Larry Johnson: Trump Still Does Not Understand What Russia Wants and Demands
by Larry Johnson [5-10-2025 published] Larry C. Johnson(bio).
One hour after Russia ended its three day ceasefire with Ukraine, President Putin met with a gaggle of reporters in Moscow at 0135 hours Moscow time and made news by offering to meet Ukrainian officials, without preconditions, on May 15 in Istanbul. Putin’s offer is a shrewd move, but it is unlikely to be accepted by Ukraine. First, Volodymyr Zelensky will have to repeal his September 2022 decree prohibiting any Ukrainian official from talking to the Russians. Second, the US and the Europeans are now demanding an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. I think Putin’s offer for direct talks with Ukraine was a way to politely, but firmly, reject the Western demand. The West, in turn, is not going to let their organ grinder monkey — Mr. Zelensky — accept such an offer.
Vladimir Putin repeats the phrase, root causes. While Mr. Putin has not consulted me, nor am I privy to his thoughts on the matter, let me attempt to explain what I think that means. The root cause of this conflict dates back to 1997, when NATO made Ukraine a de facto member of its alliance. That is when the first formal agreement on military cooperation was signed and it marks the time that NATO and USEUCOM began using Yavoriv, the Ukrainian military base near the Polish border, as a headquarters and operations center for military exercises. In other words, the expansion of NATO to the East is the root cause of this current war.
Ending the war in Ukraine will require more than Ukraine making a pinky swear that it will never join NATO. If I am the Russian negotiator, I will demand that all NATO personnel be withdrawn from Ukraine; that all Ukrainian military and intelligence personnel will be proscribed from training with NATO forces; that all Western military aid supplied to Ukraine be destroyed; that all intelligence sharing with Ukraine cease; and that NATO bases in Poland and Romania be closed.
Russia would prefer to achieve these objectives thru negotiation, but it that avenue is closed, Russia will do it militarily. Russia must make NATO too costly to continue operating.
Trump reportedly approved the shipment, via German supplies, of ATACM and Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Apparently, he and his advisors stupidly believe that this will pressure Russia to make concessions and come begging for an unconditional ceasefire. Ain’t going to happen. Russia will intensify military operations to destroy these new supplies, even if it means killing NATO soldiers and officers in the process.
I just posted an interview I did earlier this week with a remarkable, brave young lady… Elizaveta Igorevna. She is an embedded war correspondent in a Russia military unit currently operating in Kursk. She is the only woman in that outfit. She is articulate, knowledgeable and beautiful. She assured me that her fellow soldiers treat her like their little sister and are quite protective. I learned a lot from this courageous young woman.
Hidden Truth About Russia-Ukraine War | Elizaveta Igorevna
by Larry Johnson, Counter Currents [5-10-2025 published].
(This is a remarkable interview. She signed up for the SMO & believes it is her duty to serve her country. She also had relatives who served in the Great Patriotic War of WW2. Her English is excellent. Listen carefully to what she says about the soldiers in this war. — RAD)