Loading summary
Mayo Clinic Diet Representative
Ever wonder just how good or bad your diet really is? The Mayo Clinic Diet has just launched its new Diet Score, a game changer in tracking your health. Your diet score is personalized based on tracking key activities that deliver healthy habits, support weight loss and deliver long term sustainable success. The Mayo Clinic Diet was developed by doctors and dietitians from the world renowned Mayo Clinic. It's real foods, no gimmicks or fad diets. Just life changing healthy nutrition. Join today for access to customizable meal plans, tracking tools, group coaching and at home workouts. Everything you need for long term success. Get your free diet score now@mayoclinicdiet.com go. No sign up needed now. The Mayo Clinic Diet accepts the CareCredit credit card. The Mayo Clinic Diet Healthy Weight Loss.
Ryan Reynolds
For Life Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone. Paying Big Wireless Way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment.
Mint Mobile Representative
Of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com it's a cold day.
Tangle Podcast Host
Here in Alaska, but there's one animal seemingly unaffected. Bright eyed and determined enters the husky. Observe as they go up the mountain, guided by pure instinct. They are truly amazing masters of this wilderness. But even these amazing pets can't sign up for Lemonade Pet Insurance. You can sign up now@lemonade.com Amazing from.
Mint Mobile Representative
Executive producer Isaac Saul. This is Tangle.
Will Kbach
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening and welcome to the Tangle Podcast, a place where you get views from across the political spectrum, some independent thinking, and a little bit of our take. I'm your host, Will Kbach and today we're going to be talking about the preliminary talks between the United States and Russia over the future of the war in Ukraine. We're just a few days out from the third anniversary of Russia's ground invasion that escalated the war and the conflict between the two countries. And this week, on Tuesday, representatives from the United States and Russia are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss what a peace plan could look like. Notably, Ukraine and Europe were not a part of these initial talks. So we're going to talk a little bit about what that dynamic means, what kind of a deal we could be working towards and what goals Trump should have in mind as he pursues peace. Before we get into the main story, though, an exciting update to share. For the past month, Tangle has been produced without the involvement of our founder and executive editor, Isaac Saul. As longtime listeners of the podcast and readers of the newsletter know, Isaac's been out on paternity leave, welcoming his first child into the world. But now he's starting to get back into political coverage. Last week he wrote an essay that was published in the Free Press about the controversy involving the Department of Government Efficiency and Politico. And this Friday he'll make his official return to Tangle with a subscribers only post on his observations from Trump's first month in office. Some of the good, some of the bad, some of his analysis about where we're headed to go. We're really excited to welcome Isaac back, and if you're interested in reading or listening to that piece, make sure you're signed up as a Tangle Premium member. All right, now I'm going to pass it over to John for our quick hits and today's main topic, and then I'll be back for my take.
Tangle Podcast Host
Thanks, Will, and welcome, everybody. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. It's a short week, so let's make each of these days count. Here are your quick hits for today. First up, a Delta Air lines flight with 80 people on board crashed at Canada's Toronto Pearson International Airport, flipping upside down on the airport's Runway. At least 18 passengers were injured in the crash, but all the passengers and crew are expected to survive. Number two, the Trump administration moved to fire probationary federal workers, those who have been employed for less than a year, instructing federal agencies to classify probation periods as a continuation of the job application process. Approximately 200,000 federal employees meet this criteria, but the exact number affected by the first round of layoffs is unknown. Separately, the White House is reportedly attempting to rehire hundreds of workers responsible for protecting and managing the US Nuclear arsenal who were fired as part of layoffs at the Department of Energy. Number three, the Internal Revenue Service is planning to grant access to its systems, which contain individual financial information on millions of Americans, to a member of the Department of Government Efficiency in an effort to reduce waste, fraud and abuse. Number four, the Justice Department moved to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams after several top Prosecutors, including Acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Daniel Sassoon, resigned in protest of the directive to drop the case. A federal judge must still approve the decision to dismiss the charges. Additionally, four New York City deputy mayors announced their resignations from the Adams administration. At number five, Hamas released three additional Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinians who had been imprisoned in Israel, the sixth such swat this week has brought a dramatic shift in US Policy, with President Trump bypassing European allies and announcing his own plans to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. As far as the negotiation, it's too early to say what's going to happen.
