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‘Russia Wants Ukraine to Succeed’ — This Is Not Neutrality | w/ Cormac Smith, Former Diplomat
🎙️ Voices from the Front —Russia Wants Ukraine to Succeed?
This weekend, Donald Trump made a claim so detached from reality it caused more than a few people to spit out their tea.
He said: “Russia wants Ukraine to succeed.”
That remark was not made in a vacuum. It was delivered while Russia was actively launching missiles, drones, and artillery strikes across Ukraine — hitting civilians, critical infrastructure, and cities far from the front line.
This was not a gaffe.This was not poor phrasing.
This was a reframing of the war.
That reframing aligns almost perfectly with long-running Kremlin narratives — narratives designed to blur responsibility, exhaust Western resolve, and normalise aggression.
The More Dangerous Question
The real issue isn’t outrage, it’s credibility.
If a former US president can so casually invert aggressor and victim, what does that signal about the reliability of US security guarantees, not just for Ukraine, but globally?
What message does it send to:
* Venezuela, watching how far international consequences truly go
* Taiwan, measuring whether deterrence is firm or conditional
* Allies, who rely on NATO commitments being more than just rhetoric
Language matters.And adversaries are always listening.
In This Episode
Cormac Smith, former British diplomat to Ukraine, and I discuss:
* Why this statement is strategically dangerous, not merely controversial
* Where the US now sits in the global perception battle
* Why Russia needs Western figures to say exactly this
* How propaganda works without uniforms, state TV, or slogans
* What this means for Ukraine, NATO credibility, and global security guarantees
The Bigger Picture
Wars are not only fought with tanks and drones.They are fought with words, legitimacy, and perception.
And when senior Western figures repeat narratives that absolve the aggressor, the cost is not theoretical.
People die because of it.
Support the Work
If you care about truth, accountability, and stopping propaganda from becoming policy:
👉 Like👉 Subscribe👉 Share
Leave a comment — it helps push this work past noise and algorithmic suppression.
How You Can Help
🎙️ Voices from the Front Crowdfunder👉 https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/Dy42zRgW
💳 PayPal: @ShaunPinner
Your support helps fund:
* Veteran support
* Independent reporting
* Legal efforts pursuing accountability for Russian war crimes
Listen & Read More
🎧 Podcast PlatformsSpotify:
Apple Podcasts:
📰 Further Analysis & WritingSubstack: https://substack.com/@pinnerpatter
📘 Book — Live. Fight. Survive.https://shaunpinner.com/book
🔗 All Linkshttps://linktr.ee/old_dog_ua
Get full access to Voices from the Front at shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Shaun Pinner🎙️ Voices from the Front —Russia Wants Ukraine to Succeed?
This weekend, Donald Trump made a claim so detached from reality it caused more than a few people to spit out their tea.
He said: “Russia wants Ukraine to succeed.”
That remark was not made in a vacuum. It was delivered while Russia was actively launching missiles, drones, and artillery strikes across Ukraine — hitting civilians, critical infrastructure, and cities far from the front line.
This was not a gaffe.This was not poor phrasing.
This was a reframing of the war.
That reframing aligns almost perfectly with long-running Kremlin narratives — narratives designed to blur responsibility, exhaust Western resolve, and normalise aggression.
The More Dangerous Question
The real issue isn’t outrage, it’s credibility.
If a former US president can so casually invert aggressor and victim, what does that signal about the reliability of US security guarantees, not just for Ukraine, but globally?
What message does it send to:
* Venezuela, watching how far international consequences truly go
* Taiwan, measuring whether deterrence is firm or conditional
* Allies, who rely on NATO commitments being more than just rhetoric
Language matters.And adversaries are always listening.
In This Episode
Cormac Smith, former British diplomat to Ukraine, and I discuss:
* Why this statement is strategically dangerous, not merely controversial
* Where the US now sits in the global perception battle
* Why Russia needs Western figures to say exactly this
* How propaganda works without uniforms, state TV, or slogans
* What this means for Ukraine, NATO credibility, and global security guarantees
The Bigger Picture
Wars are not only fought with tanks and drones.They are fought with words, legitimacy, and perception.
And when senior Western figures repeat narratives that absolve the aggressor, the cost is not theoretical.
People die because of it.
Support the Work
If you care about truth, accountability, and stopping propaganda from becoming policy:
👉 Like👉 Subscribe👉 Share
Leave a comment — it helps push this work past noise and algorithmic suppression.
How You Can Help
🎙️ Voices from the Front Crowdfunder👉 https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/Dy42zRgW
💳 PayPal: @ShaunPinner
Your support helps fund:
* Veteran support
* Independent reporting
* Legal efforts pursuing accountability for Russian war crimes
Listen & Read More
🎧 Podcast PlatformsSpotify:
Apple Podcasts:
📰 Further Analysis & WritingSubstack: https://substack.com/@pinnerpatter
📘 Book — Live. Fight. Survive.https://shaunpinner.com/book
🔗 All Linkshttps://linktr.ee/old_dog_ua
Get full access to Voices from the Front at shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe