The dynamic is obvious to any intellectually honest observer, which is to say U.S. and Western media disqualify themselves and continue pushing preferred EU narratives.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the latest U.S. proposal for a minerals deal that would create a partnership to repay the United States for ongoing financial support.  According to Zelenskyy, the deal to share in oil, gas and mineral revenue would amount to debt that would disqualify them from EU membership due to unstable financials.

However, it is important for U.S. readers to remember the U.S. aid package already underway pays for the entire operation of the Ukraine federal spending liabilities, including pensions, government worker paychecks and everything normally within a govt budget.  U.S. taxpayers are not only subsidizing the war with munitions, but we are also subsidizing the government operation and citizens of Ukraine.  Within that spending there is MASSIVE corruption ongoing.

When Zelensky rejects (1) the terms of a “minerals deal,” (2) rejects U.N peacekeepers, (3) rejects the predicate for peace that Russia will retain part of Eastern Ukraine geography, and (4) rejects the offered security guarantees, he is also rejecting the idea that American taxpayers should be repaid for all their support.

Almost all of these rejections appear based on Zelensky’s belief the U.K, France and European allies can replace any support lost by President Trump changing his approach toward Ukraine.  Zelensky, who has not been elected, is developing a reputation for being so difficult, so demanding, so spoiled and temperamental that neither Vladimir Putin nor President Trump wants to deal with him.

Against this backdrop, the ceasefire deal is tenuous at best.  Russia, who previously said they did not expect Zelensky to stand by any ceasefire proposal, continues to launch airstrikes against Ukraine as Zelensky continues to prove Vladimir Putin correct by rejecting U.S. proposed terms for a ceasefire – while claiming Russia is not abiding.

Western Ukrainians are influenced more by the propaganda from the European Union, Brussels, France and the U.K, than they are from NATO military.

The support for war amid the EU member states is directly proportional to the severity of their leftist, socialist and WEF tendencies.  The more anti-nationalist the nation state is, the more likely they support the Ukraine war.

As this larger dynamic continues, one can imagine President Trump frustratingly accepting the need for Vladimir Putin to go even harder against Ukraine.  The current interim terms include both Ukraine and Russia not targeting energy infrastructure; however, both nations appear to have -at least collaterally- violated that concept.

If a targeted Russian strike takes down a municipal power pole, Zelensky calls it an attack on “energy infrastructure.”  If a Russian missile hits the street and disrupts a natural gas line, Zelensky repeats the claim.  As the narrative is pushed, if a Ukranian soldier is recharging his cell phone at the time he is hit, energy producing infrastructure has been targeted.

The bottom line is becoming very obvious.  NATO countries and the western media who support them, demand President Trump must maintain support for Ukraine, as Zelensky rejects any proposed terms from President Trump to end the conflict.

Russia keeps attacking.  A belligerent Volodymyr Zelensky, who will not accept any terms for negotiated peace (so far), continues playing the victim and saying Russia is violating terms needed for peace.   NATO and the EU alliance continue telling Zelensky to keep fighting; Zelensky rejects anything that stops the fighting; NATO and the EU alliance continue demanding that President Trump support Zelensky.  That’s the current cycle.

The CIA, as viewed through their spokespeople at the Washington Post, continue snarking at President Trump for not ending the war on Day #1; while the same CIA keeps organizing the Ukraine/EU forces to attack Russia, stimulating a continuation of the war they snark at Trump for not stopping.

Toward that end, the CIA carve-outs in the EU are refining their North American strategy to install an ideology favorable to their global interventionist efforts on our northern border, Canada.  Prime Minister Mark Carney represents the interests of the World Economic Forum, the European Union and the traditional CIA control mechanisms.

BRUSSELS — In rejecting Russia’s demand to lift Western sanctions in exchange for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, European leaders are showing they could still be players in Washington’s talks.

Europe is seeking to retain its leverage as President Donald Trump moves to strike a deal with Russia to stop the war in Ukraine. But some of Russia’s key demands — including sanctions relief and the end of military aid to Ukraine — require European buy-in. (more)

If the pretending were to end, I mean if the BIG UGLY really were to start to come into play, President Trump might announce a complete removal of U.S. sanctions against Russia.  That would trigger simultaneous ‘splodey heads in DC and throughout Western media.  However, I doubt the casual American political observer would understand the reason, and that makes it too politically challenging for President Trump to accomplish.

The retention of pretending is frustrating and obviously something President Trump is trying to eliminate. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are doing a great job so far assisting that effort.

The post Zelenskyy, With EU Support, Continues Looking for Any Excuse to Derail or Avoid Peace Talks – Rejects Mineral Deal, Demands EU Ascension and Security Guarantees appeared first on The Last Refuge.

[H/T Conservative Tree House]