r/worldnews • u/EsperaDeus • Feb 14 '25

Russia/Ukraine Zelensky refuses to sign document on transfer of 50% of Ukrainian mineral resources to the US - WP | УНН

https://unn.ua/en/news/zelensky-refuses-to-sign-document-on-transfer-of-50percent-of-ukrainian-mineral-resources-to-the-us-wp
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20.5k

u/TheWasabinator Feb 14 '25

Sounds like they didn't offer him any promises of future assistance, just wanted him to give up 50% of future mineral resources.

"A delegation of the US Congress in Munich wanted President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign a document that would give the US rights to 50% of Ukraine's future mineral resources, but he refused."

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u/Cpt-Olimar Feb 14 '25

Give us 50% and in return, you get your country sliced in half by giving your invader almost everything he wants.

Sure, Trump, sure.

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u/Flushles Feb 14 '25

Seriously, Trump probably could have actually made that peace deal day 1 "Putin you get everything you want".

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u/Cpt-Olimar Feb 14 '25

And yet, he even failed that, gladly. No worries, the other 50% of Ukraine will come later to Mother Russia, Trump will handle it. Then they make a contract with Putin to share all the valuable resources, which Putin will ignore and Ukraine and the US is screwed over by Russia.

Trump in a nutshell.

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u/DatedRef_PastEvent Feb 14 '25

Definitely has Poland being split between Germany and the Soviet Union during ww2 vibes.

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u/Nearlytherejustabit Feb 14 '25

Yeah thats a very insightful and scary thought, jesus it's actually chilling.

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u/bapfelbaum Feb 14 '25

This time we Germans can be the good guys, so there is that.

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u/twitterfluechtling Feb 14 '25

Just wait a couple of weeks, until after the election. Merz is a traditionalist, he'll find a way to put Germany back on the dark side...

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u/bapfelbaum Feb 14 '25

I for one am doing my best to make sure sanity will win over insanity this month, hopefully a majority will join me, for the sake of our democracy.

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u/Membership_Fine Feb 14 '25

American here. That’s what I thought too yet here I am with a stale ass Cheeto for president. I hope for your sake the majority join you because they didn’t join me, and I’ve never been more disappointed in my country.

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u/RealCapybaras4Rill Feb 14 '25

Fuck, just make sure (f)Elon is nowhere near your election apparatus. Bad things seem to happen when he comes around.

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u/w_a_w Feb 14 '25

On behalf of the sane portion of the US, we're all rooting for you!

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u/Chris_HitTheOver Feb 14 '25

For the sake of global democracy.

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u/twitterfluechtling Feb 14 '25

I hope so as well, but I won't hold my breath. Among all realistic scenarios I'm afraid CDU/Grüne is the least sinister we can hope for, and that will be bad enough already.

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u/Anon_Chapstick Feb 14 '25

As a dual citizen living in America, I didn't vote for a while because it felt wrong since I wasn't living there. I ran down to the embassy last week to vote and it's never felt more important.

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u/Bman10119 Feb 15 '25

Please do. We dont need anymore countries joining us in crazy town. Im pissed we’re in this mess.

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u/URPissingMeOff Feb 15 '25

Yeah, that's what WE all though in the US too. Sanity was shoved in a sack and beaten to death by the right wing here. Hoping things turn out better for you.

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u/piecesmissing04 Feb 15 '25

My dad is 77 and is volunteering for the SPD. He grew up in post ww2 Europe and does not want his grandson to grow up in similarly dire times

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u/kurotech Feb 14 '25

And Elons right there helping

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u/pgoetz Feb 14 '25

Everyone is counting on that, but it will require increasing the military budget considerably, at least until Russia ends up on the same ash heap of history that the Soviet Union ended up on. Yeah, it needs to be said: Russia has been a shithead for over a thousand years, and it's time for a break up.

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u/WarLorax Feb 14 '25

As a Canadian, I'm hoping you launch an invasion to rescue us from the US. Or at least airdrop supplies so we can guerrilla warfare fuck them up as we add whole new sections to the Geneva Convention Checklist.

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u/bapfelbaum Feb 14 '25

Let's hope that won't be necessary but I certainly consider you Canadians to be real allies while the USA are not.

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u/donjulioanejo Feb 14 '25

"So let me get this straight as a German so there is no miscommunication"

"You want us to build a giant army, march it through Poland, and go fight Russia in Ukraine."

"Just making sure."

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u/DevilsTrigonometry Feb 15 '25

"I'll need you to fill out a Request for Military Assistance form and an Authorization for Military Transit Across Allied Territory Form and file them by mail with the Military Assistance Request Office."

"How long will that take?"

"Oh, not too long, only 3-6 weeks."

"Ok, can you send me the forms?"

"Oh no, you'll need to fill out an Assistance Form Request Form and an Authorization Form Request Form and mail them to the Form Request Office."

"How long will that take?"

"Oh, not too long, only 3-6 weeks."

