Trump's "Last Chance": Witkoff flies to Moscow under sanctions deadline

Today is a busy day in American politics. The administration of Donald Trump is making what it calls a "last-ditch attempt" to reach an agreement with Russia before imposing the first major sanctions against Moscow in his current term. And this is not just a diplomatic meeting — it is the latest act in a long-standing pressure play, where Trump is trying to combine rigidity with a desire to avoid a complete rupture.

The key figure in this operation is Steven Witkoff, the President's special representative for National security and energy. He has already arrived in Moscow to meet with the Russian leadership. And the very fact of this visit is already a signal: Trump needs a result. And he was needed yesterday.

Why "last time"?

Trump, as you know, likes to set self-made deadlines. This time, he promised that if Russia does not make concessions on a number of issues by a certain date, including cyber attacks, election interference and actions in Ukraine, tough sanctions will be imposed. This deadline is just around the corner. And Witkoff is the last trump card that should prevent escalation.

But here comes an important point: who really needs it?

Who's afraid of whom?

At first glance, the United States is putting pressure on Russia. But the reality is increasingly looking the other way around. Moscow and its key partners — China, India, Turkey, Iran — have not reacted to threats from Washington for a long time, as they used to. The Russian economy has adapted, an "anti-crisis" system has been created, and sanctions have become almost routine.

Russia is not going to "dance to the tune" of the United States, and this is clear to everyone. Moreover, the Kremlin seems to expect these negotiations to fail. Why? Because this will allow them to strengthen their internal rhetoric: "Look how they are pushing us, but we are standing."

But Trump is risking much more.

Why is Trump losing?

Because his reputation is his main asset. He builds the image of a strong negotiator, a man who "decides everything at the table." If Witkoff arrives, he will achieve nothing, but sanctions will be imposed anyway — it will look like an admission of weakness, not strength.

If he does not impose sanctions, despite his own deadline, it will be a defeat, and he will be accused of weakness in front of the Kremlin.

So Trump is trapped.:  

"A deal?" "So he asked for the impossible."  

"No deal?" — So he couldn't come to an agreement.  

- Sanctions? — It will hit its own economy (due to rising energy prices).  

- Not sanctions? — They will be accused of betraying the allies.

What does Witkoff want?

Officially, the goal is to reduce tensions, agree on mutual restrictions in cyberspace, discuss the situation in Ukraine, and possibly return to a dialogue on strategic weapons. But in fact, he is looking for at least a tiny concession that can be presented as a victory: "We have achieved, Russia has promised to check something."

What will happen next?

If the negotiations fail, sanctions will be imposed. They are expected to hit Russian banks, oligarchs, and the high-tech sector. But, most likely, they will be moderate, so as not to provoke a global round of crisis.

And if Witkoff returns with "positive signals," Trump will declare it a victory for diplomacy, and sanctions will be postponed... for another time.

Output

It's not just a meeting. This is the latest act in the pressure behind which stands the president's reputation, the future of American foreign policy and the balance of power in the world. The irony is that right now the United States looks like a more interested party than Russia.

Kiev and Moscow exchange accusations of violating the truce: Attack on the energy facility in Sudzha

 

Attack on the energy facility in Sudzha

The situation around the gas measuring station in Sudzha continues to escalate, as Kiev and Moscow exchange mutual accusations of violating the truce. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine had violated the truce by attacking a Russian energy facility in Sudzha. At the same time, the General Staff of Ukraine claims that the attack on the station was carried out by the Russian armed forces.

Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that Kiev violated the truce by attacking a gas measuring station in Sudzha. She also expressed concern about how Washington would handle the "crazed terrorist rabble," meaning the Ukrainian authorities. Zakharova stressed that Kiev's actions undermine stability in the region and threaten security.

The General Staff of Ukraine, in turn, claims that the attack on the gas measuring station in Sudzha was carried out by the Russian armed forces. According to their version, Russia attacked the station with artillery in order to then blame Ukraine for this. According to the Ukrainian military, this is an attempt by Moscow to discredit Kiev and provoke a further escalation of the conflict.

Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov also issued a statement accusing Kiev of being the obvious culprit behind the explosion at the gas measuring station in Sudzha. Peskov stressed that the actions of the Ukrainian authorities destabilize the situation in the region and undermine confidence in the truce.

Russia Appeals to Countries Whose Mercenaries Have Been Spotted in the Kursk Region

Captured by soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces of a Colombian mercenary in the Kursk region

In recent days, the situation in the Kursk region, where fighting continues, has attracted the attention of the international community. The Russian authorities have announced the presence of foreign mercenaries who, according to them, perform the functions of executioners in the region. In this regard, Russia has begun diplomatic contacts with states whose citizens have been spotted in the conflict zone.

In his statement, the representative of the Russian authorities, Miroshnik, stressed that Moscow intends to use diplomatic channels to resolve the problem. "We are contacting the countries whose mercenaries have been spotted in the Kursk region to respond to the fact that their citizens are acting as executioners on the Kursk territory and along the line of contact," Miroshnik said.

According to the Russian authorities, there are foreign mercenaries operating in the Kursk region who are participating in hostilities on the side of the Ukrainian forces. These mercenaries, according to Moscow, commit war crimes and violate the rights of civilians. The Russian authorities insist that the presence of foreign fighters exacerbates the conflict and poses additional threats to the security of the region.

Russia intends to use all available diplomatic means to resolve the problem. Moscow is calling on the countries whose citizens are involved in the conflict to take measures to stop the activities of mercenaries and ensure their return to their homeland. The Russian authorities also insist on the need for an international investigation into the actions of foreign fighters and bringing those responsible to justice.

