‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty in his place again.’
It was after 21:00.
On Tuesday night.
In Moscow.
When the US Secretary of State.
Outlined the ‘elves’.
And American proposal.
For a 30-day ceasefire.
With ‘Mordor’.
‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
By Wednesday afternoon.
The Kremlin appeared.
To be still weighing.
Its response to the proposals.
‘Mordor’’s foreign ministry.
Spokeswoman declined.
To be drawn.
Into specifics.
Saying that “the formation of.
The position of the ‘Mordor’’s.
Federation would take place.
Inside the ‘Mordor’’s Federation”.
‘In winter, when the fields are white,
I sing this song for your delight –
‘In spring, when woods are getting green,
I’ll try and tell you what I mean.’
‘In summer, when the days are long,
Perhaps you’ll understand the song:
In autumn, when the leaves are brown,
Take pen and ink, and write it down.
And the Kremlin spokesman.
Skirted the issue.
“Let’s not get ahead.
Of ourselves.”
He said, adding Moscow.
Was “acquainting itself”.
With the joint statement.
Issued in Jeddah.
There are reports that.
The US envoy could.
Travel to Moscow.
On Thursday.
And the Kremlin spokesman said.
The press would be kept informed.
Other than this, it was.
No comment from the Kremlin.
‘I sent a message to the fish:
I told them “This is what I wish.”
The little fishes of the sea,
They sent an answer back to me.
The little fishes’ answer was
“We cannot do it, Sir, because –”’
‘I sent to them again to say
“It will be better to obey.”
‘Mordor’ is ready for.
A halt in fighting.
Says ‘the One’.
But “there are nuances”.
Those nuances that.
He laid out ahead of talks.
With the US envoy.
At the Kremlin on Thursday.
Are so key.
To his thinking.
They could scupper any hope.
Of a 30-day ceasefire.
The fishes answered with a grin,
“Why, what a temper you are in!”
I told them once, I told them twice:
They would not listen to advice.
I took a kettle large and new,
Fit for the deed I had to do.
My heart went hop, my heart went thump;
I filled the kettle at the pump.
They are demands that.
He has had throughout.
‘Mordor’’s full-scale invasion.
And before.
And for Ukraine.
And its Western partners.
Many of them are going to prove.
Unacceptable or impossible to fulfil.
“We agree with the proposals.
To cease hostilities.”
He started positively.
Only to add:
“This cessation must be.
Such that it would lead.
To long-term peace.
And eliminate.”
“To long-term peace.
And eliminate.
The root causes.
Of this crisis.”
Then some one came to me and said,
“The little fishes are in bed.”
I said to him, I said it plain,
“Then you must wake them up again.”
I said it very loud and clear;
I went and shouted in his ear.’
‘But he was very stiff and proud;
He said “You needn’t shout so loud!”
Nobody would disagree with.
The need for long-term peace.
But ‘the One’’s idea.
Of the root causes.
Of the war revolve.
Around ‘elves’ desire.
To exist as a sovereign state.
Beyond ‘Mordor’’s orbit.
And he was very proud and stiff;
He said “I’d go and wake them, if –”
I took a corkscrew from the shelf:
I went to wake them up myself.
And when I found the door was locked,
I pulled and pushed and kicked and knocked.
And when I found the door was shut,
I tried to turn the handle, but –’
‘The One’ has said.
He agrees with.
The idea of a ceasefire.
In Ukraine.
But that “questions”.
Remain about.
The nature of a truce.
The nature of a truce.
– as he set out.
A number of.
Tough conditions.
For peace.
‘In winter, when the fields are white,
I sing this song for your delight –
‘In spring, when woods are getting green,
I’ll try and tell you what I mean.’
‘The One’ was responding.
To a plan for.
A 30-day ceasefire.
Which Ukraine agreed to.
Which Ukraine agreed to.
Earlier this week.
Following talks.
With the US.
‘Gandalf the Green’ described.
‘The One’’s response.
To the plan.
As “manipulative”.
As “manipulative”.
And called for.
More sanctions.
On ‘Mordor’.
Meanwhile, the US.
Placed further sanctions.
On ‘Mordor’’s oil.
Gas and banking sectors.
‘In summer, when the days are long,
Perhaps you’ll understand the song:
In autumn, when the leaves are brown,
Take pen and ink, and write it down.
‘Orcs’ officials said.
‘The One’ was expected to.
Hold talks on the ceasefire.
On Thursday evening.
With the US President’s.
Special envoy.
Who had flown to Moscow.
Earlier that day.
It is not clear.
Whether that meeting.
Actually took place.
It is not clear.
‘I sent a message to the fish:
I told them “This is what I wish.”
The little fishes of the sea,
They sent an answer back to me.
On Friday.
‘Orcs’ state media quoted.
The air traffic monitor.
Flightradar as saying.
The plane believed.
To be carrying.
The special envoy.
Had left Moscow.
Moscow and Washington.
Have not commented.
Have not commented.
On the issue.
Is ‘the One’ ready?
For a ceasefire?
Or playing?
For time?
The little fishes’ answer was
“We cannot do it, Sir, because –”’
‘I sent to them again to say
“It will be better to obey.”