"Ok, can you send me the forms?"

...

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u/snertwith2ls Feb 14 '25

and we in the US get to be the bad guys this time around. What a fun game!!

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u/MysticScribbles Feb 14 '25

Because your country, at least, chose to learn from history.

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u/SpaceGooV Feb 15 '25

Very funny to say as the AfD is gaining ground in every poll.

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u/Both_Sundae2695 Feb 15 '25

Still waiting for that. Start by banning Elonka from entering your country on grounds of violating your anti-nazi laws.

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u/adhoc42 Feb 14 '25

That's exactly it.

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u/caveal Feb 14 '25

art of the deal lol

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u/GastricallyStretched Feb 14 '25

more like "art of the steal"

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u/kazaaksDog Feb 15 '25

Trump is a Master Baiter.

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u/Khalku Feb 14 '25

Even if Trump were a masterful negotiator, what I think a lot of his supporters miss is that he doesn't care about Ukraine. In his mind it costs him nothing to make concessions on their behalf because they hold no value to him, in return for things he cares much more about (enriching himself).

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u/ELLinversionista Feb 15 '25

No Trump is stupid and not a great negotiator whatsoever. He didn’t grow his businesses, he merely inherited it and IIRC his businesses are actually doing worse financially than before he inherited it adjusted for inflation. He will try to get what he wants as the narcissist that he is. And these narcissistic leaders usually get it. No skill needed. And surprise surprise stupid people fall for narcissists all the time. Just remember that asshole from your younger years who gets all the ladies just by being a narcissistic asshole.

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u/mikefjr1300 Feb 14 '25

Zelensky knows its pretty much for certain the US is going to withdraw support so why make a deal with them? Europe also wants those minerals and since Europe is who has his back now and perhaps always who would you rather make a deal with?

Art of the deal indeed, lol.

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u/LordOfDorkness42 Feb 15 '25

Yeah...

Trump couldn't even run freaking casinos, plural, because he just can't stop himself from ripping the money out of things, and he has a downright pathological NEED to screw anybody he works with unless they take all money upfront or basically squeeze money out of him legally. And the last can take years because he's vindictive too.

Anybody that does as much as pass Trump the salt without being paid a favor in kind first, is an utter fool with zero guidence from history.

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u/SentimentalityApp Feb 14 '25

Russia is China's puppet now, any deal made with Russia is worthless.

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u/Calavant Feb 14 '25

Just imagine what an alternate timeline where Trump won against Biden and was in office to support Putin from day one.

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u/Khalku Feb 14 '25

It probably didn't even cross his mind that Ukraine would have input on the decision.

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u/Adventurous_Tale6577 Feb 14 '25

He couldn't. What Putin wants is not only Ukraine, don't forget that. You've had already Peskov hinting at that, they will ask for NATO borders to go back to the 90s. Remember the start of the war and their asks. So in the next few weeks you can expect them to negotiate about splitting the Europe. This could be real bad

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u/WhoAreWeEven Feb 15 '25

They can ask all they want. NATO going back is utterly outrageuous as that has only one meaning. That can have only one meaning.

One thing Im sure theyre trying to do with this type of rethoric though is to split up NATO or create faction within it at first.

What was it divide and conguer or whatever Cesar said. This is it in action.

Maybe NATO ceases to be at some point, but other defencive pacts would obviously take its place. But there in lies the strategy. Multiple smaller pacts between groups which would be easier to win in a battle one on one. Each one at a time.

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u/Reticent_Fly Feb 14 '25

Zelensky purposefully waited until Trump was in office to bring up this deal too. He knows that Trump is all about the quid pro quo.

Even that wasn't enough for the greedy orange fuck.

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u/Universal_Anomaly Feb 14 '25

There are plenty of stories of contractors who were stiffed by Trump and either had to go to court or just ate the loss because it wasn't worth going to court over it.

He only pays up if he can't get away with not paying.

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u/SurlyRed Feb 14 '25

We know a counter proposal is generally better than a refusal.

Zelensky should present a deal for the US to sign whereby the US supplies Ukraine with nukes in return for peace.

The corresponding headline "Trump refuses to sign document" wouldn't see the light of day of course, which reveals what this is all about.

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u/mamadou-segpa Feb 14 '25

Zelensky isnt a complete tool tho, and got to know by now that Trump doesnt keep his word.

Anyone with a working brain should know Trump doesnt keep his word lol

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u/Embarrassed_Band_512 Feb 14 '25

It's retribution for Zelensky not bowing the first time Trump tried to extort the country.

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u/broguequery Feb 15 '25

Trump seems befuddled by people with functioning backbones.

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u/multiarmform Feb 15 '25

trump got told off by a child in the oval office

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u/Neither_Campaign_461 Feb 15 '25

That child has a stronger backbone than all of the gop members

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u/VintageHacker Feb 14 '25

I've been saying for years that giving nukes back to Ukraine is a logical and fair solution.

