Excellent From Larry ...

 ... about "polishing the turd". 

I thought the phrase “you can’t polish a turd” originated with the British or US Navy. For you non-native English speakers, it means that you cannot improve something which is inherently or unalterably unpleasant or of poor quality. After doing additional research, one of the earliest recorded uses is attributed to Geoffrey Stokes in his 1977 book Star-Making Machinery: Inside the Business of Rock and Roll, where it is used in the context of music production. The phrase gained popularity and became widely recognized in various contexts, often used humorously to describe futile efforts to improve something fundamentally flawed. That summarizes Keir Starmer’s meeting on Thursday with Donald Trump.

Read the whole thing at Larry's blog. A peculiar detail of this meeting, however, was that not for a second DJT and Starmer had any communications tete-a-tete. Meanwhile, a LOL of a strategic importance. Good grief ...

(NewsNation) — Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, says the United States is hoping to make an estimated $20 billion from a rare earth minerals deal Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump are negotiating. “I think the President’s vision is that not only will it help us with our national security to have the critical minerals, which are so important for putting computers together and everything else, but also, if there’s U.S. ownership in those places, that it will help secure those places, because you, of course wouldn’t want to be attacking U.S. things,” Hassett said in an interview with NewsNation correspondent Kellie Meyer on “Morning in America.”

Russians immediately deployed their superweapon--yes, a meme ... Yes, this one. You don't need "translation for that". For reference--Bacchus and Ariadne by Guido Reni. 

Yes, $20 billion, no NOT trillion, billion. You know, a pocket change or Stewie from The Family Guy trying to "impress bitches" with his 0.2 inches dick. Or the dick of Bacchus. Yeah, $20 billion--a pocket change. 

I Couldn't Resist...

 ... latest from Kiev and Scholz' visit there))) 

 

Military Porn...

 ... of Gorshkov and Kazan "launching". The key phrase in the segment--Targeting Autonomous. 

They have been training launches at the ranges of "longer than 600 kilometers" as reported in media. Hm, I wonder what that all means, wink, wink.

 

Yet Another Kinzhal Use...

Looks like Kinzhal is a very good weapon, especially against deep underground reinforced positions. As Konashenkov states:

"Днем 11 апреля в районе населенного пункта Часов Яр Донецкой области авиационным ракетным комплексом "Кинжал" уничтожен заглубленный, хорошо защищенный командный пункт группировки украинских войск в Донбассе", - сказал он.

Translation: "On the afternoon of April 11, near the village of Chasov Yar, Donetsk region, the Kinzhal aviation missile system destroyed a buried, well-protected command post of a grouping of Ukrainian troops in the Donbass," he said.

I am sure we will be treated to a video fairly soon. In the meantime, this Austrian dude wanted to make a point in Moscow, but it, obviously, didn't go as planned:

The negotiations were not a “friendly visit” but were rather “very direct, open and hard,” Nehammer told Austrian media after the talks. He signaled that the conversation revolved around the humanitarian aspect of the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine. “This is not a friendly visit. I’ve just come from Ukraine and saw with my own eyes the immeasurable suffering caused by the Russian war of aggression,” Nehammer stated, adding that he had raised alleged “war crimes” blamed on Russian troops during the meeting. The chancellor also revealed that he told Putin that anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU would remain in place and could even be reinforced as long as the conflict goes on. “The EU is more united than ever on this issue,” Nehammer stated.

I am sure this guy who served in Austrian military for a couple of years and has a degree in... drum roll... "political communications" is totally ready to communicate with Russians. Nah, I am being facetious, European "elites" are a joke. Just for the heck of it, try to Google "Latvian Mix" (meaning crude oil), see for yourself if you will find anything. I'll give you a hint, these EU imbeciles imposed sanctions on Russia, while the US makes exemptions left and right on Russia's imports to the US, and now they try to bypass their own "sanctions". It is a complete panopticon. A circus, really. 

Per military affairs. Mariupol port is fully under LDNR (Russian) forces control, and here is my talking head from yesterday. 

Wait until you hear what Ukie Nazis are doing in Slavyansk, including torture of civilians (in Russian), and then you may get the idea why Russians cannot stand modern West. Again, Russians do not talk to Nazis and their enablers, and that explains why Russians "don't pick up the phone".

