Yes, Root Causes ...

 ... repeated over and over again by Russia, including today in Putin and Trump call. 

Both the Russian and US leaders agreed that a temporary ceasefire as proposed by Ukraine and its European backers “would only prolong the conflict and risk a resumption of hostilities,” according to the Kremlin aide. Putin agreed to a proposal from Trump to continue the settlement process by forming two “working groups” to tackle security and economic issues, Ushakov said. Earlier on Sunday, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that he had a “very productive” conversation with Putin.

This is from RT. To understand what it going on I single out this: 

Putin agreed to a proposal from Trump to continue the settlement process by forming two “working groups” to tackle security and economic issues. 

In non-diplomatic language it means that the US (Trump Administration) needs to do very many things before the gate to offramp will truly open. It is a long, protracted process, though--relations between the US and Russia have been thoroughly destroyed by the US following Soviet collapse, while simultaneously degenerating into the present state of a complete political and cognitive chaos. But this is regarding the US. Europe? Here is report on that in proper wording:

The leaders of the two countries agreed to assess the proposals of Kiev and the European Union for a peaceful settlement as attempts to prolong the conflict, since proposals for a temporary ceasefire under the guise of preparing for a referendum, according to the presidents, only increase the risk of a resumption of hostilities. Both presidents agreed to call again soon after Trump's meeting with Zelensky.   

Get it? That's the maneuver. That's the core issue for the US. Detach (from Europe, which is dead anyway), come to Mother Russia with atonement by means of all kinds of diplomatic and economic moves which look like mutually beneficial and the real discussion on how the US will be "integrated" into the multipolar world will commence. The US is too important of a country, a military-political entity to be ignored. Europe is not. Fate of NATO? Only morons in NATO's Brussels HQs can believe that they can fight Russia. So, it doesn't really matter what will be the outcome of Trump and Ze "negotiations". 

It Is Not Just In Yekaterinburg.

Russia is (finally) finishing off ethnic (this time Azeri) "diaspora" which is a euphemism for organized crime groups. Here is the arrest of the "boss" of Ural "diaspora" who, naturally, controls free farmers' markets in the area and is accused of a series of homicides going back as far as 1990s. 

But that is not just Yekaterinburg, Voronezh also joined the chat and it begins to look as a massive operation across Russia where ethnic mafias are beginning to live in a new paradigm. This has nothing to do with hundreds of thousands of regular Azerbaijanis, many of who are law abiding Russia's citizens, but the signal to ethnic organized crime groups is clear. 

Official Baku decided to go, for now, head to head with Russia, including jailing Russian citizens, correspondents of Baku bureau of Sputnik. 

According to Azerbaijani media, a total of seven suspects have been detained in the case involving the Russian journalists. However, only the senior editors ended up in pre-trial custody. The case reportedly involves multiple offenses, including fraud, illegal business dealings and money laundering. Shortly after the raid on the Sputnik office, Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Azerbaijani Ambassador Rakhman Mustafaev, citing “Baku’s hostile actions and the unlawful detention of Russian journalists.” 

Well, wrong move. Russia is completely independent in every single respect from Azerbaijan, while the same cannot be stated for official Baku. Especially, when suddenly some "rumors" (wink, wink) begin to circulate that some drones, both against Iran and Russia, could have been launched from the territory of Azerbaijan. So, we know how it will go if things do not change in official Baku attitude. If Baku thinks that its close relations with Turkey are somehow any kind of assurances--wrong assessment. And pissing off Iran, boy ... well Azerbaijani political top can call on whatever they want, but the weight categories are so incomparable that I would rather get myself a bucket of pop-corn.  

Meanwhile, bank teller boy called Putin. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron by telephone, the Kremlin press service said on Tuesday. It is the first phone contact between the leaders since September 2022. The conversation revolved around the situation in the Middle East, as well as the Ukraine conflict. During the call, Putin told Macron that the Ukraine conflict was “a direct consequence of the policies pursued by Western states, which for many years ignored Russia’s security interests,” and had established an “anti-Russian bridgehead” in the country, the press service stated. The Russian leader reiterated Moscow’s approach to any settlement, stating that it must “be comprehensive and long-term, address the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and be based on new territorial realities.”

Allegedly France did land some contingent to Odessa. Doesn't matter, I hope those hapless servicemen wrote parting letters to their families, because they will be found out and killed. I don't even know what else did Macron expect to hear from Putin, because Russia's conditions re: 404 are the same. But this loser will now parade in a front of the same EU losers like him his phone call as if France matters in any serious geopolitical matters. She does not. 

Does This National Leader Look Ill?

You know, Putin suffers from this and that--the favorite shtick of losers from the Western MSM. 

The guy, obviously, looks totally in control and is a classic Putin of the last 10-15 years, confident and even ad-libbing. Why shouldn't he be confident, Russia is making a killing with her exports and, as I said many times before, it is combined West which finances Russia's SMO. Even if Russia will HAVE to take most of 404 on her balance, current market allows Russia to draw on additional resources which West's stupidity provided for Russia. Per Finland's NATO bid, sure, Turks are ready to have their own opinion on the matter;). 

Ah yes, "Lord" Austin finally got Shoigu on the phone today, LOL. 

(CNN)US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon announced on Friday.The call lasted approximately an hour and was at the request of Austin, who used the first call between the two in 84 days to urge Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to implement an "immediate ceasefire," according to a brief readout of the call. The two last spoke on February 18, a week before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

The call was initiated by Pentagon, and as you may have guessed already, Austin demanded the "immediate ceasefire" because, as we all know, Ukraine is winning so massively that Pentagon worries that Russia's loss may lead to the fall of Moscow and, as you all know, the welfare of Russian people is a matter of grave concern and care of the White House and Pentagon. They just hate to see Russian people unhappy. Nah, I am screwing with you, LOL. Pentagon sees how its own SOBs from Nazis and VSU get their asses handed to them and they are desperate to stop the annihilation of the VSU Donbas grouping. Simple as that. Russia, of course, will not stop and soon even a debacle of Afghanistan will be overshadowed.  What can I say, the answer was like this:

Sure, sure, Mr. Austin, we will cease fire like... any minute now, not.