February 19, 2025 - 6:00pm
Relations between America and Ukraine have hit a historic low. Besides sidelining Ukraine from talks about its own fate, US President Donald Trump yesterday blamed Ukraine for its own invasion. “You should have never started it. You could have made a deal”, he remarked. This was followed today by accusations that Volodymyr Zelensky is a dictator in a country without elections.
Things are seemingly no better behind closed doors, with the Americans failing to provide Kyiv with the most basic information. Zelensky found out about the US-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia through media reports and, having planned to visit Riyadh to speak with US officials, admitted they had not told him “who will stay, who will leave or who is planning to go where. To be honest, I don’t care”.
His outburst was symptomatic of a new and confrontational tone from the Ukrainian leader. Having hitherto carefully flattered Trump and avoided direct criticism of the new US administration, Kyiv has recently rejected the US draft agreement for a deal giving Washington 50% of Ukraine’s rare minerals. Zelensky is now fighting back against Trump’s claims that he enjoys only 4% approval ratings, commissioning polls to show his true popularity. Given the US President’s aversion to criticism and taste for public feuding, relations between the two leaders are unlikely to improve.
So what options are available to the Ukrainian leader? Naturally, he seems to be turning to the allies he still has for support. With Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg arriving in the country today, Zelensky has offered to take him to the frontline to let him speak with soldiers and witness what is happening. It is a logical plan, using his designated link with the Trump administration and convincing Kellogg of Kyiv’s position in the hope that he may have greater success in influencing Trump.
Yet, the strategy is unlikely to work. No matter how sympathetic Kellogg proves to be, he has already been sidelined himself, excluded from the US-Russia talks. Reports emerged that this was at Moscow’s instigation, the Kremlin disliking Kellogg’s peace plan since it proposed continuing military aid to Ukraine and providing security guarantees to deter further Russian aggression. As such, any energy expended on Kellogg is likely wasted, his voice having minimal influence on negotiations.
Zelensky may additionally turn to Keir Starmer. The British Prime Minister will next week visit Washington, while another summit with both Zelensky and European leaders is scheduled for after Starmer’s return. He is not a bad choice to take the Ukrainian President’s arguments to the White House — Trump has publicly complimented Starmer for being “very nice” and shown favouritism towards the UK over Europe regarding tariffs. However, this will be the ultimate test of how much rapport the UK truly has established with the new US administration.
The other ally Ukraine is looking to is Europe. Zelensky has announced he is already talking to European leaders, adding: “I think they will be ready to talk about funding our armed forces”. That would, however, entail gaining a unified, coherent response from European leaders who have, over the past week, squabbled over the location, format and attendees of Monday’s emergency summit in Paris and failed to agree on whether to send European peacekeepers. Tensions were so high regarding the latter that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz walked out of the meeting, later admitting he was “annoyed”.
Even if the prospect of losing US aid did jolt the Europeans into action, it is doubtful if that would be sufficient to maintain Ukraine’s war effort. Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former Deputy Head of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told Al Jazeera that “Europe can’t possibly replace American aid” and “we will last six months” without US support.
Considering the long-term prospects, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov this week said that Ukraine has the right to join the EU. This may be the lasting solution, Russia keeping the land it occupies and Zelensky selling EU membership to Ukrainians as a victory, with the prospect of the other territories potentially returning via diplomatic means at some future juncture in the style of East-West Germany.
For the time being, however, Zelensky’s strategy is logical. But he is likely discovering that Ukraine’s remaining allies are in the same boat: bewildered by the events of the past week and lacking any influence over Donald Trump.
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SubscribeTrump has sold out to Putin hook, line and sinker. His statements are largely falsehoods and to describe Z as a dictator the day after he signs an order that he alone can interpret the laws of the USA – wow! Since Trump is so partial to the company of real dictators why is he dissing Z?
Do Americans (that is the people) really want to throw Ukraine to Russia and ratify aggressive invasion and barbaric occupation of other sovereign territories wherever they may be?
