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John Helmer: The Kremlin’s New Strategy Before Geneva - Madness in the Middle East

Geneva negotiations on Ukraine face major hurdles as Russia-US talks unfold. Moscow's delegation splits between economic outreach seeking Western re-engagement and hardline security demands. Key disputes: territorial control, demilitarized zones, limits on Ukrainian forces. Russian public distrust of US commitments grows as oil revenues fall below budget targets amid naval pressure. Russia signals support for Iran against regime-change threats while maintaining strategic ambiguity. Europeans align with US on long-term containment. No ceasefire acceptable without comprehensive security guarantees, as both sides wager on economic endurance versus battlefield realities.

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