The German Chancellor Scholz visited Biden in the 'Whitehouse', but the two of them avoided doing a press conference, because it would have been awkward if some rare real journalist would have broken rank, posing questions about the Seymour Hersh article about the Americans and Norwegians blowing up 'Northstream'. Scholz did allow CNN to pretend they did an interview with him, so he could bring up the 'talking points' the 'Collective West' agrees upon.
Scholz complimented Joe Biden extensively, and told the hapless folk back home supporting the NATO effort in Ukraine that China wouldn't support Russia with weapons, because he told them not to on behalf of the EU. Right after Scholz' visit to the US ended, the 'Usual Suspects' spread the 'news' that a rowing boat with Ukrainian 'frogmen' had been identified in the Baltic around the time the Americans and Norwegians blew up 'Northstream' as Seymour Hersh would have it. So there you are, Ukraine attacked critical infrastructure for Europe's economic survival and not our American and Norwegian friends. Case closed, and Dumb and Dumber can go back to their desk and write articles for their 'newspapers'.
For some weeks now, various Western publications signal that it is the end of the line for Zelensky and his people. Blaming Ukraine for blowing up 'Northstream' appears to be the 'negotiated' solution that came out of this meeting between Scholz and Biden, and that will be it. Sorry, people of Ukraine, but we are out of everything, and you are on your own in this war we provoked in order to topple Putin. The plan failed, and we'll send you flowers. Have fun! Don't forget to organise 'Gay Pride' parades, Songfestivals, MMA-tournaments, and to build more Bandera monuments in 'Rainbow' colours in honour of NATO.
Yes, I'm sarcastic, but not as cynical as our 'Collective' leaders, since my sarcasm is meant as a warning, and not as an invitation to burn the lot. But on the flip side of this coin, there are the rumours of a 'Great Offensive' by Ukraine which is sure to wipe Russia off the map, and make their military cry for their mothers. Both angles cannot be correct at the same time. I'm in no position to say whether or not this 'Great Offensive' is even feasible. My own 'trusted sources' tell me it is all wishful thinking at best, but these 'trusted sources' have their own 'trusted sources', and as we know every chain is as strong as its weakest link.
For starters, Ukraine announced it has every intention to break the Bakhmut cauldron wide open, and connect to the 12.000 soldiers trapped within it. So who knows? Maybe it was a Ukrainian trap, leaving the Russians who are encircling Bakhmut exposed to attacks from two or three sides, with elite forces held in reserve to attack from the outside, while those 12.000 inside will try to 'Pop the Bubble' from within. Others claim that Ukraine withdrew its elite troops some time ago, while filling the cauldron with inexperienced teenagers and old men to keep the Russians occupied killing them all, while the heroic Ukrainian Army completed preparations for the 'Great Offensive' from Zaporizhzhia, storming the Russian defences 'Normandy-style' to reach the Sea of Azov and isolate the Crimea peninsula, to declare victory.
The Americans, the Russians and the Chinese are well positioned to observe troop movements using their satellites, drones and weather balloons, in addition to spies on the ground. The Americans are obliged to share valuable information with their allies through NATO, but they won't if it interferes with their need to fool us into believing we are fighting for a good cause. And to hell with us Europeans if we suffer the consequences. We're no more important to the leaders of the 'Warparty' than Zelensky and his expendable band of 'Bandera Warriors', or Al Qaeda, or whatever. They will gladly throw their own military under the bus if they need to.
Several commentators who reject the fear mongering of Russia expanding even further if we allow Putin to dictate the terms of a settlement, because a country with an economy the size of Italy wouldn't be able to pull it off, while Russia is already struggling to protect the DPR and LPR, approach this conflict from another angle than I am assessing this situation. I maintain that Russia would be able to pull it off, and that it is not struggling at present, but that it won't do so because it would be counterproductive. In my previous two contributions I explained why this is so. The reason why this matters, is that those who refer to the size of the economy as a measure for military prowess are trying to put us at ease, since we would be able to crush Russia at the blink of an eye if they tried something 'funny'. I'm afraid that it is the other way around. That Russia is holding back. Deliberately. And that there was no Russian 'Great Offensive' because there was no need.
But if the people who are predicting a Ukrainian 'Great Offensive', insisting it will be wildly successful, are correct, I will need to revise my perspective accordingly. Likewise, if this 'Great Offensive' peters out before it began, and Bakhmut turns out to be a gruesome disaster, the people supporting NATO on this will have to come to terms with the fact that we threw good money after bad for decades, enriching those in the 'Military-Financial-Complex', at the detriment of our collective safety and security. This is an urgent matter, because representatives of the 'Warparty' in key positions in the US and the UK are urging NATO to declare war with Russia. There will be no way back from that if we follow their lead. The gloves will come off. Cities will be reduced to smouldering ashes. Countries will burn, and the earth will be left to waste. If a creator put us here, He or She will puke in disgust, and erase the last of us Him or Herself. *FAILED*.