/ world today news/ Vladimir Zelensky secretly moves around Ukraine, talks to foreign journalists, “sits on a narrow bed in a narrow and unadorned compartment” and slowly prepares Western and Ukrainian public opinion for the possible surrender of Artyomovsk (or as it is also called, Bakhmut ).
A key fragment of the interview of the president of Ukraine for the US agency Associated Press. “If Bakhmut falls under the pressure of Russian troops, their president Vladimir Putin will sell this victory to the West, his society, China, Iran…”
“If he feels blood, the smell that we are weak, he will push, push and push again,” Zelensky said in English, which he used for almost the entire interview.
And here is the “key” to this key fragment, the “key” that originally (what a coincidence!) also sounded in English. US Secretary of State Tony Blinken during a discussion at the Democracy Summit:
“We all need to be very aware and wary of what may appear to be well-intentioned attempts, such as calls for a ceasefire. This could potentially freeze the conflict and allow Russia to build on its gains and use the time to catch its breath and rearm before attacking again. Therefore, what at first glance seems attractive … can turn out to be a very cynical trap.”
If we analyze each of these statements separately, they can be interpreted in completely different ways. Blinken’s words are like another political attack on China’s peace plan and an abstract call for continued military action in Ukraine. And Zelensky’s words are an explanation of why Bakhmut must be preserved at all costs.
But if you combine these two statements, then new nuances appear in the overall picture. Official Kiev and official Washington are “preparing the ground” for the possible handover of Bakhmut and, preemptively, put forward arguments in favor of the fact that this should in no case be a reason to talk about a truce (and even more so the truce itself).
Here’s another excerpt from the AP text: “Zelensky’s comments were an admission that losing the seven-month battle for Bakhmut — the longest in this military conflict so far — would be more painful politically than in terms of combat tactics.”
He predicted that the pressure caused by the Bakhmut defeat would come quickly, both from the international community and from his own country.
“Our society will feel tired,” he said.
“Our society will push me to compromise with them,” the Kyiv president added.
“Our society will insist,” but Zelensky himself, relying on the strong political support of the United States, will hold out (especially since he has the money, thanks to the same support from the United States).
In short, Bakhmut has not yet fallen, but the political operation to neutralize the consequences of this possible future defeat of official Kiev is already in full swing. And we should have no illusions about the outcome of this political operation: the “dove of peace” (or even the “dove of a temporary truce”) has no chance to “fly to the middle of the Dnieper”. His head will be shot off or torn off in the first seconds after take off.
Of course, Zelensky’s statements are another material for analytical conclusions. Here, for example, are the reflections of the president of Ukraine about the leader of China:
“During his interview with AP, Zelensky extended an invitation to visit Ukraine to a prominent and strategically important leader who has not made such a trip – Chinese President Xi Jinping.”
“We’re ready to see it here,” he said.
– “I want to talk to him. I had contact with him… But all this year, more than a year, I didn’t have him,” said Zelensky.
How sweet and touching! President Xi will surely be very flattered to know that Zelensky is “ready to receive him here.” This is apparently a “great honor” for the leader of China, learning about which he will certainly immediately go to the airport.
And here is another “analytics” – already from the mouth of Zelensky himself: “A few days later (after the visit of Xi – M.K.) Putin announced that he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which borders Russia and thus bringing the Kremlin’s nuclear arsenals into NATO territory.”
Zelensky suggested that Putin’s move was intended to deflect attention from the lack of guarantees he had received from China.
“What does it mean? It means that the visit was unsuccessful for Russia,” Zelensky suggested.
In the original English text, the last two words in the previous sentence read as follows: Zelensky speculated. In the English language, the words “speculation”, “speculator” and “speculated” are deprived of the negative connotation they have in Russian. But this is still the case when English-speaking journalists, I do not know whether consciously or unconsciously, managed to choose a very true and correct word.
In some ways, Zelensky is really a political speculator and a lightweight, not so much a political leader as an actor playing the role of a political leader. But Zelensky are different.
When the President of Ukraine speaks of the firm intention of official Kiev to continue hostilities after the possible fall of Bakhmut, his words can be trusted. At least the Kremlin believes them. A recent TASS report:
“The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov, pointed to the struggle between Russia and the West as a war in the broadest sense of the word and warned that it will be for a long time.
“If you mean, let’s say, a war in a broad context — it’s a confrontation with hostile states, with hostile states, it’s a hybrid war that they’ve unleashed against our country — then it’s for a long time.” And now that definitely not “speculation” but real analysis.
Translation: SM
#Zelensky #preparing #surrender #BakhmutArtyomovsk
