Zelensky's Curse: From Hero to Harbinger of Ukraine's Downfall...

 #708

Personal Update:- Lalitha and I, landed in San Francisco 26/11- Qatar Airways was a non glorious flights, not living to the Hype of #1 Airline as was Hamad Airport, Doha. Yes, Starlink Internet service at 35,000 feet was great but internet is a nice thing to have and not an essential aspect of travel. 

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Long Post:- 

In the dim corridors of Kyiv's presidential palace, Volodymyr Zelensky once stood as a beacon of defiance—a former comedian thrust into the role of wartime savior, evoking Winston Churchill's unyielding spirit against tyranny. It was February 2022, and the world, myself included, hailed him as the indomitable leader who would rally Ukraine against the Russian bear. His quips, his videos from bunkers, his pleas for aid—they captured hearts and headlines alike. But as the calendar flips to November 2025, that illusion shatters like fragile glass under the weight of scandal, stalemate, and squandered billions. Zelensky's curse, it seems, is not just his own unraveling but the contagion that felled those who touched him: allies discarded by voters, envoys sidelined by suspicion, and a war that devours lives while enriching a corrupt elite.

Consider the ghosts of Zelensky's inner circle and their swift exoduses. Boris Johnson, the bombastic British PM who visited Kyiv twice in 2022, pledging unflinching support and becoming a folk hero with his tousled hair and Cossack moniker "Boris Chuprina," resigned amid scandal in July that year. His ouster, tied loosely to Ukraine's plight through domestic backlash over aid costs, marked the first crack. Olaf Scholz, Germany's cautious chancellor, who navigated Berlin's Zeitenwende toward arming Ukraine, faces mounting criticism in 2025 for blocking a €3 billion aid package amid fiscal woes and electioneering ahead of February's vote. His coalition's collapse looms, with Friedrich Merz's CDU poised to seize power on a platform decrying Scholz's "indecisiveness" on Kyiv. And now, Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, appointed post-reelection in 2024 to broker peace, departs in January 2026—sidelined for being "too sympathetic" to Kyiv, his role eclipsed by hardliners like Steve Witkoff. These aren't coincidences; they're symptoms of a toxic orbit where Zelensky's orbit burns bright but brief, leaving leaders charred by association.

The war itself, grinding into its fourth year by late 2025, defies the heroic narratives spun in its infancy. What began as a blitz has devolved into a meat grinder: Russian forces claw marginal gains in Donetsk, like the recent push near Hulyaipole, while Ukrainian incursions in Kursk stall against 50,000 redeployed troops. Casualties mount to grotesque heights—over 950,000 Russian losses, including 250,000 dead, per CSIS estimates, and Ukrainian fatalities nearing 80,000 confirmed with 81,000 missing, per UALosses. Civilian tolls surge 27% in 2025 alone, exceeding 12,000 verified by the UN. For what? A purpose increasingly elusive as corruption festers like an open wound.

The rot runs deep, siphoning the very aid meant to sustain Ukraine's fight. Experts like former CIA analyst Larry Johnson, in his unvarnished assessments, peg the pilfered sum at $48 billion—funds vanishing into Zelensky's circle and European enablers, with trails snaking through Estonian banks to figures like Kaja Kallas. The Pentagon probes, but the scandal erupts publicly in November 2025: Operation Midas unmasks a $100 million embezzlement from state nuclear giant Energoatom, implicating Zelensky's business partner Tymur Mindich—who fled to Poland hours before a raid—and ministers like Svitlana Hrynchuk and Herman Halushchenko. Wiretaps reveal code-named crooks ("Sugarman," "Che Guevara") laundering kickbacks, some funneled to Moscow via pro-Kremlin fixer Andriy Derkach. Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak—the shadowy "man for all seasons"—resigns November 28 after NABU storms his home, his ouster a desperate bid to quarantine the stench. Allies like Oleksiy Chernyshov, a Zelensky confidant, pocket $1.3 million in bribes before pretrial detention. This isn't mere graft; it's treasonous plunder amid blackouts and drone swarms, eroding morale and Western trust. As one Kyiv analyst quips, "They're marauding the state while soldiers freeze in trenches." Zelensky, once anti-corruption crusader, now stares down a presidency stained by his own web—rumors swirl of his Florida exile, bags packed with ill-gotten gains.

