The end of year celebrations are over, and the new year is upon us.
In his attempt to stave off his impending impeachment trial in the US Senate, Trump has brought the world to the brink of a dangerous war between the US and Iran.
In 2011, Trump predicted that the then US president, Barak Obama,
" ... would attack Iran in order to win a second term. Trump followed this notion up at other points in 2011 and 2012." (MSNBC : 3 Jan 2019) (my emphasis)
It is rather ironic that this is now precisely what Trump, himself, is doing, to the utter consternation of many leaders around the world.
Is it therefore any wonder that Putinversteher Merkel and Putin will be meeting on 11 January,
"... to discuss pressing issues on the international agenda, including the situation in Syria and Libya, as well as the escalation of tensions in the Middle East following a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad's airport on January 3..." (UNIAN : 6 January 2020) (my emphasis)
as well as,
"... also touch upon the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine, in particular regarding the implementation of the Minsk agreements and arrangements reached at the Normandy Four summit held in Paris December 9." (ibid UNIAN 6 Jan 2020)
"Ukraine has welcomed expected U.S. sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline as"good news," while Germany, the main beneficiary of the project, has rejected the move as "foreign interference.
...
U.S. Senate and House committees agreed on December 9 to include a bill placing sanctions on Nord Stream 2 in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), putting up a potential roadblock to the project's completion." (RFERL : 12 December 2019) (my emphasis)
Putin and Merkel are now scrambling to cobble together a deal that will allow Putin 'to save face' over allowing the transit of Russian gas across Ukraine, thus pouring money into the coffers of Ukraine.
The scrabbling together of this deal is best illustrated by the fact that,
"CEO of Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) LLC Serhiy Makogon says the company has received payment for gas transit in full from Russia’s Gazprom, despite a reduction in volumes of gas transmitted." (Kyiv Post : 5 Jan 2020) (my emphasis)
Meanwhile, US Secretary Of State, Mike Pompeo,
"... just had a call with Ukraine's [President Volodymyr] Zelensky. Comes after he delayed his visit to Kyiv. He's now expected to go at the end of the month," journalist Christopher Miller said on Twitter on January 6, referring to a U.S. State Department readout of a recent phone call between the two officials." (UNIAN : 7 January 2020) (my emphasis)
US Secretary Of State Pompeo, however, now finds the agenda of his meeting with Zelensky somewhat on shaky grounds as more evidence now emerges that Trump, Mafia-like, tried to shake down Zelensky during that fateful call in July 2019.
As reported by Rachel Maddow,
"... they [Ukraine] can't get the military aid unless they announce the investigation [into Joe Biden] ... Dont't worry .. They will get the military aid as soon as Mike Pence has that meeting [with President Zelensky] ..." (MSNBC : 7 Jan 2020) (my emphasis)
Even more disconcerting for Pompeo, John Bolton (left), former Trump National Security Advisor who resigned from the Trump administration, is ready to testify before the Senate about the 'drug deal', as he calls it, that Trump was trying to make with Zelensky.
The White House is now on edge, as are Trump's vehement supporters in the US Senate.
As I wrote previously (11/12/2019),
"It is ironical that both Zelensky and Putin have Trump's fate in their hands viz.
"I think it would be appropriate to be diplomatic as we’ve just started talking. Let’s say for now it’s a draw.” (Roman Olearchyk and Henry Foy) (my emphasis)
What agenda will Pompeo now be bringing with him to Kiev in light of John Bolton's announcement that he is willing to testify, against Trump, at the upcoming Senate impeachment trial against Trump?
Zelensky now has it in his power to call the shots with Pompeo, if they ever meet this month.
As the evidence of Trump's shakedown of Zelensky continues to mount, Pompeo's hands will be tied.
How will Zelensky handle his upcoming meeting with Pompeo?
(to be continued)
In his attempt to stave off his impending impeachment trial in the US Senate, Trump has brought the world to the brink of a dangerous war between the US and Iran.