Volodymyr Zelensky got mad because he was being left out of peace talks so he lashed out at Donald Trump. Not one to take harsh criticism, Donald Trump responded in kind. It’s all a tempest in a teapot. It means nothing.
Good observation.
It seems like Zelensky should focus on rebuilding his country. At this point, he is missing the bigger picture—he’s not reading the room. America is no longer the dominant global power, which is why they simply don’t care. Given this reality, he should address his fellow countrymen and explain the situation so they can come up with a viable path forward. Right now, he’s in denial, and this approach just isn’t working.
The us is the dominant global power able to exert their force of arms across the globe.
You’re saying otherwise won’t change it.
Ok! You won!
The great betrayal has begun, it won’t be forgotten, this will go down as the lowest of the many low points in US history. The US won’t be trusted for decades to come, they have gone rogue. The authoritarian Trump wants to emulate Putin, Europe needs to wake up and realize that Nato is dying, the US can no longer be trusted, that they no longer respect their commitments and trade treaties, that they no longer give a hoot about international treaties and institutions, democracy , the rule of law. The US is now led by a self promoting fool without any principles and supported by self serving oligarchs like Musk who will milk the country dry. They will be no different than Russia now, China will exploit the void and benefit in the long run and will look more and more like the responsible power.
Awww. So sad. Dear Europe: how bout You be You? And pay for it as well? And see where that gets you? Whatever that is. As for Americans, we are done funding a coke head con artist and a self destructive leftist agenda. Good luck!
The European leaders have got so used to thinking that democracy means re-running referenda to get the ‘right’ result, erecting ‘firewalls’, and cancelling elections, that they didn’t appreciate that Vance was telling them just that, You be You.
Vance was calling in the New World to redress the balance of the Old.
Who’s earnt the wages to provide the munitions? Who may have less work now? Who’s made a profit on those contracts?
It’s not as straightforward as perhaps you think.
The only difference about Trump’s sharp words to Zelensky is that in the past these things were said to European politicians in private and only made public by historians years later.
As for the ‘special relationship’, this was probably Churchill thinking about his parents.
The Taiwanese might reach the same conclusion about China. Wasn’t there a rock star who sang about giving peace a chance?
And of course good reason for keeping some things private. Robust discussion important. Giving succour to the World’s Autocrats stupid and ignorant.
Ever heard the maxim, if you defend everything you defend nothing.
No American killed, even injured, in Ukraine.
Lots of Munition workers well employed though.
Taking a stick away from the little guy being bullied a show of characater isn’t it.
American Values and American Culture have made it the strongest nation ever in World History. It’s stumbled sometimes to appreciate that it’s the values, the support for freedom, that are it’s secret juice. Toxifying that juice brings only self-harm medium/long term.
Trump is right. Zelensky is a dictator – he has imprisoned political opponents, banned elections and behaved quite like the man he fights.
Why is there such hypocrisy from the writer of this article?
What absolute nonsense.
As an Indian you are pro Russia – fair enough. But this is purely an old fashioned Russo-Indian perspective, more appropriate to the Nehru dynasty and their psychological hangups about the west, than anything else. Face it, Putin is a mafioso lord who will kill as much and as often as needed to maintain his grip on power. But I note, there are vast numbers of Indians in the US and the UK and even Germany, and um, none in Russia. Indians it seems, won’t back up their admiration of Russia, by joining it’s universities and companies in large numbers, notwithstanding it is very much cheaper and no less rigourous than the west’s education, wonder why.
I think you jump to too many conclusions. This article is about Zelensky. It seems to mythologise the man without seeing his internal track record.
Jumping to conclusions about Indians in India is rather facile and judgemental, and also displays the prejudices which remain embedded in some sections.
Your last para perhaps overlooks the large numbers of students going to former East bloc countries to study( including pre- war Ukraine) as well as recent migration trends more towards other Asian destinations( UAE, Singapore etc)
One can go seriously off topic here, so it’s perhaps not polite to continue the conversation here.
For what’s it worth, this Yankee agrees.
I normally don’t quote American academia, but a recent study by Johns Hopkins University shows the illegal immigration to the West from two North Indian States- Punjab and Haryana. Both lag far behind other parts of India in key social indicators.