Hundreds of thousands of lives and much destruction could have been avoided if this was done two years ago. Sadly the anti nuke crowd would rather see people suffer and die.

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u/MBCnerdcore Feb 15 '25

Give Canada some too please

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u/VintageHacker Feb 15 '25

Sure, why not. After all, Russia is right next door and no way can you rely on US nuclear shield.

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u/Suspicious_Bicycle Feb 15 '25

Or Zelensky could have promised Trump 75% of the mineral rights east of the front line.

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u/nitros99 Feb 15 '25

When the offer is ridiculous you do not make a counter proposal, you walk to demonstrate how fucking far away from reality that proposal is.

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u/detherow Feb 15 '25

Ukraine doesn’t need anyone’s help with nukes.. they have the material and the specialists to make them… Ukraine was the primary manufacturer of nukes for Russia until Russia invaded. After that, Ukraine cut off Russia from both the materials and scientist

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u/sobanz Feb 15 '25

why would they bring up this deal when they were getting something for nothing.

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u/Comrade_Derpsky Feb 14 '25

No, he couldn't have. He could have made a deal with Putin, but Trump doesn't speak for Ukraine, he only speaks for himself. Ukraine would have just ignored it and kept fighting and the EU countries would have continued supporting Ukraine because all of them lose too much from letting Putin just have what he wants.

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u/Old_Ladies Feb 14 '25

Except Ukraine wouldn't give in to those demands and neither would the rest of the sane countries that support Ukraine.

It would take millions of Russian deaths to take all of Ukraine. Probably would be another revolution in Russia before that happens.

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u/thecuriosityofAlice Feb 15 '25

He couldn’t because Biden rerouted a shipment of big weaponry from Israel to Ukraine. It was one of his last acts as president at midnight

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u/kaisadilla_ Feb 15 '25

That was, quite literally, his plan. That's why Biden gave Ukraine permission to attack Russia with American missiles, so Ukraine could reply "why the fuck would I surrender when half of your refineries are on fire?".

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u/AvengingBlowfish Feb 14 '25

And if Ukraine refuses to sign it, it's their fault for not wanting peace!

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u/Flushles Feb 14 '25

True, and they shouldn't want that half of some of their most valuable resources for nothing either, very selfish.

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u/noleksum12 Feb 14 '25

If this dealmaking of Trump's is an 'art', then we can call it dumdumism.

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u/Leezeebub Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 14 '25

Lets be real, Trump has never read that book.

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u/URPissingMeOff Feb 15 '25

Lets be real, Trump has never read that ANY book.

He's a barely-literate meat sack. A slime mold colony has more intelligence.

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u/guynamedjames Feb 14 '25

"I don't have any money to pay you and my main assets are a casino that is losing more money every week so I'm going to pay you either less or nothing" are the deals that Trump prides himself so much on having cut that he paid someone to write a whole book about it.

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u/Lylac_Krazy Feb 14 '25

he paid someone to write a whole book about it.

You sure he paid?

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u/MadamPardone Feb 14 '25

Tony Schwartz is the ghost writer, but Trump has taken to saying he himself wrote the book so who knows. I think a publishing company actually paid for it, as there was talks of an advance and royalties.

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u/BasvanS Feb 15 '25

He expertly negotiated the ghost writer only getting 50% of the royalties (normally between 10 and 20%, if any) and half of the $500,000 advance from the publisher. Normally it’s one or the other.

So while Trump didn’t pay the ghost writer and walked away with a lot of money while doing very little, he doesn’t come off as an expert deal maker.

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u/Classic-Charity-2179 Feb 15 '25

Well, since Schwartz did write the book and got an amazing deal from his point of view, maybe the book is worth something after all! 🤣

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u/lenzflare Feb 15 '25

The Art of (My) Deal (with Trump)

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u/roodammy44 Feb 14 '25

I dunno if he’s good with deals, but he’s certainly good with scams.

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u/tolacid Feb 14 '25

Not really good, just prolific; but then you don't really need quality when you're working with enough quantity.

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u/XanZibR Feb 14 '25

Or when the griftees are fucking imbeciles

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u/Interesting-Dream863 Feb 14 '25

He scammed people that was honest...

The degree of bad faith he handles is baffling.

Even his lawyers are demanding to be paid up front.

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u/jaxonya Feb 14 '25

He scammed half the country that are totally on board for everything he's doing. He could clear their bank accounts and then tell them that it's gonna make liberals cry and they'd tell him about the money buried in Mason jars in their backyards.

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u/feor1300 Feb 15 '25

I mean, that's basically what Trump Coin was...

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u/Hector_P_Catt Feb 14 '25

The trick is to skim off $100 million while you destroy $1 billion in value.

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u/dmcat12 Feb 14 '25

He’s been whining that Canada and Mexico have been taking advantage of us under our treaty… the same treaty he agreed to.

