by Zamir Awan for the Saker blog
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is on his first overseas visit since the crisis began in February 2022. He is already in Washington and met with President Joe Biden at the White House. The visit amounts to a daring show of solidarity and backing with Ukraine’s most powerful ally and its largest foreign supplier of weapons, or the masterminds of the whole crisis.
Sitting next to Biden in the Oval Office, Zelensky spoke in English and expressed “all my appreciations, from my heart, from the heart of Ukrainians — all Ukrainians” for the U.S. designs. It seems he is committed to Washington’s plans. Biden told Zelensky that the Ukrainian people “inspire the world.” But at what cost? Is it worth it to keep happy the masters at such a huge cost???
Zelensky will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress later in the day in which he will again convince that Ukraine still needs more powerful weapons, according to Ukrainian politicians. As a matter of fact, he was not satisfied with the limited assistance and control over weapons. His desires are much higher and unlimited.
The U.S. announced a new aid package of $1.8 billion that includes a Patriot missile battery, the most advanced U.S. ground-based air defense system. The Patriot could help Ukraine defend against Russian missile and drone attacks that have targeted its energy infrastructure. In military circles, the Patriot is viewed as a security blanket, protection from incoming fire. But Russia has developed its own weapons much more advanced and Patriot cannot intercept them.
Zelensky’s trip came after U.S. lawmakers proposed $44 billion more in emergency aid to Ukraine, which would bring the total U.S. wartime assistance to more than $100 billion. But many Republican lawmakers are hostile to authorizing more money to Ukraine just as they are poised to take control of the House of Representatives in January. The US expenditures above Trillion Dollars in Afghanistan and a long war over two decades could not make them win the war. This meager amount is far behind making Ukraine win over Russia.
In a speech to defense officials yesterday, President Vladimir Putin agreed to an increase in the size of Russia’s armed forces. He said there would be “no limits in terms of financing” Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. Russia has spent 150 billion in its operation in Ukraine but gained economic benefits worth around 500 to 600 billion.
As a matter of fact, Russia has not planned for a full-scale war in Ukraine, its limited special military operation was on the same line as in 2014 in Crimea. Once the Russians achieved their limited targets and goals, might have returned back. It was the US plan to engage Russia for a longer period of time and bleed for a prolonged time. Despite Russian early warmings and declaring Ukraine as its Red Line, the US kept on instigating Russia to intervene in Ukraine providing the American an excuse to engage Russia for a prolonged time.
The US is not sincere with Ukraine nor in love. If the Americans love Ukraine, they might have provided unlimited weapons and advanced weapons to make Ukraine win. But, this is not their intention, not their goals. Actually, they are in hate with Russia and wanted to counter the revival of Russia through Ukraine and may keep them engaged for a prolonged time to make Russia suffer economically. The US put sanctions on Russia to harm it economically.
Sanctions proved counterproductive and the Russian economy has not suffered at all. Its trade has remained the same, but, the trading partners have changed, China, India, Pakistan, and many other countries are becoming bigger trading Partners with Russia. Pushing out from the SWIFT banking system has no impact on its financial transactions as China has compensated and provided them with alternates. It Oil and Gas export has not reduced, and India and China have been importing much more. Furthermore, the increase in Oil and Gas prices in the international market has become supported the Russian economy.
On the other hand, Europe has been victimized by the Ukraine war. The Fuel and Food prices have jumped much high. Few European countries are providing subsidies to their citizens but not all of the European countries are rich enough to extend subsidies to their citizens. As a result, many Europeans are suffering.
The public in Europe is turning against the Ukraine war and demanding the end of this war immediately. There are protests and agitations in some European capitals and slogans are heard against NATO and withdrawal from NATO. The current leaders in Europe are bound under the agreement to support NATO and Ukraine’s war. But, it is predicted that in the upcoming some of the political parties may come up with the idea to promise the public to end the war, end NATO support or exiting from NATO, etc., may win the general elections. It is pretty sure that public sentiments will dominate in the next elections and visionary politicians will make bold decisions.
