"Vladimir Putin is testing the waters on whether the U.S. is ready to engage in talks for ending Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Bloomberg reports.

“He’s put out feelers to the U.S. via indirect channels to signal he’s open to discussion, including potentially on future security arrangements for Ukraine, according to two people close to the Kremlin.”

“Hints of Russian openness to talks — even if disingenuous — could help sow division among Ukraine’s allies, isolating Kyiv and undermining President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s efforts to win support for his own peace formula, which calls for full Russian withdrawal.”

  • @Womble
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    289 months ago

    If Russia was in a strong position now there would be no point trying to negotiate now when theres a 50:50 chance trump is in power next year and massively strengthens their hand.

    • @RapidcreekOP
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      209 months ago

      There’s the good question. The US and EU are really close to taking the 400 billion of Russian money currently frozen in Western banks. That could have something to do with it.

      • The Snark Urge
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        139 months ago

        Previous cease fires have only been used to gather for another attempt. There’s also no reason to suppose they mind these casualties; their meat grinder tactics are intended to generate horrifying losses, specifically to demoralise.

        • FuglyDuck
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          129 months ago

          Yeah, the problem with that though is it cuts both ways.

          A lot of civilians- specifically widows and mothers and babuskas… want their husbands and sons and grandsons home; but they haven’t been told all that’s left is some burnt teeth and ash.

          • The Snark Urge
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            129 months ago

            I never said it was right, just that disregard for human life is a very traditional and continuing aspect of Russian military doctrine. It’s important to understand that Russia has been grim as fuck since… At least as far back as Ivan the Terrible.

          • NoIWontPickaName
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            19 months ago

            Can I just say how much I love the fact that babushka took the place of grandma in that.

            All English till right there and it just fits so well

            • FuglyDuck
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              19 months ago

              it’s well known that you don’t mess with Babuskas.

              even more so than other varieties of grandma.

        • @Wodge
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          19 months ago

          The meat grinder worked back before the days of tiktok and the like. News would get back to Moscow minus the horrific death tolls, nowadays everyone can see what’s actually happening.

          This war ends with Putin dragged into the streets and his remains being hosed down into the sewer.

          • The Snark Urge
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            19 months ago

            I don’t know if microblogging is going to save the day here. Russia rarely does anything besides get worse.

          • @shalafi
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            19 months ago

            That would end the war, but Russia will quickly put another gangster in charge. Those people have forever been, and forever will be, unable to self-govern.

    • @ghostdoggtv
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      29 months ago

      The thing Putin wants to avoid is NATO realizing they are much stronger actually united than dependent on American weapons manufacturers and then building up their own production capacity.

    • @[email protected]
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      19 months ago

      That’s not how negotiating must work.

      Putin can negotiate now, thus validating trump “peace keeping” if elected. He can say “ice been trying for a year, save me trump, pull out?”