She looked at the Queen,
who seemed to have suddenly
wrapped herself up
in wool.
Alice rubbed her eyes,
and looked again.
She couldn’t make out
what had happened at all.
Was she in a shop?
And was that really
– was it really a sheep
that was sitting on
the other side of the counter?
Rub as she would,
she could make nothing more of it:
she was in a little dark shop,
leaning with her elbows
on the counter,
and opposite to her was
an old Sheep,
sitting in an arm-chair knitting,
and every now and then
leaving off to look at her
through a great pair of spectacles.
‘What is it you want to buy?’
the Sheep said at last,
looking up for a moment
from her knitting.
‘I don’t quite know yet,’
Alice said, very gently.
‘I should like to look all
round me first, if I might.’
‘Orcs’ and ‘elves’ delegations.
Have ended.
The first day of.
US-brokered peace talks.
In Geneva.
A week before.
The fourth anniversary of ‘orcs’.
Full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The top ‘elf’ negotiator said.
The negotiations would.
Continue in the Swiss city.
On Wednesday morning.
Hopes for a breakthrough.
During the latest.
– third – round of.
Trilateral talks are low.
As ‘the One’ has not.
Wavered from.
Its maximalist demands.
For ‘elves’ territory.
‘You may look in front of you,
and on both sides, if you like,’
said the Sheep:
‘but you can’t look all round you
– unless you’ve got eyes
at the back of your head.’
But these, as it happened,
Alice had not got:
‘Orcs’ strikes.
On Ukraine.
Continue on.
A nightly basis.
Further damaging.
The country’s already.
Battered power grid as.
Subzero temperatures continue.
so she contented herself
with turning round,
looking at the shelves
as she came to them.
The shop seemed to be full
of all manner of curious things
– but the oddest part
of it all was,
Just hours before.
The delegations met.
In Geneva.
‘Mordor’ carried out.
A large combined aerial attack.
On Ukraine.
Hitting 12 regions.
With 400 drones and.
Almost 30 missiles.
At least three people.
Were killed.
‘Elves’ officials said.
that whenever she looked hard
at any shelf,
to make out exactly
what it had on it,
that particular shelf was
always quite empty:
though the others round it were
crowded as full as they could hold.
Meanwhile.
‘Mordor’ said.
Its air defences had repelled.
More than 150 drones.
While an oil refinery.
Caught on fire.
Caught on fire.
After an ‘elves’ drone strike.
‘Things flow about so here!’
she said at last in a plaintive tone,
after she had spent
a minute or so
in vainly pursuing
a large bright thing,
that looked sometimes like a doll
and sometimes like a work-box,
In a statement.
On social media.
On Tuesday evening.
The ‘elf’ top security official said.
The talks focused on.
“Practical issues and.
The mechanics of.
Possible solutions”.
He said he would now.
Inform ‘Gandalf the Green’.
About the results.
About the results.
and was always in the shelf
next above the one
she was looking at.
‘And this one is
the most provoking of all
– but I’ll tell you what –’
she added,
as a sudden thought struck her,
In his video address.
Shortly afterwards.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
Ukraine was ready.
To refrain from.
Carrying out strikes.
As earlier proposed by the US.
To both Kyiv and Moscow.
“We don’t need war”.
He said, stressing that.
‘Elves’ were “defending.
Our state, our independence”.
“We are also ready.
To quickly move towards.
A worthy agreement.
To end the war.”
“The question is.
Only for the ‘orcs’:
What do they want?”
What do they want?”
‘I’ll follow it up to
the very top shelf of all.
It’ll puzzle it to go through
the ceiling, I expect!’
But even this plan failed:
the ‘thing’ went through
the ceiling as quietly as possible,
as if it were quite used to it.
Meanwhile.
‘Orcs’ state news agency quoted.
A source saying that.
Tuesday’s negotiations.
Which lasted six hours.
Had been tense and.
Took place in different.
Bilateral and trilateral formats.