Russia's military action in Ukraine is meant to put an end to the US-dominated world order, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has explained. Washington has been seeking supremacy by imposing ad-hoc rules and violating international law, he claimed, in an interview aired by Russian television on Monday. He was referring to America's attempts to impose its own so-called “rules-based international order,” which have met with strong resistance from Moscow and China. “Our special military operation is meant to put an end to the unabashed expansion [of NATO] and the unabashed drive towards full domination by the US and its Western subjects on the world stage,” Lavrov told Rossiya 24 news channel.

Meanwhile, Margo Simonyan should simply abandon RT, because she dropped the ball in a major way by making RT a tribune for globalist creeps like this clown (among many other humanities "educated" Russian Atlanticists), and she should just retire and resign herself to the idea that being a media personality in no way substitutes professional qualities of a serious geopolitical observer and analyst and those are not taught in madras where 90% of RT's "experts" come from. Degree in "journalism" is not a real serious education. But in general it is the time of reckoning of which I write non-stop for years, that "liberal" view of the world, including its meandering "education" is not capable to cope with extremely complex realities of a modern world. Just to demonstrate, how about that:

Правительство запускает федеральный проект по созданию 30 передовых инженерных школ на вузовских площадках в различных регионах страны, сообщил премьер-министр Михаил Мишустин."Молодые специалисты должны перенимать знания и умения по обслуживанию сложных систем у профессионалов высочайшего класса", - заявил он. В течение трех лет на эти задачи в рамках государственной программы "Научно-технологическое развитие" предусмотрены свыше 36 миллиардов рублей.

Translation: The government is launching a federal project to create 30 advanced engineering schools at university sites in various regions of the country, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said. "Young specialists must learn the knowledge and skills to maintain complex systems from top-class professionals," he said. Within three years, more than 36 billion rubles are provided for these tasks within the framework of the state program "Scientific and Technological Development".

 

You see, not journalist schools, not some "international relations" BS, not arts and "free thinkers" madras, but those who can create things which matter. It is a brave new world.

Worth Thousand Words.

It it sad, but it is also hilarious. A video is worth a thousand words. Serbia's President Vucic is being had (together with Serbia) in every hole. This video is already making rounds and poor Masha Zaharova was forced (Russians usually keep their cool under most circumstances) to clarify after she posted this in her Facebook. Serbs were incensed, probably because of this being true, and video is hilarious and proves that it is true. 

Well, as I say non-stop, you cannot save people from themselves. In the end, one is ultimately responsible for choices one makes. Saker posted a good write up on this whole bizarre affair at his blog and I suggest you acquaint yourself with this excellent guest analysis.

In related news, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Kuleba concluded that this was Ukraine which brought civilization to Russia. We know that Ukraine is run from D.C. and Brussels (in different proportions, I don't care to calculate) and that Ukrainian "elites", while cruder and dumber are still a reflection of say, America's "elites", which are also crude and dumb and installed own likeness, but the point is that huge percentage of Ukrainian population, including Russian-speakers shares this point of view. That explains, yet again, why not only Russia didn't go into Ukraine in 2014 but why iron curtain between Russia and Ukraine is ultimately required, including removal of many seasonal Ukrainian workers from Russia and blocking their return. The issue is not only of some of them being SBU assets, for that there is FSB, but with the overall virus of Ukrainian insanity and perfidy which needs to be contained outside Russia's borders. As I repeat ad nauseam--Ukraine did happen as a political nation and nothing could, or should, be done about it. Russians and Ukrainians are, indeed, different and that is all for the better. Europe has plenty of strawberry farms and toilet bowls needing tending to and Ukraine fits perfectly to this function. In the end, there is always Canada, where they love svidomys. 

Meanwhile, Pentagon issued a report to US Congress on China's military capability. You all know my attitude to Pentagon's "analysis", plus you know that I am not a Sinophile by any stretch of imagination--I do not even pretend to be a specialist in China--but something tells me that D.C. long ago lost any touch with the reality and as historic record shows, as Patrick Armstrong observed, the US is a slower learner in matters of real war. I will have to endure digging into all those pages of data to have my opinion on the issue Interesting still to read between the lines in such kind of reports.

