“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”

-Mark Twain

Introduction

In a pre-dawn TV address on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Russian could not feel “safe, develop and exist” because of what he claimed was a constant threat from Ukraine.

Immediately, Russian launched a devastating attack on Ukraine. Airports and military installations were attacked as Russian sent tanks, troops and warplanes into major Ukrainian cities.

Reaction of the West

NATO countries began to provide weapons to Ukraine and the European Union (EU), for the first time ever, began to buy and send arms to Ukraine.

The contribution to Ukraine made by President Biden has dwarfed the contributions of European countries.

Assets and Funds Sent by U.S. are Wasted

CBS news has censored its own documentary which exposed how only 30 percent of weapons provided by the U.S. make it to the front lines.

The CBS film “Arming Ukraine” explores where the billions of dollars of military aid that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine has gone. Experts told CBS they had no idea where most of the money and weapons are going.

In July, the Biden administration announced another $1.7 billion in aid to Ukraine, bringing the total taxpayer money spent to more than $65 billion since the war started.

Biden has continued to say the spending on Ukraine will continue indefinitely, despite the fact that very few lawmakers have any idea where the first $65 billion ended up.

Last week Ukraininan President Zelensky called for $750 billion to aid in the reconstruction of Ukraine, declaring that the rebuilding of Ukraine “is the common task of the entire democratic world.”

Ukraine Conflict Created by NATO

Top diplomats and U.S. officials who oversaw post-Soviet negotiations with Russia in the 1990’s knew that if NATO ever expanded to Russia’s borders, it would lead to war. Russia would no more tolerate the expansion of NATO up to its border than the United States would tolerate Russian missiles in Cuba.

During the Russian troop buildup prior to the invasion of Ukraine, rather than promise Russia that Ukraine would not be invited to join NATO, NATO leadership pushed Ukraine to hold a firm public line that they were seeking NATO membership.

Conclusion

Russia knows it has the West on the ropes. We need the energy they produce and they are determined to set the rules on who gets the energy and what they are charged.

Russian gas sold to China is up 67 percent through May 2022 as Russian is providing energy stability to its friends.

Russia is making more money from energy exports than ever. Russia’s military is running an efficient war of attrition in Ukraine which Ukraine, with fewer resources, cannot win.

Russia’s dealing with the West, from here on, will be on Russia’s terms.

Photo by P20220316AS-0881