How to Read the Ukraine Talks

 

 

“Mr. Trump is no Talleyrand, but his surprisingly successful paradoxical stance Talleyrand would appreciate. Mr. Trump plays the neutral, disinterested mediator (and gets away with it) even while his administration supplies weapons, training and tactical intelligence to Ukraine. The continuation of U.S. intelligence support may not be flaunted but it's hardly hidden. U.S. weapons still flow but are laundered through Europe.” [1]

 

Let’s recall the great diplomat Talleyrand.  Talleyrand was exceptionally good at deceiving his enemies, as well as his masters, earning a reputation as one of the most masterful, if famously unprincipled, diplomats in European history. His skill in deception was a key element of his survival through an era of extreme political upheaval.

 

Key aspects of his aptitude for deception include:

 

    Political Survival: He successfully served, and often betrayed, a succession of regimes—from the Ancien Régime and the French Revolution to Napoleon's Empire and the Bourbon Restoration—without facing execution or long-term exile, a feat that few of his contemporaries managed.

 

    Calculated Inscrutability: He cultivated a polite, enigmatic, and unflappable public persona that concealed his true intentions, leading enemies to call him "the sphinx". This allowed him to gather information while giving little away.

 

    Double-Dealing and Espionage: Talleyrand was notorious for accepting bribes and running his own private intelligence network, often selling state secrets to foreign powers when he believed his current master's policies were against the long-term interests of France (or his own). For example, he secretly informed Tsar Alexander of Napoleon's troop movements during the Russian invasion.

 

    Master of Pragmatism: He viewed loyalty as being to France as a nation rather than to a specific ruler, using deception and moral flexibility to steer events toward his vision of a stable, moderate France, even if it meant working against the emperor of the day.

 

    Diplomatic Acumen: His deception extended to formal negotiations. At the Congress of Vienna in 1814-15, representing a defeated France, he masterfully played the victorious powers (Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Britain) against each other to secure advantageous terms for France, which is considered a monumental diplomatic achievement.

 

Ultimately, his ability to deceive was so effective that many of his masters found him "invaluable" despite their distrust, keeping him in their inner circles for far too long. Napoleon himself, after a furious confrontation where he called Talleyrand "a turd in a silk stocking," found he had no one else with comparable talent to replace him.

 

What is Trump actions today? Trump’s tactical intelligence provides immediate, actionable information for short-term decisions in dynamic situations like military battles or cyberattacks, focusing on specific details like enemy locations, or immediate threats to guide on-the-ground actions and response. It differs from strategic intelligence by being highly detailed, technical, and focused on the "what" and "how" (tactics, techniques) of current threats, rather than the long-term "why". 

Key Characteristics

 

    Immediacy: Designed for real-time or near real-time use to enable quick attacks.

 

Specificity: Focuses on granular details like enemy unit locations.

Actionability: Provides data that security analysts or field commanders can directly use to defend, detect, or attack.

Short-term: Often perishable data that needs frequent updates as threats evolve.

 

Applications

    Helps commanders plan and execute battles by identifying enemy positions, terrain challenges, and imminent threats.

 

Examples of Tactical Data

 

Specific tools, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) used by attackers.

What are Trump actions today? Trump’s tactical intelligence provides immediate, actionable information for short-term decisions in dynamic situations like military battles or cyberattacks, focusing on specific details like enemy locations, or immediate threats to guide on-the-ground actions and response.  

This gives real-time enemy unit locations or capabilities on the battlefield. So Zelenski’s troops just push big red button every time when Trump’s military loads up the coordinates of the targets. Rest of the time they are busy stealing the money of Western Europeans, arriving as help.

 

About U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine: Tactical intelligence (real-time battlefield data like enemy positions) has indeed been a key part of U.S. support, enabling precise Ukrainian strikes.

 

However, this fluctuated in 2025 under the Trump administration—pauses occurred early in the year to pressure Kyiv toward peace talks, but sharing resumed and even expanded later (e.g., for long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure).

 

Current aid levels are reduced ($400 million annually via the 2025 NDAA for 2026-2027), with ongoing negotiations involving Trump, Zelensky, and Putin aiming for a ceasefire or settlement.

 

On corruption: Ukraine has faced persistent graft issues, including scandals involving aid oversight and officials, prompting Western scrutiny (e.g., EU aid cuts in 2025 over concerns).

 

Reports estimate risks of 15-30% diversion in some sectors. These are stolen funds.

 

The Trump administration has cited this in reducing support, while defenders note most U.S. funds stay domestic (e.g., for weapons production). Both sides of the debate acknowledge problems, but claims of systemic theft of all Western aid lack comprehensive proof across audited programs. It seems, that the stealing is well hidden. Ukrainian elites are professionals devoting their life to this criminal activity. If they will arrive into Brussels, the corrupt EU place will become empty like desert.

 

1. How to Read the Ukraine Talks. Jenkins, Holman W; Jr.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 31 Dec 2025: A13.