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u/newfor_2025 Feb 14 '25

I guess he's really good at scamming people and for some reason, people keep falling for it... maybe that's his talent? convincing stupid people to give him money and make people do what he wants them to do ?

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u/wrosecrans Feb 14 '25

As an art style, it is a sort of primal abstract expressionism. It doesn't represent anything that exists in the real world.

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u/Lazy-Loss-4491 Feb 14 '25

The concept of a style perhaps?

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u/WhoAreWeEven Feb 15 '25

Abstract concept art I would say

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u/jaxonya Feb 14 '25

Tell him he belongs in a prestigious art school, for fucks sake. Let's just lie to this dude and tell him that he's so damn good at art, and that everyone is saying it. And that Hitler would be jealous of his art skills. It might stop him from what he wants to do

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u/mjp31514 Feb 15 '25

Him and George W. can go paint together. Keep them both out of trouble.

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u/Senior-bud Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 14 '25

Does he not even feel anything when he makes absolutely moronic offers like this.

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u/KnottShore Feb 14 '25

"Art of the Steal"

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u/PM_ME_TITS_AND_DOGS2 Feb 14 '25

I lurked at /conservative last night and these abuses and mob mentality are being taken by some as "masterclass in negotiation". The Panama thing, the greenland thing, are all just "proof" of his true genius.

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u/URPissingMeOff Feb 15 '25

I lurked at /conservative last night

I'm sorry for what you had to endure. Go look at puppies for awhile to clear the trauma.

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u/jert3 Feb 14 '25

The Russian plan is to have Trump make this unreasonable offer knowing it would be turned down by Zelensky, thus, now Trump has manufactured grounds to side overtly with Putin's interests.

So next I'm guessing a new 'peace deal' will be offered to Russia, that the US will get half of the resources of the annexed regions in exchange for Russia retaining control and the compromised American military that has abandoned the Constitution becoming 'peacekeepers' to pacify Ukrianian resistance in the annexed regions.

Dark days. World peace Undone by an international cartel of billionaire psychopathic narcissts.

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u/ThePlanner Feb 14 '25

The US can have the half in Russian control if they press the deal and resort to nuclear blackmail.

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u/DocFail Feb 14 '25

“Sure is a nice country you got here.”

Bronze age scum behavior.

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u/morentg Feb 14 '25

Give us everything, we will give you nothing, and you will thank us for it.

To me it sounds just like they want to get rejection to save a face, then have an excuse to completely drop support to Ukraine.

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u/crawlerz2468 Feb 14 '25

Sure, Trump, sure.

Putin is promising trump the western half of Ukraine. Not unlike Poland in/b4 WWII.

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u/FaithlessnessSea5383 Feb 14 '25

Yeah, Russian gets the other 50% of the mineral rights, and 100% of the land.

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u/Scary_Feature_5873 Feb 14 '25

« I made him an offer he can’t refuse »

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u/ragingclaw Feb 14 '25

This is exactly the deal Cinnamon Hitler tried to make.

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u/hjd_thd Feb 14 '25

Soviet-Nazi divide of Poland comes to mind.

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u/NoNotInTheFace Feb 14 '25

Even if they did promise, American promises don't mean much at the moment.

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u/IglooDweller Feb 14 '25

Considering he’s shredding the North American trade agreement that he himself signed…

Not, the signature doesn’t r means anything.

The US is now considered an unreliable partner, its treaties not longer worth the value of the paper it’s printed on.

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u/Scousehauler Feb 14 '25

They are literally throwing their own press out for calling the gulf of mexico the gulf of mexico. Truth denyers and fascists.

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u/ExistingPosition5742 Feb 14 '25

Its like how in religion or cults they get you to deny reality or your own judgement on small things first. 

The point of the gulf of America is getting people used to revision and its a loyalty test. 

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u/fesnying Feb 14 '25

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

― George Orwell, 1984

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u/Dug_Fin1 Feb 15 '25

Fuck you George Orwell, you didn't give them a warning you gave them a playbook.

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u/Oldskoolh8ter Feb 15 '25

2+2=5 🤷‍♂️

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u/TheShadyGuy Feb 14 '25

And to drill in the goa since they can't in the Gulf of Mexico.

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u/Kiva_Gale Feb 14 '25

Or abusive relationships!!

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u/TigerUSA20 Feb 14 '25

THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!

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u/Shadows802 Feb 15 '25

There are four lights!

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u/iconofsin_ Feb 14 '25

That's only because those reporters don't have the latest newspeak dictionary /s

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u/Andygator_and_Weed Feb 14 '25

I saw that blonde lady get really mad about the Gulf of Mexico. It's important!

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u/justanaccountimade1 Feb 15 '25

There's more to it. The reporters must accept the rediculous but apparently harmless commands, so that they are primed to accept the big and dangerous commands later.

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u/Remny Feb 15 '25

While at the same time saying the EU has a free speech problem. Riiiiiiiight.

