I've learned so much from my mistakes.. I'm thinking of making some more ;)
Netherlands
Joined March 2014
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Johan Dijkstra retweeted
I can at least understand why, back in December 2021, when Russia issued the West an ultimatum so blatantly absurd and impossible to meet as demanding that NATO “roll back to its 1997 borders,” everyone was clutching their pearls and gasping in horror.
But come on. In 2022, Putin suffers a crushing defeat at Kyiv, retreats, and abandons the #1 objective of his blitzkrieg. And then, as if nothing had happened, he shows up at the “peace negotiations” in Istanbul demanding outrageously absurd and impossible conditions, including Ukraine's near-total disarmament and a Russian veto over any Western assistance in the event of another invasion.
As if his troops were feasting in Uzhhorod and Lviv instead of having been turned to ashes outside Hostomel and Chernihiv.
Fast-forward almost five years.
He's suffered defeats outside Kharkiv, in Kherson, in Kupiansk, and near Lyman. He's seen Ukrainian troops invade and occupy Russian territory. He's practically lost his Black Sea Fleet. He's lost some 500,000 soldiers killed alone. He's barely managed to change a front line that has remained largely frozen since 2022.
His oil refineries, ports, airfields, and military factories are burning across a vast stretch of Russia, from St. Petersburg to Omsk. He still can't defeat Ukraine even in Donbas, even with the president of the United States in his pocket.
And yet he keeps demanding Ukraine's complete capitulation, the surrender of territory without a fight, the dismantling of Ukraine's defenses. And again and again, he effectively demands that NATO be rolled back and that the entire former Warsaw Pact territory in Europe be handed over to him.
As if he were Stalin in 1952.
And the reason isn't just that Putin is an insane gambler who doesn't know when to stop or recognize the limits of what he can realistically demand.
It's also that, year after year, the free world has repeatedly and spectacularly demonstrated what Putin clearly interprets as weakness, fear, and an unwillingness to stand up for itself.
And therefore, as an invitation to escalate even further, to make ever more outrageous demands, and to engage in ever more brazen blackmail, despite the obvious mismatch between his megalomaniac ambitions, his rhetoric, and his actual results on the ground.
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
“Wherever the foot of the Russian soldier has stepped is ours,” says Putin’s chief negotiator.
The foot of the Russian soldier stepped in many places in the past. Paris, Berlin, Helsinki, Vienna, Alaska, even California…
Here is the unedited translation of what Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told Russian state TV today.
Q: A significant part of the territory of Kharkiv Oblast and other regions is currently under Russian control. Were exchanges of these territories discussed during the negotiations, and for which territories?
Medinsky: The topic of possible territorial exchanges is periodically floated by various sides. Let me remind you of the history. After Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, a decision was made — the president has spoken about this more than once — to create a security zone along the border with the Russian Federation.
This zone is now quite substantial. It is expanding, and it will continue to expand. I don't see any possibility of exchanging these territories.
And again, as our leader so vividly put it, wherever the foot of our Russian soldier has stepped, that is ours.
As the entire history of Russia has shown, every time we have shown a willingness to make concessions, to agree to compromises that are disadvantageous to us, to demonstrate peaceful intentions and a willingness to yield — every time we have taken steps towards our opponents to avoid certain hardships, as we thought, the result has been that we have ended up with even greater hardships.
As the saying goes, we get both war and disgrace.
But whenever Russia has demonstrated firmness and confidence in its own strength, as a result, all hardships have been overcome, and a time of lasting peace, tranquillity and development has come, both for us and for our neighbours.
Therefore, wherever the Russian flag has been raised, it must not be lowered.
The task is something else, and we talked about this today. The task is to create a system of comprehensive security in Europe that will become a new, modern Yalta and Potsdam. One that will be imbued with the spirit of Helsinki in 1975, that will reflect new, contemporary realities, and that will be fair.
If we manage to create such a security system, then we will ensure peace in Europe for decades, perhaps even centuries. That is our main task.
