191 Comments
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Dave Lancaster's avatar

Great piece, Michael. It’s just so insane to think that one side is fighting for peace and the lives of so many innocent people, and the other is motivated only by childish ego.

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Marti Williams's avatar

The fact that the doors are closed today says that this is not going to be a photo op later and that Europe has come to play hardball. I hope so, the future of the world is at stake.

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Xplisset's avatar

Closed doors tell on power.

Marti, you clocked it man. You felt the room before the readout. Zelenskyy didn’t arrive alone. He brought a choir. That harmony spells leverage.

Now you, reader. You know the pattern. Announce “big progress,” chase applause, hide the fine print. Peace turns into a prop and somebody else pays the bill. You’ve seen that hustle.

When the statements hit the page, check three things:

• Paper before poetry. Air defense, long-range fire, sanctions with bite, a real NATO lane. If the language floats, it’s smoke.

• Ukraine decides Ukraine. Any “quiet for land” reads like surrender wearing cologne.

• One chorus. Europe, Ukraine, and the U.S. singing the same verse. If a solo breaks off with mystery lyrics, believe the choir.

Smiles fade. Paper stays. If we get vibes with no specifics, somebody got played. If the readouts match and the commitments land, Europe just won the inning.

This is why you keep MeidasTouch Network in your inbox. They pull the frame so damn wide it can’t help but translate power into plain talk, and chase receipts instead of rumors. Share it. Debate it. Keep the heat on.

And if you want a companion lens moving in the same direction, I keep a running ledger of follow-up receipts here: www.xplisset.com. Same spirit, parallel lane.

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Sandra Wallace's avatar

Just watched footage of today's meeting and was surprised how well NMP was "showtiming" - until near the end, when he finally began dementia delusional aggrandizing and ramblin' off topic.

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Jimmy Smith's avatar

Yeah....I still saw way too much kissing of Donny's ass. WTF was that about? I realize Ukraine is the subject at hand and the other leaders are being diplomatic AF, but c'mon!

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Marti Williams's avatar

Never underestimate the Ukrainians.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg84r5g8d0o

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Marti Williams's avatar

Let’s all take a deep breath and remember what Zelensky did shortly after the last meeting with Trump.

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Aug 18
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JP4M's avatar

JClass, I hope you are totally wrong!

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Edie Sadowski's avatar

So do I sick of these cowards giving that POS everything he wants!

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

Excellent piece thank you Michael.

Of course he cannot be trusted, and anyone who still holds out hope is being fooled.

I love that Europe has come to the meeting. I love that they are flipping the script.

Thank you EUROPEAN LEADERS!

If we cannot get Congress to wake up and grow spines, then I'm so humbled and happy that other world leaders are stepping up big time.

Support from outside will sustain a coming revolution inside.

We are SEEN, heard, and held by our true allies. I'm so grateful they know that cheeto and his sycophants are not the whole of our country.

The playbook is so clear isn't it!

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Louise's avatar

Yes, this is an excellent piece and beautifully written.

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Robyn Wallace's avatar

Trump just drones on and on. He sounds ridiculous. Let the more intelligent leaders have a say and shut your mouth!

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Sandra Wallace's avatar

Dementia, offset by Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).

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JP4M's avatar

There is a lesson in the children's book, Five Little Peppers and How They Grew. The quotation, which comes to mind, can be of use to any of us at times. As I recall, I believe it was written as, “And not knowing what to say, Mrs. Pepper wisely said nothing.”

Possibly the sentence was the end of a compound sentence rather than a sentence starting with a conjunction. Either way, there are many times when the idea comes to mind. It sometimes is hard to remember to follow it. Other times it feels good to have remembered.

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Fred's avatar

I find it interesting that Trump blames Obama for Putin taking over Crimea but he did nothing to help Ukraine get it back in his 4 years as president.

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Louise's avatar

Par for the course - nothing more.

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Susan Raquel's avatar

It would have upset putin.

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Teri Gelini's avatar

there is the truth as to why he did nothing

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Kay G's avatar

The Finnish leader specifically spoke about being brought in because Finland has a long border with Russia. They have experience in fighting the Russians. He mentioned the “Winter War”. My mother’s family came here from Finland. She told me stories of the Finns attacking the Russians. The saying “Beware the rage of the Finni”! Trump has no f***king idea how ruthless people can be defending their homeland.

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Jax's avatar

Of course he doesn’t, he’s never had to do anything on his own in his life!

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Edie Sadowski's avatar

Sooooo true!👏👏👏👏👏he's only good at spending other people's money!🤬💩💩💩💩🤡🤡😬🤢🤮

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Sheri's avatar

Also part Finnish. The Finns have a big stake in this game. We are a proud people.

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Marci Radin's avatar

I read recently (unsubstantiated) that Ru$$ia was quietly building up troops and bases along the Finnish border. And I would not be surprised.