Will Kbach
Maybe Russia will give up a lot.
Tangle Podcast Host
Maybe they won't, and it's all dependent on what is going to happen. On Tuesday, U.S. and Russian officials met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Walz and Middle east envoy Steve Witkoff led the American delegation, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov represented Russia. The meeting did not include Ukrainian or European representatives, though President Donald Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be involved in any peace negotiations. The US State Department described the meeting, which lasted roughly five hours, as productive. State Department spokesperson Timmy Bruce said the U.S. team agreed to establish a consultation mechanism to address irritants to our bilateral relationship with the objective of taking steps necessary to normalize the operation of our respective diplomatic missions, as well as appoint high level teams to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable and acceptable to all sides. You can read our previous coverage on the Ukraine war with a link in today's episode. Description Last Wednesday, President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call he described as a step toward resolving the Russia Ukraine conflict. Then Trump called President Zelensky to inform him of the conversation and discuss his vision for the peace process. Also on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters, or NATO, where he suggested that a peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia would likely involve Ukraine ceding some territory from its pre2014 borders. He added that Ukraine's membership in NATO would not be a realistic part of any agreement. Trump and Hexatz Commons set the stage for this week's meeting in Riyadh, which the US State Department said is intended to lay the groundwork for formal peace negotiations. The talks were held days before the third anniversary of Russia's ground invasion of Ukraine, which which began on February 24, 2022. The conflict has killed or wounded over 1 million Ukrainians and Russians and displaced millions of Ukrainians, while Russia has made gradual territorial gains in recent months, Ukraine has defended or regained control of several key areas and launched various counteroffensives on Russian positions. On Sunday, President Zelenskyy said he would not accept any peace deal that was made without Ukraine. Speaking with NBC News, Zelenskyy added that he may agree to cede parts of Ukraine currently occupied by Russia in return for Ukrainian membership in NATO, but emphasized that U.S. support for the alliance is critical to prevent Russian attacks on European allies. However, the United States decision to hold preliminary talks without directly involving European officials sparked alarm among leaders who held an emergency summit on Monday. In recent days, the US has signaled that it expects security guarantees from the EU to facilitate a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. Writing in the Telegraph on Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said European leaders must take on a heightened role in resolving the war, affirming that the United Kingdom was ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine and ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our troops on the ground if necessary. Today, we'll share perspectives from the left, right and writers from abroad on the latest in the war and the prospect of a peace deal. Then Tangle Managing Editor Ari Weitzman and Editor Will Kabek will give their take.
Will Kbach
We'll be right back after this quick break.
Mint Mobile Representative
If you wear glasses, you know how hard it is to find the perfect pair. But step into a Warby Parker store and you'll see it doesn't have to be. Not only will you find a great selection of frames, you'll also meet helpful advisors and friendly optometrists. Yep, many Warby Parker locations also offer eye exams, so the next time you need glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses or a new prescription, you know where to look. To find a Warby Parker store near you or to book an eye exam, head over to warbyparker.com retail serve up.
Omaha Steaks Representative
Something special with the exceptional flavor of Omaha Steaks, America's original butcher with five generations of expertise. Every bite is 100% guaranteed to deliver the world's best steak experience. And right now you'll save 50% site wide during their semi annual sale at OmahaSteaks.com plus get an extra $30 off with code holiday at checkout. This sale only happens twice a year, so shop now to save 50% site wide on legendary steaks, premium chicken, beefy burgers and so much more. All Omaha Steaks are hand carved by master butchers, aged to perfection to maximize tenderness and backed by a 100% guarantee that you'll love every bite. Don't wait Shop now to save 50% site wide on steaks and more during the semi annual sale@omahasteaks.com plus get an extra $30 off with code HOLIDAY at checkout. That's 50% off@omahasteaks.com and an extra $30 off with code Holiday. Minimum purchase may apply.
