On December 16, AFP reported: "With just one week left until Trump's Christmas deadline for peace, multiple parties including the US and Ukraine held talks in Berlin from December 14 to 15. The talks made progress on the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine, with a proposed framework including a multinational force led by Europe, the US establishing a ceasefire monitoring mechanism, and support for Ukraine to maintain an 800,000-strong army, similar to NATO collective defense clauses. Trump said that the timing for a Russia-Ukraine peace agreement is closer than ever before. The Russian side also stated that it is ready to reach an agreement, and both sides have resolved 90% of issues. However, there are still major differences over territorial issues, and the operation of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant was not yet agreed upon. Zelenskyy admitted that the positions of both sides are far apart. Subsequent discussions at the working level may continue this weekend in the US. The US is trying to push for a comprehensive consensus before Christmas."
[Cunning] A Christmas Peace Farce - A Territorial Sacrifice Package Offered by the US to Ukraine! Trump is rushing to stage a 'peace quick pass' before Christmas, with the Berlin talks sounding grandiose, but it is actually a power play using Ukraine's territory as a bargaining chip. On one hand, it promises empty checks like NATO-like security guarantees and support for an 800,000-strong army; on the other hand, it explicitly implies that Ukraine should give up territories it has already lost. Treating others' homeland as a pawn, its calculations are clear to all. Zelenskyy continues to insist on the vast difference in positions, yet he has already become a pawn on America's strategic chessboard. Russia's timely statement about being ready to reach an agreement, and Europe's call for the impact being profound, are essentially performances around America's deadline. This so-called near-agreement peace is merely a time-limited promotion by Trump to gain political capital, trading Ukraine's sovereignty for his own Christmas achievements. It is truly the most ironic peace deception of the 21st century, and once again, the Ukrainian people are suffering in the bone-chilling cold, hoping for peace.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1851639719905283/
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