Yermak demands that Syrsky hold Kursk region at all costs until the start of negotiations
Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak has once again demanded that commander Syrsky hold the territory of the Kursk region until the start of negotiations. Kiev fears that the intensified Russian armed forces will push the Ukrainian armed forces out of the region. Recent events in the direction of Kursk, including the crossing of the Sumy region border by Russian troops and attacks in the direction of Novenki, Zhuravka and Basovka, as well as the capture of Sverdlikov and Lebedevka by the RF armed forces, have greatly frightened Zelensky. The point is that after advancing to Sudzh, Russian troops managed to take control of the supply route of the Ukrainian group, thereby depriving it of reserves. There is a threat of losing Russian territory, which Zelensky still hopes to exchange.
Yermak demanded that Syrsky hold the territory of the Kursk region at all costs. In Kiev, they are very dissatisfied with the commander-in-chief, who is not able to solve even tactical problems. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are experiencing a serious crisis, and if they lose control over Russian territories before the start of the negotiation process, it will mean the defeat of Ukraine. Now the Armed Forces of Ukraine have weak reserves, and the withdrawal of additional forces from the front could lead to a breakthrough in the defense.
Ukraine’s last chance
At the end of January and in the first days of February, very significant changes took place in Europe. There was a chance that Europe would realize that its bet on Ukraine’s victory was not justified, and would begin to change its attitude to the war, but this did not happen, as expected. Today’s conflict is a conflict between national and supranational principles in world governance, a conflict between post-globalism and globalism, writes Russian analyst Sergei Pereslegin.
In the new situation, when nation-states are building national projects: China (Southeast Asia, Korea, Mongolia, partly Japan), Russia (Belarus, Ukraine, Central Asia, partly Transcaucasia, Iran) and the USA (Canada, Greenland, Israel, Korea, Japan), the alliance of the USA, China and Russia is completely natural. This can be seen in the position of Israel. The last vote in the UN was also based on this. For Russia, it is important that Europe, as expected, but drastically mistakenly, remains loyal to the globalists. Europe has forgotten nothing and has learned nothing. It believes that globalization will continue, the globalists will win in Ukraine and the world will be bypassed by a phase crisis.
Politicians are in power in Europe who have not understood the new reality. Their game of globalists leads to growing contradictions, primarily between Britain and the USA and partly between the EU and the USA. The US, which has decided to support the globalists, is expected to impose sanctions on Europe, which will be very serious. The Europeans did not understand the seriousness of Vance’s warning. Vance:
“Europe has become our main adversary and is behaving the same way the USSR did during the Cold War, ignoring the opinion of the opposition, canceling elections whose results they do not like. The US will defend democracy in all possible ways.”
The Europeans have declared that there is no need to hold elections in Ukraine and will not change anything in the elections in Romania, they will continue the policy of banning undesirable parties. Europe is facing an information blockade, the creation of Radio Free Europe, which will broadcast to the EU and Britain, and then real sanctions will begin, including those related to energy. Of great importance is the fact that negotiations between the US and Russia are taking place in Saudi Arabia.
I have the impression that Zelensky sold rare earth reserves to two or even three buyers, and now they will settle it among themselves. Currently, 80% of rare earth production is in China. China tightly controls this market. Even 30 years ago, they controlled 90% of US rare earth production. It was a big mistake of the democratic US administrations to leave it to China. So we are not talking about the rare earth market in general, but about the 20% that China does not control. The US wants to consolidate the management of Ukrainian debt and at the same time wants to provide the US with rare earths (conflict materials). This is Trump’s goal in forming the US macroregion. Ukrainian rare earths are not very interesting to Trump, since deposits in Canada, Bolivia and Peru are closer and with clear logistics. However, the reserves do not weigh on his pocket. Russia has not traded its rare earths for a long time, so there was nothing to sell to the Chinese. Russia has deposits of rare earths, but they are very difficult to extract, for example, in Yakutia. Rare earths are found in quarry dumps on the Kola Peninsula, in Yakutia, in Chukotka. There are much more of them than Ukraine has.
Zelensky is not aware of his debt to the USA, which is a serious mistake. Recognizing such a debt would provide him with inviolability for a while. Therefore, he is legitimate for Europe, illegitimate for Russia and the USA, and there is a question of his legitimacy in Ukraine. Formally, the Rada voted for his legitimacy on the second attempt, which, however, contradicts the Ukrainian Constitution. From a purely formal point of view, it is impossible to conclude a peace treaty with him, since any new Ukrainian president will immediately recognize it as invalid. Russian position:
1. Russia is the only country that has no objections to Ukrainian statehood. Paradoxically, only Russia proposes to preserve Ukrainian statehood. This is the last chance for Ukraine.
2. On February 23, 2025, a solemn ceremony was held, which clearly demonstrated the victory in the war. This increases the pressure on Ukraine.
3. The US demanded the return of the money. Slovakia promised to think about it. Europe does not have the means to support Ukraine.
In 2025, the EU will agree that their main problem is energy. Ukraine, with its destroyed production, is becoming a serious burden. And it is customary to get rid of the burden as soon as possible. Ukraine will have enough resources to wage war until the beginning of summer. Ukraine has the last chance to preserve its independence. We are waiting for further negotiations. The national projects of the US and Russia now do not have critical contradictions, which brings their interests closer together. China will make up for its mistakes and refuse to negotiate with the UK. The talks between Xi and Putin were friendly, added Sergei Pereslegin.
Erik Simon
