Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.
Pepe Escobar – Strategic Culture May 17, 2025
Did President Putin really change the game by proposing the resumption of negotiations on the proxy war in Ukraine in Istanbul – over three years after the first ones were scotched by NATO?
It’s complicated. And depends on which “game” we’re talking about.
What the Russian move instantly accomplished was to throw into total disarray the European warmongering Three Stooges (Starmer, BlackRock chancellor, Le Petit Roi) Cocaine Express.
Irrelevant Europe was not even at the table in Istanbul – except via extensive previous briefing of the low-rent, shabby-dressed Ukrainian delegation. That was compounded by the noisy barking threat in the sidelines advocating “more sanctions” to “pressure Russia”.
In March 2022 in Istanbul, Kiev could have stopped the war. Every one of us who were in Istanbul at the time could foresee that Kiev would eventually have to be forced to the table all over again.
So in essence we are back to the same negotiation – with the same top Russian negotiator, competent historian Vladimir Medinsky, heading a delegation composed by pros, but with Ukraine now facing over a million dead; deprived of at least four regions – more on the way; what’s left of its mineral wealth de facto controlled by the US; and a horrendous black hole that passes for an “economy”. We are talking about country 404 territory.
During the negotiations on Friday, Medinsky went straight to the point:
“We don’t want war, but we are ready to fight for a year, two, three – as long as it takes. We fought with Sweden for 21 years [the Great Northern War, 1700-1721, as it is known in Russia]. How long are you ready to fight?”
That’s the geopolitical/military state of things for Kiev and their “to the last Ukrainian” warmongering backers: either you capitulate, or we’re going to hurt you even more.
What’s the point of these negotiations?
Turkiye under uber-opportunist Sultan Erdogan in fact hosted a P.R. meeting between Moscow, Kiev and itself – with the Ukrainians unleashing a blitzkrieg of infantile tantrums only designed to influence global public opinion. In sharp contrast, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, did his best to put a positive spin on the proceedings.
Istanbul 2.0, Dmitriev asserted, achieved a large exchange of prisoners (1,000 on each side); ceasefire options to be presented by both sides; and a continuation of dialogue.
That’s not much. Well, at least they discussed in the same language: Russian. Nothing was lost in translation.
A serious case can be made that to propose the resumption of these negotiations, under this format, was meaningless. There’s no evidence in the horizon both parties might touch the fundamental issue anytime soon: the whole geopolitical strategic equation in Eastern Europe, from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea and beyond – leading to an “indivisibility of security” new deal with global repercussions.
That implies that whatever track these negotiations may follow further on down the road, they are an objective impossibility. Meanwhile, the proxy war in Ukraine – and the SMO – will go on.
That would also suggest that the Moscow security establishment considers the neo-nazi instrumentalized goons in Kiev at best as a re-enactment of the 6th Army of Paulus, with which you negotiate the end of a battle, but not the end of the war.
Even NATO semi-realists as retired Commodore Steven Jermy have been forced to admit that “Russia is in the driving seat” and clueless Europeans “appear to believe that the losers should dictate the terms of ceasefire or surrender.”
All the barking by the – European – chihuahuas of war cannot disguise the fundamental geopolitical/military fact: a massive NATO humiliation. Trump’s humongous problem is that he has to manage it – and sell it to domestic public opinion and the global public opinion as some sort of “deal” he struck with Putin.
It’s enlightening once again to go back to Grandmaster Lavrov, always the uber-realist, back in September 2024: “In April 2022, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reached agreement in Istanbul. If that agreement had been observed, Ukraine would have preserved part of Donbass. But every time another agreement, always accepted by Russia, is broken, Ukraine shrinks in size.”
The (Great) Game, revisited
Now back to the (Great) Game. Kiev negotiators eventually admitting Ukrainian capitulation means a NATO capitulation and an Empire of Chaos capitulation. That’s the ultimate anathema for the US ruling classes. Even an ultra-negotiated, carefully managed Ukrainian surrender will be an impossible sell – not to mention Washington under Narcissus Drowned Trump acknowledging a strategic defeat.
Because that will mean the Empire of Chaos losing Eurasia for good: the ultimate Mackinder/Brzezinski nightmare. Coupled with the consequential solidification of the multi-nodal, multipolar world.
