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Trump's deal with Zelensky: surrender rare earth minerals or lose Starlink.

The art of the deal is about leverage: give me what I want or I break your arm. Trump said in early February that he wanted to strike a deal with Ukraine involving access to rare earth minerals in exchange for continued U.S. aid.

The deal reportedly sought a 50% stake in Ukraine's natural resources, including critical minerals, oil, and gas. The United States has threatened to cut off Ukraine's access to Starlink satellite internet terminals if Kyiv does not reach a deal with the U.S.

Starlink internet terminals play a crucial role in securing communications in the war in Ukraine. Ukraine said that approximately 42,000 terminals were in operation across the military, hospitals, businesses, and aid organizations. Loss of Starlink access would be devastating for Ukraine.

Checkmate.

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swirlie · F

Trump has always played by mafia extortionist rules, so why would Trump's behavior be any different with any country that had any business dealings at all involving the US government or the US military? Trump is a mobster and there's no arguing that fact.

If Ukraine had been a member of NATO, none of this would be happening from Trump because Ukraine would have already paid their annual NATO membership dues of 2 or 3% GDP and would therefore be owing NATO nothing extra for their military services.

But having said that, if Ukraine had already become a member of NATO prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine which Ukraine currently is not, then Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine in the first place and we wouldn't be having this conversation now.

Ukraine is stuck between a rock and a hard place because they never made a move to become a member of NATO prior to Putin's invasion, but suddenly learned the benefits of having club membership the hard way. Ukraine was never part of NATO despite Russia sitting on Ukraine's doorstep, yet the whole NATO community came to Ukraine's aid despite Ukraine not having paid a penny into the support NATO offers their membership community.

What now? How does Ukraine pay for all that military support? Probably through the mining of rare minerals from their country instead of paying cash for 'a la carte' NATO military services, would be my guess.

sree251 · 41-45, M

@swirlie

Trump is New Yorker. He was brought up to do it the American way.

If Ukraine had been a member of NATO, none of this would be happening from Trump because Ukraine would have already paid their annual NATO membership dues of 2 or 3% GDP and would therefore be owing the USA nothing extra for their military services.

You raise a good question. Ukraine is not a NATO member. Why have NATO countries been pouring money in to support the Ukraine war effort?

But having said that, if Ukraine had already become a member of NATO prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine which Ukraine currently is not, then Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine in the first place and we wouldn't be having this conversation now.

If Ukraine had become a NATO member prior to Russia's invasion? This could only be done in secret to prevent the Russians from finding out before it happened.

Ukraine is stuck between a rock and a hard place because they never made a move to become a member of NATO prior to Putin's invasion, but suddenly learned the benefits of having club membership the hard way. Ukraine was never part of NATO despite Russia sitting on Ukraine's doorstep, yet the whole NATO community came to Ukraine's aid despite Ukraine not having paid a penny into the support NATO offers their membership community.

What benefits of having club membership? Thus far, NATO had been bullying small countries and bombing them in eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

What now? How does Ukraine pay for all that military support? Probably through the mining of rare minerals from their country instead of paying cash for 'a la carte' NATO military services, would be my guess.

Your guess is wrong. Zelensky will be removed. The war will end. Ukraine will not be joining NATO.

swirlie · F

@sree251

Your guess is wrong.

According to you, that is... YOU being someone who is not living in Ukraine and knows nothing about Ukraine's political climate, nor are you an American citizen, nor do you live in the USA and therefore have no idea what "The American Way" means because you were not born into nor subsequently raised in that American cultural environment.

But nice try! I know you've always been hell-bent on pretending that you're an American living in the USA, but you're really not! 🐘

sree251 · 41-45, M

@swirlie

I have no idea what the American way is? Test me. Ask me questions that non-Americans, who have not lived in the US since they were born, cannot answer.

But nice try! I know you've always been hell-bent on pretending that you're an American living in the USA, but you're really not!

Have I been too convincing to be believable?

swirlie · F

@sree251
I've known that you are not an American from the first day you showed up here and tried talking like an American.

You can talk the talk but you can't walk the walk, sree251! 😆

sree251 · 41-45, M

@swirlie

I've known that you are not an American from the first day you showed up here and tried talking like an American.

What clued you in to your belief? This sixth sense comes with being a spy, an undercover agent trained to sniff out another spy.

You can talk the talk but you can't walk the walk, sree251! 😆

What walk is that? Where I live, I can't understand why it is called America, a white Christian country. I made it a point to look at the faces in cars passing by while I wait for the lights to change. All I see are brown and black faces, one after another, speeding by. Every now and then, a white face. Even that white face would be a woke-like face that didn't count as American in my book. I can imagine what you would look like.

swirlie · F

@sree251

I can imagine what you would look like.

I don't look like an American, but then again, I don't pretend to be an American either.

sree251 · 41-45, M

@swirlie

I don't look like an American, but then again, I don't pretend to be an American either.

You are either Jewish or white. Black and brown people don't chat on the internet about politics.

swirlie · F

Then why are you here chatting about politics?

sree251 · 41-45, M

@swirlie

Then why are you here chatting about politics?

I am not Jewish. I am not woke, and this is the clue. Therefore, I am what?

swirlie · F

@sree251
I don't know, what are you? Do you know for sure? Perhaps you should consult with a mirror?