Tangle Podcast Host
All right, first up, let's start with what the left is saying. The left is critical of the Trump administration's approach to negotiations with Russia, calling it undisciplined and poorly conceived. Some say Trump appears eager to make concessions to Putin to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Russia. In cnn, Stephen Collinson explored Trump's key concessions to Putin ahead of Ukraine peace talks. Donald Trump's administration has ended the Russian president's international isolation, shattered Western unity on the conflict, and cast doubt on how far the US Would go to defend Europe, signaling a stunning shift toward Putin and away from America's traditional allies, collinson wrote. With a flurry of conflicting statements in their first forays into Europe, Trump aides also fueled concerns that the US President will embrace just about any deal with Putin, even if it's a bad one for Ukraine and a continent whose borders are again threatened by Russian expansionism. Mixed messages from the administration will fuel concerns that Trump will agree to a deal with Putin that validates the illegal invasion and will then impose it on Ukraine, Collinson added. The president, for instance, seemed to sympathize with Putin's rationales for the invasion and called for his return to the G8 grouping of industrialized nations after Russia was kicked out over the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Trump's rejection of the previous administration's lockstep coordination with Europe over Ukraine and the absence of Kyiv's negotiators from these Saudi talks also appeared to seriously weaken the Western negotiating position. In msnbc, Nicholas Gersman wrote, trump threw Ukraine under the Russian bus. NATO could be next. Trump and Hegseth forfeiting Ukraine's bargaining position in advance rather than showing a united front starting high and being willing to move down in exchange for concessions is more than poor negotiating, grossman said. Trump's position appears to be that Russia deserves something for its aggression. Asked if there's any possible future where Ukraine returns to its pre2014 borders, Trump could have taken a negotiator's stance that everything would be worked out in the talks. Instead, he said, it's unlikely Trump negotiating one on one with Putin as if Ukrainian territory were America's to give away, and Hegseth telling Europe that it'll have to uphold any peace agreement on its own puts the Western alliance on shaky ground. With America's commitment uncertain, it's weaker already and could cease to be effective, grossman said. The Trump administration pulling back on US Commitments to European security means Russia will probably test the alliance in the coming years with cyber attacks, assassinations, small incursions and eventually a land grab against a NATO member such as Estonia. Alright, that is it for what the left is saying, which brings us to what the right is saying. The right is mixed on the best path forward, with some arguing that Trump must consider the future of European security in his talks with Putin. Others say that Europe should take a more direct role in its own defense once the war ends. The Washington examiner editorial board said Trump must stare down Putin over Ukraine peacekeepers. What might a successful peace deal entail? Contrary to the media furor surrounding Trump's opening gambit, the practical requirements of a viable peace deal are quite clear. Those include negotiated land swaps to return some Russian occupied Ukrainian territory to Ukrainian control while allowing Russia to retain other territories it has unjustly seized since 2014, the board wrote. But the key element of ensuring a full and final suspension of Russian military and covert action against Ukraine will be the provision of an international peacekeeping force to defend Ukraine's post war borders against the threat of a future Russian attack. Trump will have to be firm. Putin will view European peacekeepers in Ukraine as an embarrassing contradiction to his pre war agenda of fundamentally dissecting Ukraine from the west, the board said. The US should be ready to push Zelenskyy toward painful concessions to end this brutal war. But while considerations of territory, future investment in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, Ukraine's diplomatic freedom of action and other