Why are we treating Trump like a toxic ex who we hope might change?

His backers act like every hint of spine re: Russia is a cause for celebration.

But he has already made huge concessions to Putin w/o ANYTHING in return. None of this leads us down the path to a just peace.

I had a heated discussion with a Republican friend recently: I refused to grant the notion that Trump was substantially shifting his position on Ukraine.
His argument was that Trump was beginning to use a harsher tone with Putin. I responded that I couldn’t possibly rest my hopes on vibes, but only on actions.
Sadly, too many people are looking at Trump as if they have forlorn hope that a toxic ex will change: they are setting themselves up to be hurt yet again.

Read about what the U.S. has already conceded for nothing, how Ukrainians view the likelihood of a pause in the war, and what peace requires next — via the link!

https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/no-to-peace-at-all-costs

No to Peace At All Costs

Trump has already bent over backwards to accommodate Putin. This path will not lead to a sustainable peace, nor is it worthy of the sacrifices Ukraine has already made.

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak

NEWS OF THE DAY:

RUSSIANS AMASS FORCES DESPITE SUPPOSED PEACE TALKS: Russians are massively transferring equipment and troops to the Zaporizhzhia and Pokrovsk front lines, indicating their intention to continue offensive operations in these areas of the front, according to Ukrainian forces.

https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4024042-rosiani-nakopicuut-sili-dla-novih-atak-na-pokrovskomu-napramku-vijskovi.html

Росіяни накопичують сили для нових атак на Покровському напрямку - військові

Російські війська продовжують накопичувати сили для подальших атак на Покровському напрямку. Сили оборони стримують натиск агресора, завдаючи йому суттєвих втрат. — Укрінформ.

Укрінформ

GERMANY SOURCES SAY WITKOFF MISUNDERSTOOD PUTIN: The Americans were too eager to hear what they wanted to hear, according to Bild, citing German and Ukrainian sources.

https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland-und-internationales/friedlicher-rueckzug-hat-trumps-mann-putin-falsch-verstanden-6895de301174f91cb081eb54

„Friedlicher Rückzug“: Hat Trumps Mann Putin falsch verstanden? | Politik

Verwirrung um Ukraine-Friedensgipfel: Witkoff missinterpretiert Putins Forderungen.

BILD

MEET PUTIN'S PRO-WAR, POWERFUL AIDE: Sergei Kiriyenko is the first deputy chief of staff to Putin, but due to unflinching support for Russia's war against Ukraine, has advanced his political stature while other elites have faltered.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/world/europe/russia-putin-kiriyenko-takeaways.html

Takeaways From The Times’s Reporting on Putin’s Powerful Aide

Showing an uncanny ability to adapt to circumstances, Sergei V. Kiriyenko has turned himself into a key engineer of President Vladimir V. Putin’s autocratic machine.

The New York Times

HOW NAVALNY DIED AMID A CAMPAIGN TO FREE HIM: His friends, the Biden administration believed they had put together a sophisticated multi-country swap that would free the Putin nemesis.

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/navalny-death-carstens-diplomat-swap-c481f490?mod=hp_lead_pos7

TURKS GUZZLE RUSSIAN GAS: Turkey has created a loophole for further Russian gas supplies to the EU. Ankara does not support the EU's plan to completely abandon Russian gas imports, Politico notes.

https://www.politico.eu/article/turkey-snubs-eu-plan-track-russian-gas-imports-energy-sanctions/

Brussels wants to ditch Russian gas. Turkey could keep it flowing undetected.

Ankara said it won’t comply with a new EU bill to fully quit Moscow’s fuel, potentially creating a loophole for Russian gas to keep entering the bloc.

POLITICO

Stork of War:

Mariana spotted this stork — name unknown — that greeted her when she was visiting her parents. He was initially trying to ask for some food but decided to find it somewhere in the woods independently.

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