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Kay G's avatar

Of course they/ the Russians, would do that

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Anne P. Sacco's avatar

Excellent Finns! 🇨🇦

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Angie's avatar

Second-hand pride for you Finns!

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JP4M's avatar

Kay, thsnk you for telling us about the Finnish leader. Many other countries are at stake. It is such a crucial time for everyone.

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ZU's avatar

The Finish did it and they WON 🙌

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Jamie Casey's avatar

tRump could have stopped this war six months ago but he's too infatuated with Putin and being a dictator. Asking for a Nobel peace prize while helping Putin kill innocent civilians and the obvious assault on America's democracy IMO makes him an exstention of Putin another criminal of war. Ukraine is showing the rest of the world what fighting for democracy looks like.

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Jax's avatar

It was never the plan to stop the war, it was for Putin to take over Ukraine.

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Teri Gelini's avatar

The people in charge of the Nobel Peace Prize took his name off the list after he had putin in Alaska because he is a war criminal and that violates every law there is having him on US soil

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NCC's avatar

It isn’t infatuation— P-tin has evidence of his financial and moral wrong doing and is holding it over his head.

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Inky Feather Pen's avatar

What does Micheal Cohen know about this? Trump has been dealing with Russians for decades …

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Edie Sadowski's avatar

Inquiring minds want to know!

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Marilyn's avatar

Infatuated? Perhaps, extremely afraid as well.

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Robin Bird's avatar

Shut up, trump.

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Edie Sadowski's avatar

As usual, the Orange Blob puts his foot in his mouth

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Robin Bird's avatar

He sucks all the air out of the world! All day everyday.

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Cheryl Thomas's avatar

Oh, he gets a lot of help from his sycophants and supporters.

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Public Servant's avatar

Slava Ukraini! Zelensky is defending democracy against Trump and Putin's fascism. I wrote a poem inspired by his bravery: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/slava-ukraini-zelensky-poem

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Sheila Dean's avatar

Beautifully written and powerful! Thank you!

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Edie Sadowski's avatar

Thank you! Slava Ukraini

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Pam Abernathy's avatar

DJT is The Stupidest Man Alive.

He could not pass a grade 6 history, civics or geography class. Probably not any other classes, either.

DJT has turned the country in which I was born almost 7 decades ago into The Fourth Reich.

People kidnapped & disappeared because of their skin color or location.

Concentration camps built in the former usa.

My friend's parents were in Manzanar. They were US born but Japanese.

Now no one is safe!

We, the people, are The Resistance.

We shall prevail.

There is no other option.

Speak up & speak out.

Keep your courage, friends.

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andrea's avatar

Pedo Don talked about DC being a cesspool and Biden. I give credit for Zelensky sitting there patiently. Orange pedo is a complete disgrace to America

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Claire's avatar

Bravo to the leaders of Europe, the UK, and NATO for showing up to have Zelenskyy’s back and stand up to Dumpy. Everyone knows a bully will back down when he’s outnumbered.

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Anne P. Sacco's avatar

*Tyrant.

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MPT's avatar

The closest thing trump will get to a Nobel Peace Prize is a baker making him TACO Pizza Pies. Tragically, a moronic, narcissistic, fool, felon with no sense of history, sacrifice, or morality is the center of attention in a war between evil and democracy. trump is so clueless he will fold holdig four aces because if he doesn't, putin will release the royal flush tapes...

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Jax's avatar

If he can manipulate and buy himself into getting he will. Just like the Time magazine man of the year. He had a poster saying that decades before Time Magazine disgraced themselves actually naming him as such.

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Edie Sadowski's avatar

Wrote TIME a letter denouncing their decision!

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Carol's avatar

As long as Trump feels flattered it’s all he cares about. His narcissism was on full display in that meeting earlier.

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Jax's avatar

He still is owned by Putin and if he doesn’t come through on his promises there will be Russian consequences!

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Carl Selfe's avatar

The reception for Zelenskyy had no red carpet. It had no applauding Trump to receive him. It had no limo ride. It was disgusting. Time for us to FreeDC! For you, 108 protest signs for the fight. This is for Occupied D.C. Many signs are revised to sing. 🎶. I recommend using a local printer, but national print companies offer great pricing, shipping included. There is time to get the lot printed for your protest group, assuming you have a gathering of 300 to 1,000. This would help fill the hands of the signless.

https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/protest-sign-sign-everywhere-a-sign

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Nancy L. Hoffmann's avatar

Your signs should be papering the White House lawn!

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Alice Elliot's avatar

Doors closed this time. Too possible for trump to be humiliated again. Hope to whatever we have left that Zelenskyy's posse can intimidate/influence t to act like an adult????

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Susan Raquel's avatar

Problem is that trump is unable to sustain his imitation of adulthood. As soon as he is no longer face to face with these leaders he will revert.

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dj mcGraw's avatar

Trump will tell the European leaders what they want to hear. Then turn around a kiss Putin's butt.

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