issues will be important in any negotiations. One concern must be paramount, namely a European led peacekeeping force that ensures Russia cannot resurrect the grievous misery it imposed on Ukraine. In Reason, J.D. tuchili wrote, The US is no longer willing to subsidize prosperous countries that won't defend themselves. The president is right that allies have been allowed to shift the costs of their defense to the United States for decades, and they've relied on the US to resolve what are largely European problems, with the US government spending far beyond its means. It's time for our NATO allies to step up to Chile said. As Hegseth emphasized in Brussels, the US has security concerns around the world, especially in the Pacific with China, while European worries are more regional countries that together almost equal US GDP and are mostly clustered together should be making more serious arrangements for their own defense, tucili wrote. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the creation of an armed forces of Europe to defend the continent. French President Macron's security meeting suggests Europeans are thinking along similar lines. That could work out for everybody except the Russians. If Europeans assume greater responsibility for defending their continent and for supporting Ukraine, Washington D.C. would likely be very happy. Alright, that is it for what the left and the right are saying. Which brings us to what some international writers are saying. Some writers abroad advise that Trump should not view Putin as a good faith negotiator in the process. Others say the US can play a key role in ending the war and laying groundwork for lasting peace. In the Moscow Times, Sergei Radchenko suggested Putin won't settle for less than a US Betrayal of Ukraine. Trump's call with Putin plainly humiliated Zelenskyy, with Trump promising to inform him of his talks with Putin. He had long insisted that the only way to bring this war to an end was to speak to Putin from a position of strength. But there was little strength in Trump's rambling announcement, only hubris. Rodchenko wrote Putin would relish a summit with Trump, preferably in Moscow, perhaps around the time of the 80th anniversary of Russia's Victory Day celebrations in early May. He has long sought a direct engagement with Washington that would effectively sideline Europe and, crucially, Ukraine. Putin's demands are clear, and they would require significant concessions to the United States, concessions that, if granted, would leave Ukraine adrift and at Russia's mercy. The first item on Putin's wish list would be the recognition, including by Ukraine, of Russia's territorial gains. Equally important would be Ukraine's formal permanent neutrality, Radchenko said. Is it altogether inconceivable that Trump would betray Zelensky? It is difficult to say, but our times hold a record for inconceivable things coming to pass in foreign policy. Vasyl Filipchuk wrote about the only viable peace for Ukraine. Many people around the world may dislike Trump, but for the majority of Ukrainians, Trump is a hope for peace. Ukrainian elites must stop fantasizing and drawing lines in the sand while Ukrainians suffer and die every day, filipchuk said. Russia will certainly take advantage of its recent successes on the battlefield, but Russia has also learned from its mistakes. Russia was not prepared to fight such a prolonged war and has paid a high price. The key task for Ukrainian diplomats is now to ensure that there will be enough Ukrainians left in the country and that the conditions of a ceasefire or peace. Discourage Russia from attacking Ukraine again and Trump can help. Russia must be convinced by Washington and other international actors that if a peace agreement with Ukraine is reached, its gain will outweigh its losses. The deal will give Moscow significant political and economic benefits. Trump must therefore start with the goal of completely resetting the Euro Atlantic security architecture with an ambitious peace deal that gives everyone in the region confidence in the future. The rest should be done by Ukrainians themselves. The nation has to finally understand that it has to rely on itself to have a strong, resilient and viable state, ensuring its future security and protecting its borders and territorial integrity. Alright, let's head over to Will for Ari's and his take.