Hmm. I’m agreeing with your comment that Zelensky behaves as a dictator. The notion he’s defending “democracy” is as credible as our leftists and media in the U.S. who say that. His approval among citizens is very low at 4%. He cancelled elections in 2023. persecutes people of faith, political opponents, closes churches, much corruption with US $, always groveling like a sleezy globalist puppet and generally not a good faith actor. He knows his days are numbered and he has no leverage without the US dollars and weapons. If he’s not a dictator, then he should let the people decide with a popular vote.
The above post needs an award for the most amount of nonsense, lies and Russian propaganda ever put into a single paragraph. No critical thinking, no opinions of its own, just mindless parroting of the latest talking points. Have some self-respect, people.
Most comments here show how difficult the truth is for most Europeans. That’s why we need DT- he says it as it is!
And thanks to the US voters who are honest to understand what really happened…
Haha yes, very interesting to see the reaction! More than one thing can be true at once. Power and money corrupts, regardless. Especially when we have DOGE and now we see all the globalists and leaders who have enriched themselves through this war, mainly using US tax payers. I’m sure it’s not the first time. Go DT and Elon. All the more reason for peace and cutting off NATO. 350 billion from US taxpayers, yet screeching when confronted with the obvious corruption and money laundering.
Absolutely agree.
Is appeasing Russia and throwing Ukraine to wolves while trying to steal their mineral wealth the foreign policy that MAGA signed up for? Add to that the proposed ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the threats to fellow NATO members. Its not great, is it?
Of course, 99.9% of MAGA don’t have a clue about any of this and the ones that do are so rabid that they will support whatever lunacy Trump or whoever is telling him what to do (President Musk?) comes up with.
Some idiot in another thread asked if it was too early to compare Trump to Churchill. Try Chamberlain with a touch of a stupider Mussolini and you might be getting warm.
Hell yes, I voted for all of it and it’s SO great! I didn’t vote for giving Ukraine 350 billion of US taxpayer money, which has enriched many it shouldn’t, as well as weapons and carnage, with no end game while NATO pays a fraction and I see citizens like you scorn us despite that. Was that not enough from the United States? What are EU taxpayers funding for the United States security? EU taxpayers start paying your share and see if you are so sanctimonious. “Ethnic cleansing” pfft. Get out of the room, the adults are talking. Again, insulting our electorate, also your piggy bank, whilst your freedoms and economy is in shambles. Go MAGA, Go Trump, Go Elon. Buh bye NATO. What are YOUR leaders doing about the war, by the way? Whatever it is, no one is listening.
Brit here. Correct. Ignore Cretinous Socialist, his two working braincells were just in a collision.
Hello Brit:) xoxo nice to meet you.
I wish I could state this as clearly as JD Vance, as an American who sees Europe for the weak beta socialist, freedom hating, welfare cry babies that you are. It is time for Europe to look inward and face the monumental failings of your elitist, globalist, corrupt leaders and the psychological spell you are under. Fueled by your sense of superiority and Trump derangement syndrome, which has led to you failing to see why the citizens of the United States would want to send BILLIONS of our tax payer dollars to continue to support a war across the pond, that kills hundreds of thousands, enriches your sick pedophile globalist leaders, whilst you scold Americans about our electorate, as your freedoms DIE. News flash: We don’t care. WE don’t want to fund the war our woke leaders provoked as a money laundering operation. Europe is more irrelevant, as you let your culture slide into leftist self destructive oblivion with no options, a retracting economy and tyrannical rule, under the crush of immigrant violence and cultural dilution. We are awake, grappling with our own taxpayer disgust at the far left, stone cold psychotic criminals. We are done funding your destruction–and our own, and your bleeting, crying, insulting, ungrateful shrieks of “betrayal” are falling on dead ears. You are weak, broke and lost in the leftist psychological wilderness of Trump hating blindness. Americans overwhelmingly don’t care to play or pay anymore. Good luck and God speed. America didn’t betray you! The far left betrayed you. Wake up.