I Wonder Why.

Nah, not really. The United States today imposed sanctions (a favorite pastime after baseball in the United States) on a number of foreign companies, among which three are Russia's. 

Imposition of Nonproliferation Measures Against Foreign Persons, Including a Ban on U.S. Government Procurement.  

Among them, one company, certainly, stands out. It is NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM), which is a legendary producer of some of the most advanced space systems and...drum roll, drum rolling, still rolling... Soviet/Russian most remarkable anti-shipping missiles such as P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck), P-800 Onyx and, of course, 3M22 Zircon. Of course sanctions themselves are nothing more than an attempt "to do something" because, obviously, they in no way affect such a monster as NPOM and, in fact, point #3 is down right hilarious:

3. No United States Government sales to these foreign persons of any item on the United States Munitions List are permitted, and all sales to these persons of any defense articles, defense services, or design and construction services under the Arms Export Control Act are terminated. 

This reminds me of an old Russian saying that one, to spite others, goes out in winter storm and makes sure his ears get frostbitten. That surely shows them, right? I am sure NPOM just sleeps and dreams of American "munition item" to be sold to them to accelerate NPOM's development of supersonic and hyper-sonic cruise missiles. Oh, wait, the United States doesn't have any. So, never mind. I think there are many people in US Military-Industrial Complex and Intelligence structures who would love to learn what Russians are doing with their dramatically superior cruise missile programs. The question which must be asked here is this: why now? Let us try to answer it. 

No, the answer is not in the fact that alleged Russian stooge Donald Trump still fights the remnants of Obama-Clinton operatives within Department of State who do their utmost to sabotage Russian-American relations. This is not the case at all. First, DJT is no Russia's fan and, in fact, he is one of the most anti-Russian presidents in history. Nor, even if that wouldn't have been the case, anything would change because the United States simply CAN NOT behave otherwise for a number of internal reasons. But, but...what's coming soon up in DJT's President's International Schedule, ah, here it is: 

Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump will visit India, with stops in the capital New Delhi and the western state of Gujarat, from February 24-25, the White House announced Monday.  

Hm, but how this visit is related to  sanctions on NPOM? Very directly. Joint Venture between NPOM and India' DRDO is known to the world as Brahmos. It is the ONLY organization in the world outside Russia which produces the most potent and deadly anti-shipping and land-attack missile based on outstanding design of P-800 Onyx. It is a very-long range (800 kilometers) Mach=3 missile, which also is getting ready to go not only up to Mach=5, but full hyper-sonic by the year 2025 and, what is most interesting, this missile is getting ready for EXPORT (In Russian)! Now you can understand this clause in this sanctions declaration:

Scientific Production Association Mashinostroyeniya (NPOM)(Russia) and any successor, sub-unit, or subsidiary thereof;  

It is not about proliferation, it never was--it is an implicit admission of inability to compete with much better weapons Russia produces, especially in the nation (India) which was a recipient of this technology for decades and not only is expecting the start of the deliveries of S-400 AD complex soon, for which India payed $5 billion, but also has Brahmos missile as a mainstay of India's Navy. Now imagine the effect of even basic version of Brahmos going on sale for foreign parties. What if Mach=5 version goes on sale? I am not talking about full hyper-sonic variants, which, for now will remain only in Russia and India, once Brahmos JV finishes its development. This is the MAIN reason why NPOM ended up in this US Department of State list. 

