Will Trump pull out of Ukraine?

Yes, I do think that announcing armaments support in advance, is all part of the strategy.
Another 'side swipe', one of the Chinese soldiers captured in Ukraine, said that the Ukrainian resistance was stronger than he had been led to believe, and that in his experience, the Russian side was 'chaotic'.
Some economic analysts feel that the Russian economy is almost on its knees.
Of course, everyone who comments has an agenda, or a side they are on, but the 'two days to victory' have gone on for much longer than Putin expected.

An interesting side snippet:

"Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is on a historic visit to South Africa, signalling a dramatic improvement in the once-strained relations between the two nations.

The visit marks a diplomatic breakthrough for the Ukrainian leader in his efforts to counter Russia's strong - and growing - influence in Africa.

"I'm sure that Russia will be annoyed by the visit, but I don't think it can do much about it," said Steven Gruzd of the South African Institute of International Relations think-tank.

Seems that Neo colonialism at work here:

But it's in a very crowded space - Russia, China, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are all trying to increase their influence in Africa

something the UK/Europe need to keep eyes open on for the future.

(BBC)

Whitewavemark2

Appeasement springs to mind when reading your posts david49

Remember what happened last time - once again Poland is at risk.

Nothing to do with appeasement I hope Ukraine does get a deal that maintains sovereignty, increasingly it looks like Trump will pull out and Europe won't provide enough back up to stop Russia

Ilovedragonflies

Germany has today offered support to Ukraine in the shape of a particular kind of missile (name escapes me at present) that can reach into the heart of Russia and hit Moscow.

I sometimes wonder why these things are announced. Surely it gives Putin a chance to strike first, at Germany, hence spreading the conflict and potentially worsening it. Why not just quietly supply the missiles and claim it later, once Putin has been stopped? All this announcement is going to do is anger a man who wants to go out in a blaze of glory.

Trump has, as yet and so far as I know, not commented on Germany's actions.

I fear that if Ukraine prevails, Trump will be next in line to demand access to what Ukraine has beneath its soil. That's all he's interested in...

Possibly the announcements made are a gambit as well as a reality (given the Russia heavy attacks) whilst talks continue because they run contrary to the deal Trump wants where any NATO action is precluded and Europe reduced to a vague "security guarantee?

I decided to find a summary of whats "on the table" as a peace offer.

Whats on the table from Trump/Ukraine wise?

The borders are frozen where they currently stand. Russia gets Crimea outright, and the occupation of all the Russian currently held areas can remain.

No joining NATO

The US gains access to mineral rights

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — the largest such facility in Europe — considered as Ukrainian territory but operated by the U.S., with electricity supplied to both Ukraine and Russia.

It sounds like a carve up between Putin and Trump to me. A part US occupation of the Ukraine? (because of access to mineral rights, and especially with control of a nuclear plant)

What are the Ukrainians supposed to gain?

A vague “A robust security guarantee" involving an ad hoc group of European countries and potentially also like-minded non-European countries. No details, nor US taking part.

Access to Dnieper River

Compensation and assistance for rebuilding (sources of funding not given)

Lets say things go really bad.

If European countries had to act in a big hurry, what could they muster up?
Just musing aloud really.
And I dont mean "with US back up".
I am with FGT in her comment of, we didnt half look stupid before, when we would do this and that, as long as the US was there to provide back up.

Germany has today offered support to Ukraine in the shape of a particular kind of missile (name escapes me at present) that can reach into the heart of Russia and hit Moscow.

I sometimes wonder why these things are announced. Surely it gives Putin a chance to strike first, at Germany, hence spreading the conflict and potentially worsening it. Why not just quietly supply the missiles and claim it later, once Putin has been stopped? All this announcement is going to do is anger a man who wants to go out in a blaze of glory.

Trump has, as yet and so far as I know, not commented on Germany's actions.

I fear that if Ukraine prevails, Trump will be next in line to demand access to what Ukraine has beneath its soil. That's all he's interested in...

Appeasement springs to mind when reading your posts david49

Remember what happened last time - once again Poland is at risk.

Whitewavemark2

Putin is playing Trump.

The reports are saying that Putin is willing to freeze the borders at the point of where Russia has invaded. Putin is also pushing against the idea of any European troops in Ukraine.

Crimea and a good portion of Ukraine will be lost to Russia.

Russia will have succeeded in preventing any NATO or European troops in Ukraine.

What on earth does Ukraine get out of this?

More to the point - it puts Europe in more peril from an aggressor on our eastern front.

Ukraine gets an end to the fighting

This is the most optimistic outcome which Zelensky doesn’t accept, I fear a worse outcome.

DrWatson
Would that be the FDR who brought horror and misery to thousands of innocent japanese/Americans in internment camps?
George Takei ( Sulu in Star Trek) tells his story.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3vFZdfVpL7KXLTh3fxqbqKB/george-takei-seven-things-we-learned-from-history-s-secret-heroes

Putin is playing Trump.