Late on Thursday.
And overnight.
Both ‘Mordor’ and Ukraine.
Reported new enemy drone attacks.
Ukraine said seven people.
– including children –
Were injured in the north-eastern.
City of Kharkiv.
‘Mordor’ reported.
A large fire.
At an oil facility.
In the southern city of Tuapse.
The fishes answered with a grin,
“Why, what a temper you are in!”
I told them once, I told them twice:
They would not listen to advice.
Speaking at a news conference.
In Moscow on Thursday.
‘The One’ said of.
The ceasefire proposal:
“The idea is right.
– and we support it –
But there are questions.
That we need to discuss.”
A ceasefire should lead.
To “an enduring peace and.
Remove the root causes.
Of this crisis”.
“We need to negotiate.
With our American.
Colleagues and partners.
Maybe I’ll have a call.”
“Maybe I’ll have a call.
With the US President.”
“It will be good.
For the ‘elves’ side.”
“For the ‘elves’ side.
To achieve a 30-day ceasefire.”
“We are in favour of it.
But there are nuances.”
I took a kettle large and new,
Fit for the deed I had to do.
My heart went hop, my heart went thump;
I filled the kettle at the pump.
One of the areas.
Of contention is.
‘Mordor’’s western Kursk region.
‘The One’ said.
Where Ukraine launched.
A military incursion.
Last August and.
Captured some territory.
He claimed ‘Mordor’ was.
Fully back in control.
Of Kursk.
And said.
‘Elves’ troops there.
“Have been isolated”.
‘Elves’ troops there.
“Have been isolated”.
“They are trying to leave.
But we are in control.
Their equipment.
Has been abandoned.”
“There are two options.
For ‘elves’.
In Kursk.
– surrender or die.”
Then some one came to me and said,
“The little fishes are in bed.”
I said to him, I said it plain,
“Then you must wake them up again.”
The ‘elves’ top commander.
Said a day earlier that.
‘Elves’ troops would hold.
Defensive positions in Kursk.
“As long as it is.
Expedient and necessary”.
Despite “increased” pressure.
From ‘orcs’ forces.
I said it very loud and clear;
I went and shouted in his ear.’
‘But he was very stiff and proud;
He said “You needn’t shout so loud!”
At Thursday’s press conference.
‘The One’ also outlined.
Some of his questions over.
How a ceasefire would work.
He asked:
“How will those.
30 days be used?
For Ukraine to mobilise?”
“Rearm? Train people?
Or none of that?
Then a question.
– how will that be controlled?
“Who will give the order?
To end the fighting?
At what cost?
Who decides?”
“Who decides?
Who has broken?
Any possible ceasefire?
Over 2,000km?”
“All those questions need.
Meticulous work.
From both sides.
Who polices it?”
And he was very proud and stiff;
He said “I’d go and wake them, if –”
I took a corkscrew from the shelf:
I went to wake them up myself.
‘The One’ “doesn’t say.
No directly”.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
In his nightly video address.
But “in practice.
He’s preparing.
A rejection”.
He added:
“‘The One’, of course.
Is afraid to tell.
The US President directly.
That he wants.”
“That he wants.
To continue this war.
Wants to kill ‘elves’.”
“Wants to kill ‘elves’.”
‘The One’ had set.
So many pre-conditions.
“That nothing will work out at all”.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
And when I found the door was locked,
I pulled and pushed and kicked and knocked.
And when I found the door was shut,
I tried to turn the handle, but –’
After ‘the One’’s remarks.
And ‘Gandalf the Green’’s response.
There is now a clear divide.
Between both sides’ positions.
Ukraine wants.
A two-stage process:
A quick ceasefire and then.
Talks about a longer-term settlement.
‘Mordor’ believes you cannot.
Separate the two processes.
And all the issues should.
Be decided in a single deal.
Both sides seem.
Content to argue.
Their differences.
Their differences.
‘In winter, when the fields are white,
I sing this song for your delight –
Ukraine believes.
It can put pressure.
On ‘Mordor’.
Painting it as.
A reluctant peacemaker.
Playing for time.
A reluctant peacemaker.
Playing for time.
‘Mordor’, equally.
Believes it has.
A chance now to raise.
Its fundamental concerns.
About Nato expansion.
And Ukraine’s sovereignty.
But this presents a problem.
For the US President.
He has made it clear.
He wants a quick result.
Ending the fighting.
In days.
And right now.
‘The One’ does not.
Appear to want.
To play ball.
‘In spring, when woods are getting green,
I’ll try and tell you what I mean.’
Speaking at the White House.
Following ‘the One’’s remarks.
The US President said.
He would “love”.
He would “love”.
To meet ‘the One’.
And that he hoped ‘Mordor’.
Would “do the right thing”.
And agree to.
The proposed 30-day truce.
“We’d like to see.
A ceasefire from ‘Mordor’.”
‘In summer, when the days are long,
Perhaps you’ll understand the song:
Speaking earlier.
At a meeting.
In the Oval Office.
With the Nato Secretary General.
The US President told.
Reporters he had.
Already discussed.
