Yves here. John Helmer provides some background below on the back and forth over draft texts on the UN resolution that attempts to put lipstick on the pig of the US-Israel takeover of Gaza. Since there is still no actual ceasefire, the “Board of Peace” is premature. But then again, Trump is all branding, with it being routine that the box that he is selling is empty.
There is a lot of unhappy chatter among anti-globalist sorts over the fact that neither Russia nor China vetoed the UN resolution. But with all the Arab states supporting it, Russia and China did not have a great basis for having a hissy (which is what a veto would amount to, the scheme was going to go forward regardless).
A new bit of Trump flim-flammery, which we may address longer form but is adequately covered in the soon-to-fire Links feature is that Trump is attempting to revive Ukraine talks. Recall (as Lavrov explained in excruciating detail over a series of interviews) that Witkoff presented a set of terms to Putin, which apparently in large measure conceded to long-standing Russian demands about what it would take for Russia to stop prosecuting the war. That led Putin to agree to meet in Alaska, where he went over the Witkoff points to confirm that Trump did indeed concur with them. Putin agreed and then Trump immediately retraded, saying he would need to see if he could get Ukraine and the Europeans on board. That may be why the meeting in Alaska was cut off so quickly.
The meeting with Zelensky, which did happen shortly after the Alaska summit, led to a total reversal by Trump, of him abandoning his commitment to Putin and reviving the demand for a ceasefire, which Russia has repeatedly rejected save as a component of a complete settlement pact.
Now Axios has reported that the Trump team is talking again with Ukraine about a peace agreement, as if Ukraine has meaningfully changed its position. It ought to, given the state of the battlefield. But the leadership is full of and surrounded by hard core Banderites, who among other things would be subject to Russian war trials. So this revived effort looks like some combination of a new Trump sale of an empty box and/or an effort to again try to blame the failure of talks on Russia.
Oh, and even if Ukraine has become a tad more realistic about its future, the Europeans have worked themselves into such a lather over Russia that they won’t be.
By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears
Start with the condition of President Donald Trump’s brain, according to his mouth.
“Question: Mr. President, could you tell us why you needed to get an MRI? I, I understand that the results were good, but what was it for?
Donald Trump: Because it’s part of my physical. Getting an MRI is very standard. Well, you think I shouldn’t have it? Other people got it. I had an MRI. Here’s what you s- — serious. I had an MRI. The doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor. That’s it. But I had an MRI as part of my standard yearly or every w- — I think they do it every two years, but I have the physical every year. And the result was outstanding.
Question: Is it your brain or —
Donald Trump: Uh, I have no idea what they analyzed, but whatever they analyzed, they analyzed it well. And they said that I had as good a result as they’ve ever seen. Now the other thing I took is I took as you know, a, uh, advanced, very advanced test on mental acuity. Because I think a president should have to do that. And as you probably heard, I aced it. I got a perfect score. I got the highest one, I got a perfect score. And the only reason I tell you that is it’s one subject, unlike Biden and others, that you can take off your plan.”
Now measure the distance which Trump’s legs have been running from his warmaking fronts against Russia in the Ukraine, Germany, India, and Venezuela – and in the latest debate over Gaza peace terms in the United Nations Security Council. Listen to the new podcast with Nima Alkhorshid.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00R49QiRYEQ
The back-up files:
The anti-corruption campaign in Kiev right now. Read Events in Ukraine, the Substack platform of Peter Korotaev for the evidence on Timur Mindich and his corruption schemes.
For the military candidates to replace the Zelensky regime, the CIA and MI6 candidates and the independent neo-Nazis, click to read.