There is an awareness in the public that blindly following the US is not the ultimate goal, but, must think about national interests. War in Europe is not desired, no one wants it and the public may reflect their anger at the time of voting. The next elections will be decisive and may change the fate of not only Europe but the whole world. Geopolitics might be changed completely. It is a matter of time only, public sentiments must be respected at all costs.
Europe has learned after so many wars in the past and reached the conclusion that war is not a solution nor is beneficial to anyone. Even the winner of the wars was also proved losers. Europe is committed to no wars and Ukraine’s war needs to end soon, the sooner the better. It is the American war against the Russians hate, and Europe has to pay a heavy cost.
Humankind deserves peace and peace must prevail globally.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, and Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization). (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).
From Putin’s speech the other day I think he has finally come to the conclusion many have had for years now. He dropped the “partners, and colleagues” terms and went to opponents and enemies instead. He admitted that he was mistaken in hoping for good relations with the West and recounted the countless times Russia was attacked from the West (as Saker has talked about many times).And that the West has always failed,and will fail this time as well. All in all,if he keeps to these views,Russia may finally adopt the needed measures to put an end to the current Western hostility towards Russia. I’m feeling very positive about his new policies.
Taking over Russia has always been a wet dream of the western elites at least since the time of Napoleon, and probably even before that. With the Ukraine being an obvious springboard onto Moscow, why would one expect anything else than what is going on right now. It is not hate, it is purely business. Russia in thinking the Ukraine is but a military operation that could be solved by some reasoned discussion needs to recalibrate. Zelensky’s appearance in Washington amounts to a tacit declaration of war by that body of legislators he appeared before. Forces and resources are being aligned, and any questioning thereto is in the process of being suppressed. I recently listened to an interesting piece by Glenn Greenwald on his Rumble video channel talking about how the establishment Democratic party just squashed it’s progessive “anti-war” wing*. What remains in the U.S. as far as anti-war inititive are goes are some ultra right wingers who are about to get squashed too. As Kiev appears as the local focus of power in the region of war, it thus appears to me that this Ukraine thing will not be resolved until Kiev is melted into glass, with Zelinski floating in it like a bug floating in a piece of amber. Otherwise that may well be what happens to Putin and Moscow. Personnally, I do hope some better minds prevail over this affair so that we as a collective humankind do not end up going there.
*https://rumble.com/v14fh3w-the-us-anti-war-left-is-dead.-the-squads-40b-war-vote-just-killed-it..html
In a piece published here by Pepe Escobar, I became aware that the Roman Papal Crusades were not only against Islam in the ‘Holy Land’, but also against the Eastern Church. It seems the West has deemed Russia as an enemy for almost a thousand years.
Venice has many items looted from Constantinople in the 4th Crusade. The horses of Saint Mark are one example.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Constantinople
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_of_Saint_Mark
Of course it was Byzantine and Eastern Christian (or their pre-Christian ancestors) built cities the Crusaders sacked and looted. The Muslims hadn’t built or made anything in those areas at the time. The Muslims were just pressing towards and gathered around them.
Like Matt Taibbie, Glenn Greenwald throws out softball articles about irrelevant news that don’t matter. To date, we’ve never heard Greenwald, who is Jewish, criticize those within the Power Base of the US State Department AND the Big League folks in the US Financial System.
Turns out there is a very definite Jewish influence in both system: neo-cons like Victoria Nuland, behind the scenes: Robert Khagan, Bill Kristol; Paul Krugman types. In the US Financial Power, we have other Jews: Janet Yellen, SEC: Gensler, Goldman Sachs Jews, Larry Fink of Black Rock…….the list is immense.
It is THESE folks who control most of the drive in destroying Russia. They want another Yeltsin-Moment: go in and rob Russia of all its wealth/industries and military weaponry. Those and many others are the chief opportunists from The US of A.
Very good article to give thought to exploring the imagination of things to come in a new world order. Should Russia end the SMO and take all of Ukraine preparing to fight an unconventional war for a long time, or continue until the western nations start a nuclear war ? Or could peace prevail and end the fighting world wide ? The thought of bringing peace to a world in turmoil at this time of the year makes one think of a return of the Christ our peace.
