Edition No233 | 26-08-2025 - Zero money, zero influence. Trump has boasted that the US is spending net zero on Ukraine, and it’s obvious he has no influence whatever over Putin or Lavrov to end the invasion. Why is the US still at the heart of the so-called peace process? Why are the Europeans deferring to Trump, spending so much time on coddling his ego and pandering to his ignorance, and waiting for some kind of consensus on the way forward, when it’s the Europeans that are now fully funding Ukraine’s defence, and at higher monetary level than when the US was last engaged with the conflict, under Biden? Trump has been wrong on everything. His supposed efforts to implement peace have been a roller-coaster of delusion and distraction. Europe has been endlessly deflected from focusing on the real problem, pushing back against Russia aggression, that shows no signs of stopping, unless it is physically stopped. The will they won’t they spin, hides a grim reality. Russia was never serious about peace, does not want peace and has no intention of making peace. Everything else is just a piece of political cynical theatre to string the media along and create the delusion that a negotiated solution with Russia is not only possible – but just around the corner. Neither of these are true, and they have never been true – Russia wanted, and wants Ukraine’s surrender, not an equitable peace. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES: https://theconversation.com/trump-putin-summit-veteran-diplomat-explains-why-putting-peace-deal-before-ceasefire-wouldnt-end-russia-ukraine-war-263314https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-21/russia-downplays-european-talks-on-ukraine/105679150https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/20/trump-ukraine-russia-peace-lavrov-china-ceasefire/https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/aug/16/putin-trump-summit-alaska-us-europe-ukraine-security-guarantees-zelenskyy-latest-news-updateshttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/20/no-us-troops-in-ukraine-trump-sayshttps://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-latest-putin-trump-moscow-zelenskyy-kremlin-live-sky-news-latest-12541713https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgkrn433lk2ohttps://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/aug/20/donald-trump-ukraine-support-peace-deal-russia-nato-latest-updates-news----------TRUCK FUNDRAISER - GET A SILICON CURTAIN NAFO PATCH:Together with our friends at LIFT99 Kyiv Hub (the NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade), we are teaming up to provide 2nd Battalion of 5th SAB with a pickup truck that they need for their missions. With your donation, you're not just sending a truck — you’re standing with Ukraine.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-communityWhy NAFO Trucks Matter: Ukrainian soldiers know the immense value of our NAFO trucks and buses. These vehicles are carefully selected, produced between 2010 and 2017, ensuring reliability for harsh frontline terrain. Each truck is capable of driving at least 20,000 km (12,500 miles) without major technical issues, making them a lifeline for soldiers in combat zones.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-community----------