President Donald Trump posts a brief outline of a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to his Truth Social Account.

President Trump: “I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects. We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many!

We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together. But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, “COMMON SENSE.” We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations.”

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Pennsylvania schoolteacher Marc Fogel traveled to Russia with marijuana.  The magic lettuce is considered a narcotic in Russia.  Marc Fogel found out you cannot take medicinal marijuana to Russia.  Marc Fogel was arrested in 2021.

Today Russia released criminally convicted Marc Fogel as a good faith gesture to the administration of President Donald Trump.  Marc Fogel thanks President Trump for securing his release from prison.  President Trump hints there is another prisoner who will be released tomorrow.  WATCH:

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It sounds like Russia replaced Fogel’s medical dependency on Marijuana (no idea what the prescription was for) with some other medical ‘anxiety relief’ substance.  Fogel notes he “met many” wounded Russian soldiers, likely when he was receiving medical treatment – because most consequential health services for high priority patients take place in Russian military affiliated institutions.  I suspect this, because I accidentally ended up inside one last year, saw the same, and it makes sense.

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It’s good that Fogel is returning, and the gesture of his release is an act of good faith between the Russian government of Vladimir Putin and the U.S. government of Donald Trump.

However, that said, Marc Fogel was not arrested and detained for some arbitrary reason. The American teacher was arrested, tried and convicted for taking marijuana into Russia.  The Russian government doesn’t recognize medicinal marijuana, and they do not play around with illegal drugs or classified narcotics. It’s a big issue and considered a serious crime with severe penalties.

President Trump on Tuesday secured the release of an American imprisoned in Russia as part of a deal with the Kremlin negotiated by Mr. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.  Mr Witkoff flew to Moscow Sunday for discussions with Russian officials.

New York Times –  […] Mike Waltz, Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, said in a statement that Mr. Witkoff, at the president’s direction, had brought Mr. Fogel out of Russia on his plane as part of an exchange. But he did not provide any details about whether the United States or an ally had released someone in return or what other steps the administration had taken to win Mr. Fogel’s release.

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I have long said the only thing President Trump needs to do is to tell Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he needs to hold an election to showcase his public support for his position.  After that, Trump can do nothing except wait for the result and the winner of the election to come to him.  Then, engage with Putin on a resolution to the conflict.

Would Zelenskyy win the election?  I don’t think so, but who knows.  Today a video surfaces where Zelenskyy was directly asked why he has cancelled all Ukraine elections, and would he restart them now.  Zelenskyy said no, he would not hold elections because holding an election would mean a pause in the warfighting and that would be a win for Russia.

Ukraine President Zelensky claims that the Ukrainian people oppose elections and prefer he continue to rule.

pic.twitter.com/DePGjd7wPl

— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) February 10, 2025

(MSM) – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that if martial law is suspended until the end of the war so that elections can be held, Ukraine will lose its army, which the Russians will exploit. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with the UK broadcaster ITV News

Quote: “In regard to elections, everything is clear. More than anything we all want the war to end and for us to have elections. However, as long as the war continues, our population is against elections, all people are against it.”

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Earlier today, en route to the Superbowl in Louisiana, President Donald Trump held the first press conference above the officially renamed Gulf of America.  President Trump signed a proclamation and took questions from the accompanying press pool.  WATCH: 

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In an interview with President Trump, the New York Post reveals President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun discussions. You can read the article here. However, as would be expected, it is short on details.

This is a critical dynamic because the larger question that will not be pondered by Western media, but will weigh heavily in the background of President Trump’s perspective is, “is it too late?”

Staying in close contact with friends in Russia, it is apparent to me from the reality on the ground as well as the datapoints from all political angles, that President Putin is no longer in a position to feel any impact from non-military geopolitical pressure.  Quite simply the consideration in the mind of Russian President Putin is something entirely different than it was a few years, or even a few months ago.

The Western economic sanctions against Russia have failed.  There is no outward pressure or internal concern about Western financial and economic sanctions any longer.  The Russian economy (govt) and the Russian people (civic society) in aggregate have now organized their economy and their consumer reality without further need for Western connection.

At this point, Putin almost certainly doesn’t care if the sanctions remain.  Those pressure points are now moot to Russian interest, and in many ways the outcome has been beneficial from an economic nationalist perspective.  While the most severe Western sanctions ever delivered in history, did – at first, create a problem for Russia; those problems are now resolved.

Factually, it may sound silly but McDonalds in Russia is better without McDonald’s Inc controlling it.  Starbucks in Russia is now better delivering better products, under Russian management under a new name.  The products and systems of commerce the Russian people initially missed, have all been replaced and new connections to finance have been established with commercial allies outside the zone of western influence.

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In the larger background of geopolitical conflict, the eyes of the world are concerned about increased military conflict within Ukraine.  Most reasonable people in the ‘west’ are concerned about the potential for escalation, as NATO and the Biden administration push more weapons into Ukraine in advance of their exit from the White House.