Russia doesnt need to take Uk. They just need to destroy and declare a DMZ for 1000 km by declaring the rump Uk to be 50 km around Kiev and no more
A no mans land uninhabitable
Not Kiev. Letting Ukrainians keep Kiev is just asking for more trouble later. A border well west of Kiev will be much shorter and easier to manage.
“If the Americans love Ukraine, they might have provided unlimited weapons and advanced weapons to make Ukraine win. But, this is not their intention, not their goals. ”
The Empire That Never Worked has neither the caliber nor quantity of weapons to “make Ukraine win”, and it certainly doesn’t have the intelligence (in both senses of the word), strategic and tactical planning, or even the willpower to do anything but bleed Ukraine to death. Andrei Martyanov has covered this extensively: the “greatest fighting force in history” is fake and gay, just like everything else in Clown World.
@Gaius – you are quite right in your observation that the author is incorrect on this point. In fact, his perspective throughout the piece is quite unbalanced and reminiscient of Western propaganda. For example, Zelansky is ‘daring’ to have gone to Washington – Z. is a puppet and was ordered there as free beer for the AGM of passing the Omnibus budget. Refusing his masters would have been daring.
At least he got a Patriot – which the author suggests will protect Ukraine rather than a few square kilometres of it. At best.
Europe is also portrayed as a victim of the war than of the sanctions that Europe imposed. According to the author, European politicians listen to their electorate – who appear to elect them as a European bloc. Not quite how it works on the ground. In reality each state votes for its own leaders on local issues – France re-elected the lesser-of-two-evils Macron over Le Pen. Did Macron listen to the Yellow Vests?
And finally – “the world deserves peace”. Why? What has it done to deserve peace? Spread truth, health, justice for everybody? Not in Europe it hasn’t. Some long ago idiot said (in Latin) “If you desire peace prepare for war”. Fortunately he, Latin and the Roman Empire are long dead and buried. Would this idea were too. If you want peace then do what makes for peace. In a week we will have a New Year and a week after that it will be Christmas – let us pray for peace at this time.
Do not discredit the Empire. It held global sway for many years after WW II and dominated the finances of the ‘free world’, granting itself magnificent tribute that made the Americans very rich.
Perhaps Empire succumbed to greed. Perhaps as a result of the neoliberal poison it adopted in the 1980s, it lost its way. Perhaps the incessant warmongering also took its toll. Clearly, though, it has now become the ‘Paper Tiger’ the communists always claimed it was.
Primarily b/c they were ones supplying the paper, keeping track of it was another story.
To quote Hemingway “I like to sleep.. it’s when I’m awake that my life starts to fall apart”.
In my case my life starts to fall apart every morning when I ‘switch on’ the news. My morning reading takes 1 to 2 hours. I read in depth both reports and analysis.
I think how much simpler and rewarding life would be if the United States were to just disappear. I mean no harm to any of its citizens.. but maybe they could all just turn inward. NATO would collapse and so would Israel. A truly independent International Criminal Court would just about decimate Israel anyway.
My fear, and my belief is that US capitalism is primal, a ravening beast with no head or brain. Its death throes – its blind lashing out may take all of us with it. Better to put it down quickly.
Whichever amateurish way I examine the Ukraine situation I find Russia to be correct – Ukraine has become a creature of the US and therefore an existential danger to just about anyone. Ukraine has become a totalitarian fascist state – and adorns itself with Nazi symbology.
“Russia has spent 150 billion in its operation in Ukraine but gained economic benefits worth around 500 to 600 billion.”
Hard to miss the irony, that the one is benefitting from the war so spectacularly is Russia. That the US and UA are helping to build up the Russian economy makes them look like accomplices to each others’ dedicated suicide mission. When every time Russia takes one step forward, both take 3 steps back.
Can’t imagine their frustration trying to sort out fact from fiction propaganda each day.
> Russia has spent 150 billion in its operation in Ukraine but gained economic benefits worth around 500 to 600 billion.”
and perpetually
as Catherine the Great said, to fight my enemies, I have to expand my empire
that’s the only option left
Just two possibilities in the title. Although Blinken, Kagan, Nuland, and many others are skulking near Vladimir ‘elensky, we cannot vote for the usual suspects. The roaring success of ‘elensky’s visit reminds one of the many standing ovations awarded Mileikowsky just a few years ago. No journalist dares mention that either.