The reports are saying that Putin is willing to freeze the borders at the point of where Russia has invaded. Putin is also pushing against the idea of any European troops in Ukraine.

Crimea and a good portion of Ukraine will be lost to Russia.

Russia will have succeeded in preventing any NATO or European troops in Ukraine.

What on earth does Ukraine get out of this?

More to the point - it puts Europe in more peril from an aggressor on our eastern front.

Trump seems to want Putin on side, he will be doing a deal with the Devil. Zelenski is a man of his word and loyal, Trump doesn't value those qualities as he doesn’t possess them

Jane43

Whitewavemark2

Has the deal over rare minerals been signed yet?

If I was Zelenskii I would withdraw pdq.

Apparently an initial deal has been signed.
www.cnbc.com/2025/04/18/ukraine-signs-outline-of-minerals-deal-with-the-us.html

If Trump walks away, the minerals deal will be dead, it will be Russia that benefits from any minerals exploitation, for Ukraine the future is bleak with the prospect of a pro Russian puppet government.

Well, Chump made a direct campaign promise that he "would end the war on day 1".

His fans (some here) are incredibly gullible, and it does seem that he is beholden to his pal the genocidal dictator who murders political opponents for fun.

The 'deal' that Chump thinks Ukraine should accept is akin to Mexico making a surprise attack on Texas, seizing Galveston, San Antonio and El Paso, with the Donald saying, "OK, keep those, but please stop bombing and shelling Houston and Dallas".

The only thing that may make him rethink the Ukraine issue is if one of his in-crowd makes him realise that far from the strong powerful Emperor that he sees in the mirror, any such 'deal' would make him AND America look weak and silly. Just as well they had a proper leader in WW2 (FDR) not this orange buffoon.

Parsley3

A flavour of Trump's Easter message from LBC
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social on Easter Sunday, the president accused the left of bringing "Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS- 13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country".

The online rant, published shortly before 8am local time on Sunday, saw Trump accuse US judges and law enforcement of "allowing" what he called a "sinister attack on our Nation".

Honing in on his predecessor "Sleepy Joe Biden", Trump hailed him the "WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing".

^It comes days after Donald Trump declared that any party refusing to move forward with Ukraine-Russia peace talks are "fools" and "horrible people^

This man Trump IS the definition of insanity, and vile to boot.

Let's remember that this 'creature' was caught out saying that the way to deal with women was to "grab them by the pussy."

But I doubt he's alone - a large percentage of the American electorate seem to be mad or stupid or gun-crazy. They democratically voted him in.

Unfortunately, that is not "fake news."

I do not believe a word that the Tangerine Toddler utters. The 'man' is a total imbecile.

Whitewavemark2

Has the deal over rare minerals been signed yet?

If I was Zelenskii I would withdraw pdq.

Apparently an initial deal has been signed.
www.cnbc.com/2025/04/18/ukraine-signs-outline-of-minerals-deal-with-the-us.html

Has the deal over rare minerals been signed yet?

If I was Zelenskii I would withdraw pdq.

What Trump is proposing is in fact a part actual occupation if the Ukraine. (control of the major power station, mining operations, etc).

An authoritarian and unpredictable regime right on our doorstep.

Who knows what Trump will do?
He certainly doesn't.

What I see is democratic countries, who have been led by the USA for nearly eighty years, cast adrift because the USA has suddenly changed to an autocracy FriedGreenTomatoes2 It was a mistake for Europe to disarm, but nowhere near as big a mistake as for USA to shun democracy and throw away its position as leader of the free world. Europe can and will rearm, but the position of the USA in the world is lost. I’m not over dramatising when I say that, it’s just a fact.

Far from speaking softly and carrying a big stick, successive UK and European politicians have yelled through a megaphone whilst carrying a twig. We look utterly ridiculous, never more so than that brief moment of bellicosity a month ago when Europe vowed to "fill the gap" left by the US to try and keep Ukraine in the fight, only to then back away because the US wouldn't provide a security guarantee.

Yes, a crucial week. Except Trump sets so many deadlines then reneges. The headlines of course are "trump blames Zelensky" so whats new.

As you would expect from me, there is a lot I like about Trump’s agenda on the national stage, from his colour blind meritocracy to his 15% corporation tax when you manufacture on home soil and his war on woke.

Sadly though his foreign policy, particularly on Ukraine, sits very badly with me. An aggressor like Russia should never have a free pass or be rewarded.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Sadly (and pragmatically finance-wise) Trump has had enough I think. 3 years of this war, haemorrhaging money. And men for the Ukraine.

Trump has bigger fish to fry.
China is his nemesis.

He will leave Ukraine to its near neighbours soon.

Ukraine will be his nemesis if he does that. I’m not sure he’s realised yet.