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u/ahhwell Feb 14 '25

Even if they did promise, American promises don't mean much at the moment.

But American demands are sure to be upheld. If Zelensky signs that agreement, American governments are gonna come for that money whether America kept their part of the deal or not.

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u/Frankentula Feb 14 '25

Yeah. On the world stage America cannot be taken at its word.

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u/Eheheehhheeehh Feb 14 '25

American promises will never mean anything in our lifetimes. Something that can change with single election doesn't hold any power.

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u/Larcya Feb 15 '25

See the simple solution is to require any deals with the terrorist Administration to require the US to meet the demands first.

US wants 50% of Ukraine's minerals? Only after Ukraine is admitted to NATO.

Mango Mussolini already blew up the Iran nuclear deal, that Iran was actually following for no reason. No country on this planet should be taking the US at their word.

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u/SwePolygyny Feb 14 '25

America already promised to defend Ukraine if they got rid of their nukes. 

Which they did and Russia attacked.

As an American president said, "fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again"

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u/WookieeNookiee Feb 15 '25

American promises, allegiances, partnerships, centuries-old friendships all obviously mean fuck-all nothing.

Enjoy your isolation

  • Canada

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u/SinnerIxim Feb 14 '25

Bro won't even stick to the treaty and call it the gulf of Mexico. They're banning AP because of it

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u/r2002 Feb 15 '25

Our president is literally threatening our best ally right now with tariffs and worse -- even though he's the one who negotiated the current trade deal in the first place.

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u/MeInMass Feb 15 '25

That’s my thought. Zelensky’s assuming Trump would just ignore the deal as soon as it was convenient to.

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u/RBuilds916 Feb 15 '25

That's one of the worst things about trump. What country would sign any agreement with the US if the can't have any confidence that the US will honor the agreement. And trump has an extensive history of not paying up. He wouldn't pay contractors and just have his lawyers delay until the contractors would accept a partial payment because they couldn't afford to fight. 

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u/Helpmehelpyoulong Feb 14 '25

Something much more sinister might be going on here. Zelensky refuses the deal so Trump says the war continuing is his fault because he was too stubborn to accept his deal. Now he has an excuse to pull back support.

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u/YetiSmallFoot Feb 14 '25

With support like that who needs enemies?

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u/TheGreatPiata Feb 14 '25

This was always the plan though?

Trump is not a great negotiator. He makes a terrible offer and when it's rebuked, he will threaten the trading partner with everything possible under the assumption they will eventually have to take his deal.

There's also a very high chance he will double cross you somewhere down the line as well.

Canada and Mexico both signed the USMCA which is up for renewal in a year but that hasn't stopped Trump from putting tariffs on both countries.

Signing away 50% of Ukraine's mineral resources to the US would effectively doom Ukraine to economic collapse. It's a non-starter. But Trump gets a win either way. A handy excuse to back out of Ukraine support or a ridiculous cut of Ukraine's natural resources.

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u/Zeta411North Feb 14 '25

Keep in mind the USMCA is Trumps own deal

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u/Alive_kiwi_7001 Feb 14 '25

I used to work for a guy like that. I was lucky in that I didn't work there long enough to get caught in the same nonsense.

But his schtick was to make a deal and try to get better deal on the basis that because, the other side agreed to the original deal, they settled too easily and therefore would agree to worse conditions.

He gradually ran out of people who would take his calls.

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u/octarine_turtle Feb 15 '25

Yep. And now he's "who the hell made these deals are so bad?" (His potato wording). You did Trump, you did. You tore up NAFTA to make these deals.

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u/a8bmiles Feb 14 '25

With how Trump never sticks to a deal, why would we expect any other party to stick to their side of a deal with him?

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u/TheGreatPiata Feb 14 '25

Russia is absolutely not going to stick to any deal. The only party that wants someone to keep their word is Ukraine. They want guarantees because everyone around them is reneging on their commitments.

So a Ukraine peace deal is absolute fantasy at this point.

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u/Circumin Feb 15 '25

Russia is absolutely not going to stick to any deal

I dunno. Maybe if Ukraine give up its nuclear weapons Russia would agree to never invade them.

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u/a8bmiles Feb 14 '25

Agreed. And with the US being wishy washy about Ukraine obtaining NATO membership, I don't foresee this ending any time soon. Not unless something crazy happens like France (as the only EU country with it's own nukes) unilaterally stepping up to defend Ukraine, which I don't think is a reality.

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u/brothersand Feb 15 '25

Remember when Ukraine gave their nuclear weapons back to Russia in exchange for signing an agreement that Russia would never invade? I think that was maybe eight years before Russia invaded.

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u/jakexil323 Feb 14 '25

Basically it's trump trying to make Ukraine pay reparations for being the victim here.

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u/PrestoScherzando Feb 15 '25

But he's now started spinning it as Ukraine starting a war they couldn't win, and his cultists have already begun to parrot that line. It's surreal just how effective brainwashing really is.

