Paul Manafort's Secret Russia Plot and Ukraine Annexation Deal

Manafort's Underexamined Russia Connection

• 💡 Andrew Weissmann's book, "Where Law Ends," highlights Paul Manafort's meeting with Putin ally Konstantin Kilimnik to discuss a deal that would have allowed Putin to control eastern Ukraine with Trump's approval.
• 📌 This crucial detail, discussed by Weissmann on Rebel HQ, has received insufficient attention despite its relevance to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Manafort's History and Convictions

• ⚖️ Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign manager, was convicted of financial crimes including tax fraud, bank fraud, and failing to report a foreign bank account.
• 🤝 He later pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and witness tampering as part of a plea deal with Robert Mueller.
• 🇷🇺 Manafort is remembered for colluding with Russia during the 2016 election, passing internal campaign information to Russian intelligence.

Manafort's Pro-Russia Activities

• 📈 As early as 2005, Manafort proposed a strategy to influence politics, business, and news coverage in the US, Europe, and former Soviet republics to benefit Putin's government.
• 🗣️ He wrote in a memo to Oleg Deripaska that this effort would be a "great service" to refocus the Putin government's policies.
• 📺 Despite being convicted and later pardoned by Trump, Manafort has continued his pro-Russia advocacy, even attending the 2024 Republican National Convention.

The Ukraine Annexation Deal

• 🤝 Weissmann revealed emails showing Manafort and Kilimnik discussing a deal for Russia to take control of the wealthy eastern part of Ukraine, contingent on a "wink" from Donald Trump.
• 📰 While the New York Times and a Senate report touched on Manafort's ties to Kilimnik (identified as a Russian intelligence officer), the full implications of this deal were not widely explored before the 2022 invasion.
• ⚠️ Investigators found Manafort created a "grave counterintelligence threat" by sharing inside information with Kilimnik and oligarchs he served.

Putin's Imperial Ambitions

• 🌍 The unearthed information suggests Putin's long-standing goal was to expand the Russian Empire, potentially by annexing parts of Ukraine.
• historical context, such territorial ambitions and the resulting conflicts are recurring themes throughout history, though not justifiable.
• 😔 The current situation is a consequence of past deals and the actions of leaders described as "psychotic and delusional."