In a sobering interview-analysis of the current state of Putin's war with Ukraine, former British Army Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon (right) has pointed out that,
"Interviewer Maddie Hale (left) : [Trump] threatened a 25% tariff on imported goods, an undisclosed penalty to India for buying a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy,
along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop killing
in Ukraine ... If Trump actually follows though with his threat, what
impact would that have on Russia.
Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon: Well, hopefully, it would really have a significant impact. We know that the Russian war-machine is, ostensibly being fueled by the hard foreign currency that Putin is getting from his oil. .... (Times Radio: 2 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Fast forward to today and, as reported by Anastasia Stognei (left),
"Steve Witkoff (right), Donald Trump’s special envoy, landed in Moscow early on Wednesday for talks over the Russian war in Ukraine, as Washington presses the Kremlin to agree to a deal to stop fighting before the US president’s Friday deadline or face new sanctions.
…
The visit comes amid Trump’s growing frustration over the lack of progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, with his criticism of Moscow’s repeated drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities becoming increasingly pointed." (Financial Times: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)
As also reported by the Associated Press (AP),
"Putin shows no signs of making concessions.
The diplomatic atmosphere has become more heated as Trump’s deadline approaches.
Separately, one of Putin’s top lieutenants warned that the Ukraine war could nudge Russia and the U.S. into armed conflict.
Putin has repeated the same message throughout the war: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met." (AP on MSN: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Furthermore, as Putin is 'thumping his puny chest' at Trump's threat of secondary sanctions against India, Arpan Rai (left) reports that,
"A top aide to Donald Trump [Mr Miller] accused India of aiding Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine by purchasing Russian oil as tensions between New Delhi and Washington soared over ties with Moscow.
India is lately facing relentless American pressure over its relations with Russia, a longstanding defence and trade partner.
…
And despite Mr Trump’s threats, Indian officials said the country would keep purchasing oil from Russia. " (The Independent on MSN: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)
"After championing Vladimir Putin indefatigably for months, Donald Trump is poised this week to punish Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the first time. But it is India, not Russia, that appears likely to bear the brunt.
…
With bipartisan support in Congress
threatened to throttle Russia’s war economy by imposing 100 per cent tariffs on any country buying its oil.…
India’s role in sustaining Russia’s economy is clear. Before the 2022 invasion, Russian oil accounted for just 0.2 per cent of India’s imports; today it is 45 percent – around two million barrels a day..." (The Telegraph: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)
"The Netherlands will buy 500 million euros ($577 million) of US weapons for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO member to fund a full package under a new scheme to speed deliveries from American stockpiles, the defence ministry said.
...
The Dutch package includes US Patriot missile parts and other systems tailored to Ukraine's front-line requirements, according to the defence ministry." (Agence France-Presse: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Coupled to the immediate supply of weaponry from the Netherlands to Ukraine, Ismail Shakil reports that,
"The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of repair and sustainment support for M777 howitzer artillery guns and transportation and consolidation services to Ukraine for an estimated total of $203.5 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday." (Reuters: 5 August 2025) (my emphasis)
Which rather puts into perspective the 'panicked and demented' idea of Putin that the Russian economy can sustain his 'fantasy' of 'accepting a settlement of his war with Ukraine, only on his 2014 Novorossiya terms, and will keep fighting until they’re met.'
Putin is 'frantically' gambling with the fate of the economic survival of the Russia economy and, consequently, with the economic fate of the people of Russia.
Konstantin Samoilov (left) presents us with the most significant up-to-date (6 August 2025) analysis of the accelerating 'implosion' of Putin's Russian economy, together with the disastrous way it is affecting the ordinary Russian consumer. Please watch the video below.
The 'time-bomb' in Putin's hand is now ticking!
UPDATE: 6 August 2025: GMT 15:16
In Witkoff's biographical details on Britannica, we read that,
"…..[Witkoff] was tasked with negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine War, and he met with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on several occasions. Witkoff’s proposed peace plans have featured several Russian demands, including the ownership of five regions in Ukraine. That point was rejected by Ukraine.
"Witkoff, a former property tycoon, was appointed Trump’s Middle East envoy and has since enjoyed a role as the president’s international diplomatic Mr Fixit. But he’s failed to bring any peace to the Middle East and failed to deliver on Trump’s boast to end the war in Ukraine in “24 hours”.
Steve Witkoff may wonder what he’s there for. To threaten? Reassure?
Or repeat the cooing craven performances he’s shown Vladimir Putin in the past (The Independent: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)
We now await the outcome of this meeting given,
- Witkoff's "cooing craven performances he’s shown Vladimir Putin in the past" (ibid Sam Kiley),
- his former peace plan proposals to end Putin's invasion of Ukraine, which included giving in to Putin's 'Novorossiya ' dream terms, and which included giving Putin the ownership of five regions in Ukraine. (ibid Britannica)
Interestingly, as reported by AP (Associated Press),
...
Dmitriev played a key role in three rounds of direct talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in recent months.
...
Those negotiations have led to exchanges of war prisoners but not progress on curtailing the three-year war following Russia's invasion of its neighbour [Ukraine]." (AP: 6 August 2025) (my emphasis)
As Sam Kiley wonders, "What is Witkoff really for in Moscow"?
To "threaten" Putin?
Or to "re-assure" Putin"!
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