Will Kbach
Alright, that is it for what the left, right and international writers are saying. Which brings us to my take. Today's take is actually an our take. It was co written by Tangle Managing Editor Ari Weitzman and myself, Editor Will Kbach. We both understand how European allies and conventional career foreign affairs experts see President Trump dealing primarily with Putin and giving Zelensky second fiddle as pro imperialist, anti NATO, undermining Ukrainian sovereignty and highly chaotic. For our own part, it's hard to separate our innate support for Ukraine and the obvious fact that Putin could end this war tomorrow by simply leaving. From our view of Trump's maneuvering, however, interpreting Trump as a chaotic, pro Russian imperialist is a narrow view that doesn't fully explain the administration's actions. As the White House and the Kremlin both noted this week, the talks in Saudi Arabia are a preliminary step towards a possible peace deal. So before we can weigh in on how the talks with Russia will affect European stability and US national security, we first have to take a step back and look at the facts to give a full read of the Trump administration's strategy. Now, right off the bat, the communication from Trump administration officials has been hard to parse, disjointed, and often contradictory. Consider this sequence of events from just the past week. First, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed a NATO meeting in Brussels saying it was not, quote, realistic for Ukraine to join the alliance or for it to return to its pre2014 borders. Hegseth then clarifies that, quote, everything is on the table in the negotiations. John Cole, President Trump's deputy Ukraine envoy, later tells Reuters that NATO membership for Ukraine is indeed still on the table. Then Vice President J.D. vance tells the Wall Street Journal that, quote, there are economic tools of leverage and of course there are military tools of leverage that the US could use against Putin. Vance then criticizes the paper's coverage of his comments, writing in a post on X that, quote, american troops should never be put into harm's way where it doesn't advance American interests and security. Next, U.S. ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg said Europe would not have a seat at the table for the negotiations, then sought to partially walk back his comments by saying he did not mean that Europe's interests would not be, quote, considered used or developed. Finally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Europe would be involved in the, quote, real negotiations to end the war, and President Trump separately affirmed that Ukraine would be involved in the negotiations but did not offer further specifics. So taken as a sum, all of these statements are pretty difficult to follow. But in order to put them into focus, you have to see how Trump's approach to Ukraine and Russia fits within some broader patterns so far in his second term. First, in his appointees, Trump has prioritized loyalty and commitment to his message. Vance, Hegseth and Rubio aren't crafting messages based on what they think should happen. They're acting directly on the president's behalf. That they've already struggled to offer a coherent message reflects Trump's pattern of making strong statements and not committing to them. Trump appointees are trying to walk the line of affirming the president's stance while maintaining a consistent message, and so far, they failed. Second, Trump has come out of the gate with far stauncher positions on our allies than our geopolitical enemies, at least relative to the status quo. On China, the 10% tariffs Trump levied paled to the 25% offered against Canada and Mexico. Furthermore, before taking office, Trump publicly mused about making Canada the 51st state, while Elon Musk's involvement in a budget deal ended up rolling back restrictions on US Tech investment in China. The pattern fits in Europe, too, where Vance is rebuking NATO allies for not upholding our shared values, while Hegseth says that Putin will likely take Crimea and more in a peace deal. Third, Trump has been transactional, looking for something in return from our allies by pushing what the US could get from them, then settling for something smaller. We've seen this almost daily since Trump's inauguration. He wants Greenland and the Panama Canal, but is settling for smaller strategic gains for now. He's pushed for broad tariffs on Canada and Mexico, but has settled for small troop deployments to their US Borders for now. At the same time, he's embraced the idea of territorial expansion with Ukrainian allyship and Russian conquests. Why would it be any different in that context? It seems that Trump is less pursuing a peace deal with Russia than communicating a threat to our allies. If Europe doesn't step up their military commitments and Ukraine doesn't give us half their mineral rights, we're willing to give more to Russia. Will it work well in the short term? Maybe. European allies met in Paris on Monday and seem poised to increase their military investments, which is a win for the Trump and the US Unambiguously pairing concessions in Ukraine to Putin with mutual denuclearization with Russia would trade an enormous loss to Ukraine for the winding down of a major conflict. But that loss could well be inevitable, and Trump is looking to cede it for another short term win. However, the Trump administration's initial approach seeds an awful lot from a position of power. While Russia has the capacity to continue fighting, its economy is beginning to flash warning signals. Russian soldiers continue to die in significant numbers on the battlefield, and gambits like using North Korean soldiers on the front lines seem to have had little impact. Nearly three years into starting a war he expected to win in a matter of weeks, Putin has led Russia to a weaker and less stable position. Now, on the other side of the table, Zelenskyy is not asking for much. NATO membership for Ukraine is likely to be the sticking point of any deal. But the Ukrainian president has already said he would be willing to cede territory to Russia as part of a peace deal, and his primary concern seems to be having a seat at the negotiating table, an entirely reasonable expectation. If, as Trump says, Ukraine will be involved in the peace talks, why make a point of publicly excluding them from the start of that process? Now, appealing to the Kremlin's messaging about the war may well achieve some wins, and doing so without Ukraine could give the impression of faster progress. But pressuring Russia's weak points with Ukraine could deliver stronger short term wins along with real bilateral progress toward peace. In the medium to long term, we're more pessimistic. While ambiguous messaging can be an asset in some aspects of foreign policy, the comments from the Trump administration toward our European allies has created a lot of collateral confusion. Trump's desire to move quickly is understandable given the ongoing cost of the war, but the potential short term gains could be entrenching long term risks. Non aggression pacts among enemies have a historical record of not working out. And furthermore, weakening the trust with our allies could lead to more widespread global insecurity. As David French wrote in the New York Times recently, quote, will our abandoned allies be content with vassal status in the face of aggressive nuclear armed powers such as Russia, China, and to a lesser extent, North Korea. Why wouldn't South Korea pursue a nuclear deterrent? Could an enormous strategic shift overcome even Japan's deep seated resistance to nuclear weapons? Poland is in the middle of an intensive and expensive military buildup, but wouldn't an atomic arsenal make it even more secure? End quote Trump has an opportunity to press current advantages towards both short and long term wins for Ukrainian and European stability, but his posture so far has been one of deference to a debilitated negotiating partner. Fortunately, we are still early in the peace process and the Trump administration has time to reestablish a strong footing, starting with the talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Instead of giving a knee jerk reaction to how the Trump administration has entered Europe, we should wait to see how the results shake out in the coming months. However, Trump's opening salvo raises legitimate concerns about the kind of deal he's after. Will a deal that prioritizes warmer relations with Russia and a reduced US Presence in Europe make the continent more stable and America safer two to five years from now? Sadly, we don't think so. We'll be right back after this quick break.
Mayo Clinic Diet Representative
Ever wondered just how good or bad your diet really is? The Mayo Clinic Diet has just launched its new Diet Score, a game changer in tracking your health health. Your diet Score is personalized based on tracking key activities that deliver healthy habits, support weight loss and deliver long term sustainable success. The Mayo Clinic Diet was developed by doctors and dietitians from the world renowned Mayo Clinic. It's real foods, no gimmicks or fad diets. Just life changing healthy nutrition. Join today for access to customizable meal plans, tracking tools, group coaching and at home workouts. Everything you need for long term success. Get your free diet score now@mayoclinicdiet.com go. No sign up needed now. The Mayo Clinic Diet accepts the CareCredit credit card. The Mayo Clinic Diet Healthy Weight Loss.
Ryan Reynolds
For Life Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistants assistance. Switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com.
Mayo Clinic Diet Representative
Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3.
Mint Mobile Representative
Month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee terms@mintmobile.com.
Will Kbach
All right, that is it for our take. We are skipping today's reader question to give our main story a bit more space. So with that, I'm going to send it back over to John for the rest of the podcast and we'll talk to all of you soon. Have a great day.
Tangle Podcast Host
Thanks, Will. Here's your under the Radar story for today, folks. On Thursday, President Donald Trump said he would seek a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss an agreement for each country to halve their defense spending. Such a deal would represent a major reduction in US Military activity around the world and its domestic defense industry. The federal government spent roughly $850 billion on defense in 2024. Although a Chinese spokesman appeared to dismiss Trump's proposal on Friday, the president reaffirmed his belief that the deal would benefit all three countries. We can spend this on other things, we don't have to spend this on military, trump said. Bloomberg has this story and there's a link in today's episode Description alright, next up is our numbers section. The estimated amount of territory in square kilometers gained by Russia in Ukraine in 2024 is 4,168, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The approximate amount of aid, military, financial and humanitarian given to Ukraine by the United States since 2022 is $118 billion. The percentage of Americans who think neither Russia nor Ukraine is winning the war in Ukraine is 68%, according to a December 2024 Gallup poll. The percentage of Republicans who said the U.S. should try to end the Ukraine war as soon as possible, even if it will require making some concessions was 74% in December of 2024, a 20% increase from March 2024. The percentage of Democrats who said the US should try to end the Ukraine war as soon as possible, even if it will require making some concessions, was 30% in December 2024, a 9% increase from March 2024. The percentage of Ukrainians who say Ukraine should seek to negotiate an ending to the war as soon as possible was 52% in October 2024, a 25 point increase from 2023, according to a Gallup poll. The percentage of Ukrainians who want negotiated peace who say Ukraine should be open to making some territorial concessions as a part of a peace deal to end the war is 52%. And the percentage of Russians who believe peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine should begin immediately is 61%, according to a January 2025 poll from the Levada center and Last but not least, our have a nice day story. Scientists have struggled to research brain activity in cats with chronic pain as the animals would shake electrodes off their heads or play with the wires. However, a new method of research implementation has recently knitted cat sized hats. Researchers found that the hats on the cats helped hold the electrodes in place and kept them from chewing on the wires. With the help of the headgear, new avenues of research may now be possible to help relieve chronic pain in animals. The Journal of Neuroscience Methods has the study and the photos, and there's a link in today's episode Description all right everybody, that is it for today's episode. As always, if you'd like to support our work, Please go to retangle.com where you can sign up for a newsletter membership, podcast membership, or get a special discounted bundle membership to receive both. And remember, each membership has content that is specific to each platform. So it's not only the best way to receive the most amount of content from Tangle, it's also the best way that you can support our team and our mission. We'll be right back here tomorrow. For Will and the rest of the crew, this is John Law signing off. Have a great day y'all. Peace.
Will Kbach
Our podcast is written by me, Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dean Thomas. Our script is edited by Ari Weitzman, Will K Back daily, Saul and Sean Brady. The logo for our podcast was made by Magdalena Bokova, who is also our social media manager. The music for the podcast was produced by Diet75 and if you're looking for more from Tangle, please go check out our website@readtangle.com that's readtangle.com.
Mayo Clinic Diet Representative
Ever wonder just how good or bad your diet really is? The Mayo Clinic Diet has just launched its new Diet Score, a game changer in tracking your health. Your diet score is personalized based on tracking key activities that deliver healthy habits, support weight loss and deliver long term sustainable success. The Mayo Clinic Diet was developed by doctors and dietitians from the world renowned Mayo Clinic. It's real foods. No gimmicks or fad diets. Just life changing, healthy nutrition. Join today for access to customizable meal plans, tracking tools, group coaching and at home workouts. Everything you need for long term success. Get your free diet score now@mayoclinicdiet.com go no sign up needed now. The Mayo Clinic Diet accepts the CareCredit credit card. The Mayo Clinic Diet Healthy Weight Loss for Life if you wear glasses, you.
Mint Mobile Representative
Know how hard it is to find the perfect pair but step into a Warby Parker store and you'll see it doesn't have to be. Not only will you find a great selection of frames, you'll also meet helpful advisors and friendly optometrists. Yep, many Warby Parker locations also offer eye exams, so the next time you need glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses or a new prescription, you know where to look. To find a Warby Parker store near you or to book an eye examination, head over to warbyparker.com retail if you haven't noticed, it's winter. And now more than ever, I'm in need of a little treat. That's why I joined First Leaf, a wine club that delivers my favorite types of wine right to my door. Because there's really no better treat than a glass of delicious red white. Or go ahead and treat yourself to world class wines from First Leaf. Go to tryfirstleaf.com winter to get your first six bottles for just $44.95 with free shipping. That's T R Y-F-I-R-S-T L E A F.com.