Specifics with Ukraine.
“We’ve been discussing.
With Ukraine land.
And pieces of land that.
Would be kept and lost.
And all of the other elements.
Of a final agreement.”
“A lot of the details of.
A final agreement.”
“Have actually been discussed.”
On the subject of.
Ukraine joining.
The Nato military alliance.
The US President said.
“Everybody knows.
What the answer.
To that is”.
In autumn, when the leaves are brown,
Take pen and ink, and write it down.
The fresh sanctions.
On ‘Mordor’’s oil and gas.
Came as the US President’s.
Administration further restricted.
Access to US payment systems.
Making it harder.
For other countries.
To buy ‘orcs’ oil.
Earlier in the day.
The Kremlin aide rejected.
The ceasefire proposal.
Put forward by the US.
‘I sent a message to the fish:
I told them “This is what I wish.”
On Wednesday.
The Kremlin released.
A video it said showed.
‘The One’ visiting.
‘Mordor’’s Kursk region.
Symbolically dressed.
In military fatigues.
‘Mordor’ later said.
It recaptured.
The key town of Sudzha.
It recaptured.
The key town of Sudzha.
The little fishes of the sea,
They sent an answer back to me.
The US President.
Has praised talks.
Held with ‘the One’ on.
The US-proposed ceasefire deal.
In Ukraine.
As “good and productive”.
As “good and productive”.
This comes after.
‘The One’ and.
The US envoy met.
In Moscow.
On Thursday evening.
After which the Kremlin said.
It shared the US’s.
“Cautious optimism”.
Over a peace process.
The little fishes’ answer was
“We cannot do it, Sir, because –”’
The US President said.
That the talks provided.
“A very good chance.
That this horrible.”
“A very good chance.
That this horrible.
Bloody war can finally.
Come to an end”.
‘I sent to them again to say
“It will be better to obey.”
‘Gandalf the Green’.
However, accused ‘the One’.
Of trying to drag out talks.
To continue the war.
Earlier this week.
Ukraine accepted.
The US-proposed ceasefire deal.
Which ‘Mordor’ is yet to agree to.
The fishes answered with a grin,
“Why, what a temper you are in!”
On Thursday.
‘The One’ had said.
The idea of a ceasefire.
Was “right and.”
The idea of a ceasefire.
Was “right and.
We support it.
… but there are nuances”.
“… but there are nuances”.
And he set out.
A number of.
Tough conditions.
For peace.
A response branded.
“Manipulative” by.
‘Gandalf the Green’.
I told them once, I told them twice:
They would not listen to advice.
‘Gandalf the Green’ continued.
His criticism on Friday.
In a series of posts.
On X, writing:
“‘The One’ cannot exit.
This war because.
That would leave him.
With nothing.”
“That is why.
He is now doing.
Everything he can.
To sabotage diplomacy.”
“By setting extremely difficult.
And unacceptable conditions.
Right from the start.
Even before a ceasefire.”
I took a kettle large and new,
Fit for the deed I had to do.
He said ‘the One’.
Would “drag” everyone.
Into “endless discussions.
… wasting days, weeks.”
“And months.
On meaningless talks.
While his guns continue.
To kill people”.
“Every condition.
‘The One’ puts forward.
Is just an attempt.
To block any diplomacy.”
“This is how.
‘Mordor’ works.
And we warned.
About this.”
My heart went hop, my heart went thump;
I filled the kettle at the pump.
In his social media posts.
On Friday.
‘Gandalf the Green’.
“Strongly” urged.
“Everyone who can.
Influence ‘Mordor’.
Especially the United States.
To take strong steps.”
“That can help”.
Because ‘the One’.
Would not stop the war.
On his own.
Then some one came to me and said,
“The little fishes are in bed.”
“‘The One’ is lying about.
The real situation.
On the battlefield.
… the casualties”.
And “the true state.
Of his economy”.
He said, explaining.
That ‘the One’ was.
That ‘the One’ was.
“Doing everything.
Possible to ensure.
That diplomacy fails”.
But the White House.
Believes the two sides.
Have “never been.
This close to peace”.
‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Following the meeting.
The US Secretary of State said.
The US would not make.
Foreign policy decisions.
Based on what.
Leaders said on social media.
Or at a news conference.
And stressed.
The “only way.
To end this war is.
Through a process.
Of negotiations”.
‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty in his place again.’
*Because I read “How could Putin respond to US-Ukraine ceasefire plan?” by Laura Gozzi & Vitaliy Shevchenko on 13 Mar 2025, “US had productive talks with Putin over Ukraine war, Trump says” by Hafsa Khalil on 15 Mar 2025 and more, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem, led by ‘THROUGH the LOOKING-GLASS’ written by Lewis Carroll, you know.
Please read the original stories on the BBC news:
What are Putin’s options after US presents Ukraine ceasefire proposal?
Is Vladimir Putin ready for a ceasefire or playing for time?
Vladimir Putin sets out conditions for Ukraine ceasefire
Prospect of Ukraine ceasefire still uncertain despite Trump’s optimism
Donald Trump says US had productive talks with Putin over Ukraine war