The larger group of ordinary observers are hopeful that President Trump can bring the war in Ukraine to a negotiated conclusion.

Yesterday, President Trump used his Truth Social account to share a story about Russian President Vladimir Putin being open and ready for talks with the new administration. Here is the article from December 19th that President Trump posted:

(via CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin put a positive spin on a spate of recent setbacks Thursday, insisting in a marathon news conference that Russia had accomplished its mission in Syria and was winning the war in Ukraine.

And he nodded to the sea change expected in Washington, saying he had not spoken to US President-elect Donald Trump in over four years, but was “ready” for potential talks with him, amid expectation that the new administration in Washington will push for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine.

Thursday’s event – an annual display of Putin’s mastery of the minutiae of domestic policy as well as of geopolitics – consists of a public Q&A session combined with a public phone-in.

Russia’s war on Ukraine was a major topic, with Putin keen to emphasize Russia’s recent gains in grinding war of attrition.

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In the nation of Moldova, the left bank of the Dniester (Nistru) River is home to 360,000 citizens in the Russia-controlled region of Transnistria. To the right side of the dividing line made by the Dniester is the western/EU allied side of Moldova.

The Russian energy company, Gazprom, provides gas to Transnistria through Ukraine. The gas is subsidized by Russia, so the Russian-allied citizens of Transnistria do not pay market prices; in fact, the gas is provided free. However, the gas into Transnistria is also used to power the Moldavskaya GRES power plant, which generates electricity for both banks of the Dniester. In essence, the “free” Russian gas is provided to both the pro-Russia and anti-Russia elements in the region.

The contract for the transit of Russian gas into Transnistria through Ukraine’s territory expires on January 1, 2025. Despite the war between Russia and Ukraine, gas transit and the contract signed in 2019 have continued. However, Ukraine under Zelenskyy has repeatedly said they do not plan to extend the gas transit agreement with Gazprom. This is a way for Zelenskyy, technically NATO, to create anxiety and crisis in the region.

The western aligned government of Moldova have been demanding that Russia withdraw all military and influence from the Transnistria region, meanwhile the Transnistria local governing officials are requesting Moscow to keep the flow of Russian gas ongoing. Observers have noted, “It looks stupid to ask for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistria and meanwhile request Russia to continue to give free gas to the region.”

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The media are claiming the attacks came from Ukrainian drones.  However, everyone understands the targeting and hardware for these drones is supplied by the U.S. and NATO forces.

Early this morning, timed to coincide similarly with the 911 attacks suffered by the United States in 2001, three waves of drones launched from Ukraine and hit residential buildings in Kazan, Russia.  Video quickly surfaced on social media of the drones targeting and exploding upon impact with the buildings.

Russia will retaliate.

Kazan is home to a strategic airbase for Russian long-range bombers.  There is also an explosive powder factory in the city. However, that’s not where the drones hit. The drones hit residential buildings.

Now, on one hand the way the drones flew into the region, and the eventual buildings they hit, could be interpreted as the drones did not use sophisticated targeting systems; at least that’s the argument the WEST would want to be used because that angle provides cover in saying that U.S-NATO provided satellite targeting was not used.

However, from my perspective the choice to hit residential buildings should not imply western guidance satellite systems were not used. The choice to target Kazan, the third largest city in Russia, and specifically the choice to target civilians in that region, is entirely intentional.  The NATO group want Russian citizens to feel like the USA did when the 9-11 terrorist attacks took place in New York, Pennsylvania and DC.

What I am saying is that NATO wants to create a bloodlust for revenge within the Russian people.  That is the way the U.S. and NATO get the escalation they desperately want. Unfortunately, this becomes a self-fulling prophecy because Vladimir Putin will attack Kiev, Ukraine with retaliatory strikes; he has no choice.

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Syria is a hot mess.  There’s only one face with a genuine smile today, Turkish Leader Recep Erdogan who has been attempting to leverage support for the “rebels” in Syria for a decade.  Through the years U.S. policy in Syria essentially armed and supported various factions of al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, and eventually Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), whose leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is essentially the Defacto head of the rebels who now control it.

What happens next is anyone’s guess.  The various elements of Islamic rebellion fall under the political umbrella of the Muslim Brotherhood; however, they have yet to show an ability to effectively govern in any region or state without extreme authoritarian rule.  Odds are high that Syria will tilt in that direction and eventually fall upon the only governing mechanism they understand, Sharia Law.

Joe Biden hails the efforts of the Syrian Rebels as a victory; however, these are the same rebels we armed and then fought repeatedly -in various iterations- as an outcome of U.S policy under the Obama/Biden administration. Lessons never learned from Benghazi, Syria is a hot mess.

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(Via Fox News) – Islamist leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who led a lightning offensive through Syria, has a long history of extremism despite a recent appeal to moderate policies.

[…]  Golani would cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016 and lead a merger between HTS and other Islamist groups in northwest Syria in 2017, bringing him control of territory that had fallen out of government hands during the country’s long civil war.

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