As a UK citizen, which makes me European too, i couldn’t agree more!
But… be careful when using the “you”. Our so-called leaders and their coterie absolutely do not define us. We’re way better than that.
Change is coming; we must carry it forward, but thanks to the new US leadership for initiating it, and your majority of citizens who voted for it.
One thing i’d add: the signals coming from Trump about Ukraine are likely to be part of his way of getting Putin ‘on board’. Zelensky might feel miffed, but he’d do well to just let Trump get on with it.
100%, LL! And glad I’m not the only one thinking along those lines with Ukraine. (Also excellent use of the word “miffed”. A great British creation if ever there was one.)
I love this reply. You are correct. As much as the last four years do not define Americans…I understand our leaders and the media are the opposite of most citizens. Until I started reading unherd and especially the comments….I admittedly confused the two. I am truly praying for all of us. Thank you for the comment. I traveled often to Europe and I know you are better than that. We are coming out of the wilderness. Uplifting as we awaken. Tough love is tough by design xoxo
“One thing i’d add: the signals coming from Trump about Ukraine are likely to be part of his way of getting Putin ‘on board’. Zelensky might feel miffed, but he’d do well to just let Trump get on with it.”
Well said. Let’s hope Volodymyr Zelensky changes his tune. It’s tiresome and not effective.
His tune? Is calling out Trump’s lies just a tune?
Yes, calling out lies and running around like a Chicken Little is a tiresome tune. Lies are an important part of negotiation. Everyone tells them. The truth doesn’t matter in negotiations. Who is right and who is wrong doesn’t matter. What matters is putting together a win-win deal that both parties prefer to the status quo.
Ohhh thank you so much for calling out the lies. Where would you like to begin?
There are so many going back so far that one just cannot choose. The biggest currently in the room is that Ukraine started the war!
But… be careful when using the “you”. Our so-called leaders and their coterie absolutely do not define us. We’re way better than that. But “you” (by which I mean the British voters), put Keir Starmer in office, and gave him a huge majority. The only conclusion one can draw from that is that the British (as a people) love him.
Starmer has just compared Zelensky to Churchill. That’s unlikely to be a good basis for the British prime minister to be the ‘best hope’ for Zelensky in Starmer’s upcoming meeting with Trump.
Though regarding Trump’s jibe about elections, Churchill lost the first post-war election. Just after agreeing to a post-war peace settlement that included giving part of eastern Poland to Russia. Not, perhaps, a wise comparison.
Starmer’s proposal to send UK troops to Ukraine as part of peace-keeping force, supported by Tory and LibDem politicians who Americans wouldn’t recognise in a lift, is just an attempt to perpetuate Trump’s predecessors’ policy of eastward expansion of NATO. Starmer had better prepare the UK for an avalanche of tariffs.
Zelensky, having been elected as a populist, could always try appealing to Farage as go-between with Trump. Mr F has so far kept his peace in these ructions.
Bottom line is Americans don’t care, done paying for your toxic leftist. American hating dysfunctional behavior, which is fueled by the fact that you aren’t paying for it. Please, please take on the economic and political burden of your own security and relationships. Because it’s your problem and you are like these arm chair philosophers, criticizing the United States for giving you all this money to so called protect you from the war your corrupt leaders provoked. Sounds like you have all the answers! So figure it out whilst you have no economic skin in the game and can always point the finger.at the United States for your corrupt dysfunctional BS. We have bigger problems in our own beloved country, which you seem to hate. and you mock and scorn us and ridicule our values and our electorate. We are broke. Hello?? Buh bye!! GOOD RIDDANCE
What I really cannot stand about these annoying lecturing Euros is how pathetic they are. Pompous generals and stuck up bureaucrats wax poetic about their militaristic fantasies and taking the fight to big bad Vlad. That is so adorable. Tell me something. I’m used to peaceniks cutting the defense budget. I’m also used to hawks increasing the budget. Those make logical sense. Anyone want to explain to me what kind of mental retardation is required to rattle sabers while making sure you don’t have an army to fight with? The only way that would make sense is if you expected someone else to do all the killing and dying… Oh, wait that makes perfect sense. I have no use for a bunch of clowns who would reinforce with cheerleader outfits and pompoms instead of tanks and rifles. What wonderful and helpful “allies” you are.