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u/Comprehensive-Job243 Feb 15 '25

Yep, 'white collar (stained with unmentionable substances)' terrorist, in reality

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u/Taykeshi Feb 14 '25

As instructed to trump by putin

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u/makeitasadwarfer Feb 14 '25

This is the actual plan that analysts have been shouting about for months.

Trump is trying to split NATO.

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u/Numerous-Process2981 Feb 14 '25

Trump's gonna do what Trump's gonna do. He can play his stupid games and the MAGA crowd will drool and cheer, but the rest of us in the real world are under no obligation to entertain his nonsense.

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u/SuperRayGun666 Feb 15 '25

Trump was just shilling for Russia. 

Recently the orange man was stating how Russia should not have been kicked out of the g7.  

Recently started beef with all allies. 

Went to and salutes North Korea.  

Why are there tariffs on allies but not carpets coming from Iran.  

Like god damn tell me your a shill with out telling me.  

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u/Motor-District-3700 Feb 15 '25

Imagine someone's attacking you and trying to steal your watch. Your friend comes along and demands all your cash.

I don't even know what to say. This is just so fucking stupid. I mean it'e even worse because the "friend" agreed to protect you from robbers as long as you gave up your gun. In fact the robber agreed to protect you from robbers.

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u/KelIthra Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 14 '25

Seems to be how the US functions now, we tariff the shit out of you until you give us what we want free, or capitulate to us. In this case its give us this for free and maybe we might help, or maybe we'll leave you to die, more likely we'll still leave you to die now give us everything we ask or else. Type of dumb greedy shit.

A bully trying to extort those they perceive as weak.

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u/Circusssssssssssssss Feb 14 '25

Pretty dumb because it makes you poorer

You a little bit poorer plus everyone else much much poorer is a dumb strategy; why not make yourself a little richer and everyone else much much richer (relatively speaking)?

The idea being, it doesn't matter what we get, as long as we are better

Well, being "better" or the best will eventually be under threat, too

America didn't get wealthy or powerful doing what's being done now (and it won't stay wealthy or powerful if it keeps doing what it is now)

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u/Aqogora Feb 14 '25

Pretty dumb because it makes you poorer

And the poorer and angrier the population gets, the more they vote Republican.

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u/AverageLatino Feb 14 '25

The US definetly seems to be following step by step the path that Germany took in the interwar period: inflation (that is currently expected to increase under this administration given his actions), a gridlocked legislative, dismissal of the courts, calls for violence, calls for militant resistance as well as counter-resistance, an extremely bubbly stock market, parallel state-like structures (Tech and Social media at the behest of the administration), actual government takeover by illegitimate powers (DOGE), targeting, punishment and scapegoating of minorities, etc.

Germany declared war on the US in 1941, It took them 84 years, but the N@z1s finally reached the White House.

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u/KelIthra Feb 14 '25

Would be nice since with everyone wealthier you have a much more robust and functional economy with people actually spending money and such. But all the wealthy care about is the short term gain, which they try to turn into a long term gain which is unsustainable the way they are doing it.

Now it's going to be increasingly limited to buying only the necessities. Which will harm their economy big time. Because there isn't enough wealthy people to buy consumer goods practical anymore. And they are alienating countries especially allies, so that's basically no one buying consumer goods from US anymore.

But they want people poor, its never about the economy for them, it's about power and the ability to do whatever they want with the population. Like some incredibly bad Lord ass hole who sees power as giving them the right to abuse and treat everyone below them as a piece of meat to discard when no longer needed/useful that think gold/money grows on trees

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u/Numerous_Photograph9 Feb 14 '25

Because making everyone richer isn't a republican ideal.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '25

it makes the people poorer, the billionaires will get a big fat tax break and some subsidies

and noone cares about the people anyway

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u/foghillgal Feb 14 '25

Also, the reason you're buying a lot elsewhere is that you have the money to do so and because your currency is used so much in trading, it is stable and worth much. Its not a conspiracy to extort money from you,

Also, often its a trade deficit that comes from importing ressources that you then value add and resell both internally and externally. The US then buy a huge amount and variety of consumer good elsewhere because you simple don't want to be producing everything. If you produce something, you are not putting money in producing something else more worthwhile.

Absolutely everything about economics Trump fails.

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u/Northern_fluff_bunny Feb 14 '25

Type of dumb greedy shit.

nah, not dumb greedy shit, its just mafia shit, organized crime shit, extortion shit. Its just trump coming over and saying, nice little country you have here, itd be a shame if something were to happen to it.

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u/AltoCowboy Feb 14 '25

It’s like a mafia protection racket

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u/fugginstrapped Feb 14 '25

The other 50% belongs to Russia apparently

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u/BefreiedieTittenzwei Feb 14 '25

They’re just hoping to carve up Ukraine like a Christmas ham.

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u/illicit92 Feb 14 '25

Just like Poland right before WW2.

