Deep secrecy, high risk: How Zelensky's improbable D.C. visit came together

[brooklynite]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Lasher (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Washington Post

When a U.S. military aircraft landed on the tarmac in Rzeszow, Poland, on Tuesday, the plane crew thought they were picking up the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and a few high-level Ukrainian officials.

What they didn’t know, until they saw him exit a U.S. vehicle, was that one of those officials was Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who with American help had just completed a dangerous trip from Bakhmut — the site of some of the war’s bloodiest fighting, more than 400 miles from Kyiv — to the Polish border for a covertly planned visit to Washington.

The top-secret planning around Zelensky’s departure underscored the uniquely perilous nature of a visit by a wartime leader who faces daily risks to his life — a top Russian goal, after all, is to destroy the government he heads. But given the astronomical stakes, he and President Biden were eager to meet face-to face, and Zelensky was willing to brave the risks of leaving his country for the first time since the Russian invasion began in February.

The trip came together in a matter of days, with only a tight group of White House and other senior administration officials aware of the plans. To avoid leaks and other security risks, U.S. officials said much of the communication with Zelensky’s team occurred in person, with U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink meeting directly with Zelensky aides in Kyiv.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/22/behind-zelensky-dramatic-dc-trip/

[machoneman]

1. One brave fellow that Z-man!

[jaxexpat]

2. The anti-fact wing of the Republican party, or as some say, the new "old GOP guard"........

has been hard at it construing the visit as another aspect of corruption peculiar to The Ukraine.

It's unimaginable and unforgivable but it is happening all across the country. Even in the face of logic and evidence which says the opposite, the crazies rabidly devour and regurgitate on command Putin's "truth-speak" without question. They're still in the minority, holding at around 35%, but they're not backing off.

In my mind I'd rather ignore them than give them the energy they might steal from a spotlight on them; however, I'm torn, knowing how they still harbor treason closely, dearly and in plain sight. Sorry to be a downer but, simply put, the war is ongoing and can still erupt into door-to-door insanity at any time.

The start to the solution is to expose and remove their public actors from offices of governmental authority. Stir the rat's nest.

[iluvtennis]

3. KnR n/t

[Botany]

4. And we got images for the ages. Damn I am so proud of President Joe.

Last edited Fri Dec 23, 2022, 07:36 PM - Edit history (1)

[Grimelle]

5. I love this.

US to Zelenkyy: We got you.

[niyad]

6. KNR

[70sEraVet]

7. I was worried about his safety on this trip. Putin is desperate to kill the man.

[Wounded Bear]

8. K & R...nt

[LiberalFighter]

9. Glad they limited who knew.

There are probably some still in the department that would had given the info to Trump and Trump would had made sure Putin knew.

[Historic NY]

10. the plane bringing him back to Poland was non-descript

[question everything]

11. This is why I hoped that his trip back was safe and secure

[republianmushroom]

12. Zelensky is a true hero for his country.

[Lasher]

13. Locking as background analysis

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