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Russia Still Seems To Have Hope For A Deal With Trump
It is quite obvious that the U.S. is (ab-)using Europe to up the pressure on its super-power competitor Russia. But Russia is refraining for calling out Washington for what it is doing. It seems to hold on to the illusion that a deal can be done.
[R]emarks by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Apr 24 2026
Lavrov is describing the “West” as a united menace to the rest of the world. But he separates the U.S. for its (alleged) policy differences with the EU over Ukraine. This while the CIA is daily directing Ukrainian drones onto Russian proper.
Excerpts:
The collective West policy is posing the main threat to international peace and security. We continue to call it “collective,” although the collective part is now being torn by disagreements. However, their strategic goal, we have no doubt about it, remains the same and is to dominate by any means, to dominate and continue dominating, and to preserve their hegemony for as long as possible, while containing the growth of new global centres and competitors in the World Majority countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Every day we observe, we are, in fact, shown in real time that in order to preserve their hegemony and to achieve these unseemly goals, illegal sanctions, plunder, the theft of other countries’ sovereign assets, blackmail, threats and, of course, the use of military force are employed, as we saw in Venezuela and now in Iran – all of that in blatant violation of international law.
The assessment that the unprovoked aggression by the Americans and Israelis against Iran has seriously destabilised the situation in the Middle East doesn’t even begin to cover it, because the situation is now becoming destabilised globally and all countries are assessing their prospects for economic development, energy supply sources, and so on. The continuation of the conflict (which, it appears, is far from over) will have the most negative repercussions for the entire international community, for the economic situation of most of humanity, and for global security.
EU abuse of Ukraine against Russia:
A war against us has been openly declared. The Kiev regime is being used as the tip of the spear. However, everyone is aware that this tip is unusable without Western supplies of weapons, intelligence data, satellite systems, training of military personnel, and much more. …
In order to justify their policy, the West – above all the international bureaucracy in Brussels (both EU and NATO, which are increasingly becoming one), as well as Berlin, Paris, and, of course, London – are attempting to demonise everything Russian and openly speak about gearing up for war with us in the foreseeable future.
The U.S. as a different beast:
The logic of the Americans in relations with most countries (I have not heard anyone say this in dialogue with us, and I hope I never will) is that if you do not do as I say, I will punish you. In other words, I do not promise anything, but you must give me what I want; and if you don’t, I will punish you. This is not a balance of interests, and certainly not an honest conversation.
The role each play on Ukraine:
Zelensky recently travelled to Cyprus and met with EU representatives to discuss guarantees for his continued hold on power and that of his clique, while keeping in place everything that has become another key underlying cause of the current situation, namely, the unleashed war and the legislative eradication of everything associated with Russia: the Russian language in education, the media and culture, and the destruction of canonical Orthodoxy. This is also part of the West’s civilisational aggression against the Russian Federation, because they planned and began to create civilisational threats on our state borders of that time in the very centre of the Russian world.
The same kind of civilisational aggression showed itself in encouraging Zelensky’s regime to eliminate everything Russian and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This is also part of the aggression against us, against Russia as a civilisation. This is how the West is leveraging the Nazi regime in Ukraine. When we are told that we should somehow resolve the Donbass issue, and that perhaps they will talk Zelensky into making concessions or, perhaps, Russia will make concessions and everything will be fine. Nothing will be fine. The West has openly stated that it was developing security guarantees for a regime that is viewed as a long-term threat to our country and will be used, among other things, for more military adventures. They have declared that all of this will begin in the 2029-2030 timeframe.
That is why we value the fact that the United States, despite the specifics of its actions, is taking a position of publicly outlining the underlying causes (in an approximation of their real understanding) and – most importantly – taking concrete steps: no NATO expansion and sticking to the understandings reached during the Alaska summit. Soon, we will mark the first anniversary of the Anchorage meeting. Over this period, the Europeans – credit must be given to their audacity – and Zelensky have done a great deal to push the Americans off the course that we had adopted and to continue their games aimed at destroying a geopolitical competitor.