If the Anglo-Zionazi U$ regime had loved the people of Ukraine, the EU$A would not have set up a battalion of Ukronazi stormtroopers directed by a succession of Jewish Oligarch presidents, nor would they have provided unlimited weapons to make Ukrainians die in a genocidal war against their Russian brothers.
I have to ask the question what is the matter with these so called Brothers of Russia that they can be twisted and mobilised to die by the tens of thousands for the American Reich?
What is the matter with these so called Free English that they can be twisted and mobilised to die by the hundreds of thousands for the Anglo-Zionazi Capitalist Reich?
There was a saying, “Lions led by Donkeys”, to describe British soldiers being driven into the WW1 meat grinder by an unremitting campaign of viciously anti-German propaganda from the British government.
“Over the course of the war, 880,000 British forces died, 6% of the adult male population. The toll meant that the 1921 Census recorded 109 women for every hundred men.” — The Fallen, UK Parliament
I think “Sheep led by Wolves” would be a better description of the relation between the English and their Government.
I have to agree with you,enough British people really ARE that stupid,as for the first world war,one of my Grandads survived but was wounded in his leg and he had a problem all his life with it,the population of my Town was about 75 thousand at the start of the first World war,by the end of it almost five thousand men from my Town were dead,most of them were probably enthusiastic about the War because of the extreme Nationalist propaganda masquerading as patriotism,it still doesn’t explain why so many Ukrainians have gone down that road at the instigation of the Americans.
I think you’ll find that extreme nationalist propaganda masquerading as patriotism explains it.
Just my 2 cents about two points.
1. Russian oil and gas exports reduced somewhat but the earnings increased due to higher prices. For any exporter of commodities, achieving high gains with minimal exports is desirable because it allows to rely on these commodities for much longer. Until now, oil and gas sanctions are a clear win for Russia.
2. If a population wants the leave NATO, it is futile to wait for the next election(s). It won’t happen – no way! To leave NATO requires to screw the current government uncompromisingly, such that it has no other choice than to sign the exit decree now.
Merry Christmas to All. May you enjoy a comfortable and refreshing time with your family and friends.
Peace on earth will only come when we, the citizens of the USA, force our elected representatives to end our 77 years of military occupation of Eurasia.
Joe Cassese.
One can not accuse President Biden of being the “mastermind” of the Ukraine War. Biden was an imbecile LNG before he became senile. We should blame Victoria “Cookie Monster” Nuland and that cackling, psychopathic whore Hillary Clinton for inciting this war.
US Americans in 2021, seven years after Nuland’s US war in Ukraine started, 16,000 deaths and rising.
“Ukraine? That’s in Africa, isn’t it? Oh no, that’s Uruguay.”
Yes “Humankind deserves peace and peace must prevail globally” It will noy happen as we have been lied to for 2000 years. We jail the truth tellers and reward liers to this day.
Its my birthday today and my wife and family remind me of this every Christmas day. She combines my birthday celebration with the Christmas celebration, the tree, gifts that I don’t need, and another birthday goes by and the world we live in “forgets to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, rebuild broken Canada, to bring peace among the people, to make music in the hear like that in my grandchildren last night.” I place my hope in my grandchildren. On Christmas eve my 12-year-old grandson played “Ode to Joy” and “Jingle Bells” on the clarinet and his younger sister and brother sang along and that made me hope that they will work to make this happen.
It is not happening in the church, the Buddhist temple, the synagogue the mosque, and the houses of government it never did. The message brought always the same more lost and broken souls, more hungry people, more prisoners, more broken nations, more lies from the houses of parliament by the likes of Trudeau and Biden, and more war. The essence of community that Charles III spoke of is a lie.
The true history of Christmas is never told. If this man called Jesus who opposed the tyranny of the Roman Empire lived today, he would have ended like Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther or maybe in Guantanamo or a jail cell next to Assange branded a “terrorist” today
@Vuki: “Jesus who opposed the tyranny of the Roman Empire”
That’s fake Libertyspeech. There is nothing against “tyranny of the Roman Empire” among the Sayings of Jesus. On the contrary:
“Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and unto God what belongs to God”.
