LOS ANGELES (OC).–Saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for more war in 2026, Ukraine’s 47-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the European Union and United States for more cash-and-arms. Zelensky says he’s getting “signals” from the Kremlin that they plan on more war in 2026, something that should come as no surprise to anyone. When Zelensky talks about “signals,” there’s no facts behind it, only the most spurious intelligence, the kind the U.S. has grown used to over the years. Ukrainian intelligence said Feb. 24, 2022, the start of the Ukraine War, that the Russian military was near collapse and that Putin suffered from a terminal illness. How did all Ukraine’s past intelligence work out? Zelensky, above all else, wants more cash-and-arms from the U.S. and EU, all because he doesn’t want peace, he wants to continue the war.
Zelenksy has rejected every peace proposal starting with China in 2022, insisting they all favor Moscow. Now that Trump has the only viable peace plan, Zelensky has fought it tooth-and-nail, all under the phony premise that he doesn’t want to give up any land to Putin. But Putin controlled Ukrainian soverign land before the Ukraine War and he will, no doubt, control Ukrainian land after the war. In March of 2022, Putin offered to end the conflict if Zelensky recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk and Russian sovereignty over Crimea. Zelensk rejected Putin’s offer, instead went to war with former President Joe Biden funding proxy war with the Kremlin. Biden all but killed U.S.-Russian relations, ended arms control and global cooperation. Trump recognized coming to office the importance of normal U.S.-Russian relations.
Zelensky’s problem stem from the bankruptcy of his Kiev government, no longer able to generate in wartime enough revenue to pay government salaries, including his own and those of his leadership team. Zelensky counts on the EU now to pay for his government and the war, at great expenst, some $160 billion a year. Zelensky has pushed the EU to seize frozen Russian assets to pay for his government and the war. Putin has said that stealing Russian assets currently under deposit in French and Belgium banks [$216 billion euros] would be an act of war. Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever vehemently opposes taking Russian assets to pay for Ukraine’s government and war. But, the EU has run into a budget shortfall that doesn’t permit it to keep financing the Kiev government and war with Moscow. Trump told Zelensky to settle the conflict for the good of all.
Zelensky insists without proof that Putin is gearing up for more war in 2026. That should come as no surprise to Zelensky since he rejects Trump’s peace proposal to end the war. EU officials should look carefully at Zelensky’s hypocrisy, ranting about Russian attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure but refusing to sign on to Trump’s very even-handed peace plan. Trump’s plan takes nothing away from Zelensky that he hasn’t already lost in nearly four years of war. Losing some 25% of Ukraine’s territory, Zelensky continues to lose sovereign territory daily to Russia but refuses to admit it to the Ukrainian people. After daily pep talks to Ukraine, Zelensky says he’s winning the war, when everyone, but Ukrainians, know that he’s lost the war very badly. Trump warned Zelensky that he’s badly out-gunned by Moscow and should settle the conflict ASAP.
Whatever intel Zelensky has about Putin’s intent of more war in 2026, it’s largely his own doing because he refuses to accept the basic premise of any peace deal that he most trade land–for-peace. Zelensky managed to get the EU to buy into his madness that after four years of war he can force Putin to give back all the land won, “Yet the signals coming from Russia are the exact opposite, taking the form of official orders to their army. This Russian midset must be recognized—and acted upon. When Russia is in this mindset, it will also undermine diplomacy—seeking, through diplomatic language, and pressure over specific points in documents—to merely makes its destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians . . .” Zelensky said, asking the EU for more cash-and-arms. Zelensky makes zero sense, something Trump has been saying about the Ukrainian leader for months.
Zelensky has no fact to base in “signals” that Russia gears up for war in 2026. Well, if Zelensky rejects Trump peace plan, Putin will of course continue the war until he’s willing to accept a realistic peace plan. No one believes that Putin would walk away from Donetsk and Luhansk, the two Russian speaking territories seeking independence from Kiev. Putin has made clear to Trump and Zelensky that he wants peace just not on Zelensky’s terms. Trump’s peace team has the best understanding of what Putin needs to end the war. Why the EU has resisted Trump’s peace plan is anyone’s guess. Zelensky has no plan for peace only the same rhetoric that calls for continued conflict. Turmp wants Zelensky to cut his losses, end the war and start rebuilding his country.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
