing their bayonets. The EU wants to work out the details before they begin military operations against the Russian Federation.

EUROPE – […] The communication notes that some countries require 45 days of advance notice before allowing military equipment to cross their territory. “Significant barriers to effective military mobility in the EU persist,” the communication notes. “National rules are often divergent, fragmented and non-harmonised.”

[…] “We need to move fast. We need to move faster than what Europe is used to or is expecting to,” Tzitzikostas said, saying the target is to get the basics in place by 2030.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned over the weekend that Russia may be capable of launching an attack on a NATO member state as early as 2028-2029.

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The NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine) names another batch of corrupt Ukraine officials connected to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  Quickly jumping into action, Zelenskyy shouts ‘prosecute them’.

Having previously said the NABU needs to be shutdown, “President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has [now] said he supports the ongoing investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) into corruption in the energy sector. Although Zelenskyy did not name names, reports suggest that an associate of his may be involved in the case.” {source}

I have personally seen these corrupt Ukraine characters (politicians and private sector oligarchs) in action, literally spending tens-of-thousands of U.S. taxpayer funds (in cash) at the Port of Montenegro while I was tracking them in 2023 and 2024.  They were staying in massive suites at the Regent Hotel; so please, don’t try to sell me on the honorable Ukraine politician schtick.

The U.S CIA and NATO members in the EU, together with Interpol, intentionally turn a blind eye to it.  The FBI has a current active investigation into it, only intended to control the USA public’s knowledge of it because Ukraine corruption surfaces as a threat to the DC laundry operation that funds it.

Don’t forget to check the federal bank straps on the cash.

In the most recent development: Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that on the morning of 10 November, NABU detectives conducted searches at the home of Tymur Mindich, a businessman and co-owner of Kvartal 95, the Ukrainian TV production company Volodymyr Zelenskyy founded before he became president.

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