In 2011, Trump predicted that the then US president, Barak Obama,
" ... would attack Iran in order to win a second term. Trump followed this notion up at other points in 2011 and 2012." (MSNBC : 3 Jan 2019) (my emphasis)
It is rather ironic that this is now precisely what Trump, himself, is doing, to the utter consternation of many leaders around the world.
Is it therefore any wonder that Putinversteher Merkel and Putin will be meeting on 11 January,
"... to discuss pressing issues on the international agenda, including the situation in Syria and Libya, as well as the escalation of tensions in the Middle East following a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad's airport on January 3..." (UNIAN : 6 January 2020) (my emphasis)as well as,
"... also touch upon the settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine, in particular regarding the implementation of the Minsk agreements and arrangements reached at the Normandy Four summit held in Paris December 9." (ibid UNIAN 6 Jan 2020)
also touch upon the
settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine, in particular regarding
the implementation of the Minsk agreements and arrangements reached at
the Normandy Four summit held in Paris December 9.
Read more on UNIAN: https://www.unian.info/world/10820321-merkel-to-visit-russia-at-putin-s-invitation.html
Let us remind ourselves that,Read more on UNIAN: https://www.unian.info/world/10820321-merkel-to-visit-russia-at-putin-s-invitation.html
"Ukraine has welcomed expected U.S. sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline as"good news," while Germany, the main beneficiary of the project, has rejected the move as "foreign interference.
...
U.S. Senate and House committees agreed on December 9 to include a bill placing sanctions on Nord Stream 2 in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), putting up a potential roadblock to the project's completion." (RFERL : 12 December 2019) (my emphasis)
Youtube : 12 December 2019
Putin and Merkel are now scrambling to cobble together a deal that will allow Putin 'to save face' over allowing the transit of Russian gas across Ukraine, thus pouring money into the coffers of Ukraine.
The scrabbling together of this deal is best illustrated by the fact that,
"CEO of Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) LLC Serhiy Makogon says the company has received payment for gas transit in full from Russia’s Gazprom, despite a reduction in volumes of gas transmitted." (Kyiv Post : 5 Jan 2020) (my emphasis)
Meanwhile, US Secretary Of State, Mike Pompeo,"... just had a call with Ukraine's [President Volodymyr] Zelensky. Comes after he delayed his visit to Kyiv. He's now expected to go at the end of the month," journalist Christopher Miller said on Twitter on January 6, referring to a U.S. State Department readout of a recent phone call between the two officials." (UNIAN : 7 January 2020) (my emphasis)
US Secretary Of State Pompeo, however, now finds the agenda of his meeting with Zelensky somewhat on shaky grounds as more evidence now emerges that Trump, Mafia-like, tried to shake down Zelensky during that fateful call in July 2019.
As reported by Rachel Maddow,
"... they [Ukraine] can't get the military aid unless they announce the investigation [into Joe Biden] ... Dont't worry .. They will get the military aid as soon as Mike Pence has that meeting [with President Zelensky] ..." (MSNBC : 7 Jan 2020) (my emphasis)
Even more disconcerting for Pompeo, John Bolton (left), former Trump National Security Advisor who resigned from the Trump administration, is ready to testify before the Senate about the 'drug deal', as he calls it, that Trump was trying to make with Zelensky.The White House is now on edge, as are Trump's vehement supporters in the US Senate.
MSNBC 6 Jan 2020
As I wrote previously (11/12/2019),
"It is ironical that both Zelensky and Putin have Trump's fate in their hands viz.
- Putin's 'compromat' on Trump (cf the Steele Dossier), and
- Zelensky's 'complete 25 July transcript ' of that call he had with Trump'
"I think it would be appropriate to be diplomatic as we’ve just started talking. Let’s say for now it’s a draw.” (Roman Olearchyk and Henry Foy) (my emphasis)
What agenda will Pompeo now be bringing with him to Kiev in light of John Bolton's announcement that he is willing to testify, against Trump, at the upcoming Senate impeachment trial against Trump?
Zelensky now has it in his power to call the shots with Pompeo, if they ever meet this month.
As the evidence of Trump's shakedown of Zelensky continues to mount, Pompeo's hands will be tied.
How will Zelensky handle his upcoming meeting with Pompeo?
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