‘Where does she wear the thorns?’
Alice asked with some curiosity.
‘Why, all round her head,
of course,’ the Rose replied.
‘I was wondering
you hadn’t got some too.
I thought it was
the regular rule.’
‘She’s coming!’
cried the Larkspur.
‘I hear her footstep, thump, thump,
along the gravel-walk!’
Alice looked round eagerly,
and found that
it was the Red Queen.
it was the Red Queen.
The UK and France.
Have signed.
A declaration of intent.
On deploying troops.
In Ukraine.
If a peace deal.
Is made with ‘Mordor’.
The UK Prime Minister has announced.
‘Oh, it’s too bad!’
she cried.
‘I never saw such a house
for getting in the way! Never!’
However, there was
the hill full in sight,
so there was nothing
to be done but start again.
After talks with.
‘Elves’ allies in Paris.
He said the UK and France.
Would “establish.”
“Military hubs.
Across Ukraine”.
To deter.
Future invasion.
While the French President.
Later said.
Thousands of troops.
May be deployed.
This time she came upon
a large flower-bed,
with a border
of daisies,
and a willow-tree
growing in the middle.
‘O Tiger-lily,’
said Alice,
Allies also largely agreed.
Robust security guarantees.
For Ukraine.
And proposed that.
And proposed that.
The US would take.
The lead in monitoring.
A truce.
But the key issue of.
Territory is still.
Being discussed.
Being discussed.
‘Mordor’ has repeatedly.
Warned that.
Any foreign troops in Ukraine.
Would be a “legitimate target”.
addressing herself to one
that was waving
gracefully about in the wind,
‘I wish you could talk!’
‘We can talk,’
said the Tiger-lily:
‘when there’s anybody
worth talking to.’
Heads of state and.
Top officials from.
The “Coalition of the Willing”.
Took part.
In Tuesday’s talks.
In Paris.
After the meeting.
The UK Prime Minister said:
“We signed.
A declaration of intent.
On the deployment of forces.
To Ukraine.”
“In the event of.
A peace deal.
This is a vital part.
Of our commitment.”
“To stand with Ukraine.
For the long-term.”
“To stand with Ukraine.
For the long-term.”
Alice was so astonished
that she could not
speak for a minute:
it quite seemed to
take her breath away.
At length,
as the Tiger-lily only went on
waving about,
“It paves the way.
For the legal framework.
Under which British, French.
And partner forces.”
“Could operate.
On ‘elves’ soil.
Securing ‘elves’.
Skies and seas.”
“And regenerating.
‘Elves’ armed forces.
For the future.”
For the future.”
The UK Prime Minister added.
London would participate.
In any US-led verification.
Of a potential ceasefire.
she spoke again,
in a timid voice
– almost in a whisper.
‘And can all the flowers talk?’
‘As well as you can,’
said the Tiger-lily,
‘And a great deal louder.’
‘And a great deal louder.’
The top US negotiator said.
“Durable security guarantees.
And robust prosperity commitments.
Are essential.”
“To a lasting peace”.
In Ukraine.
– referring to a key demand.
Made by Kyiv.
He said the allies.
“Largely finished” their work.
On agreeing.
Security protocols.
“So that people.
Of Ukraine know that.
When this war ends.
It ends forever”.
‘It isn’t manners for us
to begin, you know,’
said the Rose,
‘and I really was wondering
when you’d speak!
Said I to myself,
“Her face has got some sense in it,
though it’s not a clever one!”
The US President’s.
Special envoy and son-in-law.
Said that after a deal.
‘Elves’ needed to know that.
“Real backstops” were.
In place.
To ensure war would.
“Not happen again”.
Still, you’re the right colour,
and that goes
a long way.’
‘I don’t care about the colour,’
the Tiger-lily remarked.
‘If only her petals
curled up a little more,
she’d be all right.’
Meanwhile, the French President.
Said ‘elves’ allies had made.
“Considerable progress”.
At the talks.
He said “robust”.
Security guarantees for Kyiv.
Had been agreed in the event.
Of a potential ceasefire.
Alice didn’t like
being criticized,
so she began
asking questions.
‘Aren’t you sometimes
Frightened at being planted
out here, with nobody
to take care of you?’
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
A “huge step forward”.
Had been made in Paris.
But added that.
He would only consider.
Efforts to be “enough”.
If they resulted.
In the end of the war.
‘There’s the tree
in the middle,’
said the Rose:
‘what else is it good for?’
‘But what could it do,
if any danger came?’
Alice asked.
‘It could bark,’ said the Rose.