I do believe that Lavrov’s distinction between the U.S. and EU/NATO-Europe with regards to Ukraine is purely tactical.
Russia is still hoping to make a deal with Trump. But I am sure that it is well aware that it is the U.S. which is pushing for further European’s aggression against Russia.
Why else would Elbridge Colby, the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, laud the German government plans for expanding its military if not for waging war against Russia:
President Trump has rightly laid out that Europe must step up, and NATO must no longer be a paper tiger.
Through the historic Hague Commitments, Europe has begun to do so.
But the key now is, in the words of SecGen Rutte, action over words. As Rutte put it this week, “Air defense systems, drones, ammunition, radars, space capabilities — that is what will keep us safe.” 1/
Germany is now taking the leading role in this. After years of disarmament, Berlin is stepping up. The DOW is already working closely with European allies, especially Germany, to accelerate this transition to NATO 3.0. 2/
Berlin’s new Military Strategy shows a clear path forward and we look forward to collaborating closely with the FRG to implement this. Below are some key excerpts: 3/
…
Germany’s Military Strategy represents a clear, credible way forward to NATO 3.0: A NATO in which Europe and Canada step up to meet their responsibilities within the Alliance and transform it from a paper tiger to a strong deterrent and defense.
President Trump has provided the clear and consistent message Europe and Canada need to hear. We at DoW stand ready to engage and aid those who heed his message and take real action at the speed of relevance. 10/10
In response to SergeT@211,
Very well put, and I agree with that assessment. It is in Russian interests to contain the conflict to a sphere where they maintain escalation dominance, and where the existential necessity justifies the cost. The “West” in supporting Ukraine not only overextends their resources but also their political mandate, weakening their hand to inflict harm on Russia for no measurable benefit to themselves — not a sustainable strategy.
Proponents of direct retaliatory measures often make the assumption that the psychological effect of such strikes would force Western elites to fold, never considering the possibility that such strikes could instead serve as retroactive justification for what is otherwise delusional self-immolation, an event that could unify the general public around deeply unpopular figureheads.
It’s not just the SMO that’s moving at a glacial pace, at every point remaining open to be concluded via agreement and non-military means, but also the door to normalization of relations with the West is still open, closing unbearably slowly, its speed modulated by a Russian hand despite even Europe’s best efforts. Russia understands that, at the end of it all, it will have to live with Ukraine, in whatever form it remains, just across the border, and that it is geographically and culturally part of Europe. If the former is a cemetery, and the latter is again behind an iron curtain, the former will need to be made livable again, and the wall of the latter will again need an open door, which like it or not, is also a cost.
The thing about agreements, in general, is that trust barely factors into the equation. It’s more about one’s ability to reinforce the terms of an agreement, or use non-compliance as an argument for unilateral action. Minsk II could have served as the basis for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, but even in delaying the conflict still served a useful purpose, for all sides to position themselves as best they could, and its collapse gave Russia, as a guarantor, the internal argument to act unilaterally.
If the US under Trump promotes a narrative, however false, of wanting to normalize relations with Russia, and distance themselves from the EU and the Ukraine-conflict, why wouldn’t Russia support that position? The narrative itself generates useful political capital, that then takes on a life of its own, bringing the underlying logic closer to realization — but, until and unless it does, it’s just potential. The real work remains dealing with and acting on realities on the ground, which follows its own materialistic logic, distinct from public statements.
Posted by: Skiffer | Apr 28 2026 12:08 utc | 212
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After which Putin gives ‘his friend’ – the narcissistic megalomaniac and psychopathic – Donald Trump legitimacy to act as a 3 party negotiator (!) – bad craziness indeed.
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Posted by: MoodyBlues | Apr 27 2026 17:10 utc | 1
I subscribe EVERYTHING in your comment.
