** NEW MERCH ** Jackets & Sweatshirts, Thermo Mugs!! Daniel Davis Deep Dive Merch: Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielDavisDeepDive?ref=seller-platform-mcnav European leaders are reaffirming core principles: borders cannot be changed by force, war crimes must be punished, and Russia must pay for the war. Zelensky emphasized these points while Europe works on a unified response to Trump’s proposed 28-point peace plan. Analyst Andrei Martyanov argues that Europe is militarily powerless without the U.S. and that Russia has already effectively won on the battlefield. He says Russia rejects both European proposals and major parts of Trump’s framework, insisting there will be no frozen conflict and that negotiations must address Russia’s original political aims. According to Martyanov, Russia will continue advancing slowly, creating a buffer/security zone under Russian control and demilitarizing Ukrainian territory rather than annexing it. He dismisses Western media reports suggesting the 28-point plan originated from Russia and calls Western outlets propagandistic. He also mocks elements of the plan—like Ukraine fielding 600,000 troops or retaining certain territories—as unrealistic because Ukraine lacks the infrastructure to support such a force and is already fully dependent on NATO. Martyanov maintains that Russia views Ukraine’s forces as “terrorist formations” and that the real war is Russia vs. NATO, not Russia vs. Ukraine. He also criticizes U.S. officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying American political statements are empty rhetoric meant for domestic audiences. In his view, Western governments and media are producing “noise” to mask the reality that they have few remaining options and that Russia’s military and political position will determine the eventual settlement.