Stagecrafted Puppetry

by Stephen Lendman

Likely stagecrafted by hegemon USA, the scene in Brussels on Thursday reflected both tragedy and farce.

Two US-installed puppets recited lines scripted for them by their puppet-master in Washington.

The farcical scene was tragic because of high stakes on the world stage.

Similar tragedy and farce repeats in Washington whenever the White House imposter recites or paraphrases what's orchestrated for him to say.

On Thursday in Brussels, Ukraine's Zelensky appeared at a press conference with NATO's Stoltenberg — both powerless figureheads doing the bidding of their higher power in Washington.

Russia-bashing and threats took center stage. More on this below.

According to Ukrainian foreign minister Kuleba, "we weren't told the year when Ukraine will become a NATO member, although we asked."

In February 2019, Ukraine's parliament approved constitutional amendments, calling its NATO aspirations an "irreversible Euro-Atlantic course." 

Currently, the US vassal state has so-called enhanced NATO opportunities partner status.

Admitting Ukraine and/or Georgia to the alliance would cross an unacceptable red line for Russia.

Yet according to the Biden regime's State Department, the US "is committed to ensuring that NATO's door remains open to aspirants when they are able to meet the commitments and obligations of membership and contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area (sic)."

"We are committed to ensuring that aspirant countries wishing to join NATO meet the organization's standard for membership (sic)."

"We support (US vassal state) Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression (sic)."

"(W)e are fully supportive and affirm NATO's open door policy, and we continue to look forward to working closely with Ukraine" — in advancing US imperial interests. 

Both right wings of the US war party seek to expand NATO globally to confront Russia, China and other nations free from US control.

The US-controlled war-making alliance threatens world peace, stability, and humanity's survival.

In 1995, Ukraine became the first former Soviet republic to join NATO's so-called Partnership for Peace (sic), a notion abhorred by the US and its imperial partners.

At the time, the Clinton co-presidency called the initiative a "track" for more countries to join NATO.

Vladimir Putin earlier said the following:

"The appearance on our borders of a powerful military bloc…will be considered by Russia as a direct threat to our country's security," adding:

Russian missiles will target Ukraine defensively if it joins NATO or allows Washington's (solely for offense) missile defense shield to be installed in the country.

Separately, he said that Moscow will "react to what's going on around us."

Granting NATO membership to Ukraine and/or Georgia will have "extremely negative consequences."

Inviting these countries to join the alliance would violate "treaties between Russia and NATO."

Paraphrasing US lines scripted for him to recite, Stoltenberg falsely accused Russia of "build(ing) up…substantial military (forces) around Ukraine, (sic)," adding:

"With tens of thousands of combat-ready troops, tanks, artillery, armored units, drones, electronic warfare systems (sic)."

"We see no sign that this build-up is stopping or slowing down (sic). On the contrary, it continues (sic)."

"This build up has no justification. It is provocative. It is destabilizing. And it undermines security in Europe (sic)."

"We call on Russia to return to diplomacy (sic). To de-escalate (sic)."

All of the above and more of the same was worlds apart from reality — made up stuff to continue a steady drumbeat of Russia bashing by the US-dominated West and installed puppets like Stoltenberg and Zelensky.

The US-installed regime in Kiev has no legitimacy.

In February 2014, the Obama/Biden regime's coup d'etat transformed democratic Ukraine into a Nazi-infested fascist dictatorship in Europe's heartland.

Both right wings of the US war party use Ukrainian conscripts as proxy forces for aggression on Donbass and war on Russia by other means that risks turning hot by accident or design.

No Russian aggression exists against Ukraine or any other countries, none earlier, none in prospect by a nation that prioritizes peace and resolution of differences among nations diplomatically.

Separately, Stoltenberg said (US-dominated) "NATO is continuing the process of expansion." 

"We already took Montenegro and North Macedonia, regardless of Russia's protests." 

On Friday in Brussels, European Council (EC) President Charles Michel said that EU bloc countries agreed unanimously to maintain (illegally imposed) sanctions on Russia in place — as ordered by their higher power in Washington, saying:

"Massive consequences and severe cost will follow if Russia takes further (sic) military action against Ukraine (sic)." 

"EUCO leaders unanimously agreed to roll over economic sanctions against Russia." 

"We call on Russia to keep its part of the bargain and proceed with Minsk implementation (sic)."

Imposed in March 2015, they've been extended every six months on the phony pretext of falsely claiming Russian noncompliance with Minsk I and II conflict resolution princples — breached by Kiev, not Moscow or Donbass.

According to an EC statement:

Illegally imposed sanctions in breach of the UN Charter "limit access to EU primary and secondary capital markets for certain Russian banks and companies and prohibit forms of financial assistance and brokering towards Russian financial institutions." 

"The measures also prohibit the direct or indirect import, export or transfer of all defense-related material and establish a ban for dual-use goods for military use or military-end users in Russia." 

"The sanctions further curtail Russian access to certain sensitive technologies that can be used in the Russian energy sector, for instance in oil production and exploration."

Russia effectively countered unacceptable sanctions by a policy of import substitution and other steps in defending its rights and advancing its legitimate interests.

Separately on Friday, a US-dominated NATO statement said the following:

"We are aware of Russia's recent European security proposals." 

"We are clear that any dialogue with Russia would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity, address NATO's concerns about Russia's actions (sic), be based on the core principles and foundational documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATO's European Partners (sic)."

"Should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions (sic), we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence-building measures."

The above statement — that included phony claims about Russian forces mobilized menacingly along Ukraine's border not there — came in response came in response to Vladimir Putin's outreach.

He called for negotiations to provide nonbelligerent, nonthreatening  Russia with "reliable and long-term security guarantees" to include no further NATO expansion east toward or at its borders.

He stressed that Russia needs 'legal, juridical guarantees because the Western counterparts have defaulted on their previous verbal pledges."

Since the Biden regime usurped power a year ago, dismal relations between the US and Russia worsened.

Nothing in prospect suggests a positive change ahead.

Just the opposite is highly likely.