By the way, canceling that Romanian election while crowing about it makes me think all this “democracy” stuff is a bunch of garbage. That glowing 60 Minutes special on the literal German “thought police” right after you declared Vance’s accusations of rampant authoritarianism to be “misinformation” was just the cherry on top. It makes me wonder if we should just start carpet bombing Berlin again because those problematic Germans are acting like problematic Germans again while claiming they are trying to stop the return of problematic Germans. You Euros have no idea the sheer amount of rage that produces in us.
Yes….Europeans or I should say specifically Germans and Brits, maybe not the real people but an uncomfortable majority, have become more literally fascist, authoritarian and utterly unhinged from Western thought in their virtue signaling, leftist, Marxist, farce elitism, censorship, gender ideology etc….it’s weird. Digging their heels in and propping up the con man Zelensky cuz they can’t admit it’s all been a bunch of BS, they can’t pay for war, don’t have troops, leadership or shred of a plan? Yet pontificate as it makes them feel superior as they crumble. I agree with JD Vance. Wtf are your values as you imprison your citizens for speech and thought while your country goes off the deep end, cheering for child raping debauchery. Man. It’s definitely a vibe shift and time to rethink all NATO relationships. But United States was on its way there too before the election….hope we can all right this ship. We shall see.
Ya, Germans are creeping us out for sure lol get over yourselves already. Leftist ideology really manipulates their guilt and self hate. God bless em
Does the signed declaration that the US would guarantee the independence of Ukraine when they gave up their nukes to Russia not matter? The USA is reneging on its treaty obligations.
Nukes are not the threat. Leftistim, globalism and corruption from the western war hawks are the threat. Because it’s making them rich. NATO and Zelensky sure seem bloodthirsty to keep things going. For their own gain. Maybe, just maybe…Europe doesn’t need a nanny across the pond. Nut up, Europe. You’re right there, not us and we’ve got plenty of our own problems. What do your leaders think? Always so convenient to project your failure of leadership on United States. Whilst the EU so called leaders wither in the shadows. The question to EUROPE is, what do you want to do and how will you defend yourself, and how are you going to pay for it?
Not relevant to my comment, which is about the USA reneging on its treaty obligations – no-one expects Russia to hold to anything it signs, so it;’s a shame that the US joins its den of iniquity.
Trump is proposing to reduce military spending by HALF and stop building nukes. Omg, what a FASCIST. Get on board with the peace train Europe and face the fact that your leaders and your economy are enriching themselves on war and lies. No one wants this war.. except the baddies.
Really? Trump is proposing that? You Americans better start learning Chinese then!
China is definitely a bigger threat to US than Russia. But everyone is broke, because US is broke. The real wars will happen in trade and technology.
Please. If it’s possible for Europeans to look inward. ..with all your brilliant, smug insight about Trump and the United States. What should Europe and your leaders do, and are you willing to pay BILLIONS for this war, as Americans have already done?? If you are paying for it from YOUR TAX DOLLARS. ya know, because you haven’t been. Id love to hear what your willing to do to protect yourself without sucking on the teet of the US Nanny you hate so much? Balls in your court and it’s on your dime. Go. We are so DONE
As a British citizen I agree. Our ‘elites’ the ‘government’ want you Yanks to pay while they frottage themselves into a stupor while telling each other how wonderful they are. A large number of us detest the corrupt and undemocratic bâtards and want them out. Sadly it will take time and could destroy us before it happens.
Agree, same here. I pray for all of us and we in US are fighting the same forces you describe. But I think once the United States cuts the money off,not to harm but to stop the funding of the tyrannical globalist leaders and policies, this will be the most effective way to weaken them. Money rules unfortunately, and unfortunately the United States taxpayers have been unknowingly complicit in funding this self destructive leftist shift. By far, United states deep state is funding your tyrants. Sorry ! Hope we are all in this together friend
Eh? Whatever happened to the oft-repeated claim that what we were witnessing was a USA proxy war against Russia?
