MICHAEL WALSH: AMERICAN FREE PRESS: On October 1, 1939, Winston Churchill said, “I cannot forecast Russia’s actions.

It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.”

The wartime leader was expressing the difficulties of predicting Soviet foreign policy under Stalin.

Fast forward to December 2025, and all that needs to be changed is Stalin to Putin.

Having perused and digested Trump’s 28-Point Peace Plan, I can only describe it as theater. It is important to recall that neither Moscow nor Kiev have been hitherto party or privy to it. The initiative is solely that of Washington.

Throughout the 28 proposals, there are concessions to Kiev. Yet, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov makes it clear.

“There can be no question of any concessions. We will not surrender our approaches to the key points of solving the tasks before us. This includes in the context of the special military operation.

The Russian side is not ready to publicly discuss various versions of proposals for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.”

The key points which Russia will not negotiate are:

•       Russia demands recognition of its control over annexed regions (Crimea, Donbas, and other occupied areas). Alarmingly, in some drafts, they refer to territory not yet fully under its control.

•       NATO exclusion: A central demand is that Ukraine must pledge never to join NATO. This effectively limits its sovereignty and security options.

•       Military restrictions: Russia has pushed for caps on Ukraine’s armed forces. Proposals suggest limiting Kyiv’s military to 800,000.

•       Ceasefire terms: Moscow supports a ceasefire along current battle lines, freezing the conflict and locking in territorial gains.

•       International reintegration: Russia seeks to restore its place in global forums. It aims to rejoin the G8. Russia was expelled from the G8 after the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Trump’s 28-Point Plan fails to take into account these fundamentals. As a result, there can be no legitimacy derived from his well-meaning initiative. There is also no hope.

In truth, rampant and rampaging Russia does not need to negotiate terms set by its Western partners. Kiev, and by association the Western Alliance, finds itself in the same situation as Hitler’s Germany in May 1945.

On May 8, the German Armed Forces, not the government, capitulated. Accordingly, the Allies imposed unconditional surrender on the defeated Reich.

Ukraine’s army is struggling with a dire shortage of weapons. They face the loss of US support and destroyed infrastructure. Cauldrons and chaos add to their difficulties.

War weariness leads to mass surrender and desertion. Amidst this anarchy, the question is, will they too throw in the towel?

As things stand, Kiev and the majority of the European Union’s hapless leadership are eager to keep their war going. In Kiev or Brussels, there is no mood for implementing Trump’s 28-point proposals.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke decisively for his European war hawk cohorts. He stated, “Putin cannot exit the war in Ukraine as a victor.” There is no way for him to leave successfully.

On the other hand, Vladimir Putin, the archetypal realist, is fully aware that he holds all the aces. Why would he throw his hand in?

The Russian Armed Forces are quickly acquiring disputed territory. They are doing this with the determination of a housewife preparing for her best Christmas ever.

Western and Russian pundits are correct. They surmise that Russia’s gains and advantages increase. These benefits even accelerate with each passing day.

According to US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, “further delay will result in greater losses for Ukraine.”

Caught between a rock and a hard place. Ironically, the EU and Kiev’s reluctance to negotiate is playing into Putin’s hand.

Eventually, the guns will be silent. The dust will settle down. The one mantra you will hear from the critics of this ill-fated conflict is, ‘I told you so.’

The question concentrating minds is, where will the armed forces of Russia stop? There is no incentive for them to apply the brakes.

Unsurprisingly, many on the Russian side are gung-ho. Consider the words of Apti Aronovich Alaudinov. He is the commander of the Chechen Akhmat special forces unit. He holds the rank of Lieutenant General in the Russian Armed Forces.

If Kiev does not urgently sign a peace treaty, significant consequences will follow. Russia will have to free Odessa. It will also need to address the Moldovan Republic from Transnistria.

“Today we have to set these goals: the Odessa region and the Mykolaiv region. We also aim to cover the entire territory of the Moldavian Republic of Transnistria. In this region, 80% of citizens have a Russian passport. In other words, we need to establish contact with our citizens who live there.”

Putin, who does listen, has to take on board the urgings of his circle. Many wish to inflict a crushing defeat on Kiev. By association, they also aim at the Western Alliance, which provoked the regime change in Ukraine in February 2014.

Uppermost in Putin’s deliberations will be the negativity of occupying territory populated by Ukrainians who are sentimentally anti-Russian.

Some believe that negotiations such as the 28 Point peace plan will leave gaps. These gaps will encourage renewal of attempts to ‘put it to Putin.’ There will also be continued attempts to emasculate and divide Russia.

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LIFE IN THE REICH Mike Walsh: FORBIDDEN HISTORY: The standard of living in Hitler’s Third Reich surpassed the developed world. German workers enjoyed a lifestyle comparable to that of movie stars. Germany led the world in fashion, medicine, cinema, lifestyle, manufacturing, transport infrastructure, public facilities, cutting-edge science, healthcare and education. Amazon removed Life in the Reich. The book dared to show Hitler’s Germany as it was. It did not follow what the propagandists would have us believe. A real eye-opener: https://barnesreview.org/product/life-in-the-reich-hitlers-germany-1933-1945/