‘Are you a child or a teetotum?’
the Sheep said,
as she took up another
pair of needles.
‘You’ll make me giddy soon,
if you go on
turning round like that.’
She was now working
The talks are being mediated.
By the US President’s.
Special envoy and.
The President’s son-in-law.
Both Ukraine and.
‘Mordor’ also had.
Senior military figures.
In their teams.
With fourteen pairs at once,
and Alice couldn’t help
looking at her
in great astonishment.
‘How can she knit with so many?’
the puzzled child thought to herself.
‘She gets more and more like
a porcupine every minute!’
Ahead of the talks.
The US President said.
Ukraine had “better.
Come to the table fast.”
He has previously signalled.
His impatience with.
The lack of swift progress.
In solving the four-year conflict.
‘Mordor’ occupies roughly.
20% of Ukraine.
Including large parts of.
The eastern Donbas region.
‘The One’ wants Ukraine.
To hand over the rest.
Of the region, which.
Ukraine has ruled out.
‘Can you row?’
the Sheep asked,
handing her a pair of
knitting-needles as she spoke.
‘Yes, a little –
but not on land –
and not with needles –’
Alice was beginning to say,
For Ukraine.
Robust security guarantees.
From the West.
– including the US –
Must come before.
Any settlement.
With ‘Mordor’.
Can be agreed.
In Kyiv, the ‘elf’.
Foreign Minister condemned.
The overnight ‘orcs’ strikes.
Saying they showed.
The “extent to which ‘Mordor’.
Disregards peace efforts”.
The “extent to which ‘Mordor’.
Disregards peace efforts”.
when suddenly the needles
turned into oars in her hands,
and she found
they were in a little boat,
gliding along between banks:
so there was nothing for it
but to do her best.
but to do her best.
At least three.
Energy workers were killed.
Near the frontline city.
Of Slovyansk.
In Monday’s overnight attacks.
The ‘elf’ deputy Energy Minister said.
At least three.
Energy workers were killed.
A further nine people.
– including children –
Were injured across the country.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
More than 10 residential buildings.
Were damaged.
With railway infrastructure.
Also damaged.
“‘Mordor’ must be.
Held to account.
For its aggression.”
He wrote on X, adding:
“For peace to be real.
And just, action must.
Target the sole source.
Of this aggression”.
‘Feather!’ cried the Sheep,
as she took up another pair of needles.
This didn’t sound like
a remark that needed any answer,
so Alice said nothing,
but pulled away.
There was something very queer
about the water, she thought,
Kyiv said 12 regions.
Were hit.
Damaging infrastructure.
And leaving thousands.
And leaving thousands.
Without power.
In the southern port city.
Of Odesa.
The country’s largest.
Private energy firm said.
Power infrastructure.
In the city had suffered.
“Incredibly serious” damage.
Adding it would take.
A long time to return.
To a working condition.
Ukraine is facing.
An acute energy crisis.
After months of.
Relentless ‘orcs’ attacks.
On its infrastructure.
And as it struggles.
Through a freezing winter.
Through a freezing winter.
as every now and then
the oars got fast in it,
and would hardly
come out again.
‘Feather! Feather!’
the Sheep cried again,
taking more needles.
‘You’ll be catching a crab directly.’
It launched its own volley.
Of attacks on ‘Mordor’ overnight.
Officials said a fire.
Broke out at the Ilsky oil refinery.
In the southern Krasnodar region.
After a drone strike.
A reservoir storing oil products.
Also caught fire.
The border region.
Of Belgorod continued.
To come under attack.
With Ukraine launching.
With Ukraine launching.
Dozens of drones.
And causing significant damage.
Of power infrastructure.
‘A dear little crab!’
‘A dear little crab!’
thought Alice.
‘I should like that.’
‘Didn’t you hear me “Feather”?’
the Sheep cried angrily,
taking up
quite a bunch of needles.
These latest discussions.