Meaning? Europe is just a powerless victim? Agree, US dollars and western politicians greed was a big motivator and provacature. We feel complicit and also exhausted by all of this, especially not being directly impacted by it, other than gutting the American taxpayer and tanking our entire economy. I guess my question is, does Europe need US protection and do we need to fully fund Europe from the threat of Russia? Does that seem fairl?? I have no idea….I’m wayy over here and we have many problems that none of you care a lick about, nor are your taxpayers funding any of our solutions, as we are funding yours. so I’m asking genuinely. Again, it’s time for Europe to have some leadership. Americans have absolutely no idea what’s going on over there, other than many are dying and Biden regularly sent billions of taxpayer dollar’s with virtually no oversight and much corruption. Seems like mainly a big left wing con job all around. Don’t ask us to keep paying or care when you don’t.
Whatever the solution. Europeans need to pay for it. Then maybe you won’t be such victims.
Some fair points except that it was definitely YOUR leaders who “provoked as a money laundering operation”
Fair enough. I agree with that one, as we the normies, watched in horror and disbelief. but I’m sure many of the global elites got a good cut 😉 yayy Daddy Trump, hope we can turn this around ❤️
Covid BS definitely helped grease the wheels!
You are completely deranged.
I think the defining moment, was after JD Vances speech, the sight of
German defense minister, a grown man, elitist tyrant CRYING LIKE A WOMAN. Says it all. Call me all the isms you want. Americans don’t have time for that. How utterly embarrassing. Weakness is the universal language and no one, I mean no one, respects such a thing. Find your balls, Europe.
“Pedophile globalist leaders”? The only pedophiles I can see are the clergy of the Christian churches (particularly the Catholic ones).
Trump is looking for resources for his country – exactly the same as China and Russia. That the US has not done so overtly (rather done so more covertly) since WWII was a point in time thing, a consequence of the sheer in-built wealth of the US, and some of it’s leaders since the war – a luck of the draw thing. Note that Trump is closer in many ways to the mentality of Roosevelt – who had little compunction about throwing the whole of eastern Europe to the wolves, or Wolf rather, or to be more precise, Bear. And this is the very same US, which notwithstanding it’s generosity in many respects, also screwed over the UK, on terms, with the help offered both during and after the war. This US President is going to look after US interests, rather more explicitly than in the past, of which sharkish acquisitiveness will be an inherent part this time – and the European leaders and liberal media shocked at Trump’s behaviour are being naive – which tells you more about the quality of the European leaderships and their sheer complacency than anything else.
A couple more points.
This could turn very ugly very quickly for the UK if Starmer does anything to antagonise Trump, and the UK could get caught up in the fight with Europe even if he doesn’t. Another country unbeknownst to itself yet, but probably already in the crosshairs, is… Russia – because of it’s resource wealth which Trump will, um, covet.
Do I see the Trump steamroller going for long? Not for the full term, because two shocks are in the pipeline – one financial and one technological. I honestly believe a stock market crash is around the corner, 12-18 months top, and Trump will be rather distracted if that happens. The technology shock is about AI, where I think mid level cognitive jobs are going to start disappearing soon, but I won’t drone on about that here.
No, probably not relevant here but I do enjoy your technology musings.
Thank you for the kind words – most people around me are a lot less tolerant!
That’s probably because they know what they are talking about while Kate is a certified loon. But you guys snuggle up in your tin foil hats and have at it!
My name is Katharine, not Kate. It’s written right there – copy and paste into your answer if necessary.
Doubtless extended exposure. My false.belief rhat i am Callas reincarnated has the same impact hereabouts
If you could make a wine glass explode with your voice, everyone would believe you.
My off-piste view du jour on the USA-UA spat was that it has been staged as a ploy to get Putin to the negotiating table which he might not be inclined to if Trump appears too much on Zelensky’s side. Better for the US to seem as though it’s just out for its own interests. Putin wouldn’t lose face then: he’d be one of two big men slicing up the world for themselves rather than one of two losers from an ill-advised military venture being stewarded by the States.