But this part makes me thing if we, the mere people vieweing all this from the outside, are also being double-fooled by Russia.
When you think about Russia alone, all your comment makes sense, and I repeat, I subscribe everything you said about all topics.
But when I think about Russia as a piece of the Multipolar machine, things get more complicated and not so clear.
1) Russia’s main ally is COMMUNIST China, the nightmare of the nightmares of the NeoLiberal Western Capitalist scum.
2) Russia is getting closer and closer to North Korea, a COMMUNIST and NUCLEAR small/local power that created deterrence against the US/UK/EU empire by developing IBCM and nukes.
North Korea was in Kursk, fighting on the Ukrainian border!
3) Both China and Iran and many other BRICS+ members and partners are still negotiating with USA and shaking hands with the emperor-clown (be it Biden or Trump or any other idiot that the Deep State puts in the White House).
And all these countries do this WHILE US/UK/EU empire threatens them and commits all sorts of hybrid aggression.
4) meanwhile, the entire Global South (or the collective NON West), sees China and Russia and friends building a mUltipolar world that is NOT confrontational, that doesn’t impose anything on anyone, and is so well intended that rhey6even talk/negotiate with the ones putting wepons in the rabid proxies of Ukraine, “israel”, Taiwan, etc.
5) the world trades less and less in dollars and more and more in national currencies, the dollar reserve currency status keeps declining, more countries use NON western payment systems, the Iranian/Russian lesson of bypassing sanctions is being learnes by more people everyday, and whyle fewer and fewer attention is on the G8 and UN, greater and greater attention is on the G20 and BRICS+.
6) this Russian/Chinese/Iranian tactic is causing shifts also INSIDE the West. More USAmericans now support Palestine instead of “israel”, the West is seen clearly shaking hands with alQaeda terrorists, with ukrainian nazis, with other fascists/lunatics everywhere.
The people in the Global South distrust the collective West as never before, and the people INSIDE the West distrust their respective regimes also as never before.
8) and finally, although I would love to see more coffins with USA/NATO flags on them (even though I’m from Portugal), and I although I would love to see USA aircraft carrier groups being sunk, and Russia/China/Iran being more active instead of being so passive, the truth is my wishes are driven by hate (a justified hate), while the Russian/Chinese/Iranian attitude is driven solely by pragmatism: how to build the multipolar world without looking confrontational, how to over-expand and unmask the West while avoiding direct/nuclear escalation.
And, although I agree on principle with EVERYTHING you said, I do so while also accepting that there might be many things that I don’t know, that our analyses is based on what’s obvious and recent, and not based on what’s hidden and happening in the medium/long term.
For instance, how would you over-extend the US/UK/EU empire, if Russia had not still be fighting a long attrition war WHEN US/UK/EU had planned the aggression against Iran? And how would China keep developing its nuclear and ballistic and drone and navy arsenal (at rates that make it inevitable to become a stronger superpower than USA), if the US/UK/EU empire were not baited into being over-expanded and bogged down in Russia and Iran?
If the Western empire has a basic policy of fooling+aggression, then let them believe that they are fooling Russia (in the Alaska negotiations) and that they can win the aggression (in the Iranian war).
While the US/UK/EU empire over-expands and is unmasked and wastes resources in destroying other civilizations (the Gaza GENOCIDE will be talked about as we nowadays talk about the holocaust), in the meantime the BRICS+ keeps building trade relations, building infrastructure, building trust, building a new world governance, and, more importantly, building the necessary military deterrent so that the western empire no longer can threaten this new post-unipolar world.
As a plus, while Russia has the chance to get back some of its historical land (Crimea, Donbass, and beyond, aka more square kilometres for each day that passes with the West believing its own lies and refusing the end of this proxy war), Iran also has the chance to humiliate USA military bases in the entire Persian Gulf and also hit a few missiles/drones inside “israel” while “israel” is the one that clearly is the aggressor in the eyes of the world.