Follow last month’s trilateral talks.
In Abu Dhabi.
Which were the first three-way.
Between ‘Mordor’, Ukraine.
And the US since ‘Mordor’.
Launched its full-scale invasion.
Of its neighbour.
In February 2022.
They ended with.
No breakthrough – although.
No breakthrough – although.
The first prisoner of war.
The first prisoner of war.
Exchanges in months.
Took place shortly after.
‘Indeed I did,’ said Alice:
‘you’ve said it very often
– and very loud.
Please, where are the crabs?’
‘In the water, of course!’
Said the Sheep,
sticking some of needles
into her hair,
The US special envoy said.
Talks between Ukraine and.
‘Mordor’ had “brought about.
Meaningful progress”.
To end the war.
As both sides prepared for.
A second day of negotiations.
In Geneva on Wednesday.
However.
Hopes of a breakthrough.
Remain low.
With ‘Gandalf the Green’ saying.
It “was not fair” that.
The US President keeps.
Asking his country.
To compromise.
Adding that “peace.
Wouldn’t be achieved.
If victory is handed.
To ‘Mordor’”.
as her hands were full.
‘Feather, I say!’
‘Why do you say
“Feather” so often?
Alice asked at last, rather vexed.
‘I’m not a bird!’
‘You are,’ said the Sheep:
‘you’re a little goose.’
The US President has.
Recently suggested.
It is up to Ukraine.
To ensure talks.
In Switzerland.
Are successful.
Without mentioning ‘Mordor’.
Without mentioning ‘Mordor’.
‘The One’ has not wavered.
From its maximalist demands.
For ‘elves’ territory.
For ‘elves’ territory.
This offended Alice a little,
so there was no more conversation
for a minute or two,
while the boat glided gently on,
sometimes among
beds of weeds
(which made the oars stick fast
in the water, worse than ever),
“The US President’s success.
In bringing both sides.
Of this war together.
Has brought about.”
“Has brought about.
Meaningful progress.
And we are proud to.
Work under his leadership.”
“To stop the killing.
In this terrible conflict.”
The US special envoy wrote.
After the first day of talks.
and sometimes under trees,
but always with
the same tall river-banks
frowning over their heads.
‘Oh, please! There are
some scented rushes!’
Alice cried in
a sudden transport of delight.
‘Gandalf the Green’ has.
Repeatedly said.
His country is being asked.
To make.
Disproportionate compromises.
Compared to ‘Mordor’.
Disproportionate compromises.
Compared to ‘Mordor’.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
On Tuesday.
It was “not fair” that.
It was “not fair” that.
The US President kept.
Calling on Ukraine.
To broker a deal.
To broker a deal.
Adding: “I hope.
It is just his tactics.
And not the decision.”
And not the decision.”
‘There really are
– and such beauties!’
‘You needn’t say “please”
to me about ’em,’
the Sheep said, without
looking up from her knitting:
‘I didn’t out ’em there,
and I’m not going to take ’em away.’
Talks between ‘Mordor’.
Ukraine and the US.
Aimed at ending.
‘Orcs’ war in Ukraine.
Have concluded.
Without a breakthrough.
Have concluded.
Without a breakthrough.
The trilateral meetings.
Held in Geneva.
Went on late.
On Tuesday.
But only lasted.
But only lasted.
Two hours.
On Wednesday.
‘No, but I meant
– please, may we wait
and pick some?’
Alice pleaded.
‘If you don’t mind
stopping the boat for a minute.’
‘How am I to stop it?’
said the Sheep.
Although the US envoy.
Had expressed optimism.
Had expressed optimism.
Over the talks.
Both the chief ‘orc’ negotiator.
And ‘Gandalf the Green’ indicated.
They had been “difficult”.
They had been “difficult”.
After the main talks concluded.
The chief ‘orc’ negotiator.
Returned to the venue.
And held a closed-door meeting.
With the ‘elves’ side.
For about an hour and a half.