Left to right: Valery Zaluzhny, Kirill Budanov, Andrei Biletsky. According to Korotaev’s assessment of the internal Ukrainian evidence, “Zaluzhny, who was commander-in-chief from 2021 to early 2024, is closely connected with the liberal opposition and the western capitals funding them. Actual nationalists in the army despise him…Zaluzhny fled military service to London in 2024. His ‘London front’ is often ridiculed by nationalists in the army…And the current head of the army, Oleksandr Syrsky, is known for his lack of political ambitions and total loyalty to Zelensky.There are two real alternative centers of power in the army. The first is the Azov family, led by brigadier general Andriy Biletsky, the ‘white fuhrer’…The second is what might be called the Budanov family. Kyryllo Budanov, in charge of the Main Intelligence Directorate [GUR], has at his disposal a number of fanatically devoted special forces units. A number of units in the GUR emerged from the world of Azov, such as the Russian Volunteer Corps. Kraken, until recently part of the GUR, recently migrated to the Third Corps. The neo-nazis of Azov literally sing songs praising Budanov. Azov and Budanov enjoy close relations, in other words…The extent to which Budanov and Biletsky are actually oppositional towards Zelensky and his team remains up for debate. Nevertheless, were a military alternative to Zelensky to take power, these would be the first in line. This might not involved removing Zelensky, at least at first, but merely increased control by the military over political life.”
Trump’s retreat from military attack on Venezuela into negotiations and covert operations.
Question: On Venezuela, sir — On Venezuela, sir, you’ve had a lot of meetings on Venezuela. I know you can’t tell us what your next steps will be, but could you say, have you made up your mind on what you’d like to do for as far as action for Venezuela?
Donald Trump: I haven’t made up my mind yet. I mean, I can’t tell you what it would be, but I, I said, man…
Question: What do you say to your, some of your supporters might not be excited about another foreign campaign. What would you —
Donald Trump: What happens? I mean, uh, I can’t tell you what it is, but we’ve made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in. But we have a Mexico problem. We have a Colombia problem, meaning Colombia, the country, uh, we, uh, we’re doing very well. Drugs coming into our country are greatly slowed as you can imagine.”
Question: With, with the designation of that cartel associated with Maduro, does that mean that the US government can target Maduro’s assets for infrastructure inside Venezuela?
Donald Trump: It, it allows us to do that, but we haven’t said we’re going to do that. And, uh, we may be discussing, we may be having some discussions with Maduro and we’ll see how that turns out. But they would like, they would like to talk.”
Left: Richard Grenell, Trump’s special negotiator with President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, January 31, 2025. Right, the 150-history of US “drug wars”, their real politico-economic purposes, and their failure to prevent American drug demand from continuing to enrich foreign drug suppliers. For the two-track Trump policy towards Venezuela — negotiations and covert operations — read this.
The coalition of the swollen pockets, not the coalition of the brain-dead for European war against Russia.
ONE-YEAR SHARE PRICE TRAJECTORIES FOR RHEINMETALL AND OTHER GERMAN ARMS MAKERS
Source: https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/charts?s=RHMX:GER In this report of treasury payout practice at the leading US defence companies, the rewards to shareholders in the form of stock buybacks and dividends from the corporate treasury fall short of cash on hand and so they are covered by loans secured by speculation of rising state defence procurements to continue the war against Russia. For the time being, this is not the practice at Rheinmetall. Although a stock buyback of up to 10% of the issued shares has been authorized for the company board since 2021, the market takeoff of Rheinmetall’s shares has made such a buyback unnecessary, as well as costly. See Rheinmetall’s presentation on its shareholding structure. The company reveals that in the three years of the Special Military Operation, institutional investors, especially Americans, have been selling down their holdings, while private shareholders and unidientified others have increased their stakes. At present, the principal stockholder of Rheinmetall is Merz’s old firm, Black Rock, which holds 7%; together with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America. These US financiers hold 21.2%.
“The Stoxx Europe aerospace and defence index has more than tripled since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with more than half of that increase coming in 2025. The index has outperformed the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite since the start of the year.” — https://www.ft.com/content/6d7a441c-1b27-42d9-b91b-6d05f1a9f4d3
Russia versus the US in United Nations politicking over Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace (BOP) in the text of the Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), and simultaneously in the General Assembly debate of Russia’s anti-Nazism, anti-racism General Assembly Resolution A/C.3/80/L.2.
