The outcome of Russia's recent talks with the US and NATO was predictable and should not have come as a surprise to anyone. If Putin wanted to know how Americans were going to react to negotiations in the Ukraine Crisis, he only needed to talk to Native Americans whose ancestors dealt with the aftermath of the Indian Wars in 1870. Following the inevitable defeat of Native Indians in North America, the settlement talks were a series of one-sided dictates from the American Government which treated them as third-class citizens in their own land. They were treated as non-entities, and they were negotiations in name only.
As a result, American Indians were given many, many promises (sealed with handshakes and smoking an Indian peace pipe), but almost every promise was broken; hence, the expression, white men (Americans) speak with a forked tongue which simply meant that Americans were snakes in the grass, and were not to be trusted. This remains to be true presently, as we witnessed America's, unilateral cancellation (2015) of the Iran Nuclear Treaty.
Once Americans had quashed all resistance from these Stone Age tribes, they were relegated to reservations with little or no support from the government and treated as sub-humans. Russians would be wise to read the book, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which describes just one of many examples of America's savagery and treachery. Other, similar reports of how Americans treated their Native aboriginals are equally appalling and shameful.
Today, Americans take the high-road and stand on soap boxes delivering speeches of how things should be, but they never talk about their horrific past, how the aboriginals (men, women and children) were slaughtered and mistreated and, finally, left to their own devices in a world that was unknown to them.
From this, we see parallels to America's approach to the Ukraine Crisis today — one which they caused in the first place. Their approach of "divide and conquer' did not end well and, therefore, they were surprised by the deadline which Russia issued to the West. The US and NATO used this 30-day hiatus to bolster their defences by stirring up Allied war-fever and delivering weapons, but many European countries are leery (and weary) of America's never-ending meddling in other nation's sovereign affairs to pursue their own goals.
The past few weeks required no planning for the West, since America had already decided that it would not accede to any of Russia's demands and simply sent more soldiers and equipment to various NATO, East European countries. The exception was Bulgaria which refused the addition of more American soldiers and weapons on its soil. The feeling here is that America has already whipped up enough war hysteria, and that a military build-up would only add fuel to the fire.
Furthermore, the West has criticized Russia for sending its gas to Far East markets and alleged that it used natural gas as an economic weapon against Europe. But, if we study war-tactics used during WWII, one can readily see that the US used its resources and commodities as weapons against Japan and Germany in an effort to strangle its military might. Hypocritically, the West now complains that Russia is using "economic terrorism' when, in fact, America has repeatedly used the same tactic, and speaks out of both sides of its mouth when it's expedient to do so.
Another device America uses to its own advantage is control of the media. In Poland, when their government blocked an American tycoon's purchase of radio and TV stations, America insisted on having its way in this NATO country in an effort to spread its propaganda and raise animosity toward Russia.
For America, it has always been its desire to use Europe and former East Bloc (now NATO) countries and their populations as a frontline battleground to bear the brunt of any war — just as it has done for many decades. America is a dangerous, self-serving country, and it's surprising that Russia has again fallen into its trap. Extending an olive branch to America is pointless since it has no intention of letting East Europe and Russia live in peace.
Russia and Mr. Putin have simply wasted valuable time in attempting to offer reasonable and peaceful solutions to the crisis. Acceptance of reasonable terms is not possible for one, simple reason — America's long-term goal is to exterminate Russia as a sovereign state. Dealing with the West is always difficult, since the only side to be heard, and considered, is their own. America publicly espouses democracy but secretly seeks a worldwide dictatorship centred in Washington.
America's misguided efforts to defeat Russia and subjugate its Slavic population may ultimately lead to WWIII. Russia has proven to be a major thorn in the side of the American Empire — and the financial tycoons who control it — and has, therefore, become its major target.
To defend itself, and the very existence of the Slavic race, Russia's has only one option remaining — to stop the forked-tongue dragon which seeks universal dominance of this planet for its own financial gain.