Fairly decent article from Forbes- Surprisingly, so I’ve included some excerpts below;
Two weeks ago, U.S. President Donald Trump said to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he didn’t have ‘the cards’. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ‘the ball’ is in Russia’s court. And when Western media write about the 30-day cease-fire proposal from the United States and Ukraine, they speculate that Putin is likely to ‘play’ for more time.
So the US sees this as a game. It’s not surprising really given their status as global empire with the planet as their playing field. Russia does not see this as a game. This is survival. The mind set displayed through the rhetoric tells us about the divide between US and Russian leadership and their thinking. It’s as if the US is intentionally not understanding how serious this situation is to Russia. And after all this time? One can only conclude they don’t want to understand.
But what happens when we talk about strategically high-tension situations like a game? And why did Zelensky insist on talking about the war differently when he met with Trump at the White House, saying, “I’m not playing cards. I’m very serious, Mr. President. I’m very serious”?
Here are 3 reasons why leaders – political as well as corporate – should stop talking about themselves and others as players in a game.
Putin Doesn’t Like To Lose – Neither Does Anyone Else
Telling Putin that the ball is in Russia’s court is the same as saying it’s his turn to take a shot. But that’s not what anyone wants. On the contrary, the whole idea of a temporary ceasefire is for everyone to stop shooting.
The war must be put on hold so that the parties can talk to each other without fear of losing ground. But talking about balls instead of bullets does not eliminate the fear of losing. Rather, it sends a clear message that there will be winners and losers. And that the next shot is crucial to who becomes what.
Putin Is Being Serious – So Should Everyone Else
While a game of cards is something you do for fun for an hour or two, the war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for more than 3 years and there has been nothing fun about it.
Moreover, the two countries share a history that works directly against Trump’s repeated “we have to get this over with quickly.”
Putin Must Make A Choice – So Must Everyone Else
When faced with a tough question, we have a choice. And it is not the choice that the Western media are putting forward. The choice Putin has to make is not first and foremost whether or not to sign the truce. It is how he wants to respond.
No matter what Putin says, and how convincingly he says it, it’s his mindset and intentions that determine how the war will proceed. And taking these intentions seriously, while staying true to their own, is what his negotiating partners need to succeed. Not to think and talk about the war as a game.
Because war is not a game. No matter how freely the US has played at war for decades now- Their war making has had very serious consequences for many other nations and their people.
US president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in Moscow
[Thu, 13 Mar 2025 23:52:17 +0300]
Moscow-Saba:
US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday, amid anticipation of his meeting with the Russian side to discuss resolving the conflict in Ukraine, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
The White House had previously stated that Witkoff would visit Moscow to persuade the Russian side to a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump announced that Kyiv was ready for a 30-day ceasefire and that Washington was awaiting Moscow’s response.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that the goal of resolving the conflict in Ukraine must be lasting peace, not a short-term truce.
Putin indicated that the truce could give Kyiv an opportunity to regroup its forces and resume fighting.