What Ukraine calls.
Security “guarantees”.
And what American officials.
Have described as security “protocols”.
May leave some wiggle room.
For the US President.
In the event of coming.
To ‘elves’ defence.
After a future ‘orcs’ attack.
– but there is no doubt.
‘Gandalf the Green’ feels.
‘Gandalf the Green’ feels.
He and his European allies.
Have secured.
An important concession.
From Washington.
‘It says “Bough-wough!”
cried a daisy:
‘that’s why its branches
are called boughs!”
‘Didn’t you know that?’
cried another Daisy,
and here they all began
shouting together,
We heard few, if any.
New details about where.
A future ceasefire line.
Would be drawn.
And what territory.
Currently occupied.
By ‘orcs’ forces.
Ukraine would agree to surrender.
That prospect is still.
Something many ‘elves’.
Would find hard.
To swallow.
Especially as ‘Mordor’.
Continues to strike against.
Cities and critical infrastructure.
Across Ukraine on a daily basis.
till the air seemed quite
full of little shrill voices.
‘Silence, every one of you!’
cried the Tiger-lily,
waving itself passionately
from side to side,
and trembling with excitement.
‘They know I can’t get at them!’
But as the snows fall.
And bitter winds sweep in.
From the east.
‘Gandalf the Green’ knows.
The only alternative.
To a ceasefire and.
Subsequent peace deal.
Is another costly.
Attritional winter of warfare.
With the inevitable loss of life.
That will hit Ukraine.
Far harder than ‘Mordor’.
it panted,
bending its quivering head
towards Alice,
‘or they wouldn’t dare to do it!’
‘Never mind!’ Alice said
in a soothing tone,
and stooping down
to the daisies,
‘Gandalf the Green’ clearly.
Hopes that guarantees.
Of American monitoring.
A multinational force.
On ‘elves’ soil.
And more weapons support.
For his armed forces.
Will convince.
A sometimes-sceptical population.
That he is right to sue for peace.
Bolstered by.
A growing international coalition.
who were just beginning again,
she whispered,
‘If you don’t hold your tongues,
I’ll pick you!’
There was silence
in a moment,
and several of the pink daisies
turned white.
But, in concluding.
The Paris press conference.
‘Gandalf the Green’ acknowledged.
Tuesday’s “milestone”.
Did not necessarily.
Guarantee peace.
Did not necessarily.
Guarantee peace.
Real progress still.
Needs ‘orcs’ support.
And Moscow has been.
Notably silent.
In recent days.
About diplomatic efforts.
To end the war.
To end the war.
‘That’s right!’
said the Tiger-lily.
‘The daisies are worst of all.
When one speaks,
they all begin together,
and it’s enough to make
one wither to hear
the way they go on!’
‘The One’ is known.
To oppose the prospect.
Of a European-led.
International force.
In any disputed areas.
And will be reluctant.
To halt his troops’.
Albeit slow, advance.
If ‘Mordor’’s war objectives.
Have not been realised.
But pressure is undoubtedly.
Growing on both sides.
To make compromises.
And end the war.
To make compromises.
And end the war.
‘How is it you can all talk
so nicely?’ Alice said,
hoping to get it into
a better temper by a compliment.
‘I’ve been in
many gardens before,
but none of the flowers
could talk.’
Last week.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
A peace deal was.
“90% ready”.
Agreeing on.
The remaining 10% would.
“Determine the fate of peace.
The fate of Ukraine and Europe”.
Territory and security guarantees.
Have been at the forefront.
Of unresolved issues.
For negotiators.
‘Put your hand down,
and feel the ground,’
said the Tiger-lily.
‘Then you’ll know why.’
Alice did so.
‘It’s very hard,’ she said,
‘but I don’t see what
that has to do with it.’
‘The One’ has repeatedly warned.
That ‘elves’ troops must.
Withdraw from all of.
‘Elves’ eastern Donbas.
Or ‘orcs’ will seize it.
Or ‘orcs’ will seize it.
Rejecting any compromise.
Over how to end the war.
‘In most gardens,’
the Tiger-lily said,
‘they make the beds too soft
– so that the flowers are always asleep.’
This sounded a very good reason,
and Alice was quite
pleased to know it.
‘I never thought of that before!’ she said.
‘Gandalf the Green’ has.
So far ruled out.
Ceding any territory.
But has suggested that.
Ukraine could withdraw.
Its troops to.
An agreed point.
– but only if.
– but only if.
‘Mordor’ does the same.
‘Mordor’ does the same.
Ukraine could withdraw.
