Written by Pepe Escobar,
It’s a safe bet that the wildly unpredictable “policies” of the fiercely vocal Baltic chihuahuas never fail to amuse. Their latest bold move involves an attempt to transform the Baltic Sea into a NATO-controlled body of water.
The idea that a group of anti-Russia entities could push the superpower out of the Baltic Sea and pose a threat to St. Petersburg is beyond absurd. Yet, this is part of NATO’s new preoccupations, as their war-mongering “vanguard” has now shifted to a London-Warsaw-Baltic chihuahuas-Ukraine axis.
What lies ahead for a post-war “Ukraine” – a scenario that may not even materialize until 2025 – remains uncertain. However, one thing is clear: in the event of Ukraine’s departure, Romania will step in.
The recent political drama in Romania, which includes the vilification of election frontrunner Calin Georgescu, revolves around the expansion of the Mihail Kogalniceanu base, poised to become the largest NATO military installation in Europe.
Thus, the focus once again shifts to the Black Sea. NATO causing chaos in this region presents more promising opportunities than the monopolization of the Baltic Sea by chihuahuas.
Ilya Fabrichnikov, a member of Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, has penned a compelling piece that centers on the Black Sea (short version on Kommersant daily).
Fabrichnikov argues persuasively that from a European – EU/NATO – standpoint, the key objective in Ukraine was to push its borders and military, political, and economic infrastructure closer to Russia’s, to gain control over the strategic Black Sea trade route – which extends northward along the Odessa-Gdansk axis – in order to more efficiently tap into the economic opportunities in Asia and North Africa, as well as to assert dominance over Russian energy supplies crucial to the European economy.
As this strategic maneuver unfolds in real time, a replacement plan is necessary, even as warmongering European bureaucrats continue to promote their Orwellian “peace is war” narrative, accompanied by a relentless barrage of sanctions and promises of weapon supplies to Kiev.
This is a quintessential Brussels vassal scenario – with the controversial Medusa von der Lugen at the helm of the EC and Rutti-Frutti leading NATO, both essentially handpicked by Washington and London. Collectively, Europe has poured more military and political resources into Ukraine than the United States.
The rationale is simple. For Europe, there is no alternative strategy beyond the mythical “strategic defeat” of Russia.
The EU/NATO power play in the Black Sea region would necessitate closer ties between Russia and Transnistria. Only President Putin can confirm if this is part of the current plan.
Neo-Nazis resort to pipeline bombing
Russian intelligence is well aware that European powers have already staked their claims in various sectors of Ukraine, from ports to mines. It comes as no surprise that the British, through MI6, are ahead of their continental counterparts, notably Germany.
All of this ties into the murky weapons-for-resources deal struck by the second Trump administration with the illegitimate figure at the helm in Kiev. Trump’s primary concern is recouping U.S. investments, regardless of the final cost.
Amidst this political theater, the true power in Kiev following the imposition of martial law is the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine. The unelected, essentially unlawful entity has been inactive for some time, with key decisions now emanating from former head of the foreign intelligence service, Oleksandr Lytvynenko.
It was the council that ordered the bombing of a vital pipeline owned by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which links Kazakhstan to Novorossiysk, facilitating the export of oil from both countries.
Notably, CPC shareholders include Italy’s ENI (2%); Caspian Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil (7.5%); and Caspian Pipeline Consortium Co., a subsidiary of Chevron (15%).
This hasty decision by the “integral nationalists,” a euphemism for neo-Nazis in Kiev, to target an American-affiliated asset will undoubtedly prompt a strong reaction from the U.S.
In a surprising move on the rare earths front, Putin’s recent interview with Channel One has caused quite a stir. Putin revealed that Russia possesses more rare earths than Ukraine and is open to collaborating with foreign partners, including the U.S., to develop these resources. This strategic move by Putin implies that while the Americans may lose their access to rare earths in a post-war Ukraine, they could potentially engage in joint ventures with Russia in Novorossiya.
All of these developments hinge on a substantial U.S.-Russia negotiation on Ukraine. However, the Trump administration seems oblivious to Russia’s non-negotiable red lines:
1. No temporary ceasefire “along the front line.”
2. No territorial exchanges resulting from battlefield gains.
3. No NATO or European “peacekeepers” stationed near Russia’s western borders.
Putin outmaneuvering Trump
At present, Washington and Moscow remain deeply divided.
Mr. Disco Inferno cannot afford to make significant concessions or acknowledge the Empire of Chaos’ strategic defeat, as doing so would mark the definitive end of unilateral hegemony.
Putin, on the other hand, is unwilling to compromise on hard-fought victories on the battlefield, a stance in line with Russian public expectations. Russia holds all the cards in any potential negotiation.
EU/NATO will never admit to their self-inflicted strategic defeat, hence their aspirations in the Baltic and Black Seas, which also aim to disrupt China’s Belt and Road Initiative and isolate Russia further.
Putin is making efforts to inject some rationality into the situation. In his Mr. Disco Inferno piece, he emphasized the importance of building trust between the U.S. and Russia as the first step towards resolving complex crises like the one in Ukraine.
However, trust remains elusive, particularly with a Lavrov-coined “non-agreement capable” Empire of Chaos plagued by credibility issues. The incessant bombast and media manipulation characteristic of the Trump administration do little to foster genuine confidence-building measures.
If Russian public opinion were to learn that after over a decade of proxy warfare with the Empire of Chaos, strategic sectors could potentially be shared with the same adversary, it could lead to further complications and dangers.
It remains to be seen whether Putin is merely disorienting Trump with an unexpected Sun Tzu gambit.
Earlier this week, I had an enlightening off-the-record discussion with Sergey Glazyev, formerly of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and now spearheading the Union State (Russia-Belarus) consolidation effort. His succinct assessment of the ongoing situation was profound: “This is a very peculiar war.”
* * *
Opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.
Loading…