larry johnson gives us a clear read of russia vs ukraine, and the empire in the 'peace talks'. some new treaty for the west to ignore; 

 

Russians are famous hosts. Sit down with Russian officials for five minutes and someone will produce tea, water, a plate of something and, if the meeting goes well, a bottle of something stronger. So when Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner took their seats across from Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin’s Senate Palace on Thursday, I noticed what was on the table. Nothing. No water, no coffee, no tea. Not so much as a mint.

In diplomacy, that is not an oversight. The Kremlin protocol office does not forget the water. A bare table is a message, and this one said: this is a working session, not a social call, and we are not going to pretend otherwise.

Then the Kremlin made sure the rest of us got the message too. In every previous meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, the Kremlin released only the handshakes and the opening pleasantries. The substantive discussion stayed behind closed doors. Not this time. This time the Kremlin put the substance on video. What Putin said was not small talk for the photographers. It was a set of positions delivered for the record, with the American envoys as the audience and the rest of the world looking over their shoulders. When the Kremlin breaks its own habit, it wants you to notice.

What Putin said ..............more...........