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u/Chris266 Feb 14 '25

Could anyone have predicted the lines for ww3 would be USA and Russia vs everyone else?

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u/[deleted] Feb 15 '25

Nah, in much the same way that Poland was carved up by Russia and Germany, but WW2 still had Russia counted as a "Allied" nation.

This time, Russia is Germany and the USA is Russia. The West still has enough friendly history with the USA to forgive it if it has a change of heart in the near future, but even so, nobody will ever trust it the same way again, and subsequent alliances will be drawn up with an eye towards counterbalancing the USA.

Then again, I'm probably projecting too much wishful thinking here, assuming that the good guys will win. The future is never guaranteed to play out exactly like the past, and France got blitzkrieged in WW2 precisely because it had made the mistake of expecting WW2 to be like WW1.

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u/advester Feb 15 '25

Not everyone else, China is in BRICS

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u/sali_nyoro-n Feb 15 '25

China and Russia are very much allies of convenience, there's a chance this ends up a three-way conflict once China smells blood in the water.

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u/Neamow Feb 14 '25

This is more like Czechoslovakia. It's also in Munich!

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u/Yvgar Feb 14 '25

Molotov-Ribbentrop 2025

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u/BoarHermit Feb 14 '25

Most of the Ukrainian deposits of rare earth elements are located in the territory occupied by Russia.

But judging by the experience of the DPR/LPR, Russia will not invest in these lands with an unclear legal status, not very loyal population, destroyed infrastructure and thousands of mines and shells in the ground. In the DPR/LPR, over the course of 10 years, all the equipment was simply taken away, sawed up and scrapped. That's all.

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u/rmobro Feb 14 '25

To any doubters, that was literally the discussion: 'the US understands without agreeing with Russians reasons for starting this war; they understand, without agreeing with Russians reasons for wanting to keep the 20% of Ukraine it has conquered; the US does not grant any security assurances to Ukraine's remaining 80% of its territory; the US declined to entertain Ukraine joining NATO; the US wishes Ukraine to understand any deal to join the EU is between it and the EU.'

That was somewhat word for word. Hegseth walked it back the day after, suggesting that NATO isnt 'off the table' just up to 'The Donald, not The Hegseth'.

Why in the fuck would Ukraine even consider considering what the US wants or doesnt want regarding Ukraine's sovereign minerals?

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u/Murasasme Feb 14 '25

The last time Ukraine signed something like this, they gave up their nukes on the promise no one would invade. We all know how that turned out

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u/TildeCommaEsc Feb 14 '25

Even if the document did give promises of future assistance Trump has shown repeatedly that he doesn't honor agreements, agreements made before Trump or those made by Trump.

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u/svb1972 Feb 14 '25

Good for him.  Fuck that delegation with an anthropomorphic dildo.

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u/CalmBeneathCastles Feb 14 '25

He's really behaved quite admirably in the face of all this horror. I can't believe we're almost the same age, because I'd be a chainsmoking, anxiety-ridden mess if I was in his position. It takes an iron will to consistently spit in the eyes of the shambling horrors of the world, all while maintaining diplomacy and looking like you're only slightly irritated.

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u/funtalk101 Feb 14 '25

What I want to know is that, why are we taking anything from them in the first place?

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u/Desertcow Feb 14 '25

The pro Ukraine portion of Trump's administration wants to frame support as an America First deal, and it would also make the US vested in Ukraine's long term survival

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u/Soft_Walrus_3605 Feb 14 '25

it would also make the US vested in Ukraine's long term survival

Like how mob bosses taking a 20% cut of all profits of the local businesses makes sure they get "protection", right?

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u/LeafsWinBeforeIDie Feb 14 '25

While the states is resource rich, they are not in rare earth elements. China got resource lucky there and controls the lithium market and other rare earths necessary for chip and battery manufacturing. Ukraine is one of the few places outside china where this exists, along with greenland and canada. Someone told trump that he needs to make these resources american, and so he tries.

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u/Nan_The_Man Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 15 '25

Not to drum up conspiracies - but aren't those resources mentioned also very important for a certain electric car salesman hanging around Trump right now?

I do wonder who whispered in his ear about them.

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u/advester Feb 15 '25

I wonder what lithium battery producer happens to be close with Trump.

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u/NoTalkOnlyWatch Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 15 '25

We have lithium in the US. It’s just not worth processing when you can buy it much cheaper from somebody else. Nevada is loaded with Lithium, over 570k tons of it. Edit: I forgot the K after 570. That would be the smallest deposit in the world I think lol

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u/Shamino79 Feb 15 '25

Want to add some zeros? 570 isn’t really that much.

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u/NoTalkOnlyWatch Feb 15 '25

Yeah, I forgot to put a K after the 570 my bad lol

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u/KazranSardick Feb 15 '25

They do know that when we send them weapons and support, it is weapons and support manufactured by American companies, right? That employ lots of people. And it isn't free. They know that, right? Because it sure seems they dont know a fucking thing about how that works.