The Russia-China stategic partnership is very much aware of every nook and cranny in this larger-than-life process. Beyond the current Turkish kabuki, they clearly understand the Big Eurasia Equation.
Beijing is fully aware NATO’s real goal was always to confront it via Russia. Ukraine was NATO’s pawn to take down Russia then get to China from the West. The goal of the US ruling elites as they configured their thalassocratic empire remains to blockade China from the West by land and sea, using Russia; then use Taiwan as a staging area to blockade China from the East by sea. No wonder control of Taiwan is a Chinese strategic imperative.
Enter Mackinder panic – all over again: the China-Russia strategic partnership can beat NATO hands down – and Russia, by itself, is already doing it. Xi and Putin once again discussed the chessboard in detail, in person, prior to the Victory Day parade last week in Moscow.
The endgame, once again, is clear: the US losing the entire Eurasian land mass. Ukraine, under these immense geopolitical imperatives, is only a sovereign-deprived pawn in the (Great) Game.
As for the tantrum-addicted clown in Kiev, he is merely an actor with no authority whatsoever, negotiations included. He is completely dominated by Ukrainian neo-Nazis who will kill him if and when the war is over. He merely fronts for them and gets paid off. And that’s why – enthusiastically supported by inconsequential London, Paris and Berlin – he’s obsessed to continue a Forever War destroying the very nation he claims to represent.
Most people in the rest of the world (a) don’t know what the root causes of the war are, (b) think putin is trying to take over the world and (c) think trump is trying to stop it. Why would jewlensky want to make “peace”? Why would the russians want to have “talks” with them? Everyone else is all “oh, the deaths, the misery”, as if they care. What a farce the entire human race is.
It’s correct, but as I keep reminding, Donald Hitler admitted defeat, and I said it first, and about 11 days later, Scott Ritter repeated what I had said.
Putin could push hard, because Nazi NATO has been defeated, but Putin plays a soft game, because Donald Hitler is in grave danger.
We hear from top US officials that ‘Russia expects too much’, but no one tells us what this is, but some of us know roughly what Russia wants.
So the Nazis are caught between a rock and a hard place. They are fixed, and can only move towards the Russian position, and if they do, it becomes a global fact that Nazi NATO has been defeated, which Donald Hitler admitted to. Sure, the ambush of Zelensky was planned, but there was no script, and DH blabbed.
While Nazi Amerika will face humiliation, the Europeans will look stupid, and impotent. This is why MI6 waits to make their move.
LOL..
Peepee should pack his bags and go home.. not only has he consistently lied he’s also been consistently wrong… which you must admit is both unsurprising and what you would expect from such a derelict…he’s even trying to spin this embarrassing capitulation as some sort of WIN… along with all the other CiA stooges…
who probably all need reminding about the bullshit they have all talked for the last 3 years plus… and then resoundingly mocked until they all fucked off…and kept on going…
Dear dear, what a bunch of mendacious imbeciles…
The plan now is to grind Russia into little pieces, whilst pretending they are negotiating peace…
such as it is…
So, Russia had better find a Good General that doesn’t follow rabbi Schneerson, pootin and the IMF to lead them out of this fucking mess..
I think it’s also likely Trump’s tariffs will so endanger the US economy as well as the economies of others in the west who blindly follow US sanctions diktats, that in the coming weeks and months the risk of all our economies collapsing is such that our politicians may decide war against Russia is the only option they have left. It won’t save any economy and will end them all sooner, but war gives failed leaders something else to blame their failures on.
Russia should ensure with their missile systems that for the first time ever those who start war will be among the first to die in it. Change the nature of warfare forever. Make war no longer attractive to them.
There are only two items on the Agenda with Ukraine–kill a lot of White people and reduce again the access of Russia to warm sea
first lets be rid of carl jones
a total twat
Sewer chabad rebbe Schneerson is an already dead- in 1994 – fake j. / his ardent followers – amongst them crypto fake j. Drumpf* the Rigger of the 2024 jewSA elections / now still WH resident – truly expect S. to come back – I suppose in his same old form – and play their moshiach…..that Is Real Kabuki…..
