1/13) I was President Trump’s Asst. Secretary of the Treasury (for sanctions etc.) during his first Admin.
Q: What should happen if Putin refuses an immediate, complete ceasefire?
A: Immediate, crushing sanctions.
@POTUS should tell @USTreasury to take the following 9 steps…
@verekerrichard1 What if they are holding the remaining T-72s back in order to combine them into a large mobile breakthrough element if they think they are close to achieving such?
@BRyvkin Not really. It isn't a EUR issue, Fed lines help Europeans to service USD debts by converting their EUR into USD when needed. As borrowers outside of US shift from borrowing in USD to other currencies, the requirement for this liquidity provision is reduced.
@russianforces@dszeligowski Until the costs for aggressor rise sufficiently to stop the aggression or further expenditure of resource does not yield results. Stabilisation of front line pretty gets you there.
@FadeTheSniper1 For what asset class? Can you even get 10x for stocks (without using options)? In Europe 30x is the max for FX and commodities? And for stocks 3x if I am not mistaken.
@Rudie_of_Mogok@michaelnacke Ну да. Зеленский такой, пусть еще миллионов пять украинцев в подвал сядут а их семьи электричества лишатся и будут воду ведрами на шестой этаж носить. На ДНР посмотри. Давай тебя из Гамбурга в подвал Донецкий? Там еще присунут а ты будешь всем рассказывать что надо соглашаться…
@Rainmaker1973 That’s a ridiculously high orbit - 100k km or thereabouts. Anybody who has played Kerbal Space Program for all of 20 minutes knows that this is not possible for a vehicle which takes off on its own and is designed for atmospheric (or edge of space) flight.
Alright, let’s dismantle J.D. Vance’s bullshit with some cold, hard facts and logic, because this motherfucker is trying to rewrite reality in real time. Buckle up:
1) “Ukraine has no credible path to victory.”
Really? Then why the fuck has Russia been stuck in the mud for two years, burning through troops like a meat grinder, begging North Korea for ammo, and losing ground when they should’ve taken Kyiv in three days? If Ukraine had no path to victory, why the fuck is Russia still struggling to take Donbas after TEN YEARS? The only reason Ukraine isn’t advancing is because guys like you are blocking the aid they need to fight. You defund them, then claim they can’t win. That’s not strategy—that’s sabotage.
2) “Talking to Russia is statesmanship, not appeasement.”
This is gaslighting 101. Of course you need diplomacy, but diplomacy isn’t the same as giving the enemy what they want. Ukraine is literally not even in the room while Russia and the U.S. discuss their fate. That’s not negotiation, that’s betrayal. You don’t get to sell out a country and pretend it’s high-level strategy—it’s Munich 1938 all over again. And we all know how that ended.
3) “The idea we’ve given Russia everything they want is fake.”
Oh yeah? Then why does every leak say Trump’s team is pushing a ‘peace deal’ that hands Russia occupied territories? Why is Trump blocking weapons, stopping NATO expansion, and doing everything Russia has asked for? If this isn’t appeasement, then tell me one single major concession Russia has made. I’ll wait.
4) “People criticizing this aren’t dealing with reality on the ground.”
No, motherfucker, you’re the one ignoring reality. The reality is:
✔️ Russia wants to wipe Ukraine off the map—Putin has said this himself.
✔️ Any ceasefire today would just let Russia regroup and attack again later.
✔️ The U.S. spent decades warning about Russian expansion—and now you pretend Ukraine is the problem?
This isn’t about “reality,” it’s about you pushing Russian propaganda while pretending it’s strategic thinking.
5) “Trump is playing 4D chess.”
Oh, give me a fucking break. Trump is playing checkers and still losing. His entire life is bending over for dictators—Putin, Kim, Saudi royals—he’s never stood up to any of them. Now you expect us to believe he’s some master strategist? Please. He’s siding with Russia because it benefits him personally, just like he did in 2016.
6) “Pearl-clutching over Ukraine leadership doesn’t matter.”
So criticizing Ukraine’s leadership is fine, but pointing out that Trump is literally undermining a U.S. ally in real-time is “pearl-clutching”? Shut the fuck up.
Also, since when does the U.S. get to decide Ukraine’s leadership? If another country tried this shit with our elections, MAGA would be ready to start another Civil War.
Bottom line? This isn’t “negotiation”—it’s a slow-motion betrayal.
Vance is gaslighting Americans into thinking this is some strategic masterpiece, when in reality, it’s just surrender disguised as diplomacy. They’re giving Putin everything he wants, hoping no one notices.
Fuck that. We notice.
@afneil You know what Andrew, good on you. I don't share many of your opinions, but this post proves to me that when you are mistaken, you do so in good faith.