A Ceasefire Can Ensure Ukrainian Independence

A Ceasefire Can Ensure Ukrainian Independence

There is only one way the West can prevent Ukraine from being defeated on the battlefield over the next several months and avoid a nuclear conflict with Russia: a return to diplomacy. President Joe Biden needs to call for an immediate cease-fire and armistice agreement to save Ukraine, ensure its security, and preserve its political and economic independence with control of at least 81 percent of its territory. It is in the U.S. national security interest to have Russia and Ukraine negotiate a permanent cease-fire as soon as possible and avoid potential nuclear escalation. The Biden administration should offer to not implement new economic sanctions against Russia, stop sending more U.S. troops to Eastern Europe, and suspend lethal military assistance to Ukraine in exchange for an immediate and sustained Russian ceasefire. A relaxation of sanctions following a peace deal would provide economic relief to millions of Americans suffering from a recession triggered by Western sanctions against Russia.

While writing this proposal, one of the provisions of the proposed armistice agreement I included was that Russia would resume natural gas shipments to the European Union via the Nord Stream 1 or Nord Stream 2 pipelines. But on September 27, both of them were severely damaged by acts of sabotage that appear to be retaliation against Russia. It is unclear which country is responsible for damaging the pipelines but reopening them might have saved thousands of Europeans from freezing to death this winter. The day after the pipeline attacks, former President Donald Trump offered to mediate peace talks to end the war in Ukraine out of concern that sabotaging the pipelines might spark “World War III,” particularly if Moscow believed that the United States or another NATO member was responsible.

Hypocrisy(and irony): The man, that the media cried about having his finger on the nuclear button (not to mention his tearing up of nuclear treaties and expanding America’s nuclear arsenal), is the one willing to mediate to prevent WWIII! Meanwhile, Brandon refuses to negotiate and the media cheers on nuclear war?!

Key Russian Black Sea gas pipeline under threat – US state media

Key Russian Black Sea gas pipeline under threat – US state media

If the TurkStream natural gas pipeline is damaged, its operator won’t be able to mount repairs because the Dutch government has revoked a key license due to EU sanctions against Russia, US state-run RFE/RL alleged on Thursday.

The outlet claimed to have obtained a letter from Oleg Aksyutin, CEO of South Stream Transport BV, informing the company’s managers to stop all work and cancel contracts with Western suppliers. The letter is reportedly dated September 14, and says that the Netherlands – where the company is registered – had canceled its operating license, effective September 17.

South Stream Transport operates TurkStream, a pipeline finalized in 2020, which runs under the Black Sea to Türkiye and then on to Serbia and Hungary. It has an annual capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas. According to Reuters, SouthStream confirmed on Thursday that the license has been revoked, but said it had requested a resumption and “will continue gas transportation.”

While there are no reports about interruptions in the TurkStream supply, RFE/RL noted that much of the pipeline is at the depth of three kilometers, and needs to be constantly monitored for damage due to “seismic activity.”

Commenting on the reported sabotage on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it would be “in no one’s interest,” but then added that the situation represents “a very significant opportunity” for the EU to “finally end” its dependence on Russian gas and “accelerate the transition to renewables.”*

TurkStream is the last remaining pipeline for Russian natural gas to reach the EU. The Yamal pipeline through Poland was shut off in May, due to Russian counter-sanctions against Warsaw, while Gazprom halted deliveries through Ukraine on September 27.

Verifications:

Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly At a Joint Press Availability*

My own sense – and I mentioned this the other day – is, look, there’s a lot of hard work to do to make sure that countries and partners get through the winter. Europe itself has taken very significant steps to both decrease demand but also look at ways to pursue the transition to renewables at the same time. And ultimately this is also a tremendous opportunity. It’s a tremendous opportunity to once and for all remove the dependence on Russian energy and thus to take away from Vladimir Putin the weaponization of energy as a means of advancing his imperial designs. That’s very significant and that offers tremendous strategic opportunity for the years to come, but meanwhile, we’re determined to do everything we possibly can to make sure that the consequences of all of this are not borne by citizens in our countries or, for that matter, around the world.

TurkStream Pipeline Has License Revoked As New Sanctions Come Into Effect

False flag in…3…2…1?! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Only Adult Children Still Believe U.S. Propaganda

by Edward Curtin

It should now be quite clear to any reasonable person that the Biden administration is hell-bent on destroying Russia and will risk nuclear war in doing so. It has already started World War III with its use of Ukraine to light the final match. The problem is that reasonable people are in very short supply, and, as Ray McGovern recently wrote in “Brainwashed for War with Russia, the Biden administration and their media lackeys

Only Adult Children Still Believe U.S. Propaganda

Ukraine applies for NATO membership as Biden warns Putin US will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO land

Ukraine applies for NATO membership, rules out Putin talks

“We understand that this requires the consensus of all the alliance’s members… and therefore, while this is happening, we propose the realization of our proposals regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and all of Europe according to the Kyiv Security Compact,” he said.