Q: At the very beginning of the meeting, you said some very cautious and important words: that we would try to move closer to achieving peace. Have you moved closer?
Medinsky: I think so, yes, but right now a great deal depends on all participants in the process. A lot depends on Ukraine, on the position of the United States, and on whether Europe comes to its senses.
In any case, all the objectives we have set ourselves will be achieved.
Q: Are you satisfied for now?
Medinsky: Only when we win and sign a peace agreement on our terms.
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Stop wasting time with these charades and focus on the only thing that will end the war: kicking Russia out of Ukraine.
Once again proving that yet another round of fake negotiations was only meant to serve as theatrical background for the Trump family to remove Russia sanctions while blaming Ukraine, Putin's chief negotiator Medinsky in Abu Dhabi confirms that Putin still intends on occupying Ukraine.
"We will return every inch of OUR land".
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
⚡️️ Update: US wants Putin’s ‘blessing’ to involve Europe in Ukraine peace talks.
“I believe that hopefully tomorrow in Moscow, Steve (Witkoff) and I will be successful, and President Putin will give the blessing for that to occur,” U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said.
kyivindependent.com/2nd-day-…
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
The more Trump appeases Putin, the more Putin demands
As they say in Russia, appetite grows while eating.
Russia’s top negotiator Medinsky says in Abu Dhabi that Moscow’s demands extend to all of Europe, far beyond Ukraine.
“The security system in Europe works very badly. The entire organism is sick. Ukraine is just an abscess that burst. The organism must be cured as a whole, a band-aid will not be enough.”
Dr Putin to the rescue of poor sick Europe…
The more Trump seeks to mollify Putin, the more megalomaniac the Russian demands become.
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
“Every inch of Russian land will be returned to Russia one way or another.”
And as for where exactly this “Russian land” begins and ends, we'll decide that ourselves, with remarkable flexibility. Just like four years ago with Kherson, which was supposed to be “Russian forever” until Ukraine liberated it, at which point it was promptly forgotten as “Russian land.”
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Meanwhile in Russia's Omsk.
Who would have thought we'd live to see the day when Ukraine strikes Russia's largest oil refinery, which is located as far away as in Western Siberia, sending it up in flames and explosions, and nobody even bats an eye anymore? It just gets buried in the news feed like any other routine story.
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Today's conclusion of talks in Abu Dhabi, with the head of the russian delegation declaring that "Every inch of Russian land will be returned to Russia one way or another," clearly demonstrates that appeasement of the aggressor doesn't work!
The more Trump appeases him, the more putin demands.
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
EXCLUSIVE: Recent Ukrainian attacks have reduced Russia's oil processing capacity by 30%, sources say reut.rs/3XiVXoE
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Jared Kushner thinks Europe’s security order is the problem. It isn’t. Russia’s effort to overturn it by force is.
His “new” framework is the Charter of Paris. Moscow signed it in 1990, then spent 35 years breaking it. newsletter.ivodaalder.com/p/…
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Those who track Russian influence will be familiar with most of these names. An impressive investigation! occrp.org/en/investigation/f…
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Kremlin thought plunging Kyiv into darkness would bring panic and protests. Instead, this apartment complex threw a yard party
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Meanwhile in Russia: state TV's pundits and experts blamed Trump for losing the midterms and not ending the war in Ukraine.
youtube.com/watch?v=UqIndp2Z…
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Taps the sign. It’s all so stupid. Russia should have no say in Ukrainian or European security structures any more than a local burglar should have a say in your home security system. Every concession makes more Russian aggression more likely and more likely to succeed.
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Russian forces’ intensifying attacks on railways are placing civilians in peril.
This year, Russia has escalated its drone attacks on railway infrastructure, destroying or damaging hundreds of train engines.
Attacks targeting civilian infrastructure, including trains, may constitute war crimes.
Learn more: bit.ly/48Kblgj
Johan Dijkstra retweeted
Ukraine’s willingness to halt fighting along current lines while Russia refuses proves that Moscow is vastly further from its objectives than Ukraine, and is therefore losing the unprovoked war it started