As I say non-stop, ad nauseam--emergence of hyper-sonic long range anti-shipping missiles wrecks havoc with American naval strategy. It overthrows (well, it sort of did already) all traditional views and thinking modalities about modern war. At the center of it are those damn Russkies and their hi-tech corporations, such as NPOM, which produce the advanced military technology which changes global geopolitical landscape. It also changed geoeconomic one, once one considers that the United States increasingly is losing competitiveness to Russia in military technology. As one Russian (former naval officer) political observer noted--yes, Virginia-class SSNs are good submarines, yes, they are "fourth" generation, but their problem is that they carry obsolete weapons. Indeed, how should US Navy's excellent subs impress an enemy when the only things they carry are obsolete TLAMs and venerable subsonic AGM-84 Harpoons or possibly same subsonic LRASMs--an easy prey for any competent adversary with modern air-defense. But if even 30 years ago the United States could claim some leadership in enablers (from Combat Management Systems, to Sensors, to EW), this leadership is largely gone by now. And here we are--the need to stop competition by any means, including applying crude and always failing pressure--Trump's favorite and the only MO--on the so called American "partners", will only underscore an increased insecurity of the self-proclaimed hegemon, who failed time after time to demonstrate a viability of own doctrinal, strategic and technological views on modern warfare. And yes, do not forget shareholders, how can we forget them--it is for them that the US military-industrial complex exists.  

Yes, in related news:

The Philippines Army has zeroed in on purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to be equipped on its first ever land-based missile system battery following extensive trials and the only thing that remains is finance aspect of the deal. “As far as the Philippines Army is concerned, the consensus on the BrahMos system is a done deal. Now, it’s all about the price negotiations and we hope the deal will be finalised next year,” a source familiar with the negotiations was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times on Monday.

Also in related news:

Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump dismissed concerns Wednesday about the Philippines canceling a major military accord, saying the decision would save Americans money. The 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) created a legal framework for the presence of US troops in the Philippines and for organizing joint military exercises. Manila announced its decision Tuesday -- a move the US embassy in the Philippines called a "serious step" -- touching off a six-month countdown to the end of the deal.

Make your own conclusions.

While Your Attention...

May be focused on this:

More than 20 deals have been signed on Monday between Moscow and Riyadh during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Saudi Arabia.Agreements include the charter for long-term cooperation between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-cartel oil producers. Along with the charter, the two countries have signed a protocol on energy cooperation.The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), and ESN Group agreed to invest in designing, building, and operating a methanol plant in Russia’s Far East, in the Amur region. The plant is expected to have an annual capacity of up to 2 million tons, according to RDIF.

And more along the same lines of direct Saudi investments and even leasing planes in Russia. The real wowser is, actually, this: 

Egypt will substitute its large tank park of old Soviet T-55 and T-62 tanks with T-90MC (in Russian). 

Recall also that Iraqi 35th Mechanized Brigade preferred T-90 to US made Abrams tanks. Egypt, meanwhile, altogether produces pre-kitted Abrams tanks in Egypt. I guess Syria answered a lot of questions regarding combat performance of the military hardware. So, as you can see, things are getting extremely interesting in the world. Now, we have to see where this whole anti-Constitutional coup will lead all of us; but if Trump's bold moves and bold anti-interventionist and anti-neocon statements are any indication, we may yet see a long-overdue cleansing of the treasonous camp, as James Kunstler thinks it will happen:

An eerie silence cloaked the political landscape this lovely fall weekend as the soldiers in this (so far) administrative civil war scrambled for position in the next round of skirmishes. Rep. Adam Schiff fell back on the preposterous idea that he might not produce his “whistleblower” witness at all in the (so far) hypothetical impeachment proceeding. He put that one out after running a similarly absurd idea up the flagpole: that his “whistleblower” might just testify by answering written questions. I was waiting for him to offer up testimony by Morse code, carrier pigeon, or smoke signals. 

Read the whole thing and keep an eye on Syria. That's Monday for ya.

Macron Came To The Conclusion.

That Russia, as he twitted in Russian language, is "deeply European country". Well, we all know that and Macron twitting in Russian after meetings with President Putin, who was on a state visit in France yesterday, is a nice gesture, in addition to bloviating about Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok, but it seems that Macron missed the point. Forget Russia, it is Europe which is not European anymore. And nobody, except for a very narrow strata of Russian "liberals" in economic block really cares about "return to G-8". Indeed, why? To do what? Photo-ops? I understand that Macron views Putin' visit as a tool for his domestic politics but let's be honest: what can possibly be discussed with a leader of the nation which resides in the economic and cultural limbo for a decade now and whose real global weight is not that significant? 