Related:

Biden warns Putin US will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO land after Ukraine annexation

Volodymyr Zelensky Has the Worst Idea—Ever

But the latest aid package includes $1 billion in immediate military assistance to Ukraine itself—ammunition, vehicles, etc.—and another $2 billion to be split among 18 NATO members whose lawns face out onto Putin’s disputed property.

These are not things you do unless you’re expecting trouble—a lot of trouble. It’s more than a reassurance that the United States is however far behind you, that’s real money to those countries—even if it’s far less than one hundredth of an Elon Musk to us.

At the highest levels, the U.S. thinks there’s a good chance there’s going to be a fight, as Thomas Hobbes said, of “all against all.”

UN Security Council to Convene on Nord Stream Attacks at Russia’s Request

UN Security Council to Convene on Nord Stream Attacks at Russia’s Request

Related:

Russia Seeking UN Security Council Meeting Over Nord Stream “Act of International Terrorism.” What Else Might Russia Do?

MoA: Whodunnit? – Facts Related to The Sabotage Attack On The Nord Stream Pipelines

Archived Tweet (original deleted).

Analysts report US flights near the Nord Stream pipeline on the eve of the accident + Some Research

U.S. Blew Up Russian Gas Pipelines Nord Stream 1 & 2, Says Former Polish Defense Minister

U.S. Blew Up Russian Gas Pipelines Nord Stream 1 & 2, Says Former Polish Defense Minister (archived)

But President Joe Biden promised on February 7 to prevent Nord Stream 2 from becoming operational if Russia invaded Ukraine. “If Russia invades,” said Biden, “then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.

And [Radek] Sikorski is no Putin apologist. In a May debate with Univeristy of Chicago political scientist, John Mearsheimer, Sikorski accused Russia of being in violation of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons. Following the debate, the Chairman of the Russian State, Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, said “Sikorski is causing a nuclear conflict in the center of Europe. He does not think about the future of Ukraine or that of Poland. If his suggestions are fulfilled, these countries will cease to exist, as will Europe.” Sikorski is also married to Anne Applebaum, a journalist known for her hawkish views toward Russia.

Source: archived (original Tweet deleted).

H/T: Der Friedensstifter

Related:

Germany warned by CIA of possible attack on Nord Stream gas pipeline weeks in advance: report

The extent of the damage means the Nord Stream pipelines are unlikely to be able to carry any gas to Europe this winter even if there was political will to bring them online, analysts at the Eurasia Group said. Russia has halted flows on the 760-mile Nord Stream 1 pipeline during the war, while Germany prevented them from ever starting in the parallel Nord Stream 2.

Warning or covering their a$$es?! I suspect the latter, considering the warning was from “unnamed sources”.

On the night of September 26, a sharp drop in pressure was recorded in line A of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline due to a hole in the pipe. In the evening of the same day, the Nord Stream control center recorded a pressure drop in both lines of the gas pipeline, the press service of the Nord Stream operator company reported.

US Ships Suspected Of Sabotage Attack On Nord Stream Pipelines

U. S. trains Georgian army for new Caucasus conflict

Georgian Ministry of Defense – September 6, 2022

A demonstration exercise of special operations forces was held within the framework of the exercise “Worthy Partner 2022”

Major General Thomas Carden of the National Guard of the US state of Georgia got acquainted with the course of the training together with the leaders of the defense forces. Major General Giorgi Matiashvili hosted the American guest in the headquarters of the Multinational Brigade in the 4th Infantry Brigade.

U. S. trains Georgian army for new Caucasus conflict

Related:

The purpose of the exercise, which will involve more than 2.4 thousand military, including from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey and Estonia, is to increase the compatibility of the forces of Georgia, the United States, regional partners and allied countries “to ensure the stability and security of the Black Sea region.”

Amazing Ukrainian dirty trick at Zaporojie Nuclear Powert Plant + Russia requested a meeting of the UN Security Council because of Kyiv’s provocations at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant

Flash : amazing Ukrainian dirty trick at Zaporojie Nuclear Powert Plant

Spokesman for the UN general secretary, Stéphane Dujarric replies

we are glad that Russia has done what was necessary to protect the IAEA inspectors

when the Ukrainians have tried to storm the plant (question of a journalist).

Something that I missed, earlier(quote by Stéphane Dujarric). It’s even repeated in the related article. I haven’t found it quoted by Western media(Go figure)! Also, see the rest of the post for Nicolas Cinquini’s analysis of the situation at the ZNPP.

Video clip on Telegram (in case it gets deleted from YouTube)

Related:

With the participation of Grossi and Guterres: Russia requested a meeting of the UN Security Council because of Kyiv’s provocations at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant