Zelensky predicts "imminent" death: Putin makes absurd proposal and Trump makes a clear Greenland offer

Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger Zelensky predicts "imminent" death: Putin makes absurd proposal and Trump makes a clear Greenland offer David Schmitz • 16 hours • 5 minutes read Vladimir Putin reiterated Russia's war aims during a visit to the port city of Murmansk. During his trip close to the Finnish border, the Russian president made it clear that Moscow continues to pursue the goal of overthrowing the Ukrainian government and completely annexing the illegally occupied Ukrainian regions. No negotiations can be held with the current Ukrainian leadership, the Kremlin chief declared. In Murmansk, Putin also made little secret of the fact that he is counting on the support of US President Donald Trump for his plans, and the Kremlin chief expressed his understanding for Trump's plans to annex the Danish island of Greenland. Vladimir Putin: Trump will assert his interests in Greenland As early as the 1860s, the US had considered the "possibility of annexing Greenland and Iceland," explained Putin, who visited an Arctic conference and the Russian Navy in Murmansk. The US plan failed back then, but things are different today. Trump's intention is "serious" and has historical roots. "It is obvious that the US will continue to systematically assert its geopolitical, military, and economic interests in the Arctic," added Putin, who used the opportunity to give the US president carte blanche. The Greenland issue has nothing to do with Russia, the Kremlin chief explained, and instead expressed his openness to "cooperating" with the US in expanding shipping via the Northern Sea Route. Putin's Greenland Offer to Donald Trump Russian experts see this as a clear offer to Trump. "Putin translates: Do what you want in your backyard and let us do what we want in ours," British historian Ian Garner, for example, interpreted the Kremlin chief's words. "Of course, Putin wants Trump to try to take over Greenland, as this would make his annexation of Ukraine seem normal," Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Moscow, also explained on Platform X. With regard to Europe and NATO, Putin, meanwhile, struck a significantly less friendly tone, in line with Russian statements from recent weeks. NATO, and especially its "new recruits" Finland and Sweden, "view the Far North as a springboard for conflict," Putin claimed, reporting on Western preparations for operations under Nordic conditions. Putin attacks Europe and NATO – and mocks Great Britain "We will not allow any encroachments on our country's sovereignty and will reliably protect our national interests," warned the Russian president. Meanwhile, Putin took particular aim at Great Britain in Murmansk. London is behaving "aggressively," the Kremlin chief claimed, and mocked the country's economic strength and armed forces. "How many are there? 170,000 or 180,000, that's the entire British armed forces," the Kremlin chief said. Putin also used his trip to create symbolic, martial imagery. First, the Kremlin chief gave "permission" to launch a new Russian nuclear submarine. The "Perm" is the first Russian submarine to be equipped with the Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, state media reported. Symbolic Visit: Russia Commissions Nuclear Submarine Later, the Kremlin chief visited the submarine Arkhangelsk – and used a conversation with sailors to deliver strong words to Ukraine. Putin used familiar Russian narratives. "Neo-Nazis" would "effectively begin to rule the country," the Russian head of state claimed, and accused "Western countries," as in the past, of having staged a "coup d'état in Ukraine." The Kremlin chief also repeated the familiar claim that the Russian-speaking population in Donbass urgently needed protection. "There is reason to believe that we will finish them off." "I just recently said: We will finish them off," Putin said in a conversation with the submarine sailors, finally reaffirming Russia's plan to annex as much of its neighboring country as possible by military means. "There is reason to believe that we will finish them off," the Kremlin chief declared. The initiative, he explained, lies with his army along the "entire front line." "The Luhansk People's Republic is 99 percent liberated, and the Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions are over 70 percent liberated," Putin said, claiming that "one territory after another, one settlement after another" is being conquered. Russian Army Pays High Price for Territorial Gains Russia has indeed recently made some territorial gains. Overall, however, the front line has not changed much in recent months. The major cities of the same name in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions remain under Ukrainian control. However, the Kremlin, whose armed forces have suffered enormous losses since the beginning of the war, also lays claim to them. For a military conquest of Kherson, however, Russian troops would have to cross the Dnieper. Kremlin insiders had recently warned urgently against this. "Thousands of deaths" would result from such a maneuver, a diplomat warned the Moscow Times. It therefore seems more likely than a new major offensive that Putin will primarily achieve his goals through negotiations with Trump. Vladimir Putin pushes his conditions to the extreme "In my opinion, the newly elected President of the United States sincerely wants to end this conflict," Putin praised his American counterpart in Murmansk – and promptly added that the road to a solution is still long. So far, Moscow has dragged out talks with Washington. The Kremlin repeatedly sets new conditions for a ceasefire, while at the same time Russia bombs civilian targets in Ukraine almost daily. Now, however, Putin has taken his audacity to the extreme – making the absurd suggestion of replacing the Ukrainian government led by Volodymyr Zelensky with a "temporary administration," citing "precedents" such as East Timor or New Guinea. Putin has also considered "external governance under the auspices of the UN" for Ukraine, and has reiterated that he still seeks a puppet government in Kyiv. Zelensky on Putin: "He will die soon" Replacing Zelensky is necessary to hold elections in Ukraine, Putin claims, thus perpetuating the lie that the Ukrainian president lacks legitimacy in his office. Only after new elections could "legitimate documents" be signed that would be "recognized" worldwide, the Kremlin chief explained, and with this condition, once again made clear what Moscow hopes for from Trump. The Ukrainian president had previously found provocative words for his opponent during a visit to Paris. "He will die soon, that's a fact, and then everything will be over," Zelensky told Eurovision News. "Now it's Russia and the US against Ukraine and Europe." However, the Kremlin chief intends to remain in power until his death and "seek a direct confrontation with the West," the Ukrainian warned – and ultimately criticized Trump's concessions to Russia. "It is very important that America does not help Putin emerge from global isolation now," Zelensky said. "I think that is dangerous." Meanwhile, former Russian chess world champion and now Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov had more drastic words for Trump. He accused the US President of following Putin's direct orders and wanting to "destroy and plunder" Ukraine. Trump's negotiations were not in danger of "failing," but rather served only one goal, Kasparov explained. "To protect Russia and Putin and to divide Ukraine into components and assets." A "benevolent interpretation" is "no longer permissible," Kasparov explained on X. "Now it's Russia and the US against Ukraine and Europe." "Trump can thus blame Zelensky instead of Putin." Shortly before the Kremlin critic's comments, reports emerged about a revised version of the planned agreement between the US and Ukraine on the mining of rare earths and other mineral resources. According to the Financial Times, Washington has once again drastically tightened the terms of the draft agreement in its own favor without offering any security guarantees in return. "There is no chance that Ukraine will sign this insane and offensive deal," Bill Browder, once the largest foreign investor in Russia and later one of the Kremlin chief's harshest critics, commented on the reports. "This would allow Trump to blame Zelensky instead of Putin for the failure of the negotiations and turn away from Ukraine," the human rights activist predicted. Vladimir Putin would be one step closer to his goal.