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Friday, June 5, 2026
Zelenskyy Proposes a Ceasefire and Direct Talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin
In a lengthy open letter addressed to “The President of the Russian Federation” Vladimir Putin [SEE HERE], Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposes a ceasefire and direct negotiations between himself and President Putin.
Two thirds of the letter are background constructed snark and ridicule aimed toward Western audiences sympathetic to the Ukraine side of the conflict. The last third of the letter contains the details of the offer:
Open Letter – […] “We have seen intelligence reports showing that you are now considering plans to continue the war into 2027 and 2028. We also know that you hope ballistic missiles will achieve for you what everything else has failed to achieve. You want to draw Belarus even deeper into this war, and we are now forced to prepare for that as well. We see that you are trying to orchestrate something around Transnistria. Your propagandists threaten, in one way or another, every country neighboring Russia. Do you really want to go through all of this?
The choice is yours now.
Enough of war.
Ukraine proposes to end this war.
This must be done honestly, with dignity, and with guarantees that the war will not be reignited.
We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention.
Ukraine proposes ending this war through direct engagement between us — and you.”
“I am proposing a meeting.
Everyone heard your representatives, smiling, say that I could supposedly come to Moscow. But after these 26 years, there is nothing for a Ukrainian leader to do in your capital — just as there is nothing for a Russian leader to do in Kyiv.
There are countries that have traditionally hosted leaders to resolve issues of war and peace. Switzerland, TΓΌrkiye, the countries of the Arab world — many are able and willing to host such a meeting.
It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be.
I propose to set a clear date for such a meeting.
We have heard that you were promised in Alaska the resolution of certain issues concerning Ukraine and Europe. But you can see for yourself that Ukrainian and European issues are not decided in Anchorage.
Other agreed participants could join the bilateral track to be established between us.
Since the war is taking place in Europe, and since Ukraine needs security guarantees, while you also seek security guarantees for yourself, it would be logical to involve those who can genuinely serve as guarantors.
We believe Europe should be part of this process — those who truly have the capacity to influence the situation.
We also believe that the United States must be part of the process. This is what could help shape a new security architecture for our part of the world.
We’ve already experienced many agreements with Russia, including the Minsk agreements, that ultimately failed. That is why we must first find direct answers between us to the questions that remain, and not hide from difficult issues behind formulas, technical working groups, or endless time lost in shuttle diplomacy.
Your war has permanently set Ukraine and Russia apart.
The front line today is the line from which diplomacy must begin.
Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations. This is standard practice, and current developments around Iran only reinforce that point. An attempt to establish real silence is the best way to begin talking to one another. We believe it would not simply be an attempt, but a real ceasefire — if that is what you want.
You know that the United States has the capability to monitor a ceasefire along the line where hostilities stop.
Ukraine is ready for an all-for-all exchange of prisoners of war, and this could become a good prologue to ending the war.
Serious steps must be taken to return civilians and children who were taken away during the war.
We must determine what kind of future awaits the generations of Ukrainians and Russians who will come after us.
If you do not personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence. We will have those who support us.
But you, too, will have to fight much harder for your own existence — not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes.
We can work toward that fatigue.
You can stop your war.
Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken by this war.
Glory to Ukraine!”
{SOURCE}
Of note within the text: Zelenskyy will not negotiate with Putin without the presence of EU/U.K leaders standing with him. Zelenskyy proposes the United States to be the ceasefire monitor. Zelenskyy’s note about the Trump-Putin Alaska summit is couched open verbiage implying President Trump gave Putin some form of guarantee the EU support for Zelenskyy would soften, and Zelenskyy has some knowledge of it.
In the background, domestically Zelenskyy’s government is suffering through a series of explosive scandals related to corruption and theft of international aid given to Ukraine and skimmed by Zelenskyy officials for personal wealth. Additionally, with the EU energy crisis worsening European economies are in a state of contraction; the financial underwriting of Ukraine from Europe is weakening as the EU economy shrinks.
The beginning parts of the letter are written in order to project to the West a position of strength. However, the request itself outlines something entirely different when Zelenskyy gets to the last third of the proposal and notes forward planning by Russia for the next two years.
President Trump was asked about the letter earlier today. WATCH (Prompted):
President Trump Responds to Media and Congressional Criticism over Acting DNI Bill Pulte Appointment
During an oval office presser to highlight new clean coal initiatives, President Trump was asked about the interim appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence.
The UniParty congress and DC stakeholder guardians in media have collectively been having fits about appointing Pulte as acting DNI. One of the main reasons for the apoplexy is a little understood aspect to DC that many people do not fully appreciate.
The Intelligence Community is upstream from most visible political events, and the IC control the Lawfare operations (investigations and prosecutions) as well as the behavior of congressional representatives in both the House and the Senate. The latter part of this reality was what Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was referencing when he said, “the intelligence community has six ways from Sunday to get back at you,” should you question or challenge their power and control.
President Trump responded to the media question about the Pulte appointment by reminding everyone it is an interim appointment while ¹interviews for other candidates are taking place. WATCH:
¹Positioning for potential placement in this critical position has likely taken on new levels of interest as the intelligence system -thanks to Gabbard- now sees just how powerful an actively engaged DNI could be. There are multiple names likely in the mix, hopefully the white house advisors to President Trump remain disciplined, pragmatic and accept the value highlighted by the effectiveness of DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s approach.
