Moscow: No Concessions, Kiev Forfeits All Rights Unless Disarms Goes Neutral; No NATO Troops Ukraine (Alexander Mercouris)

0:00 - Overview of Washington meetings between Trump and European leaders
1:46 - Criticism of the Washington meetings in British media
4:43 - Discussion on the lack of US security guarantees for Ukraine
7:17 - Trump's interview with Mark Levin and its implications
10:02 - Talks of potential trilateral meetings involving Trump, Putin, and Zelinski
13:09 - Analysis of meeting locations and their political implications
15:56 - Discussion on security guarantees and the role of Russia
19:32 - Summary of the Alaska summit outcomes
22:00 - Examination of the implications of the US retreat from ceasefire demands
24:01 - Overview of the military situation in Donbass
31:00 - Impact of potential Ukrainian retreat from Donbass
36:10 - Discussion on the Istanbul agreement and its relevance today
39:41 - Insights from Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's interview
42:51 - Lavrov's commentary on NATO expansion and security assurances
49:56 - Discussion on the military situation and casualties on both sides
1:18:00 - Presentation of casualty statistics and their implications
1:20:46 - Conclusion and preview of future discussions on military developments



The clip opens with Alexander pointing out that there's a dawning realisation, in the European media, that the peace talks have done nothing. The talks were never going to go anywhere because the two sides have opposing positions that have not changed. Russia wants Ukrainian political change, demilitarisation and the forfeiture of land and the Ukrainian side wants none of this and still seeks to regain control of the entire country. The Russians know that any ceasefire will only help the Ukrainians and will not agree to it. Why should they agree if the fighting will resume in the near future? They do not want to go through the experience of the Minsk Accords that previously froze the frontline, where Ukraine was then armed to the teeth by the West, all the while continuing to shell the breakaway regions, and having no intent to end the conflict. This situation, and threats of Ukraine joining NATO, ultimately led to the Russians escalating the conflict in 2022.  

Note: there's also information about the casualties in the later part of the clip lending credence to the claims that 1.7-1.8 million Ukrainians have been killed in the fighting compared to around 200,000 Russians. This is why there are desperate attempts in the West to get a ceasefire - because they really are running out of soldiers.

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, August 22, 2025.]