Calling Out Russia's Bluff To Its Face

Inquiring minds want to know. Is he a coward or is he dead? After all the bluster of the last several weeks, claiming he would meet in person to discuss a peace deal, it was announced Vladimir Putin would not be attending the high level negotiations.

 

Considering that it was Putin who insisted to hold the negotiations this week, it may be that he IS dead and the ruse of him running Russia would be discovered. That would be a total embarrassment to the Russian government, and its reputation would be destroyed across the world, especially in the PRC.

Russia would be relegated to a third-rate has-been non-entity by its allies and adversaries alike. So, it was critical to claim Putin would not attend.

Or… Since Russia started the war with Ukraine in 2014 AND in 2022, it actually bullied Ukraine into an impossible position to defend itself. TWICE. But we all know that bullies are actually cowards pretending they have courage and the ability to win, when they really can’t.

And since, in all practical purposes, Russia is actually losing the war it started, making outrageous demands on Kyiv, Volodomyr Zelenskyy is attending the conference and calling Putin’s bluff. He is daring Putin to show his face, but a bully is a coward and won’t.

At this point, Putin has tried everyone’s patience and it is quickly running out. President Trump sent his top tier team, led by SecState Marco Rubio and essentially has been spat upon.

It is time to take the gloves off and hit Russia with additional sanctions, which will force it to come to the negotiating table, enter into a permanent ceasefire and withdraw to borders which were in effect until 2014. And increase the sanctions until Putin agrees to all of these terms.

Sanctions have the effect, when applied severely, to cripple an economy. That is how you deal with a bully.

Unless Putin is dead. Then who is running Russia?