No details from that meeting.
Have emerged.
Some progress was made.
On “military issues”.
Including the location.
Of the front line.
And ceasefire monitoring.
According to an ‘elves’.
Diplomatic source.
Some progress was made.
‘If you have off rowing,
it’ll stop of itself.’
So the boat was left
to drift down the stream
as it would,
till it glided gently
in among the waving rushes.
And then
The White House spokeswoman.
Said later on Wednesday.
That “there was meaningful progress”.
Made on both sides.
And an agreement to.
And an agreement to.
“Continue to work towards.
A peace deal together”.
But an agreement.
On the issue of territory.
– without which no ceasefire.
Can be envisaged –
Remains elusive.
With ‘orcs’ and.
‘Elves’ positions.
Still far apart.
‘Mordor’ has not budged.
In its demand for.
Full control of.
The eastern Donbas region.
– made up of the Donetsk.
and Luhansk regions –
which is a non-starter.
For Ukraine.
the little sleeves were
carefully rolled up,
and the little arms were
plunged in elbow-deep,
to get hold of the rushes
a good long way down
before breaking them off
– and for a while
While conceding talks.
Were challenging.
The chief ‘orc’ negotiator added.
That they had been “businesslike”.
And said another meeting.
Would take place “soon”.
While conceding talks.
Were challenging.
‘Gandalf the Green’ also.
Described the negotiations.
As “not easy”.
As “not easy”.
Due to the difference.
In the two sides’ positions.
Due to the difference.
In the two sides’ positions.
Alice forgot all about
the Sheep and the knitting,
as she bent over
the side of the boat,
with just the ends of
her tangled hair dipping
into the water
– while with bright eager eyes
The head of ‘elves’.
National security and.
Defence council.
Cut a less downbeat tone.
Saying the discussions.
Had been “Substantive.
And intensive”.
And that while.
There had been progress.
No details could be disclosed.
“At this stage”.
“At this stage”.
“This is complex work.
That requires alignment.
Among all parties and.
Sufficient time.”
– while with bright eager eyes
she caught at one bunch
after another of
the darling scented rushes.
‘I only hope
the boat won’t tipple over!’
she said to herself.
‘Oh, what a lovely one!
Shortly before.
The end of the talks.
Was announced.
‘Gandalf the Green’ accused.
‘Gandalf the Green’ accused.
‘Mordor’ of.
“Trying to drag out.
Negotiations that could.”
“Trying to drag out.
Negotiations that could.
Already have reached.
The final stage”.
Only I couldn’t quite reach it.’
And it certainly
did seem a little provoking
(‘almost as if
it happened on purpose,
she thought) that,
though she managed to pick
plenty of beautiful rushes
The ‘orcs’ and ‘elves’ delegations.
Last met in.
US-brokered talks.
In Abu Dhabi.
Earlier in February.
Which led to the first.
Prisoner exchange.
In several months.
On Wednesday.
‘Gandalf the Green’ indicated.
That another swap.
Might be forthcoming.
as the boat glided by,
there was always
a more lovely one
that she couldn’t reach.
‘The prettiest are always further!’
she said at last, with a sigh
at the obstinacy of the rushes
in growing so far off,
Four years on.
From the start of ‘orcs’.
Full-scale invasion.
Of Ukraine.
Substantial distance still exists.
Between ‘the One’’s demands.
And what Kyiv might consider.
A “just peace”.
Kyiv has long rejected.
‘The One’’s demand for.
The eastern Donbas.
Which would mean.
Relinquishing ‘elves’.
Sovereign territory.
Relinquishing ‘elves’.
Sovereign territory.
Including several heavily.
Fortified cities.
And a long defensive line.
In the region of Donetsk.
as, with flushed cheeks
and dripping hair and hands,
she scrambled back
into her place,
and began to arrange
her new-found treasures.
What mattered it to her just then
that the rushes had began to fade,
Many ‘elves’ believe.
Giving that territory up would.
