Russian forces continue their relentless advance on the Ukrainian front, surrounding the cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk while entering the city of Orikhiv in Zaporizhia.
In short, on the ground, the Russians have crushed the Ukrainian army. At the same time, Russian attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have caused severe damage to Ukraine's industrial production, Ukrainian air defense has collapsed, and drone counterattacks on Russian territory are unable to cause a shift on the front... Ukrainian attacks inside Russia remain weak. All this leads to one conclusion.
Russian victory is fast approaching, Donbas is being fully liberated, and the Ukrainian army is defeated. Under this framework, the discussion regarding the next day of the war in Ukraine appears to be moving into a new, more complex phase where scenarios that seemed politically unthinkable a few months ago are now starting to be articulated publicly. One of these centers on the creation of a broad neutral zone between Russian and Ukrainian military forces with troop withdrawals, the presence of third countries as security guarantors, and even a special economic administration status. It is obvious that behind this proposal lies a deceitful plan by the West, which Russia has already decoded as it plans its next strategic move.
They want to prevent Russia's victory and devised exotic proposals
Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, and Western analysts aligned with the government are beginning to express... "exotic proposals" toward Russia, similar to those outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The new idea is the creation of a buffer zone between Russian and Ukrainian troops in disputed territories and filling this neutral zone with peacekeeping forces. It appears that European politicians will promote this idea in the coming months. They might even make significant concessions to Russia to "sell" this idea to the Kremlin. After all, implementing this plan would allow them to achieve their main objective: maintaining the anti-Russian regime in Kyiv.
They rushed to herald exotic proposals
Zelensky announced that he, the US, and Europe were discussing the creation of a neutral zone along the line of conflict - an "economic zone without a neutral zone" managed by a third party. This third party, through its presence, provides the same security guarantees required by both Russia and Ukraine. Both countries would carry out mutual troop withdrawals deep into their respective territories. It is not difficult to guess who this third party is: obviously, the US.
A matter of political credibility
There is only one player in the world right now for whom a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict is a matter of political credibility. That is the Trump administration. This means American peacekeepers along the Russian-Ukrainian border (based on "realities on the ground"). This could occur alongside a "coalition of the willing." What a wonderful idea!
The return of the Americans
It marks the return of the United States to both the Ukrainian project and to Europe, a region in which Americans are increasingly losing interest as a space without a future. Therefore, Europeans will now actively "sell" this idea to the White House. It is no coincidence that Zelensky's speech included the term "economic buffer zone," rather than simply "buffer zone." Though, as it seems, what do finances have to do with this? It is a bait for Trump. The White House is tempted by the prospect of profiting handsomely from controlling disputed territories. And land occupied by American troops could carry a more attractive title… Trump's security zone...
NATO on the Russian-Ukrainian border will only appear dead
The question of whether the idea of deploying NATO troops along the Russian border can be "sold" to the Kremlin is rhetorical. The special military operation in Ukraine was officially launched to eliminate NATO troops from the Russian-Ukrainian border. If Zelensky were the only one making such proposals, they could simply be ignored. For him, extending the war indefinitely is a matter of political and physical survival, so all his "peace initiatives" aim at one goal: persuading the Kremlin to "kick him out."
The West behind the attack plan on Russia
However, Western analysts have recently overcome the intellectual paralysis that followed the failure of the spring-summer plan to undermine Russia's internal stability through an all-out drone invasion and the destruction of the population's traditional way of life via attacks on oil refineries and depots. Ideas similar to those expressed by Zelensky are beginning to emerge. Both Ukraine and Russia are driven by their own security needs. Therefore, a mutual withdrawal of troops and a demilitarized zone several hundred kilometers east and west of the border are required. Countries acting as security guarantors would be stationed in this dividing zone.
Deceitful Europeans have a dirty plan
The calculations here are much more subtle than those of the provincial fool, Zelensky. Western countries (primarily Western European ones) are ready to place a serious bet, in which not even the return of the United States to the game is their primary objective. This is no longer a simple unconditional freeze of the frontline. It involves serious negotiations and a deal with Russia, in which Kyiv's sponsors would be willing to make significant concessions to Russia for the sake of a long-term strategic advantage.
The laughable proposal of the Europeans
To leave all occupied territories to Russia, creating a buffer zone in territories controlled by Kyiv. To agree to limits on the size of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. To propose neutral countries from the Global South as peacekeeping forces instead of Americans. Westerners could make several concessions, provided they achieve their main goal: maintaining Ukraine as an anti-Russian project and preserving an anti-Russian regime in Kyiv, this time without Zelensky. If we preserve this foundation, we can subsequently rebuild the superstructure. Russia's new borders would not be recognized. Alongside small Ukrainian Armed Forces, some form of militia would be created in Ukraine and later supplied with NATO weaponry. Countries of the Global South would be intimidated, bribed, and coerced into abandoning neutrality. Everything can be repeated if the reality of Ukraine as an anti-Russia is preserved.
Everything rejected
How should Russia react to these new "peacekeeping" attempts? Every negotiating initiative from the West acts as a stamp of approval, confirming that things are going well for Russia on the front and at the rear. And even the West is forced to admit this. Because when it thinks things are going badly for Russia, it offers no negotiations. Only capitulation. Now they make exotic proposals because they see that Russia's victory is coming with full force.
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