Long story short, the Multipolar world negotiates and builds, while the Unipolar world threatens and destroys.
While the western propaganda lies to the point of fooling even themselves, the THEATRICAL “split” in US-EU relations actually becomes real.
While the Global South VERY DIFFERENT countries/cultures/economic models find a way to coexist, inside the West the people can NOT even coexist with themselves, because the artificial split between liberals and conservatives (initially intended to distract people: discussing imagined genders instead of actually important stuff) is a split that becomes real and entrenched and source of hate to the point of increasing secessionist/revolutionary movements inside the West, and even inside each western country.
Basically, the China+Russia+etc alliance is letting the entire world people learn by themselves, instead of just telling us.
And when we learn by ourselves, that is a much more valuable lesson, than when we just hear someone telling something, but without really understanding what was being told.
Ex: Iran used to say USrael is USatan. Only a few heard what Iran said, and most didn’t understand. But now, without Iran saying anything, the whole world learns and understands, even inside western societies!
Final note: perhaps the only nuance where we both disagree: when you say that Putin failed because he signed the Minsk agreements. I also used to think that, but then someone explained it to me and I agree with that explanation: Russia wasn’t ready to fight against the entire collective West in 2014, but it was ready in 2022. As simple as that. If you see the economical data, Russia and all EAEU countries suffered with those tiny western sanctions in 2014, but in 2022 they were more than ready to keep growing even though the entire West (and minions) put in place +30 thousand sanctions, even secondary ones!
Also, and again, it is a far more valuable lesse for Ukrainians to learn a lesson by themselves, than just listening (without understanding nor agreeing) to Russia telling them: the West is using Ukraine and never wanted to integrate Ukraine (in EU, NATO, etc), the Maidan regime is evil and corrupt and traitor, and the “freedom and democracy” means having no elections, obeying US/UK/EU, men kidnapped on the streets, the anti-russian hate is irrational, Russia was beinf super friendly when it accepted the Minsk agreements, and Ukrainians can clearly see what a real total war is: while they live comfortably in the streets of Kiev, with all buildings intact, they can see what true evil is when they look at Gaza (the result of western aggression).
The number of AWOL is increasing, the popular revolt against forced mobilization is increasing, it will come the day when the Maidan regime (and its western sponsors) will be hated by the majority, and that’s the point that Russia is waiting for: no more people willing to fight for Bandera+Zelensky nor for Washington+Brussels.
That’s the moment when Russia regains Ukraine (perhaps with the exception of the Lvov Banderistan/Nazistan mear Poland border.
Think of Georgia. Russia just set foot on Abkhadia and South Ossetia, but on practise Russia regained the full Georgia, not by conquering it, but by letting the people learn the lesson by themselves, up to the current point where the majority no longer trusts the West and understands that solid diplomatic and economic relations with Russia are the best choice.
This will also happen to Ukraine, given enough time.
And when the unipolar world is defeated, this will also happen in many more collective west countries.
How to reach this point, letting the Western regime/empire do all the planned mistakes, while the Multipolar world is being built, brick by BRIC, but without provoking the western NeoCon lunatics into full scale direct war of aggression with nukes?
That is the question!
And Russia negotiating in Alaska (Putin and Trump), Iran negotiating in Islamabad (Aragchi and Vance), and China also accepting to negotiate with USA, that seems to be the answer.
After all, even Nazi Germany had to be negotiated with. Previous nazis were normalized. Treaties were signed. Hatred leads only to more war. There’s only peace with diplomacy. The hardliners were sentenced in Nuremberg. The softliners were shaken hands with. The German empire was dismantled, and Germany was integrated in the new world.
The same will happen now with US/UK/EU empire.
But this time, Russian and Chinese soldiers cannot die by the dozens of millions just to reach Washington DC, as they reached Berlin before.
This time there are thousands of nuclear wepons, and things have to be played differently.
Posted by: Carlos Marques | Apr 28 2026 16:10 utc | 252
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