https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/02/initial-thoughts-on-us-russia-talks-on-ukraine-war-as-ukraine-and-eu-have-nervous-breakdowns.html

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Yves Smith

Trump’s announcement of talks “immediately” between the US and Russia over Ukraine after a 90 minute call with Putin, shocked Ukraine and Europe despite Trump’s outstanding promise to end the war in 24 hours when he took office. European leaders got a second gut-punch in Pete Hegseth’s statement that the US had heard Russia’s demand that it would not agree to a settlement unless Ukraine really really was not going to enter NATO:

Etc.