The Trump offical’s ARE saying that America COULD offer ‘security’ agreements with Ukraine …
They would be based on the thorny basic question of which side gets ‘what territory’ in the deal….
Zelensky cannot agree to ANY final agreement that would allow Putin to resume his quest for the ‘Entire’ Ukraine….
French President Macron is openly talking about stationing several thousand Western troops on the ground in Ukraine after a cease-fire IS signed….
Trump Admin has shut down Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, ending 80 years of independent journalism.
Western Troop’s on the Ground in the Ukraine?
Emmanuel Macron has said France, the UK, and other nations providing security guarantees for Ukraine after any eventual ceasefire would not be aiming to deploy a “mass” of soldiers, but instead could send contingents of several thousand troops to key locations in Ukraine without needing Russia’s permission.
The French president told regional French newspapers, including Le Parisienand La Dépêche de Midi, that “several European countries, and indeed non-European ones” had “expressed their willingness” to join a possible deployment to Ukraine to secure a future peace agreement with Russia.
He said this could involve “a few thousand troops” from each state, deployed at “key points” in Ukraine, to conduct training programmes and “show our long-term support”.
Macron added in the interview on Saturday that the proposed contingents from countries that were members of the Nato alliance would serve as “a guarantee of security” for Ukraine and that “several European nations, and also non-European, have expressed their willingness to join such an effort when it is confirmed”.
He added: “Under no circumstances can the Ukrainians make territorial concessions without having any security guarantees.”
Moscow has firmly opposed such a deployment, but Macron said Russia’s permission was not needed. He said Ukraine was sovereign. “If Ukraine requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject them.”….
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Deal Talk’s….
Witkoff also said the US was continuing to engage and have conversations with Ukraine, and “advising them on everything we’re thinking about”.
Ukraine agreed to a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire at talks last week in Saudi Arabia, and since his disastrous meeting in the White House a fortnight ago, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has been trying hard to portray Kyiv as amenable to Trump’s plans, while suggesting Putin is merely playing for time and not serious about negotiating a deal.
Zelenskyy has agreed to put discussions of territorial questions and of possible security guarantees on hold until after a ceasefire takes effect and more detailed discussions are held. Previously, he had insisted that a ceasefire would only make sense if western partners would provide Ukraine with some kind of security guarantee.
Trump has made it clear that no US guarantees are on the table, while the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, has been attempting to rally a coalition of other western allies to put together a possible peacekeeping contingent that could be deployed to Ukraine after a deal. However, it is not clear that such a mission could function without US backing, and Russian officials have repeatedly ruled out accepting any deal involving western boots on the ground in Ukraine….
ISW….Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 16, 2025
- US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stated on March 16 that Ukraine will receive unspecified security guarantees in exchange for unspecified territorial concessions.
- The current frontlines do not provide the strategic depth that Ukraine will need to reliably defend against renewed Russian aggression.
- Russian officials maintain their maximalist territorial claims over all occupied Ukraine and significant parts of unoccupied Ukraine, however.
- Russian officials have given no public indications that they are willing to make concessions on their territorial or security demands of Ukraine.
- Russia continues to seize on diplomatic engagements with the United States to normalize its war demands.
- The United Kingdom (UK) convened a virtual Coalition of the Willing summit on March 15 to reiterate support for Ukraine and discuss plans for peace.
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova and Russian forces advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Velyka Novosilka.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) continues efforts to posture as solving issues with the Russian military….
The current frontlines do not provide the strategic depth that Ukraine will need to reliably defend against renewed Russian aggression. Russian forces are just across the Dnipro River from Kherson City, roughly 25 kilometers from Zaporizhzhia City, and 30 kilometers from Kharkiv City. Russian troops on the Dnipro River could use a ceasefire to prepare for the extremely difficult task of conducting an opposed river crossing undisturbed, significantly increasing the likelihood of success in such an endeavor. Stopping a well-prepared, major mechanized offensive cold is extremely rare in war, which means that a renewed Russian assault would likely threaten both Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia cities, as well as key cities in the Donetsk “fortress belt,” almost immediately. Russia is constructing a large highway and railway aimed at connecting major cities in occupied Ukraine and Russia, which will reinforce Russia’s hold on occupied Ukraine and Russia’s ability to transport and supply Russian forces operating in Ukraine in the event of a future Russian offensive in southern Ukraine.[4]
The US and Europe would likely need to provide military aid to Ukraine more rapidly, in much larger volumes, and at higher cost the closer the ultimate ceasefire lines are to the current frontline. Ukraine would likely need an even larger military with greater capabilities to play its critical role in deterring and, if necessary, defeating future aggression along current frontline (both within Ukraine and along Ukraine’s international border with Russia) that is over 2,100 kilometers long. Enforcing a ceasefire along the current frontline would also require the commitment of large numbers of Western forces. Helping Ukraine regain strategically critical territory, as Trump has suggested he intends to do, could significantly reduce the cost and difficulty of securing a future peace.[5] A ceasefire along more defensible positions would also place Russian forces in a more disadvantaged position for renewed offensive operations, making future Russian aggression less likely….
Daily Kos grunt report for Today….
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