On the other hand, Jesus said plenty against smug “Hypocrites and Pharisees” and against personal sinfulness in contemporary Judea:
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? A good man out of the good Treasure of the Heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
Matthew 12:34-37
The sanction created by the USA and its cronies are illegal and criminals acts against humanity and principles of being human not to mention against all religions especially Christianity. Some of the people in Syria are starving , cold and their children are freezing because the US and it’s Allie’s are sanctioning their country .
We should make an issue out of this constantly and all the time .
The neocons are running the US government are criminals and against humanity.
General McGregor stated recently:
Zelensky’s trip to Capitol Hill was timed to coincide with Putin’s winter offensive, which is expected to crush the Ukrainian Armed Forces and bring the war to a swift end.”
Today, RT ran an article citing some German officers that there might be two offenses that Russia could make. The one you see above, and another one:
Going into Donbass to destroy much of Ukraine’s electrical/military power.
We are hearing that the US is sending Patriot anti-missiles that are capable of hitting important interiors of Russia.
Some poo-poo that idea, saying these would be easily destroyed by Russian means.
Whatever the case, it follows what many have said, “Tighten the noose around Russia, by forcing President Putin into spending even more on military with the end result: weakening Russia
It should be noted that in the US: The FED has been fighting inflation and doing all sorts of means to maintain the immense $$ & Power of their patrons: The Big Financial Markets, Big Banks; aka the Super Wealthy. This, after the 2008-9 Financial Crash, along with 10 years of the FED pouring out $10 Trillion to right the sinking ship. Nothing seems to be working for the Fortunate Few.
If we are correct, then it might explain what most Hegemons do when they sense the ship is sinking: Lashing out with immense power to destroy their “enemies” before the Hegemon destroys itself.
Any thoughts on all this?
Russia has real money. The hegemon doesn’t. Hegemon doubles down on stupid. Russia doesn’t.
Trying to compare Russia’s responses to the hegemon’s, while using the same paradigm is impossible.
It’s that simple.
Lest we forget the dogs of war that patrol the corridors of NATO and Europe ever in hate with Russia. Poland the Hyena of Europe exceeded only by that Pit Bull the UK. The elites of both these dangerous and aggressive States are Russophobes to the core who covertly support Neo Nazis to attack Russia in Ukraine with no thought to the consequences. These two US vassal states need to be kept on a short lease otherwise a conflagration in Europe is imminent at the behest of the US Neo Con crazies!
With regards to the Patriot battery.
It is a symbolic gift. Just to cover the Ukraine from north to south would require 10 batteries that are placed coverage to coverage (range of a Patriot is a bit over 60 KM, a 120-140 KM diameter circle), you’d need 15 to 20 to get a decent coverage and a few more for things like extra coverage for Kiev and backup. That boils down to 1/3 or more of the total number of Patriot batteries the US has.
Also due to the type of radar it is doubtful it fails to detect airborne units, maybe not recognize them but not an inability to detect. That is the primary reason the US is sending a Patriot battery, to many suicide drones bypass the current air defenses.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the Russians are going to let this single battery live to drain US material/money by tossing more of those cheap (in relative terms) drones to have the US spend missiles that are 10x to 30x more expensive to get rid of said drones. Well until it is more expedient to get rid of this battery.
And all that if the battery arrives at all to be useful. Seeing that it normally takes 6 month to be trained to use it, the expectation that the next big push from Russia will be in February and the noise coming from Washington has changed from unconditional surrender of Russia before peace talks can even be contemplated to maybe we need to compromise one some minor aspects and hope that will bamboozle the Russians in ceding their red lines (fat chance).
The cost of the Patriot missiles vary from 3-6 million apiece (Col. D Macgregor; Redacted, 29.12.22). A quote for one of the “low end” drones was around 30K(?) in a prior article here.
The upside is, Russia gets to dump all it’s old inventory before they reach the expiration dates. While using all data collected in the latest anti-missile-missile skeet shoot, to formulate this new learning curve into their next generation of super-missiles.
Another “win-win-win” scenario for the RF.
Hate Against Russia, Russian Nationals, Russian Culture. Period.