Crunch Time For Ukraine

Last week, Ukraine and Russia entered direct talks for the first time since the early part of the war in 2022. A minor prisoner exchange has ensued, which is great — except that Russia hasn’t stopped punishment strikes against Ukraine’s cities. Meanwhile, the United States under Trump could wash its hands of the conflict at any time, leaving Ukraine in extremis with the unready Europeans holding the bag. What’s Putin after in this whole thing? Is he willing to keep sinking resources into a potential quagmire, or merely trying to get everyone to believe he is? And most importantly, is there a deal that all sides would accept… including the Ukrainians, who are fighting for their national life? We discuss!01:57 Prisoner Exchanges and Diplomacy04:27 US and European Involvement10:33 European Military Capacity16:40 Russia’s Progress & Resolve20:05 EU vs Russia23:05 Ukrainian Insurgency?26:15 What Does Putin Want?32:19 Comparing Russian and Ukrainian Resolve38:24 How Fast Will Europe Mobilize?45:00 Is There A Deal To Be Made? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit globaltantrum.substack.com