Leave the country vulnerable.
To another ‘orcs’ invasion.
‘Gandalf the Green’ himself.
Has drawn parallels.
With the 1938.
Munich Agreement.
When European powers.
Let Hitler annex.
The Czech territory.
Of Sudetenland.
and to lose all
their scent and beauty,
from the very moment
that she picked them?
Even real scented rushes,
you know, last
only a very little while
– and these, being dream-rushes,
On Tuesday.
‘Gandalf the Green’ said that.
Any plan to hand over.
The Donbas would be.
Any plan to hand over.
The Donbas would be.
Rejected by ‘elves’.
If it were put to a referendum.
‘Gandalf the Green’ is also.
Working to ensure that.
Robust security guarantees.
To deter ‘Mordor’.
To deter ‘Mordor’.
From attacking again.
Are provided by.
Kyiv’s western allies.
melted away
almost like snow,
as they lay in heaps
at her feet –
but Alice hardly noticed this,
there were so many
other curious things
to think about.
Another sticking point.
In the talks is.
The status of.
The Zaporizhzhia ‘Ring’.
The ‘Ring’ – Europe’s largest –
Sits on the front line.
And has been under ‘orcs’ control.
Since March 2022.
Ukraine wants.
Moscow to return it.
And ‘Gandalf the Green’ has.
Previously said.
Kyiv could share control of.
The ‘Ring’ with the Americans.
– an arrangement Moscow is.
Unlikely to agree to.
They hadn’t gone much farther
before the blade of
one of the oars
got fast in the water
and wouldn’t come out again
(so Alice explained it afterwards),
and the consequence was
that the handle of it caught her
under the chin, and,
Officials from.
Britain, France, Germany.
And Italy were present.
In Geneva.
And held talks.
With the ‘elves’.
On the sidelines of.
The trilateral meeting.
European representatives.
Have struggled to.
Be included in.
The US-led negotiations.
But ‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
European participation was.
“Indespensable” for.
Any final agreement.
in spite of a series of
little shrieks of ‘Oh, oh, oh!’
from poor Alice,
it swept her straight off the seat,
and down among
the heap of rushes.
However, she wasn’t a bit hurt,
and was soon up again:
Next Tuesday will mark.
The fourth anniversary of.
‘Orcs’ full-scale invasion.
Of Ukraine.
The war, which has resulted.
In tens of thousands of.
Military and civilian casualties.
And displaced millions across Ukraine.
Continues to shape.
The lives of ‘elves’ with.
Daily deadly aerial attacks.
Across the country.
Four people were killed.
And 30 injured.
In ‘orcs’ artillery and air strikes.
Overnight on Tuesday.
Power infrastructure too.
Continues to be targeted.
Across the country.
Leaving millions.
Without light.
Or without heating.
In one of ‘elves’ coldest.
Winters in years.
the Sheep went on
with her knitting
all the while,
just as if nothing had happened.
‘That was a nice crab you caught!’
she remarked,
as Alice got back
into her place,
very much relieved to find
herself still in the boat.
‘Was it? I didn’t see it,’
said Alice,
peeping cautiously over
the side of the boat
into the dark water.
into the dark water.
‘I wish it hadn’t let go
– I should so like
a little crab
to take home with me!’
But the Sheep only
laughed scornfully,
and went on
with her knitting.
‘Are there many crabs here?’
said Alice.
‘Crabs, and all sorts of things,’
said the Sheep:
‘plenty of choice,
only make up your mind.
Now, what do you want to buy?’
‘To buy!’ Alice echoed
*Because I read “First day of Russia-Ukraine peace talks ends in Geneva” by Hafsa Khaliland & Laura Gozzi on 18 Feb 2026 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:
First day of US-brokered Russia-Ukraine peace talks ends in Geneva
US says ‘meaningful progress’ made as Ukraine talks enter second day
‘Difficult’ Russia-Ukraine peace talks end without breakthrough
