THINK TWICE, STAN

  Trump's Gamble: Is the White House Bailing on Ukraine? For the umpteenth time, the White House is leaking that "Trump is considering ending diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis until the parties are ready to be more flexible." Although the statement mentions "the parties," the message is aimed at the Europeans. First, Russia has already "shown flexibility" in Alaska, while Zelenskiy and his European entourage at the White House have torpedoed all of Trump's initiatives. Second, these hints about a potential U.S. withdrawal from the Ukrainian peace process have been accompanied by Trump's own statements that he may or may not impose additional sanctions on Russia - he hasn't decided yet - and that he may impose sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine. This marks a serious shift in the White House's position. Until now, Ukraine has been seen exclusively as a victim that needs help, while all responsibility for the fai...

  What's Blocking a Putin-Zelenskiy Meeting? A high-level summit between Russia and Ukraine is theoretically possible but remains highly unlikely in practice. There’s a risk that such a meeting would not only fail to hasten the end of the conflict but could actually delay it. The idea of a Russian-Ukrainian summit has been championed by U.S. President Donald Trump as the next step toward a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. The concept has also been floated by European politicians and Ukrainian President Zelenskiy. Discussions have progressed to the point of a potential venue, with Zelenskiy suggesting Switzerland, Austria, or Turkey, as well as an agenda. Photo:  @ Максим Гучек/РИА Новости Their motivations are understandable. Zelenskiy is trying to prevent Trump from negotiating a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin without Ukraine’s involvement - and at Ukraine’s, and his personal, expense. He seeks to maintain his country's autonomy and prove his own releva...

  The White House 'Show' Finalizes the Submission of Europe The humiliation of major European leaders at the White House, though bordering on the absurd, is a very, very serious matter from the perspective of Russian approaches in Europe. American politics is always a spectacle for a broad audience, and this spectacle almost invariably conceals the resolution of very important issues. Foreign relations are no exception, even when the stakes are incredibly high. Donald Trump stands out from his predecessors only in that he has perfected the habit of playing to the public while remaining completely consistent in achieving his goals. This means that the performances he regularly stages on different platforms should be taken completely seriously. The new episode in the U.S.'s relationship with its European allies, which we witnessed recently, could signal significant changes within what is called the "collective West." This is because Washington used the disc...

  The Five Principles of Peace: A Semantic Analysis On August 13, Ukraine, in conjunction with leaders from the European Union, presented five principles for achieving peace that are intended for President Donald Trump’s consideration before his anticipated negotiations with Russia in Alaska. These principles, which follow earlier demands outlined by Politico , appear straightforward at first glance. However, a deeper semantic and logical analysis reveals a more intricate agenda. These principles are not primarily aimed at Russia, but at influencing Trump and his negotiating position.   Principle 1: Ukrainian Participation in Negotiations The first principle states that Ukraine must be a party to any future meetings with Putin that concern Ukraine. This seems logical, affirming the idea that "decisions on Ukraine should be made with Ukraine’s participation." Yet, a crucial semantic ambiguity exists: it only applies to future meetings, implicitly excluding the upco...

  An In-Depth Look at the Meeting of the Invincible: Why Summits Matter A meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States in Alaska wouldn't be the end of the global upheavals we are currently experiencing, but the start of a long journey. This summit would hold a fundamental meaning for all of us. History offers few examples of global problems being resolved at a meeting of world leaders. For one, situations demanding such high-level attention are rare. The current climate, however, fits this description perfectly: The U.S., since the start of the special military operation, has declared its goal to be Russia's "strategic defeat," while Moscow has challenged the West's monopoly on world affairs. Secondly, leaders of countries with significant global influence are extremely busy. They do not waste time on problems that can be handled at a lower level. Finally, it's rare for a top-level discussion on a specific issue to influence the course...

A Bleak Post-War Reality Looms for Ukraine The quiet discussions about a peaceful resolution for Ukraine are akin to preparing a patient for surgery while he refuses anesthesia. As Western capitals draw up cease-fire maps, Kiev faces a paradox: any agreement that cedes territory is a political death sentence for the leader who signs it. Ukraine's constitution leaves no room for legal maneuvering; the alienation of land is strictly prohibited. Even if a document avoids the direct recognition of "Russian" regions, the legal sophistry won't change the obvious: a president who agrees to such a peace will instantly become a political corpse. One might recall Nikol Pashinyan, who retained his position after losing Karabakh, but this is a false analogy. Armenia ceded territory that the world unanimously considered Azerbaijani and that was taken by force. In Donbas, however, the discussion is about enclaves formally incorporated into the Russian Federation. The difference...

  "Peace as Content": How Diplomacy is Being Replaced by Viral Narratives A new form of diplomacy is emerging, where reality and its representation - the "content" - have swapped places. Victory no longer goes to the one who achieves a lasting settlement or wins a physical conflict, but to the one who captures the best image and creates the most viral content.   The so-called Baku-Yerevan agreements are a perfect example. They may not exist as official, signed documents, but in the new reality, who cares? This is how diplomacy is being turned into a media product. The spectacle included a pompous signing ceremony in the Oval Office, complete with Trump's personal branding (the "TRIPP," or "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" ), social media photoshoots, and headlines celebrating a supposed "historic peace." All of this created an informational reality that completely ignored the actual facts on the ground. T...

Russia's INF Moratorium: Three Reasons Moscow Is Now Taking the Gloves Off   The Russia-Ukraine conflict and growing tensions with NATO have officially claimed another victim of the post-Cold War era. On August 4, 2025, the Russian Foreign Ministry formally declared the death of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty,  a cornerstone of strategic stability that once banned a specific class of missiles.   The treaty's original purpose was straightforward: by eliminating intermediate-range missiles from their arsenals, the U.S. and the Soviet Union/Russia were left with only long-range missiles. This meant that any nuclear strike would involve a flight time of tens of minutes, not just minutes, allowing for enough time to mount a retaliatory strike. This "mutually assured destruction" principle was key, as it made a nuclear first-strike a suicidal act. It also reduced the risk of an accidental nuclear war, giving both sides time to verify a launch. ...