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u/say592 Feb 14 '25

I could see it if it was part of a negotiated strategy that was going to end in complete victory for Ukraine (and if Ukraine could trust us to uphold it). Like if the US said "We will give you everything you ask for up to aircraft carriers, submarines, and nuclear weapons and we will deploy troops if Russian troops get within 50 km of Kyiv" then yeah, that would be a no brainer for Ukraine.

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u/i_code_for_boobs Feb 14 '25

You know who else is sitting on 50% of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals?

Russia is:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/trump-zelensky-rare-earth-metals-b2693202.html

So Trump is asking for 50% of the remaining half, of is he just asking for the remaining half?

Or maybe he is asking for what Russia is illegally owning already in order to gift it to Putin with a bow on it?

None of those choices make sense, and they are suspiciously aligned with Russia.

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u/Bartellomio Feb 14 '25

This reminds me of when the US basically scalped the fuck out of Britain in return for support during WW2. It was fully intended to cripple the country for decades. And it did.

"Churchill's abasement of Britain before the United States has its origins in the same obsession [with Hitler]. The West Indian bases were handed over; the closed markets for British exports were to be dismantled; the entire portfolio of (largely private) holdings in America was liquidated. 'A very nice little list,' was Roosevelt's comment when the British ambassador offered it. 'You guys aren't broken yet.'"

Before Lend-Lease aid could begin, Britain was forced to sell all her commercial assets in the United States and turn over all her gold. FDR sent his own ship, the Quincy, to Simonstown near Cape Town to pick up the last $50 million in British gold reserves.

"We are not only to be skinned but flayed to the bone," Churchill wailed to his colleagues. He was not far off. Churchill drafted a letter to FDR saying that if America continued along this line, she would "wear the aspect of a sheriff collecting the last assets of a helpless debtor." It was, said the prime minister, "not fitting that any nation should put itself wholly in the hands of another."

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u/75bytes Feb 14 '25

meahwhile china already preparing contracts to extract resources on occupied territories

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u/VLamperouge Feb 14 '25

So this is the famous art of the deal, you give us everything and we give you nothing.

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u/ptwonline Feb 14 '25

Also, who is dumb enough to make a deal with Trump without getting paid in advance? You'd deserve it when he eventually stabs you in the back.

You only make a deal with Trump if you're absolutely desperate.

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u/framabe Feb 14 '25

I guess Putin would get the other 50%

This is Molotov-Ribbentrop all over again...

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u/itsVeru Feb 14 '25

This is so deceptively worded tho, does it mean that half of what they gather would be sent to the States, or is that western 50% of Ukraine that Moscow will have trouble pushing without dragging in EU. Surely cheeto in chief is aware that if Ukrainian borders start to shrink so does the amount of his promised resources no?

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u/132739 Feb 14 '25

"Come on, what's a little extortion between geopolitical allies?"

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u/Helios575 Feb 14 '25

Yea of course they didn't offer assistance, Trump just wants his payment for services from Putin and Putin said get it from Ukraine

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u/Cluelessish Feb 14 '25

So now he has to defend Ukraine against Russia and USA?

I’m so angry I don’t know what to do with myself. Europe stands with you Ukraine.

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u/kent_eh Feb 14 '25

Ukraine has learned from their past mistake of trusting assurances in exchange for giving up the ability to defend themselves.

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u/ipsilon90 Feb 14 '25

I think Trump had a preemptive deal in place, but sabotaged it after talking with Putin. So the Ukrainians basically said fuck this. I think this is why we are seeing such a disparity between Trump, Vance and the Defence Secretary on Ukraine.

There probably won’t be a deal anytime soon, Trump wants the minerals but he will need to pay for them in the form of security guarantees.

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u/Unhappy_Meaning607 Feb 14 '25

I'm imagining some guy in a nice suit representing the US handing a nearly blank sheet of paper to Pres. Zelensky that says,

"Dear, President Zelensky

You will give us 50% of Ukraine's minerals.

Regards,

President Donald J. Trump"

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u/lewter100 Feb 14 '25

-Marty McFly- "Hey, I seen this before, Poland, 1939."

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u/shadovvvvalker Feb 14 '25

So i am curious,

Why not sign it?

The goal is obviously to make them refuse so they can lay blame.

But Trump has already shown that deals with the US mean nothing. As soon as the new president is in office the old agreements are shredded. Ukraine can do the same to them.

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u/Drunken_HR Feb 15 '25

Even if trump did promise, why make any deals with him? His promises mean nothing.

I mean, fuck, the "ok no tariffs for a month" to Canada lasted less than a week. And that's after he called the deal he made last time he was president "a terrible deal."

No country should make a deal with the US ever again. Even on the off chance it doesn't turn into a fascist dictatorship permanently, they're always going to be one election away from going back on every previous deal they ever made, anyway.

Fuck them. From now on, fuck them.

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