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Ukraine Invasion Day 1,092: Trump the Surrender Monkey gets ridden "like a dog" [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-02-18

Donald Trump, Neuralink Monkey, repeats Russian talking points, blaming Ukraine for the invasion. The war will be over when Russia leaves.

Trump's team allegedly has offered Putin (1) Ukrainian territory, (2) no NATO membership for Ukraine, (3) no US soldiers in Ukraine, (4) the withdrawal of US soldiers from Europe, including from frontline states, and (5) sanctions relief. Putin's return offer -- nothing. Russian and American officials met in Saudi Arabia for bilateral talks about the war in Ukraine on February 18, but Russia continues to display no indications that it is prepared to make any meaningful concessions on Ukraine as assessed by Western intelligence and US officials in line with ISW's longstanding assessment. NBC reported on February 18 that four Western intelligence officials and two US congressional officials stated that intelligence from the United States and unspecified close American allies shows that Russian President Vladimir Putin still wants to control all of Ukraine and that his goals "remain maximalist."[1] One congressional official stated that there is "zero" intelligence showing that Putin is interested in a "real peace deal right now." Intelligence officials stated that Putin has no plans to withdraw troops from Ukraine or to pull any personnel or equipment from western Russia. The six officials stated that Putin may agree to a ceasefire and peace deal in order to give the Russian military time to rest and reconstitute, and there is an idea among Western officials that Putin may "go through the motions" of negotiations in order to see what concessions he can get and to reintegrate Russia back into the global community. The two congressional officials and a former senior US administration official noted that Putin's "broad ambitions" have remained unchanged from the end of the Biden administration into the new Trump administration. Western intelligence assessments suggest that Putin has not changed his theory of victory in Ukraine and still believes that Russia's military superiority is such that Russia can outlast the West and Ukraine on the battlefield. The six official sources told NBC that Putin still thinks that he can "wait out" Ukraine and Europe to eventually control all of Ukraine.[2] A Western intelligence official noted that Putin "thinks he is winning" and does not feel pressure to stop hostilities due to Russian battlefield losses. Putin claimed in June 2024 that Russian forces aim to "squeeze" Ukrainian forces out "of those territories that should be under Russian control" and that Russia did not need to conduct another partial involuntary reserve call up similar to that in September 2022 because Russia is not trying to achieve its military objectives in Ukraine rapidly.[3] Putin's theory of victory assumes that the Russian military can sustain slow, creeping advances on the battlefield longer than Ukrainian forces can defend and longer than the West is willing to support Ukraine. www.moscowtimes.ru/... Many recent Russian statements show that Putin remains uninterested in engaging in good faith negotiations and retains his objective of destroying the Ukrainian state while the Kremlin has offered no public indication that it would materially compromise. Kremlin officials have repeatedly denied Ukraine's sovereignty over its internationally recognized 1991 borders and the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government.[4] Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov most recently claimed on February 16 that Russia adjusted its stance on potential talks with Ukraine due to Ukraine's alleged "deficit" of sovereignty.[5] Kremlin officials, including Putin, have promoted false narratives that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is "illegitimate" as part of efforts to claim that Zelensky does not have the authority to negotiate with Russia or that Russia does not have to honor any agreements that Zelensky may sign in the future.[6] Putin and other Russian officials have also demanded that Ukraine cede additional territory in eastern and southern Ukraine to Russia while denying that Russia will make any territorial concessions of its own.[7] understandingwar.org/...

It looks increasingly like America is negotiating its neutrality in the conflict in exchange for oil

x Neville Chamberlain was unjustly denied the Nobel Peace Prize. by Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, and Marco Rubio — New York Times Pitchbot (@nytpitchbot.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:26 AM

x Just sent out this piece. Equating Trump to Neville Chamberlain is unfair on Chamberlain (and Daladier). Trump is actively trying to help and support Putin--that was not the case with appeasement. The policy failed, but it was different. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...



[image or embed] — Phillips OBrien (@phillipspobrien.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 8:06 AM

Russian forces conducted a series of drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of February 17 to 18. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 176 Shahed and decoy drones from Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; Shatalovo, Smolensk Oblast; occupied Crimea; and Oryol, Bryansk, and Kursk oblasts.[83] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 103 drones over Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson oblasts and that 67 drones were ”lost,” likely due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) interference, as of 0900 local time. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in Cherkasy, Kyiv, and Kirovohrad oblasts.[84] Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 103 drones over Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson oblasts

We realize that the ruthless men who rule much of the world can’t be ignored. But usually those men aren’t rewarded with a visit to the U.S., as Mr. Trump hinted last week, before they’ve made any compromises. Visits with Soviet leaders during the Cold War at least had some preparation to assume the U.S. would get something from the diplomacy. Any peace Mr. Putin strikes has to be made with all of his legacy of destruction in mind.

Key Takeaways: Russian and American officials met in Saudi Arabia for bilateral talks about the war in Ukraine on February 18, but Russia continues to display no indications that it is prepared to make any meaningful concessions on Ukraine as assessed by Western intelligence and US officials in line with ISW's longstanding assessment.

Many recent Russian statements show that the Kremlin remains uninterested in engaging in good faith negotiations and retains his objective of destroying the Ukrainian state while the Kremlin has offered no public indication that it would materially compromise.

Many recent Russian statements show that Putin remains uninterested in engaging in good faith negotiations and retains his objective of destroying the Ukrainian state while the Kremlin has offered no public indication that it would materially compromise.

Russian officials at the bilateral meeting continued to signal the Kremlin's unwillingness to negotiate on the war in Ukraine and determination to achieve its maximalist objectives in Ukraine.

Zelensky, in contrast to Kremlin officials, continues to demonstrate Ukraine's willingness to compromise to bring about an enduring end to the war.

Russian officials in Saudi Arabia began what will likely be an ongoing effort to push the United States into accepting Russian offers of economic and investment measures in lieu of any actual Russian concessions on Ukraine.

Dmitriev attempted to frame Russian-offered economic incentives as more beneficial for the US than for Russia, but in reality Russia needs economic relief as soon as possible to stave off looming crises in 2025 and 2026.

US officials continue to meet with European leaders about support for Ukraine.

Russian forces recently advanced near Borova, Toretsk, and Velyka Novosilka.

A Russian milblogger and former Storm-Z instructor continued to complain that the Russian military command's lack of response to systemic issues is limiting Russian advances near Pokrovsk.

Russian opposition outlet SOTA reported on February 18 that Republic of Mordovia Head Artyom Zdunov announced that regional authorities are raising one-time payments for recruits who sign a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) from 400,000 rubles ($4,369) to 1.1 million rubles ($12,015).

Russian forces continue to deploy wounded and medically unfit soldiers to the frontline in an effort to address personnel shortages.

Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on February 18 but did not make any confirmed advances. Russian forces continued ground attacks northwest of Sudzha near Sverdlikovo and Pogrebki, east of Sudzha near Cherkasskaya Konopelka, and south of Sudzha near Kurilovka.[36] Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces continued counterattacks in Kursk Oblast.[37] understandingwar.org/... understandingwar.org/... understandingwar.org/... understandingwar.org/... understandingwar.org/...

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[1] Url: https://dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/18/2304509/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-1-092-Trump-the-Surrender-Monkey-is-also-Putin-s-female-dog?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web

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