Quote:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is remaining in Kyiv as the city remains under intense assault from Russian forces desperately trying to take the capital city. As we’ve reported, Vladimir Putin’s forces have suffered heavy losses over the first few days of the invasion, running into resistance they clearly didn’t expect.

On Friday, Russia offered terms of peace that amounted to a full capitulation, demanding neutrality, ceding of territory, and disarmament. The Ukrainians did not immediately respond, indicating they might be willing to negotiate. That appears to no longer be the case, though, with Zelensky telling the Russians to pound sand.

If the Ukrainians have the resolve to continue fighting, and there’s every reason to believe they do, this is the right move. Putin’s terms were laughably one-sided, and to go to the negotiating table so quickly would itself represent a major concession by Ukraine. This invasion is not going according to plan for Russia, and while there will almost certainly be a time for a negotiated ceasefire in the future, that time isn’t now.

Meanwhile, the other part of this equation is the Ukrainian relationship with the United States. On that front, Zelensky has offered criticism of Joe Biden’s leadership, levying a sharp rebuke of the US president’s relatively weak initial action to the invasion.

In a statement, Zelenskyy seemed to swipe U.S. President Biden and others who imposed sanctions against Russia, which he claims did little to deter Russian aggression.

“This morning we are defending our state alone. Like yesterday, the world’s most powerful forces are watching from afar,” he said, the Kyiv Independent reported.

He added: “Did yesterday’s sanctions convince Russia? We hear in our sky and see on our earth that this was not enough.”

That rift escalated after Zelensky directly addressed urgings from the Biden administration for him to flee Ukraine instead of remaining to lead his nation’s defense. In a phrase that will no doubt become an iconic part of this entire saga, Ukraine’s president asserted, “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

The contrast between Joe Biden heading off to Delaware for another four-day vacation in the middle of Russia invading Europe while Zelensky rebuff’s calls for him to run couldn’t be starker. Whatever his flaws, Ukraine’s president has shown the world what real leadership looks like. Sometimes that means drawing a line in the sand and being willing to die over it.

And while some, including on the right, have suggested we shouldn’t criticize the US president in the midst of this conflict, I think that’s bunk. One, the US response has been relatively weak and we are not actually involved in the war. Two, if Biden can’t even take things seriously enough to stay at the White House as Ukraine begs for assistance, then he’s fair game. Let it rip on his impotence.

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Joe offered to send him a ride to flee his country because that’s what Joe would do, run away like a spineless coward.

The resistance they are hitting likely has to do with Javelin missiles. I had forgotten that Trump sold them some. Tanks and helicopters are sitting ducks for those.

If some of the surrounding countries start sending in stinger missiles, the days of the russian jets flying as close to the ground as they have been will also be over.

The Javalins are pretty incredible. Long range. Accurate, They have soft fire so you can fire them from indoors. Fire and forget so you can hit n’ git. You can set them up on drones or humvees or human shoulders. You can set them to rise up and hit the target from the soft spot above. They have a double warhead so that the first one detonates on the outer shell armor Russians like to use on tanks and then the second one penetrates and goes boom inside. Expensive but the best we’ve ever come up with.

Raytheon magical evil genius. They used some of their same tech in the shorter range less expensive versions the Uk produces. Some think that those are the wave of the future.