David and Goliath

Franp, you called the refugees "Russian-speaking" but for a long time, Ukranians were not allowed to speak their own language - mainly in school - they were forced to speak Russian, similar to what other nations have done in their pasts. I read that the Russians have been kidnapping Ukranian children, too.

Nobody has ever suggested that the Ukraine, pre invasion was a model of good government. It was high on the list of corrupt governments. Russia itself, it is no shining light of good democratic government, openess of administration or justice for all. In fact if the countries were to be compared on a virtue level it should be Ukraine that is invading Russia

If the slightest deviation from perfect government were to justify one country invade ing another, can you think of a single country that would be safe from invasion from its neighbours? The UK would be open to invasion, every European country, even the Vatican.

The arguments you put forward FranP are spurious and unsupportable.

There are two sides to every story.

I wonder how many people are aware that the govt of Ukraine was waging a war with its own eastern regions for six years before Putin decided to step in after many warnings. It was not Zelensky but his predecessor who ignore him.

Many of the refugees we have are Russian speaking and any number of them did not want to be part of the "new" country of Ukraine. There was even a referendum, which we in the West called illegal.
There is now a call from these regions for independence from Ukraine.

I am sure however this is all about money - Ukraine, apart from a Russian oil pipeline, is the bread basket of Europe, and USA is interested in its rich supply of minerals. I doubt for a moment ANY of the parties are thinking of the devastating effects on the people, especially the children

It is worrying, but if anyone knows what Putin and Co. can get up to, Zelinsky does!

Zelinsky will take all possible precautions, and so will Turkey!

Irrespective of which country had bravely offered to host this meeting, you can all be very certain that the host does not want either Zelinsky, Putin, or whoever he sends assassinated in Turkey. Nor if the Turks have the sense they were born with, which I believe they do, will that meeting take place in whatever locality they have said it will, but somewhere else.

That notorious loose cannon, Trump, will of course do whatever he thinks will rebound to his greater glory, whether or not it furthers peace, or helps anyone in the wide world, except D. Trump.

Right now, America is doing damn all to help Ukraine and will continue to do so. Putin will demand that peace comes at the price of the Russian-Ukrainian border being fixed along the present front.

Do you honestly think the EU is going to accept that? Or Turkey? The Turks do not want Russia controlling the Black Sea, when you think about it. Nor do Scandinavia and the Baltic States particularly want a steady Russian traffic through the Baltic. If Russia makes unreasonable demands on Thursday, which she will, unless of course no-one from Russia puts in an appearance, this war will go on, until the rest of us can feel safe from Russia, which at present we neither feel nor are,

Yes MOnica- there is far more going on behind the scenes that we realise.

Putin is not doing well, the war is costing a great deal of money and he finds it more and more difficult to hide the reality from his own people.

He needs to save face and Ukraine needs peace.

Any peace may be very short lived, however, as Putin needs time to regroup before his next attempt at land grabbing...we must hope he leaves Ukraine alone at least.

Remember, David won!

These negotiations are Putin playing silly games again. He has no more intention of making peace than fly.

He is trying to keep Trump in play and believing there is a chance of peace for as long as he can, to ensure that Trump doesn't throw his cards on the floor in a tantrum and get behind Zelensky big time. Trump has already made the financial deal over minerals to fund it.
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I think Trumps total unreliability is worrying Putin. For once he realises he is dealing with someone whose next step is impossible to foresee.

Zelensky is no fool, and he is well advised - and I am sure he will only be eating and drinking food prepared by his own chef, using ingredients brought from Ukraine. Turkey will ensure he leaves the country alive and well.

I hope if Zelensky does go to Turkey he goes with an extensive armed guard, as an attempt to kidnap him and sweep him off to a Russian prison is entirely plausible.

Zelensky played it well, challenging Putin to meet him in Turkey, it puts Putin on the back foot.
Putin won’t go himself of course.

You have summed up what I think will happen, Kate.