Mueller Prosecutor Reveals Trump-Russia-Ukraine Annexation Plot

Manafort's Alleged Ukraine Deal

• 🎯 Former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann details a Paul Manafort meeting with a top Putin ally, Constantine Kimnik, to discuss a plan that would have allowed Putin to take control of eastern Ukraine.
• 🤝 This deal, allegedly with Trump's approval, aimed to carve up Ukraine, a revelation gaining new relevance amid Russia's ongoing invasion.

Paul Manafort's History and Russia Ties

• ⚖️ Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager, was convicted of financial crimes and pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States.
• 🕵️ He was also known for passing internal Trump campaign information to Russian intelligence and proposed a strategy in 2005 to benefit the Putin government.
• 🇷🇺 Manafort's pro-Russia activities date back to at least the George W. Bush administration, predating Trump's political relevance.

Weissmann's Book and Media Attention

• 📖 In his book, "Where Law Ends," Weissmann highlights the meeting with Kimnik, noting that a "wink from Donald Trump" was needed for the deal to proceed.
• 📰 While the New York Times and a Senate report touched on Manafort's ties to Kimnik (identified as a Russian intelligence officer), Weissmann questions why this specific detail didn't receive more media attention.
• ⚠️ The New York Times article in 2020 called the Manafort-Kimnik link the most direct tie between senior Trump campaign officials and Russian intelligence services.

Putin's Imperial Ambitions

• 🗺️ Weissmann suggests that the alleged deal clearly indicated Putin's original intention to take a significant portion of Ukraine, specifically the wealthier eastern part.
• 📈 This contrasts with Putin's current goal of taking all of Ukraine, but the historical context shows a consistent pattern of imperialistic ambition.
• 🌍 The discussion draws parallels to other historical territorial disputes and bad deals, such as Israel/Gaza and China/Hong Kong, emphasizing that historical problems often have long-lasting negative repercussions.