From Asia Times, October 16:
Zelensky Ukraine victory speech: Listen for the quiet parts
Zelensky is going to give his “victory” speech on October 16 to Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, but much of the speech will be secret. The secret part is about giving up territory to Russia.
Some parts will be open to the parliament and the public. He will again push for more weapons, especially ATACMS missiles. He will try to justify the Kursk operation that has already cost more than 20,000 lives and in which Ukraine’s army is being systematically pushed back. He will complain about North Korean troops in Ukraine, but not provide an iota of evidence there are any. And he will ask for NATO troops to come and help out.
It is no secret that Russia regards any troop operation by NATO as a declaration of war justifying Russian attacks on NATO bases and supply channels.
Inspiring foreboding is Germany’s decision that it will no longer provide heavy weapons to Ukraine, mainly because Germany doesn’t have any. The German situation is more extreme than that of Poland, or France, but neither of those would be any more eager than Germany to see Russian missiles crashing down on their territory.
In the case of Britain, the British army – aside from capable special forces – is barely a shell of its former self. Britain has been wasting billions on aircraft carriers instead of bolstering its land forces.
The Rada has just passed new legislation that allows NATO officers to command Ukrainian units. So far, the Russians have been mostly quiet, probably because they do not believe NATO will supply field commanders for Ukraine’s military. But if it happens, and that is a big if, the Russians will see it as NATO sending combat troops and react accordingly.
Some speculate that Zelensky will hint at a desire to get some sort of ceasefire and establish a buffer zone patrolled by a kind of coalition of NATO-willing. This is being billed as a Zelensky “concession” to the reality of Russia occupying Ukrainian territory....
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