Europe will not be part of Ukraine-Russia peace talks, US envoy says

[zkmon]

Whether they will be a part or not, it will go down in history how Europe forgot world history. This is exactly how colonialism worked in the 18th century. Put fights between brothers and then make deals with the one that is desperate for help. The great strategy was called divide and rule.

[p2detar]

With brothers I'd assume you mean Ukraine and Russia?

While something could be said about the role of US in starting the war, it is entirely a decision of Russia's leadership. There is a war, because Putin wanted a war. It is as simple as that.

Europe's sins are extremely weak leadership at the moment and to some degree defragmentation of priorities. I have to give it to Putin, he did put an enormous amount of effort to break up the west. At the expense of Russians IMHO, but nevertheless results are evident.

Something tells me though that however the Ukraine "deal" ends, it won't be the end of wartime in Europe. As far as I read the other day drafting continues in Russia across all Oblasts with large sums of money paid to people signing up. Appeasement never works.

edit: typos

[quantified]

Who are the brothers and who is pitting the fight in this case?

[Arnt]

There's a quote... I think it was Kissinger, but I can't find it now. "Don't issue an order unless you're prepared to back it up with force."

See also: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43059411

[netsharc]

A Zelensky, Trump and Putin is really 2 wolves and a lamb meeting to decide what's for lunch. Or a better analogy may be a lamb, a wolf and its bitch.

[rightbyte]

Wasn't it "Don't issue an order that wont be followed" or some such? I think it is a common saying even though Kissinger might have also said it.

[ChocolateGod]

Europe will be the one that ultimately forks out for rebuilding Ukraine once the war is over.

Perhaps it shouldn't.

[polski-g]

There is no certainty this is the case. There is no European country that is operating at a surplus currently.

[thisislife2]

An old adage about politicians is is to observe what they do, not what they say. This is more true with Trump as he follows, what is called the Mad Man strategy -

    The madman theory posits that a leader who behaves as if he could do just about anything has a better chance of persuading other global actors to make concessions they otherwise would not make. 

- https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/07/madman-theory-internati...

Whether the leader of a superpower should be adopting such a strategy is a different debate ...

[rasz]

Except he acts like he is trying to extract something from Ukraine, not putin.

[IAmGraydon]

Everyone jumps to this every time a world leader does something crazy. I think it's a self-comforting mechanism. Convince yourself that they're just acting like an idiot but behind the scenes it's all under control. Thing is, sometimes world leaders actually are idiots.