Obviously Russia and France (and EU) have drastically different views on Syria and they are irreconcilable. Ukraine? Ukraine is under external control from Washington D.C. and, partially, from Berlin. Europe as a whole still remains and will continue to remain a US' slap bitch, so nothing strategically meaningful can be discussed in Paris, other than some tactical questions and protocol cliche' pleasantries about "Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok". And then there is this:

Moscow (AFP) - Russia and China warned Tuesday that a new US missile test had heightened military tensions and risked sparking an arms race, weeks after Washington ripped up a Cold War-era weapons pact with Moscow. The US and Russia ditched the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty this month after accusing each other of violating the accord. Washington said the agreement also tied its hands in dealing with other powers such as China. The US Department of Defense announced on Monday it had tested a type of ground-launched missile that was banned under the 1987 INF agreement, which limited the use of nuclear and conventional medium-range weapons. "The US has obviously taken a course towards escalation of military tensions. We won't react to provocations," Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency TASS. "We will not allow ourselves to get drawn into a costly arms race."

Pay attention to how the article is formulated--see highlighted in yellow. Oh, the ambiguity, oh, the Minitrue mentality. Russia, obviously, will move her forces if the Land-Based Tomahawks (or whatever their current derivative) and possible modern iteration of "Pershing-II" will be deployed to Europe--Russia already has instruments to respond to this, but here is this "Europe" thing: Poland, Romania and other "new" Europeans are certainly contemplating such a move and neither Paris nor Berlin have any say over it. So, let Europeans (or whoever passes today under this moniker) and Americans sort it out between themselves before looking at Russia as some kind of instrument in domestic political processes, plus, as I repeat it ad nauseam--combined West is simply non-agreement capable, because the United States is non-agreement capable. Period. So, no amount of visits and pleasantries can change the situation, especially among people who know dick about Russia and her history.

UPDATE (same day): I know, some Russiagaters may have suffered a stroke, while many Russians got really tense, as in: Thanks, but no thanks. 

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Tuesday he believed Russia should be invited back into the Group of Seven club of industrialized nations. “I think it’s much more appropriate to have Russia in,” Trump told reporters ahead of his trip later this week to France where he will join other G-7 leaders at a summit.

Frankly, I already got tired of commenting on that--7 most "industrialized" nations? I am sure China has issues with that. And no, Russia is not "European" or "Western" nation by the metrics of contemporary Europe or US.  

Mr. Pompeo Doesn't Go to Sochi and Moscow.

Alrighty, then. So Pompeo cancels his visit to Russia and rushes to Brussles to convince, to twist hands and threaten that is, US European "allies" that quitting the Iran Deal is a good thing. 

(CNN) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has canceled his planned visit to Moscow and is heading instead to Brussels to discuss "recent threatening actions and statements" by Iran, the State Department said Monday. The visit comes as the US has said Iran and its proxies could be planning to threaten US forces and interests in the Middle East.While in Brussels, Pompeo -- who was seen boarding a plane at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, late Sunday night -- will discuss a range of pressing issues, including Iran, with representatives from the UK, Germany and France, a State Department official said.

Obviously, Iran's "threats" are a normal reaction to very real threats and unilateral destruction of practical and working arrangements by the United States, but all this is merely a confirmation of a pattern of the US breaking her treaties' obligations and then blaming it on someone else. There is, of course, a personal issue here, with Trump destroying probably the only foreign policy success Obama Administration achieved in controlling Iran's nuclear program. Well, what do ya know--this one is dead. Per Europeans, they will be lined up and will do as ordered. 

Pompeo still will get to Sochi on Tuesday but Moscow is, actually, smiling (sarcastically, I may add) at these busy-body moves, especially when one considers a huge "success" Trump's trade wars are. 

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States is "right where we want to be with China," adding that Beijing "broke the deal with us" and then sought to renegotiate."We will be taking in Tens of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs from China. Buyers of product can make it themselves in the USA (ideal), or buy it from non-Tariffed countries," Trump said on Twitter. Trump added: "We will then spend (match or better) the money that China may no longer be spending with our Great Patriot Farmers (Agriculture), which is a small percentage of total Tariffs received, and distribute the food to starving people in nations around the world!"