Title: U.S.-Russia Negotiations on Ukraine
Host/Author: Isaac Saul
Release Date: February 18, 2025
Podcast Description: Independent, non-partisan politics news where you'll hear the best arguments from across the political spectrum on the news of the day. Plus, fascinating interviews with people in the political world.
In this episode of Tangle, host Will Kbach delves into the critical and timely topic of the ongoing U.S.-Russia negotiations concerning the war in Ukraine. Released on February 18, 2025, the episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the preliminary talks, the political dynamics at play, and the diverse perspectives from both the American left and right, as well as international commentators.
Overview of the Negotiations
The episode begins with Will Kbach outlining the context of the U.S.-Russia talks happening in Saudi Arabia. Representatives from both nations met to discuss a potential peace plan for Ukraine, marking a significant step as the world approaches the third anniversary of Russia's ground invasion initiated on February 24, 2022. Notably, Ukrainian and European officials were absent from these initial discussions, a point that raises questions about the negotiation dynamics and the future of the peace process.
Key Points Discussed:
Participants and Agenda:
U.S. State Department's Stance:
Trump Administration's Approach:
Perspectives from the Political Spectrum
The episode explores critical viewpoints from both the left and the right in the U.S., alongside international insights.
The left is highly critical of the Trump administration's handling of the negotiations, viewing it as undisciplined and potentially detrimental to Ukraine and European stability.
Undermining Alliances:
Risk of Concessions to Putin:
Impact on Western Security:
Within the right-wing spectrum, opinions vary on the best approach to the negotiations:
Support for Firm Negotiations:
Self-Defense and Reduced U.S. Burden:
Transactional Approach:
The podcast also incorporates viewpoints from international commentators, highlighting skepticism about Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith and the potential for the U.S. to broker a lasting peace.
Skepticism About Putin's Intentions:
Hope for Peace through U.S. Mediation:
In a joint segment, Tangle Managing Editor Ari Weitzman and Editor Will Kbach provide their analysis of the Trump administration's strategy:
Disjointed Messaging:
Transactional and Loyalty-Driven Appointments:
Implications for European Security:
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Risks:
Quick Hits: Will Kbach provided a “Quick Hits” segment summarizing significant news, including a Delta Air Lines crash, federal workforce layoffs, IRS system access changes, legal actions against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, hostage releases by Hamas, and a shift in US policy with Trump’s direct involvement in peace efforts.
Under the Radar: The episode also covered President Trump’s proposal to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss halving defense spending—a move aimed at reducing global military expenditures. Despite initial dismissals from Chinese officials, Trump remained optimistic about the potential benefits of such an agreement.
Numbers Section: Statistical insights provided included:
Have a Nice Day Story: A light-hearted segment discussed innovative research in animal chronic pain management, highlighting the development of specialized headgear for cats to facilitate brain activity studies.
The episode of Tangle offers a nuanced examination of the complex and multifaceted U.S.-Russia negotiations over Ukraine. By presenting and analyzing perspectives from across the political spectrum and international voices, host Will Kbach and his team provide listeners with a deep understanding of the strategic maneuvering, potential implications, and the precarious balance between short-term gains and long-term stability. The discussion underscores the importance of coherent messaging, strong alliances, and the critical role of Ukraine in shaping the future of European security and global geopolitics.
Listeners are encouraged to engage further by subscribing to Tangle, supporting through memberships, and accessing exclusive content for a more in-depth exploration of the topics discussed.
For more information and to access additional content, visit readtangle.com.