James Menendez

And so it is true that there is a heightened talk of peace, but Russia... You know, you cannot see it from within Ukraine as Russia continues to act out its invasion.

And so it is true that there is a heightened talk of peace, but Russia... You know, you cannot see it from within Ukraine as Russia continues to act out its invasion.

And so it is true that there is a heightened talk of peace, but Russia... You know, you cannot see it from within Ukraine as Russia continues to act out its invasion.

Rest assured, today has been a political body blow for Ukraine. I think it has long been known that the Trump administration would have a different approach to its predecessors. It would perhaps be seen here as a less sympathetic approach. We've certainly seen a more transactional attitude when it's come to American support for Ukraine.

Rest assured, today has been a political body blow for Ukraine. I think it has long been known that the Trump administration would have a different approach to its predecessors. It would perhaps be seen here as a less sympathetic approach. We've certainly seen a more transactional attitude when it's come to American support for Ukraine.

I think President Zelensky has been very much in pitching and negotiating mode. But still, to hear Pete Hegseth there give this speech in Brussels... where he talked about NATO membership for Ukraine being off the table, where he talked about any foreign intervention troop-wise after a ceasefire not involving American troops. There's ambiguity on that.

I think President Zelensky has been very much in pitching and negotiating mode. But still, to hear Pete Hegseth there give this speech in Brussels... where he talked about NATO membership for Ukraine being off the table, where he talked about any foreign intervention troop-wise after a ceasefire not involving American troops. There's ambiguity on that.

He's putting the onus on Europe, which thus far has struggled to fill any gap left by America. President Zelensky said any security guarantees without America don't amount to much. The view that Ukraine can't repel Russia to its original borders, I think there are... battlefield realities Ukraine is having to accept.

He's putting the onus on Europe, which thus far has struggled to fill any gap left by America. President Zelensky said any security guarantees without America don't amount to much. The view that Ukraine can't repel Russia to its original borders, I think there are... battlefield realities Ukraine is having to accept.

But nevertheless, for the country's biggest ally to be saying things like that, you can only imagine that Moscow will be happier with what has been going on. And then you have this phone call, a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. A seemingly warm exchange, if you look at Donald Trump's post, where many topics were discussed.

But nevertheless, for the country's biggest ally to be saying things like that, you can only imagine that Moscow will be happier with what has been going on. And then you have this phone call, a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. A seemingly warm exchange, if you look at Donald Trump's post, where many topics were discussed.

It comes back to this, this Ukrainian fear that there will be talks about Ukraine's future, this country's future, without Ukraine being at the table. And we are seeing that play out now. Now, there is a long way to go in terms of what will be agreed, what compromises will be made, and how Ukraine can... exist and live with Russian forces on its soil.

It comes back to this, this Ukrainian fear that there will be talks about Ukraine's future, this country's future, without Ukraine being at the table. And we are seeing that play out now. Now, there is a long way to go in terms of what will be agreed, what compromises will be made, and how Ukraine can... exist and live with Russian forces on its soil.

But for now, that road is looking incredibly uncertain. It's looking complicated and far from smooth. And I think we've seen America really lay out its position as it looks to engage Russia more than Ukraine.

But for now, that road is looking incredibly uncertain. It's looking complicated and far from smooth. And I think we've seen America really lay out its position as it looks to engage Russia more than Ukraine.

We're in a transactional phase, shall we say, of Russia's full-scale invasion. In the past, it was about President Zelensky pleading for what he saw as being right, helping a democratic country, a sovereign nation, stand up against a larger aggressor. Now he is having to sell Russia.

We're in a transactional phase, shall we say, of Russia's full-scale invasion. In the past, it was about President Zelensky pleading for what he saw as being right, helping a democratic country, a sovereign nation, stand up against a larger aggressor. Now he is having to sell Russia.

uh the commercial benefits it's as simple as that really it seems for america to continue supporting it so we he'd always said this surprise attack into russia's kursk region wasn't about long-term occupation the hundreds of square kilometers they've seized are a relative sliver compared with what russia has taken the other way but now for the first time he's being clearer he's saying we're going to use this as political leverage

uh the commercial benefits it's as simple as that really it seems for america to continue supporting it so we he'd always said this surprise attack into russia's kursk region wasn't about long-term occupation the hundreds of square kilometers they've seized are a relative sliver compared with what russia has taken the other way but now for the first time he's being clearer he's saying we're going to use this as political leverage

for a potential peace negotiation. If Russia wants what we've taken back, you'll have to give back what you currently occupy inside Ukraine because there is also an operational reality here in that his forces have been unable to shift Russian troops or even hold them back in many parts of the front line in the east. So I think this is what President Zelensky is shifting himself towards now.