Source: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_2803 following https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/full-text-us-resolution-gaza-approved-un-security-council
For my summary of the UNSC debate, and Russian opposition to the US draft of the resolution I have relied on this detailed UN report. “On 12 November, the US put a second revised draft under silence procedure, which China and Russia again broke. On 13 November, Russia introduced an alternative draft text and convened consultations on its draft on the following day. Russia then requested written comments from Council members by Monday (17 November). Concurrently, the US put its second revised draft in blue without changes and requested a vote by Monday as well…Algeria, China, and Russia broke silence on the first revised draft, contending that it did not sufficiently address their concerns. These apparently included continued ambiguity regarding the powers, composition, and mandate of the BoP and the ISF [International Stabilization Force] as well as the lack of an empowered role for the PA [Palestine Authority] and of references to the two-state solution. In its second revised draft, it seems that the main change made by the US sought to address the latter objection, as it added new language—also from the Comprehensive Plan—stating that “conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” after the PA has completed its reform programme and Gaza’s redevelopment has advanced.”
“China and Russia broke silence on the second revised draft too, maintaining their objections, and Russia then circulated its alternative text. The Russian draft resolution does not mention the BoP and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report with options for the deployment of the ISF. In response, the US issued a joint statement with Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the UAE expressing support for the US draft—a position also echoed by the PA. Russia issued its own statement contending that the objective of its text was to “amend the US concept so as to bring it into full conformity with long-standing and previously agreed decisions” of the Security Council, adding that “our document does not contradict the American initiative”.
Source: https://russiaun.ru/en/news/comment_gaza_141125
“The objective of our draft,” reads the Russian document, “is to amend the US concept so as to bring it into full conformity with long-standing and previously agreed decisions of the UNSC. We would like to stress that our document does not contradict the American initiative. On the contrary, it notes the tireless efforts by the mediators – the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey – without which the long-awaited ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees would have been impossible. We also welcome the relevant provisions of President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan that brought about the ceasefire, release of hostages and detainees, exchange of bodies of those killed, and resumption of humanitarian access and aid flow.”
“The rationale behind Russia’s draft resolution on Gaza is to enable the Security Council to define clear modalities for deploying a peacekeeping contingent and establishing administration in Gaza, while ensuring that these modalities are fully in line with universally recognized international legal standards and genuinely facilitate cessation of violence and durable stabilization. That is why the document calls on the Secretary-General to prepare a report for the Security Council setting out options for implementing the relevant provisions of President Trump’s Plan. It is also crucial to preserve the international legal framework for the Middle East peace process, which has been developed over many decades on the basis of the two-State solution. We stand convinced that only a truly equitable and inclusive approach to resolving the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory can ensure a durable cessation of hostilities and lay the groundwork for durable stability in the region. We hope that the Security Council will be able to reach agreement on this matter.”
At the same time in the General Assembly, Russia sought member state votes in support of its resolution condemning the neo-Nazi and racist ideology of the Kiev regime and its US and NATO allies. Read the text here. On November 14, three days before the UNSC vote, the Russian initiative defeated the US-led opposition, 144 votes to 52, with 12 abstentions. Pakistan and Israel voted in favour; all the Ukraine war-fighting states voted against; Turkey, Iran, Venezuela, Myanmar and others abstained.
Source: https://x.com/27khv/status/1990142713837031884
The day after this vote, on November 15, President Vladimir Putin initiated a telephone call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Kremlin communiqué claims the conversation covered a “detailed exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East, including the recent developments in the Gaza Strip in light of the agreement on ceasefire and exchange of detained persons being implemented, the state of affairs surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme, and issues concerning encouragement of further stabilisation in Syria.”
How Pakistan arranged (paid for) Trump’s support for its continuing war against India.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir wait in the White House to meet Trump. Original source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/world/asia/pakistan-trump-lobbying.html?searchResultPosition=1 Read without paywall: https://archive.is/o4kBk According to this report, “Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement that Pakistan has been a ‘vital partner’ in countering ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ since the start of the administration.”
