Marc Polymeropoulos

On 8am hour @msnownews.bsky.social , where we r on US-Russia-Ukraine talks after a truly chaotic week in my old ntl security world. Happy Thanksgiving all!

If it’s the Russians behind it, suppose it’s tried and true Russian info op designed to cause chaos. Their favorite MOE. That clearly has worked. But I see no real gain for Russians in this, other than chaos, as don’t they want Witkoff in place? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Can’t stop thinking of following: Who leaked the audio files to Bloomberg? If it’s a friendly govt (who had such SIGINT capability) that would be most extraordinary. In essence, an op directed at the US. Because of abject fear of what had transpired, what this admin has become. Wow.

Was Bumped. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Do you have a burning question you’d like Amber, @markurban.bsky.social & @mpolymer1.bsky.social to answer in the next bonus episode? 🤔

Drop your suggestions below 👇🏻

#QnA #questions #podcast

Just like Rubio return to conus from Geneva (focus shift Ukraine to Venezuela)...I'll be on @ms.now 130pm to discuss what appears to be decision time for action in the western hem...perhaps my time in messy regime change ops can be helpful re current cost-benefit calculus.

Missing this

Clusterfuckerry. Good description.

Ukraine survives another crisis with Donald Trump A deal in Geneva salvages relations with America. It might not last

Rubio to the rescue. And a highly dysfunctional govt exposed. Secret deals with Russians (Jared and Russians, again?), power play between Secstate and VP in open, no interagency process. Well, the IC collect on Russian reaction will be fascinating. economist.com/europe/2025/...
from The Economist

☕️ ☕️ 5am tomorrow @ms.now , more on the US diplomatic snafu, what it means, and Rubio’s rescue mission to Geneva.

On @ms.now during 3pm hour to discuss what appears to be a galactic USG diplomatic snafu that Trump owns.... the ugly origin+perpetuation of the Witkoff-Russia peace plan, the cycle of endorsements and walkbacks, the apparent Rubio-Vance divide, and where this all goes now....hang on, mercy me.

In escalation, IDF targets Hezbollah chief of staff Haytham Ali Tabatabai in Beirut strike First Israeli strike on Beirut since July * Israel reportedly did not tell US ahead of hit * Senior Hamas team said in Cairo to discuss Gaza violence

Will cease fire hold? What will Govt of Lebanon reaction be? An aside- continued extraordinary find/fix/ finish from Israeli IC and military. They still absolutely own the intel space in Lebanon. www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-nov...

Don't forget the public threat from Trump-sign this Russian turd plan by Thursday, or else. Realizing that this is theatrical bluster, yes, it nonetheless will cause quite a stir (horror) in US circles-and of course, Ukrainian partners will look at us with tad bit of unease and say "seriously, wtf?"

Embassies working the Ukraine issue maybe not necessarily loving this shitshow. I mean, the charge' in Kyiv spent two days echoing WH talking points this was real, then her boss Rubio said its all BS and a Russian plan (true), then he reversed and said it was a US plan too (kinda true). Incredible.

Something not yet considered by the media- how this total US diplomatic fiasco re Russia-Ukraine talks must have landed on US diplomats, military, and IC who work side by side Ukrainians. Questions from US staff presumably like-WTF is happening? What is our policy? What do we say to our partners?

Day 3 of the dysfunctional shit show, our Russia-Ukraine follies. Rubio reportedly calling everyone and essentially saying the Witcoff/Vance plan is a piece of Russian shit…well, that’s very good at least. Entire episode is ludicrous, and almost amusing, if stakes were not so high.

What is it with the Trump entourage and meeting secretly with Russians?…Did they not learn from last time around that this shit goes south quickly? 😬 (btw-the “Trump didn’t know” argument just a little stale now). His administration. He owns it. www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Trump’s Devastating Plan for Ukraine The White House is giving Putin permission to try again.

Must read. There has been epic arguments amongst my peers on the degree in which the Trump admin supports Ukraine. Phillips always was a skeptic. I was too, but I acknowledged some steps Trump took that were positive (intel sharing, PURL). Well, here we are. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

Details on the extraordinary dysfunction within the Trump admin re Ukraine, as I’ve previously noted. Dysfunction is the key word. Ultimately, however, in all of this, Trump is responsible. It’s his admin. He owns whatever Witkoff has done. www.kyivpost.com/post/64660

I predicted this. New Yorkers being New Yorkers . Check my previous posts (on the other site, sorry)….was absolutely inevitable…Now let MAGA world and Fox freak out begin…. The entire GOP message against the Democrats played on Fox 24/7 surrounded the new mayor. That is now blown up in their face.🤣

A DMZ for Ukraine Trump’s peace plan envisages a divide like the one that splits the Korean peninsula.

Driscoll running point for Vance, no friend of Ukraine. It’s all making sense now…. www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Opinion | Trump Issues an Ultimatum to Ukraine His latest peace offer fulfills Vladimir Putin’s wishes and leaves Kyiv with a terrible choice.

The WSJ Op Ed board tears to shreds the Trump Peace plan. With “appeasement” as the operative word. www.wsj.com/opinion/trum...

George nails it. It’s amazing more people don’t understand this.

🔗 linktr.ee/thecrisisroom

“These aren’t even good plans”

@mpolymer1.bsky.social unpacks how US–Russia backchannel talks might have shaped the 28-point roadmap to end the Ukraine war — and whether Witkoff is really the man to lead them

Listen to The Crisis Room on @globalplayer.com 🎧

#Russia #Ukraine #UkraineWar

Latest Crisis Room is up - Amber and Marc give some first hand insights on working with the Saudis, we talk about the latest Ukraine peace pitch and whether a corruption scandal could topple Zelenskyy t.co/AYMP1zaxVG

The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. "HANG THEM", he posted.

If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.

Scoop: U.S. secretly drafting new plan to end Ukraine war "We feel the Russian position is really being heard," Russia's envoy told Axios.

Yikes. Here we go again. Anything Witkoff touches re Russia-Ukraine turns into total disaster, this will be most concerning for supporters of Ukraine. www.axios.com/2025/11/19/u...

Bracing for breakthrough on Russia-Ukraine war Podcast Episode · The Playbook Podcast · 11/19/2025 · 16m

For those worrying about the US abandonment of Ukraine… it’s now time to definitely worry. Some details in this podcast…notable that US admin sees Ukraine as weak now (corruption scandal) and thus ripe to push a peace plan on them. (Hint-that’s not what allies do). podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...

Opinion | ‘Things happen’ Setting the record straight about our murdered colleague.

Spare me. Pls explain Bezos sucking up to Trump. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...