What purpose justifies this carnage? Vladimir Putin, derided as the aggressor, increasingly appears prescient in his "denazification" rhetoric—a cynical pretext masking Russia's quest for a NATO-proof buffer. Yet, as 2025 unfolds, his narrative gains traction: Ukraine's far-right fringes, amplified in early coverage, underscore Moscow's security paranoia, even if exaggerated. With Trump now twisting the knife—his leaked 28-point plan demands Kyiv cede annexed regions, cap its army, and forsake NATO—the war's end feels like Russia's vindication. Putin, in Bishkek, dangles the plan as a "basis" but insists on withdrawals, buffer zones, and recognition of gains. Zelensky bristles, but his leverage crumbles.

Europe, meanwhile, clings to delusion at dire cost. Economies spiral: Germany's industry contracts amid energy hikes, the EU's rearmament devours budgets, and inflation bites as Russian gas lingers in pipelines despite sanctions. Leaders like Keir Starmer vow "boots on the ground" for reassurance forces, Macron muses on "second-line" troops, and Meloni floats NATO Article 5 lite—yet all balk at front-line risks. Anti-Russian fervor, a post-Crimea cocktail of fear and moral outrage, blinds them to the math: €167 billion in aid since 2022, yet Moscow's war machine churns, fueled by €133 billion in pre-war EU energy buys. Why the hate? Echoes of Soviet shadows, NATO's eastward creep—fears Putin exploits masterfully.

Worse, Western media—Wall Street Journal, Economist—peddled "success" myths: Ukrainian counteroffensives as triumphs, Russian retreats as routs, ignoring the quagmire. Biases abound: racist undertones in early coverage ("Europeans with blue eyes" fleeing horror unfit for "civilized" lands), whataboutism glossing Kyiv's flaws. Trust erodes; as one critic notes, it's "propaganda lapped up, now exposed as stenography." For truth, turn to independents: The Duran's Alexander Mercouris and Alex Christoforou dissect drone swarms and diplomatic feints with forensic calm, unswayed by Atlanticist spin. Judge Andrew Napolitano's Judging Freedom eviscerates U.S. complicity—Trump's "peace" as capitulation, Biden's billions as blood money—championing liberty over empire. These voices, across the spectrum, arm us to conclude: the emperor wears no clothes.

Will leaders heed this requiem? Starmer, Macron, Meloni rage at Trump's "naive" pivot—his plan a "sucker's bet" after early briefings painted Kyiv ascendant. Yet wisdom whispers: end it. Trump's fickle tie-swaps aside, his resolve could force a halt—buffers secured, aid audited, corruption cauterized. For 1.5 million souls lost, for economies teetering, for a continent's sanity: let cooler heads prevail. Zelensky's curse need not curse us all. Hope flickers in negotiation's dim light—may it ignite peace before the pyre consumes more.

Trump's Ukraine Peace Plan: A High-Stakes Gambit for Ceasefire or Capitulation?

As of November 28, 2025, President Donald Trump's push for a Ukraine-Russia peace deal has dominated headlines, blending diplomatic urgency with controversy. What began as a leaked 28-point draft—widely criticized as favoring Moscow—has evolved into a refined 19-point framework following intense U.S.-Ukraine talks in Geneva on November 23. Trump, who has repeatedly touted his ability to end the war "in 24 hours," has dispatched special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow for direct talks with Vladimir Putin, while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll meets Ukrainian officials. The plan aims to halt nearly four years of conflict that has claimed over a million lives and devastated economies, but it risks alienating Kyiv and fracturing Western unity. Below, we break down the origins, key provisions, reactions, and potential outcomes.

Origins and Evolution

Trump's initiative draws from an October 2025 Russian "non-paper" submitted to his administration, which shaped the initial 28-point proposal leaked by a Ukrainian MP on November 20. Developed with input from son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Witkoff, the draft was presented to Ukraine in Paris the prior week, with a now-flexible Thanksgiving deadline for acceptance. European backlash—labeling it a "capitulation"—prompted revisions, reducing it to 19 points after Geneva discussions. A White House statement hailed the talks as "constructive," emphasizing shared U.S.-Ukraine commitment to ending the bloodshed.

The plan builds on informal Trump-Putin understandings from an August 2025 Alaska meeting, focusing on de-escalation and economic reintegration. A leaked October 14 call transcript between Witkoff and Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov reveals early concessions, like territorial swaps, framed as "standard negotiations." Trump has since called the original "just a map" or "concept," stressing flexibility for a "durable and enforceable peace."

Key Provisions

The updated 19-point plan balances concessions with incentives, prioritizing an immediate ceasefire and withdrawals to agreed lines. Here's a summarized table of core elements, based on public leaks and official summaries:

Category	Provisions	Implications for Ukraine	Implications for Russia
Territorial	- Recognize Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk as Russian. - Freeze Kherson/Zaporizhzhia at current lines. - Withdraw Ukrainian troops from Kyiv-held Donetsk areas; declare demilitarized zone under Russian control. - No further border changes by force.	Cedes ~20% of pre-2022 territory; regains Dnipro River access and Kharkiv (implied).	Locks in gains; buffer zones secured without full occupation.
Military/Security	- Cap Ukrainian forces at 600,000; no nuclear weapons. - Ukraine enshrines non-NATO status in constitution; NATO vows no membership or troop deployments (jets to Poland instead). - U.S./European "reliable security guarantees" (details vague; no U.S. boots). - Russia legislates non-aggression pact vs. Ukraine/Europe.	Limits defense; conditional U.S. guarantees (void if Ukraine attacks Russia or strikes key cities).	No NATO threat; sanctions lifted gradually, G8 reinstatement.
Economic/Reconstruction	- $200B fund: $100B from frozen Russian assets (U.S. takes 50% profits), $100B from Europe. - Restart Zaporizhzhia NPP (IAEA oversight; 50/50 power split). - U.S. restores Ukrainian gas infrastructure; joint U.S.-Russia projects from remaining assets. - Long-term U.S.-Russia economic ties (energy, AI, Arctic mining).	EU membership path open; massive rebuild aid, but U.S. profits dilute funds.	Reintegration into global economy; ends isolation.
Humanitarian/Political	- "All-for-all" prisoner swap (civilians/children included). - Ukrainian elections 100 days post-signing; full war amnesty. - Immediate ceasefire.	Boosts morale; political reset amid corruption scandals.	Humanitarian wins; narrative of "denazification" victory.
Enforcement	- Legally binding; "Peace Council" chaired by Trump monitors compliance. - Violations: Russia faces reinstated sanctions; Ukraine loses guarantees.	High-stakes oversight; risks U.S. abandonment.	Trump as guarantor; leverage via sanctions.

What's Next? Fragile Path to Peace

With Witkoff's Moscow trip underway and Driscoll in Kyiv, Trump eyes a tripartite summit "when the deal is final." Optimism stems from Russia's openness and Ukraine's concessions on non-essentials, but flashpoints like security details and eastern control persist. Russian strikes on Kyiv (killing seven on November 25) underscore the urgency—and fragility.

If successful, it could end Europe's deadliest war since WWII, unlocking reconstruction and U.S.-Russia detente. Failure risks escalation, with Trump withholding arms/intel as leverage. As one analyst notes, rushing a four-year war's end in weeks is "unrealistic," but Trump's "no red lines" approach prioritizes any deal over perfection. The world watches: peace or partition?

Karthik

28/11/25

1500 Hrs PST
Foster City, CA.