US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, “the ball is now in Russia’s court.”

Ukraine agrees to proposal for ceasefire with Russia as US restores aid and intel sharing, CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/11/world/ukraine-us-talks-saudi-arabia-intl/index.html

It’s Russia that may now be feeling the pressure, BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70e992rw30o

While many were all bent out of shape because Trump had cut off military aid and some, not all, intelligence assistance to Ukraine was stopped, these same people didn’t see that the whole point of doing this was a bit of hard-love, to force the post-Oval Office spatting and impudent Zelensky to be agreeable and to the peace table.

I had been telling everyone this is cut off is likely temporary and meant to push Zelensky to play ball, that once he did play nice, the military aid would be reinstated.

This war is not sustainable for Ukraine. It is not sustainable for the West which supports Ukraine with military aid and finances. Armaments are not made in a day. President Zelensky, where does money not grow? On trees.

For those who still irrationally think Trump is a friend of Putin, remember that it was during his first term in office that Trump slapped sanctions on Russia and provided Ukraine with lethal aid, i.e. military aid (re: Obama gave sheets and Trump gave Javelins) when Ukraine was fighting a civil war in the East against pro-Russian rebels and Wagner mercenaries. It was Obama and Biden who were trying to appease the Russians by providing non-lethal aid previous to Trump’s tenure.

It was Trump who threatened Putin with more sanctions if the bombardments on Ukraine going on recently didn’t stop.

People should try and understand shuttle diplomacy, how it works, what is required, the methodology and strategies involved, the human nature factors at play, etc. Ukraine needs to negotiate from a position of power with the US behind it. Meanwhile, there needs to be a little tippy-toeing around Putin’s and Russian sensibilities to get him to the peace table. As I often say, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”.

‘Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine had accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States, following critical peace talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.’

Now the pressure is on Putin and Russia to go along with a ceasefire and to talk peace. As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “the ball is now in Russia’s court.”

Voila!!

People need to chill, try to see the bigger picture, and, again, try to understand how shuttle diplomacy works.

–RdM