I, honestly, do not even know how to comment on that. The only thing which comes to mind is the scene of "secret" meeting from 12 Chairs in Elena Stanislavovna's house, where Ostap Bender delivered one of the most important speeches in history of fraud:

“Citizens," said Ostap, opening the meeting, "life dictates its own laws, 

its own cruel laws. I am not going to talk about the aim of our gathering-you 

all know it. Our aim is sacred. From everywhere we hear cries. From every 

corner of our huge country people are calling for help. We must extend a 

helping hand and we will do so. Some of you have work and eat bread and 

butter; others earn on the side and eat caviar sandwiches. All of you sleep in

 your own beds and wrap yourselves in warm blankets. It is only the young 

children, the waifs and strays, who are not looked after. These flowers of the 

street, or, as the white-collar proletarians call them, 'flowers in asphalt', 

deserve a better lot. We must help them, gentlemen of the jury, and, gentlemen

of the jury, we will do so."  

   The smooth operator's speech caused different reactions among the 

audience. 

Polesov could not understand his young friend, the guards officer. 

"What children?" he wondered. "Why children?"

The similarity is uncanny, to put it mildly. Especially when one considers what is not really reported in US media--the fact that China is not really backing down. She still may, of course, at some point of time but so far--no cigar.

Beijing has retaliated against Washington’s recent tariffs by imposing export levies targeting $60 billion worth of US goods, effective June 1, China’s Ministry of Finance announced on Monday.The tariff hike of up to 25 percent will affect more than 5,000 items imported from the US to China.The step comes in response to the latest hike of export duties the Trump administration implemented on billions of dollars worth of Chinese products. Last week, the White House increased American tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent, previously.

I am damn sure Kremlin is enjoying the show. While Daniel Larison reformulated the Newton's Third Law: ‘Maximum Pressure’ Provokes Unyielding Resistance. As Larison writes about Iran specifically, it applies equally to everyone.

A new generation that experienced neither revolution nor war is forced to endure an economic war being waged upon them for no good reason. That cannot help but inspire feelings of resentment against the foreign government doing these things to them and greater willingness to support their own government. Any nation would react to unwarranted bullying with resistance, and the same goes for Iranians in spades. Vaez refers to a famous 16th century defeat of the Safavids by the Ottomans at Chaldiran (1514) as an example of how Iranians have remembered a crushing defeat as proof of courageous defiance. Many nations have similar interpretations of their great military losses. The point of reimagining these defeats as something more than a loss is to emphasize the survival and defiance in the face of greater power. To survive in the face of the determined animosity of the world’s sole superpower is itself a kind of victory, and that is why the Iranian government won’t give in.

There is, of course, one teeny-weeny issue with Larison's statement--the United States is long ago not "world's sole superpower", but here Larison exhibits symptoms of strictly American ailment, of which I wrote two books and continue to write for years--lack of knowledge of the outside world and lack of self-awareness. Other than that, he is correct.    

UPDATE: Now, suddenly, Washington requests a summit--in accordance to Russia's very own uber-liberal Kommersant (in Russian) with high positioned people in State Dept. confirming such a request. So, Pompeo, most likely will focus on details of this summit while in Sochi on Tuesday. At issue--to discuss what? Trump needs Russia to deal with China, Russia is no go on that, period. Nobody in Russia, with the exception of mindless "liberals" believes in any Grand Bargain with the US, not to mention the fact that the moment for such a bargain is long in the past and is not worth even discussing. Exchange of pleasantries? Sure. This will do for an agenda. Russia is always open to talks, Russians hate confrontation, not to speak of war. But what will Trump do when Russia asks for this proverbial move: "Show me the money!" I reiterate, the United States doesn't have anymore a geopolitical currency to "buy" Russia--she is out of a price range for the US. If one thinks otherwise--take a look at Ukraine and Russia's dramatic change of posture, including her lack of any desire to pay for Ukrainian mess and being content with Donbass coming home. This is a geopolitical master stroke by Moscow by refusing to take on balance a hostile economic black hole which would drain Russia's resources. US and EU wanted Ukraine? They can have her with one caveat--no military bases, other than that let EU and the US pay for this mad house.   

