Russia Rejects Vatican and CIA Ceasefire Demands

Lavrov told both the Vatican envoy and CIA Director that negotiations are hopeless because Western policy is based on deception. The formal stated position of the Russians is that there is no trust and the only outcome will be military. The Vatican official provided no counterarguments and simply asked Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

Lula pressed Russia to agree to a ceasefire, using the cliché that strong leaders make peace. Putin told Lula that Russia cannot negotiate because everything is based on deception.

Ratcliffe's meeting aimed to push the Kremlin to pursue a peace deal by delivering a bleak assessment of Russia's war.

The narrative that Ratcliffe went to help Putin by providing correct intelligence is fantastic and absurd.

Ratcliffe met intelligence officials like Naryshkin and Bortnikov, not Putin or Lavrov, to supposedly correct misinformation.

Zelensky and new commander Drapaty are sending Azov forces to the front lines near Kramatorsk to stop the Russian advance.

The Russians are tightening their squeeze around fortified towns and are close to encirclement within weeks or months. Ukraine faces a massive decision to defend and risk encirclement or retreat and give up Donbas.

Azov brigades are law unto themselves and will likely retreat if threatened, ignoring Zelensky's orders. A confrontation between Azov and Zelensky would result in a political crisis that Zelensky cannot survive.