‘It’s my opinion
that you never think at all,’
the Rose said
in a rather severe tone.
‘I never saw anybody looked stupider,’
a Violet said, so suddenly,
that Alice quite jumped;
for it hadn’t spoken before.
‘Mordor’ currently controls.
About 75% of.
The Donetsk region.
And some 99% of.
The neighbouring Luhansk.
The two regions form.
The industrial region.
Of Donbas.
‘Hold your tongue!’
‘Hold your tongue!’
cried the Tiger-lily.
‘As if you ever saw anybody!
You keep your head
under the leaves,
and snore away there,
and snore away there,
The original US-led.
28-point peace plan.
Widely leaked.
To the media last year.
Was seen by Kyiv.
And its European allies.
As being heavily skewed.
In ‘Mordor’’s favour.
till you know no more
what’s going on
in the world,
than if you were a bud!’
‘Are there any more people
in the garden besides me?’
Alice said, not choosing
to notice the Rose’s last remark.
This triggered.
Weeks of intensive.
High-level diplomacy.
– with Ukraine, the US.
– with Ukraine, the US.
And European leaders.
Trying to amend the draft.
Trying to amend the draft.
‘There’s one other flower
in the garden that
can move about like you,’
said the Rose.
‘I wonder how you do it –’
(‘You’re always wondering,’
said the Tiger-lily),
‘but she’s more bushy than you are.’
Last month.
Kyiv sent the US.
An updated 20-point plan.
– as well as separate documents.
Outlining potential.
security guarantees.
And provisions for.
‘Elves’ reconstruction.
‘Is she like me?’
Alice asked eagerly,
for the thought
crossed her mind,
‘There’s another little girl
in the garden, somewhere!’
‘Well, she has the same
awkward shape as you,’
‘Gandalf the Green’ says.
European allies have not.
European allies have not.
Given him sound guarantees.
That they will protect.
His country.
In the case of.
A new ‘orcs’ aggression.
“I am asking.
This very question.
To all our partners.
And I have not received.”
“A clear, unambiguous.
Answer yet.”
He told reporters.
On Wednesday.
the Rose said,
‘but she’s redder
– and her petals
are shorter, I think.’
‘Her petals are done up close,
almost like a dahlia,’
the Tiger-lily interrupted:
‘not tumbled about anyhow, like yours.’
His comments come.
A day after.
The UK and France signed.
A declaration of intent.
On deploying troops.
In Ukraine.
If a peace deal to end the war.
With ‘Mordor’ is agreed.
But full security guarantees.
Have not been agreed.
The US, which has been.
Leading efforts.
To end the invasion.
Reportedly did not sign.
Such a pledge at talks.
In Paris on Tuesday.
‘But that’s not your fault,’
the Rose added kindly:
‘you’re beginning
to fade, you know
– and then one can’t
Help one’s petals
getting a little untidy.’
Alice didn’t like this idea at all:
‘Gandalf the Green’ hailed.
That agreement as.
A “huge step forward”.
A “huge step forward”.
A day later.
A day later.
However.
He appeared less optimistic.
“I see the will.
The political will.
And that the partners.
Are ready.”
“And the partners are ready.
To give us.
Strong sanctions.
Strong security guarantees.”
so, to change the subject,
she asked,
‘Does she ever
come out here?’
‘I daresay
you’ll see her soon,’
said the Rose.
‘She’s one of the thorny kind.’
He said when asked.
If European countries.
Would defend Ukraine.
Would defend Ukraine.
“But as long as we don’t.
Have such security guarantees.
– legally binding.
Supported by parliaments.”
“Supported by.
The United States Congress.
– this question cannot be answered.
And even if they do.”
“You still have to.
Rely primarily on.
Your own strength.”
Your own strength.”
‘Where does she wear the thorns?’
Alice asked with some curiosity.
‘Why, all round her head,
of course,’ the Rose replied.
‘I was wondering
you hadn’t got some too.
I thought it was
the regular rule.’
‘She’s coming!’
cried the Larkspur.
‘I hear her footstep, thump, thump,
along the gravel-walk!’
Alice looked round eagerly,
and found that
it was the Red Queen.
it was the Red Queen.
*Because I read “UK and France to send troops to Ukraine if peace deal agreed” by Jaroslav Lukiv & Wyre Davies and “Zelensky says he does not have clear security pledge from allies” by Paulin Kola, both on 6 Jan 2026, 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:
UK and France to send troops to Ukraine if peace deal agreed with Russia
Zelensky says Ukraine does not have clear security pledge from allies
