The Last Days of Zelenskyy?: NATO's Ukrainian Dictator Loses Grip on Reality
Jan. 28—Sources close to the White House say that President Donald Trump has come away from a recent meeting with Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos with the view that he is unable to face reality and that his current deteriorating state of mind is prolonging the war and costing tens of thousands of lives. The source reported that the President sees Zelenskyy and the clique of European leaders who prop him up and encourage him as the main obstacles to peace and the signing of the peace deal, whose outlines are already agreed to by Moscow.
“It is not about whether the terms favor the Russians,” said the source. “Of course they do. Ukraine and NATO have lost this war, a war that Sleepy Joe Biden let start and then could not end. Reality is that Russia was induced by NATO into launching its invasion, drawn into a war by NATO’s stupid and relentless march eastward and into Ukraine. They could never win the war on the battlefield, and thought that somehow, it would lead to domestic conditions in Russia that would topple [Russian President Valdimir] Putin. They miscalculated, yet using Zelenskyy, they block all efforts to end the war by agreement.”
Trump had summoned Zelenskyy to Davos, said the source, to give him “one last chance. He was told to agree to cede the territory in the Donbass as Russia demands, on its terms, and not yours. Sign the deal, now, and the U.S. provide security guarantees. There will be no guarantees unless you sign — this was made very clear to him.” Asked whether the security deal was ready to be signed, as claimed by Zelenskyy were true, the source said that such statements reflect Zelenskyy’s inability to accept reality.
Security Guarantees Hinged on Donbass Withdrawal
The Financial Times today, citing eight “people familiar with the talks,” reports that U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine will depend on whether Kyiv agrees to withdraw its troops from the non‑occupied part of Donbass. FT adds that Ukraine was told that Washington would give Kyiv additional weaponry if they sign onto the deal.
The source also reported on Putin’s concern over the drone attack on his residence in Valdai, which took place while Trump was meeting with Zelenskyy in Washington last month. The President told Putin that he did not know of the attack, did not support it, and claimed that no U.S. personnel were involved. Then who was responsible? NATO and Zelenskyy, who was told by Trump that he is to cease such efforts or the U.S. will withdraw all support for Ukraine immediately. When Zelenskyy claimed to have no knowledge of what had happened, he was told to stop lying. I know you are lying.
Putin Accepts U.S. Guarantees in Exchange for NATO Pullback
Putin, in his meeting with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son‑in‑law Jared Kushner, agreed to accept U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, provided steps are taken toward a new security architecture in Europe that would see NATO halting its eastward expansion and starting to move its forces away from the Russian border, westward back toward Germany. NATO has agreed to a statement on eastward expansion that will be incorporated in the peace deal, the source reported. “That was worked out in discussions with [NATO Secretary General Mark] Rutte and Trump at Davos.”
Asked whether Trump’s pullback on his demand to take over Greenland was also part of the deal, the source said, “All things are connected to Trump’s main focus, which is peace between the superpowers. This man knows how to construct deals.”
Zelenskyy Warned: Sign or Be Replaced
“So, Trump’s real message to Zelenskyy was to get a grip and stop playing games,” said the source. “He will either sign the deal and soon, or we will find someone who will. Remember Zelenskyy has opponents and the full content of the corruption scandal in Ukraine has not come out yet. Trump knows that the Ukrainians have been selling some of the weapons they have been given. NATO has been told that. The NATO prop behind Zelenskyy is not so strong now. Rutte at least knows that if NATO stands in Trump’s way, he might just pull back from NATO. Is fighting a lost cause worth that risk?”
Is there now a gap brewing between the NATO leadership and European leaders of the “coalition of the willing”? “‘Coalition of the Delusional’ would be more appropriate,” said the source, without further comment.
Zelenskyy delivered an angry, petulant speech at Davos, lashing out at his European backers for being "weak" and "spineless" for not giving him enough support in Ukraine's conduct of the war. He maintained, that no matter what, he would not sign any deal that would sell out the Ukrainian people.
Negotiations Shift as Intelligence Chiefs Play Role
This and other sources have remarked on the changes in Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams that met last week in the Emirates. Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency and Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, both were present. Ukrainians have commented to the press that the discussions were frank and to the point, avoiding long diatribes on history and such. Budanov's power in Ukraine is not derived from Zelenskyy.
Those three‑way direct talks will resume later this week. “A deal is there for the making,” said the source close to the White House. “That is Trump’s view. Russia can win this war on the battlefield, but it might take a couple of months or more. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian people are freezing without heat. Their exports are tied up as the port of Odessa is blockaded. Get the deal done and signed now.”