UPDATE 2: Well, looks like Kommersant, yet again, soiled itself. Kremlin debunked their info about summit (in Russian) and stated that it didn't receive any request yet (in Russian). Ghee-whiz, dealing with Russian liberal news outlets is akin to dealing with US MSM--a lot of BS and fake news. As I said, I also cannot see what, other than some arms limitations issues, can Russia and US possibly substantively talk about?  

UPDATE 3: LOL!

President Donald Trump has said he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at next month’s G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.Trump announced the pair of meetings to reporters in the Oval office on Monday afternoon.“I’ll be meeting with him directly, President Xi. Yes, I will be meeting with President Putin also,” he said. Earlier that morning, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Washington had requested a meeting with Putin, and was awaiting the Kremlin’s response. A Kremlin spokesman responded to Trump’s statement on Monday by saying no preparations were underway for such a meeting.

OK then. There are still 12 hours left per PST in this day.    

Mr. Pompeo Goes to Sochi and Moscow.

Ok, US Secretary of the State Pompeo will travel to Russia to, quoting, AFP:

The top US diplomat will meet Putin on Tuesday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to "discuss the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the State Department said.

It is, of course, a positive development, once one considers alternatives, but as Russian media report (in Russian), while Iran, Venezuela and other hot issues are on the agenda, it is the issue of arms control which Washington is most interested in. Obviously State Department paints this seemingly noble effort with a broad brush, talking about multi-lateral negotiations (well, China, it's you)--this is all fine and dandy, who would argue against that. Except, two teeny-weeny issues:

1. China's Intermediate Range missiles--that means reach of any US base around China, Diego Garcia included, and that is a big no-no for the US in a scenario of China's containment, but...

2. By far the most important issue for the US are those mysterious weapons nasty Russkies invented to prevent peaceful triumphant spread of democracy--those weapons will be discussed. Of course, to no avail. 

Russia once trusted the US, in 1990s. We all know how it all played out, for Russia. So, do not expect Russia to be so utterly stupid as to even negotiate any latest weapon systems many of which...drum roll...are "ambivalent". You know, exactly as the United States proclaims its "no first use" ambivalence supported by the vague justifications for the use of nuclear weapons, as the saying goes--two can play the game. Then, of course, nobody in Russia takes Trump (or his Pompeo envoy) seriously anymore. Trump is militarist and his overtures to Russia, from the inception, have nothing to do with desire to reach stable and just geopolitical equilibrium but a desire to "triangulate" and enroll Russia in US, most likely, last stand against China. People in Kremlin can calculate and do operate within reality-based paradigm, a feature everyone of any significance in Moscow knows is missing from current American outlook on herself and the world outside Washington D.C. 

No, of course, as I stated not for once, talking is better than fighting, but the truth is--today the United Sates simply has NO geopolitical currency left to pay for anything of value. Especially such value as Russia. Sanctions on Russia? Sure! In fact, not for once I and many other people in Russia stated--sanctions are good for Russia, they drive her modernization, while driving Russia's liberasts--main source of info on Russia for US intelligence and "academe"--totally insane. Double win for Russia. Russia certainly is not going to attack the US but she will never refuse a massive lead in military technologies which provide her with the revolver at the temple of American insane exceptionalists and neocons. Such as, and you guessed it already, Pompeo or Trump's very own draft dodger and, as Rod Ridenour states in his book, one of many Trump's very own Dr.Strangeloves, he surrounded himself with--I am talking about Bolton, of course. Who in their mind would even seriously discuss anything with these people? Meetings? Sure. Talking? Sure. But no arrangement can be made with the United States anymore, since it is increasingly non-governable entity with utterly corrupt political institutions at the very top. 

Two years ago I stated:

The only way of the United States out of present day pitiful state will be only with removal of most of current"elites" and "experts" who served them for so long. ThusAmerica's losing the faith in this kind of expertise is a good thing. The removal may happen only with Donald Trump claiming the victory in his epicbattle with these "elites" in order to finally tell them what he waselected for: "You Are Fired!"

It seems the opposite had happened and no amount of spin can help to hide anymore the obvious fact that Trump's human and political failure is just the symptom of a much larger underlying condition, a very American condition in essence, a complete loss of touch with the reality.