[Unfortunately, history does not favor my optimism]
California State Assembly member James Gallagher (R) won a special election on Tuesday, adding one more Republican to the House. [Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R) died in January] This gives a slight boost to the Republican majority in the House and could provide a window for current HPSCI Chairman Rick Crawford to be considered.
IMHO with Aaron Lucas remaining as Deputy DNI, ideologically Crawford is probably the best replacement option. Former HPSCI Chairman Devin Nunes is also a possibility, but considerations there get a little more complicated.
Federal Fraud Taskforce & DOJ Announce First 14 Indictments in Major Fraud Action in Ohio, Many More to Follow
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a major, coordinated federal and state crackdown on massive fraud schemes across Ohio. AAG Blanche detailed a 32-count indictment involving state employees, a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, the COVID-19 relief program PPP, and emphasized the administration’s relentless pursuit of law and order to protect American taxpayers.
Acting AG Blanche outlined a partnership with officials in the state of Ohio that has now identified thousands of individuals and groups that are under investigation and/or facing indictment as a result of the findings so far. [DOJ Press Release Here] Press Conference Below:
DOJ – The Justice Department today announced unprecedented federal and state cooperation in Ohio in the fight against fraud, including partnerships and a data sharing agreement to enhance the detection and prosecution of fraud; federal and state charges against 9 defendants for their alleged participation in over $42 million in fraud; orders of detention this week for three defendants, with two additional defendants pending extradition in connection with an additional $15 million in fraud; and the creation of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list. The charges announced today involve numerous types of fraud, including health care fraud, government program fraud, and consumer fraud schemes.
“Ohio is leading the charge in the fight against fraud, and some states should take notice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Working closely with Ohio officials, the Department of Justice dismantled a sophisticated Medicaid fraud scheme that exploited taxpayers to fund exotic cars and lavish lifestyles. By holding these fraudsters accountable and partnering with the FBI on a robust Most Wanted fraudster list, we are pursuing fraud more aggressively than ever. No fraud scheme is beyond our reach.”
“The Fraud Division is building a replicable model to combat the full range of fraudsters that are preying on Americans across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division. “Whether its health care, emergency relief funds, or consumer frauds, fraudsters go where the money flows, and with our enhanced data analytics tools, dedicated prosecutors, and federal and state partners, the days of oversight lagging and accountability lacking are now over.” (read more)
Bolton’s Guilty Plea Makes Media Attacks On Trump DOJ Look Even More Ridiculous
Bolton’s guilty plea not only undermines Bolton’s own weaponization claims, but also exposes how ridiculous the media’s attacks on Trump have been.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has reportedly agreed to enter a plea deal over his alleged mishandling of classified documents just months after he claimed he was the victim of a weaponized Department of Justice.
Bolton is set to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Bolton was initially indicted on 18 counts in October related to his alleged leaking of national security secrets while he was writing a memoir. Under the plea deal, Bolton will pay a $2.25 million fine and could possibly help him avoid prison time, according to the AP.
But it’s hard to ignore that the same man who reportedly just agreed to plead guilty — an admission that he committed a crime — is the same man who insisted months ago that he was the victim of political persecution.
“I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,” Bolton said following the indictment.
The claim was convenient for the propaganda press, which was desperate to prove that President Donald Trump was doing exactly what it spent years denying the Biden administration had done. But Bolton’s guilty plea now makes that coverage look ridiculous.
Even before the indictment was handed down, outlets like The New York Times were working overtime to cast a shadow of doubt on the investigation itself, with one piece headlined: “Search of Bolton’s Home Shows Uneasy Mix of Retribution and Law Enforcement.”
“It is not clear what evidence the authorities have that John Bolton mishandled classified information, but President Trump’s efforts to punish rivals immediately stoked questions about the investigation,” the subhead read.
Even before most facts were available, readers were encouraged to view the investigation through the lens of weaponization and political persecution rather than the possibility that Bolton may have actually committed a crime.
Once the indictment occurred, the media went into overdrive to frame the indictment as an example of weaponization.
Politico’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney reported on the indictment in October, with a subhead that read: “The charges against Trump’s former national security adviser come as the president has pressured DOJ to pursue criminal indictments of his political foes.”
CNBC’s Dan Mangan framed the original indictment news this way: “Bolton, 76, is the third high-profile Trump foe in recent weeks to be criminally charged after extensive criticism by the president” — apparently to create the impression that Trump’s criticism led to the indictment.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins headlined her piece: “Bolton decries indictment and Trump’s ‘abuse of power,’” elevating Bolton’s allegations as though they were credible by default.
Axios’ Rebecca Falconer highlighted the Bolton claim that the Trump administration looked like “Stalin’s secret police after indictment.”
Democracy Docket’s Jacob Knutson headlined his piece about the indictment: “DOJ, Now Trump’s Tool of Personal Retribution, Indicts John Bolton.”
It mattered naught to the legacy media that, as the Associated Press reported at the time, “the investigation that produced the indictment began before Trump’s second term.”
That detail alone should have dispelled allegations that Bolton’s prosecution was part a personal revenge tour on behalf of the president. Nonetheless, much of the media just accepted Bolton’s narrative and ran with that framing anyway.
But Bolton’s guilty plea not only undermines Bolton’s own weaponization claims, but also exposes how ridiculous the media’s attacks on Trump have been. They ran with an angle that lacked evidence simply because it aligned with a preferred narrative, that is, that the Trump administration is corrupt. They wanted Bolton’s case to be the proof that Trump had turned the Justice Department into a weaponization bureau and instead, it’s just more proof that they are propagandists.