They could have cloned S. of course / but that is not playing by the rules / his physical – in the meanwhile only – skeleton remains will be left in his box…..just open it…..& check his skull / dna & all the rest of it…..
They – the chabad cult members – will never do that of course nor will they ever allow other objective non chabad cult members to do that- that´s how deep their satanic matricks influence over presentday “free” society is…..
Only one rational option left / open sewer rebbe´s box / when empty check his clone
*
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/donald-drumpf/photos “Drumpf” is old Prussian for bags used to catch falling manure from horses
Max Lowen – a true Lady of the Light – born in a MK ultra “elite” family……suvivor of horrific satanic ritual abuse & toture underneath the Vatican says in one of her vids / for most non msm addicts / common knowledge that presidents etc. are only puppits from higher ups behind the curtain.
Drumpf – fully drowned in his creme de menthe swamp – is not even worthy to be labeled a Trojan Horse – his higher ups are / they selected his 24/7 Anne Frankenstein diarrrrrhea leaking ass in the oval office – he is a silly old bag (lady ? / could be / u never know zees days) catching their manure…
( manure / funny word in Dutch btw / manuren / the hours that a man (or a woman or any of the many various combinations) works / the psychopathic orange tanya talmudick should be dumped in
a garbage can in front of the Willard Hotel in Washingon DC – in close vicinity of he White House-
https://archive.org/details/transcript-speech-of-benjamin-freedman-willard-hotel-washington-dc-1961_202312
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMnTFRHuUI Benjamin H. Freedman: 1961 Willard Hotel Speech (Full Unedited)-Genesis WWI, WWII & WWIII 2:45 min. …
CIA O
5 August 2024 Praveen Mohan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3lgE0TKW-w at Danny Jones Clips / Proof of Ancient Nuclear Weapons: Mohenjo Daro & the Lost Indus Valley Civilization |
21 March 2025 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/snOAaz3nOgU “How Africans Saved and Translated the Bible While Europe Burned Books
During the Dark Ages (5th to 15th century) while Europeans were burning books /slaughtering each other & drowning in chaos / Africans preserved & translated the Bible. Ethiopian Christians safeguarded entire manuscripts & sacred scriptures
Africa played a vital role in preserving Christian heritage / mainstream history tries to bury that truth.
Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking Christianity’s roots are European—Discover the hidden legacy of African ( Ehiopian) Christians & how they shaped biblical history through resilience and dedication. ”
3 weeks ago “African History Fountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey4vG6en4t4 Before Praying Again Who is the real Jesus ?”
“0.49 Russian Orthodox Church icon….1.13 Brother you´re missing the point / it´s not about race it´s about Grace / they cry & I smile / nice meme / but history is not a meme / colonisation is not a poem & 400 yrs I have been told your God looks nothing like you / it is not just accidental / it is cultural warfare”
I would say on bilderberg (mountain of images) level / it is cultural theft ( chop chop / beheading)
Watching a short slice of that circus on line I had some problem in finding a dark face * 27 April 2025 in the Rome church – while Bergooglio laid dead in his coffin & crypto fake j. not very orange Drumpf on the second row just put a gum in his mouth – perhaps the toilet lady …?
*
https://uspeakgreek.com/philosophy/human-sciences/geography/ethiopian/ Αίθω (aíthō, meaning “to burn”) and οπή (opé, meaning “face” or “appearance”). Thus, “Ethiopian” essentially means someone with a sunburned appearance
CIA O
Good satire – I certainly let out a chuckle on the ‘Three Stooges’ description, but then I wouldn’t have degraded Curley, Larry and Moe as bad as the puppets, Starmer, Macron and Merz. are, and a little stoned most of the time.
its the natzis natzis
what a feckin pillock !
“The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous.” ― George Orwell
I would say this is a good analysis, but it’s missing some key points (all of them):
1. Didn’t figure out the players… All the “leaders” are puppets, when you’re exposing deep scenarios about Putin, Xi, Trump, Zelenskyy, leaders from Europe etc. you are just telling us more about the puppet show.
2. Didn’t figure out the goal… It’s not a “proxy war against Russia”, it’s the same war, against humanity.
3. Didn’t figure out the game… It’s not even a war, it’s PEST CONTROL. They hate you and they want you dead.
4. It’s the jews…