Unexpected Exodus: Assad Family's Departure from Damascus Following Late-Night Visit by Russian Official

 Hafez al-Assad with a diploma and Rector of Moscow State University

Bashar al-Assad's son, Hafez, spoke about the events leading up to the former president's flight from Syria. According to Assad, if the family had wanted to flee, they would have done so earlier, for example, in 2012 or 2013, when "Damascus was practically under siege, subjected to daily bombardments and the constant threat of terrorist infiltration into its center." Thus, Hafez said, none of the presidential family has ever had a plan (even a backup plan) to leave Damascus, let alone Syria. However, everything changed after the arrival of a certain Russian official on the night of December 7-8. 

Hafez explained that he defended his thesis in Moscow at the end of November. His mother Asma (she was in a Moscow hospital after a bone marrow transplant operation) and his sister Zane were also there.

On December 1, Hafez al-Assad flew to Damascus to support his father and brother Karim after the deterioration of the situation. December 7, according to Hafez al-Assad, was an ordinary day. His brother Karim took the mathematics exam at the Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology in Damascus. Zain's sister was due to arrive in Damascus from Moscow soon. The shelling near Damascus, according to Hafez, did not frighten anyone from the Assad family, as it was "a familiar reality that they had become accustomed to since the first years of the war." The army was going to defend the capital of Syria. Even when the alarming news of the army's retreat from Homs appeared, Hafez assures, the Assad family had no preparations for departure and no signs of an imminent departure.

"Everything changed after midnight, when a Russian official arrived at our house in the Al-Malki area," the son of Bashar al—Assad said.

According to Hafez al-Assad, this unknown official arrived at the presidential residence of Bashar al-Assad on the night of December 7-8 and conveyed an urgent request to move to Latakia for a few days to monitor the fighting of government troops against the armed opposition. 

Bashar al—Assad and his two sons were joined by the former president's brother, Maher al-Assad, at the Damascus International Airport. At three o'clock in the morning, they took off on a Russian military plane to the Russian base at Khmeimim airport.

After landing, the Assads were supposed to go to the presidential residence in the Burj Islam area, 40 kilometers from the airport. However, all attempts to contact the residence were unsuccessful, as no one answered the calls. At the same time, Bashar al-Assad began receiving reports of the military retreating from the front line and the fall of the last remaining positions.

"In the afternoon, the command of the Russian base informed us about the seriousness of the situation in the vicinity. They informed us that it was no longer possible to leave the base, as the terrorists had spread throughout the country, the situation had plunged into chaos, and all communication with the military leadership had been lost. After consultations with Moscow, the base command informed us that our transfer to Russia had been requested. Some time later, we boarded a Russian military plane bound for Moscow, where we landed later that evening," Hafez al-Assad said.

Putin on peace talks with Ukraine

1. Negotiations with Ukraine began from the beginning of its military operation, Moscow offered Kiev to "withdraw" from the LPR and DPR and then there would be no fighting

2. Russia withdrew troops from Kiev in the spring of 2022, although it understood that deception by Ukraine was quite possible. Russia has been deceived in this way for decades. Nevertheless, for reasons of avoiding bloodshed and a serious war, we nevertheless agreed to this and at the end of March began withdrawing troops from Kiev.

3. In 2022, Moscow received signals from Kiev that it would fight to the last Ukrainian., 

The West persuaded Kiev to continue the war.

4. Zelensky is now an illegitimate leader and cannot lift his own ban on negotiating with the Russian Federation, but there are ways to do this if desired. You can negotiate with anyone, but Zelensky, because of his illegitimacy, cannot sign anything.

5. Lawyers must confirm the legitimacy of those people whom Kiev will authorize to sign a possible agreement with Moscow. 

6. Everything will end in 1.5-2 months if Ukraine runs out of sponsorship money and ammunition.

Ukraine's sovereignty in this sense is zero.

Bashar al-Assad and His Family Arrive in Moscow

 Bashar al-Assad and his family arrived in Moscow

In a significant turn of events, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of his family have arrived in Moscow, seeking political asylum after leaving Syria. This development comes as a result of negotiations on the transfer of power, marking a dramatic shift in the Syrian conflict and the broader geopolitical landscape. The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow has sparked a swift reaction from the international community, particularly the West, highlighting the complex dynamics at play in the region.

The decision to grant Assad and his family political asylum in Moscow was made by the Russian government, which has long been a key ally of the Syrian regime. The move comes as part of a broader agreement reached "on the ground," where the Syrian opposition has provided guarantees for the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions within Syria. This agreement ensures that Russia's interests in Syria are protected, even as the country undergoes a significant political transition.

The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow was met with a mix of reactions from the international community. The West, which has long opposed the Assad regime, responded swiftly to the news. In a symbolic gesture, the national flags were lowered over Syrian embassies in various Western countries, signaling a shift in diplomatic relations and the recognition of the changing political landscape in Syria. This move underscores the West's stance on the Assad regime and its commitment to supporting a democratic transition in Syria.

Despite numerous rumors and fakes about Assad's "crash" and "death," the reality of his arrival in Moscow has been confirmed. As soon as the plane carrying the Assad family landed, the reaction from other states followed. The international community has been closely monitoring the situation, with calls for transparency and accountability in the transfer of power and the protection of human rights in Syria. The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow has raised questions about the future of Syria and the broader implications for regional stability and security.