Tomahawks floated, then yanked.
A Trump–Putin meeting set… then postponed.
@RealScottRitter dissects the whiplash: why he says Tomahawks were leverage, not policy, why Moscow won’t “freeze” lines, how nukes and drones redraw red lines, and whether new U.S. sanctions can really bite if India and China stay in Russia’s corner.
We dig into:
Were Tomahawks ever real or just pressure theatre
Moscow’s “no freeze” position and constitutional red lines on territory
Nukes, escalation, and why Tomahawks are a bigger red line than Storm Shadow
Attrition math, drones, and Russia’s slow-grind playbook
Kyiv withdrawal, Istanbul talks, and why the deal collapsed
Sanctions shock vs. energy geopolitics with India and China
00:00:26 – “Tomahawks Were Never On The Table”: Ritter claims the missile talk was a Trump ploy to pressure Moscow.
00:00:32 – Nuclear Red Line: Supplying Tomahawks “could lead to a thermonuclear war” and Putin “reminded them of that.”
00:00:51 – Bleak Forecast: “Ukrainians will die. Russians will advance. Ukrainian economy will be destroyed… and you will see a nation collapse.”
00:02:03 – Whiplash: After the Zelensky meeting, “Tomahawk missiles are no longer on the table” and the Trump–Putin meeting is canceled.
00:03:44 – No Freeze, Ever: “Russia has made it clear, 100% clear, that there will be no freeze.”
00:04:11 – Territorial Maxims: From Moscow’s view, the “totality” of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Lugansk must be vacated by Ukraine.
00:05:20 – Constitutional Lock: “Putin cannot… give up Russian territory. He is bound by the Constitution.”
00:05:49 – Kill-Ratio Claim: Ritter cites a “36 to 1” figure as evidence of a grinding war of attrition.
00:06:21 – Draining NATO: The goal is to wear down “the economic and military resources of NATO and the United States.”
00:07:32 – Why Tomahawk Matters: Storm Shadow and SCALP “are not nuclear capable.” Tomahawk is, making it the biggest red line.
00:08:00 – Homegrown Missiles: On Ukraine’s “Flamingo” missile: “It’s a piece of crap… a propaganda exercise.”
00:09:30 – Drones Changed Everything: Three-man assault teams, six-man holds, and swarms redefine offensives and keep Russian losses lower.
00:38:00 – Kyiv Withdrawal Framed: Ritter says Russia pulled back from Kyiv as a “good-faith” step tied to the Istanbul communique, not defeat.
00:41:01 – NATO Collision Risk: As Ukraine’s manpower drains, the temptation to insert European units rises, raising direct-clash risks.
00:50:53 – Sanctions vs Energy Bloc: Putin calls new U.S. sanctions “hostile,” while Ritter argues India and China will keep Russian energy flowing.