But this evening, this view seems rather too creative. Maybe Trump really doesn’t care and is just bulldozing anything that’s going to get in his way or hold him back. Which includes Zelensky.
Absolutely. Posted my comment before reading yours, but very much agree about Trump’s strategy. The odd thing is media pundits don’t see it.
I get a real kick out you people searching for a Trump “strategy” in his utter capitulation to Putin! So pathetic!
If you try to kick your own arse, you’ll fall over, CS.
Happy landing!
Strong comeback, our kid! LOL!
Want to try that again? Or is that really your best shot?!?!
Caught with your trousers down again, CS?
Happy moonie landing!
There’s nothing more freeing and exhilarating for Americans right now…than leaving weak, crotchety, broke, lost, angry, self hating leftists in the destruction of their own making. That is the only outcome as you should know from your history .Buh bye. We wish you well with your EU “army” of who? The gay prostitute, coke head con artist puppet Zelensky, and continued slide into cultural oblivion. The sunlight hurts, yet shines a path. America doesn’t care about the desperate, dying gasps of TDS. Toodles! Thanks for finally picking up the tab.
“Coke head”? What the hell is wrong with doing a little coke?
You don’t understand America. This is not capitulation, this is the US washing their hands of Ukraine, pure and simple. If Europe wants to fund/fight a war with Russia then do it.
Keep telling yourself that, slick, while Trump repeats the talking points that Putin feeds him.
This is a national humiliation for the USA however you try to spin it. The Kremlin is laughing so hard at America right now.
Like I said…buh bye Europe. Thanks for finally picking up the tab. You be you.
The leftist globalist so called leaders have completely beclowned themselves. We are all laughing at them and their psychosis as they grasp for relevance and continue lying. It’s quite enjoyable really. Thank you!!
Is the signed declaration that the US would guarantee the independence of Ukraine when they gave up their nukes to Russia not matter? I get Russia reneging on its treaty obligations, but for the USA to join them and render any ‘agreement’ it makes worthless, well….
Read the Budapest Memorandum again. I don’t think it means what you think it means.
As I wrote here on the day of the “USA to own Gaza” brouhaha, Trump has a very straightforward playbook but the world’s media and political pundits seem unable to fathom it:
1.Demand something which astonishes world and dismays the opponent (Gaza to be owned by the USA, Mexico to pay for The Wall, Panama Canal to be seized, Muslims banned from entering the USA, Canada to be the 51st state, or in this case – Ukraine must accept new borders, no NATO membership and give USA 50% of rare earths etc)
2.Wait for the opponent to make a counter offer and…
2b….if a counter offer is not forthcoming, insult and ridicule the opponent until they bring something to the table
3.Pocket the counter offer and say it is a down payment on the main demand stated at the beginning of the negotiations
4.Claim to the world that only Trump could have succeeded in getting this out a negotiation.
5.Move on to the next item of business, i.e. the next country ripping off the USA.
I would say we are at stage 2b this evening.
In a few weeks time, this will seem as distant a memory as Gaza-a-Lago.
And just to be clear, Ukraine, just like Canada, Mexico, Panama and the rest are always in a negotiation with Trump. It is never the final outcome, just the latest deal.
And the pearl-clutching media types should try reading TAOTD
It’s so cute that you think Trump has actually read the book that he supposedly wrote! You people really will believe anything won’t you?!?!
I like your little theory and all, and your belief in a moron like Trump is truly touching, if completely insane, but you do realize that he’s supposed to be negotiating with Russia in this case?
Oh, maybe you have actually realized that Trump just does exactly whatever Putin tells him to? About time you caught up with the rest of us!
You appear to have lost touch with reality. Here are the facts:
1.Economically and militarily, Russia’s power is minuscule compared to the USA. No Russian president could have any control over the actions of POTUS.
2.The completely insane idea that Trump is somehow personally beholden to Putin was tested to destruction by the Mueller Report and found to be a malicious fabrication largely funded by the Dems. It is quite bizarre that you are still clinging on to this.
3.Russia has defeated Ukraine’s attempts to regain the land which it has annexed. It is highly unlikely that any amount of support would allow them to ever regain it. Therefore Russia is in a position of strength in the negotiations – all Putin has to do is have his troops dig in. Therefore Trump has to bring them to the table, not Ukraine.
4.Trump has already guaranteed to his own electorate that he will not commit US troops in overseas wars and that he will stop spending money on things that don’t benefit the USA. So he can’t really threaten Russia with anything if they refuse to deal.
5.Russia will have made Ukraine membership of NATO a red line as that was their reason for invading in the first place (so they say). So that is not going to happen and Ukraine will have to accept it, hence the thumbscrews on Zelensky. I would say the rare earths demand is one which will be jettisoned in the manner outlined above at some point.
6.The reality is that Ukraine have fought valiantly but cannot win. The best they could ever hope to achieve unless the USA or the Europeans were willing to put boots on the ground (and risk world war) was the position they are in now – with Kiev and the western half of the country unoccupied and some sort of agreement in place with Russia policed by Ukraine’s western neighbours and a lot of reconstruction money.
They get paid to have tds.
Ploys are a part of negotiations.
There is an interesting article in the Spectator r.e. the start of the war. Zelensky tried everything to appease Putin but there were Ukrainian ultranationalists who were not agreeing to any deal. The rest is history.
Well there was always the suspicion Putin had Trump in his pocket, and so it has proved.
To declare Zelensky a Dictator when the Gangster in Chief invaded Ukraine (the 4th country he’d invaded) and has never allowed a free election in his 25yr Autocratic regime takes some narcissistic fragility.
As a result Zelensky’s popularity in Ukraine will have increased of course. Ukrainians will rally to him, just as we would in similar scenario. Even if he’s not been perfect his bravery compared to the Draft Dodger POTUS a stark contrast for our times. Were they able to hold an election he’d smash Trump’s narrow victory out the park – which is why Putin and Trump will make sure it doesn’t happen.
The usual ignorant halfwits, none of who have ever seen conflict or had to defend their homes, will cheer and suggest some clever negotiating strategy. Utter cobblers. Only people smiling are Putin, his Mafia clan and probably Xi as he now knows Trump further isolated the US. And so the fork in the road to decline was taken.
This essay’s author has obviously never done mediation,, and probably no negotiation either. Mediation can be messy. I’ve been in several mediations, and served as a mediator myself. Basically the mediator meets with each party separately to explore possibilities, as many times as needed. In many mediations (including the two I ran) the mediators use arguably unethical techniques, lying and twisting arms and being a jerk to get the parties so mad at the mediator that they reach agreement on their own to get back at him.
So you should never get too caught up in what the mediator and the parties are saying. Focus on what they are doing — the offers they are presented. The process is more emotional than logical one. It can be unpredictable and frustrating, but at the same time a skilled mediator can sniff out a win-win that gets both parties not only to sign an agreement but to be happy with it in the long-term. I think this mediation is the ideal way to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Volodymyr Zelensky is not going to get a better deal by scurrying around like Chicken Little screaming that the sky is falling. But he’s probably not going to get a worse one either. The deal will be along the lines that people have been speculating. There are rarely, if ever, miracles in negotiation.
But Volodymyr Zelensky’s attitude will make a difference. If he continues to insist that Russia be punished severely for its invasion, that’s not going to help. Geographical reality says Ukraine and Russia will always be neighbors. They need to find a way to live in peace. Otherwise, they will turn out to be like Israel and the Palestinians, forever at war, neither side opting for peace.
You do realize that you have completely contradicted yourself here within the space of a few sentences?
But yeah, I’m sure you’re a real “skilled negotiator”! LOL!
It’s a contradictory old world, CS. What would be your preferred solution?
The Russians probably don’t fully understand the EU. Their suggestion that Ukraine is free to join the EU first needs to be run past the empress, von der Leyen.
How will the EU regard the illegally occupied and annexed provinces? If Ukraine defined as a country includes them, it brings the EU into conflict with Russia’s intentions for them.
Can the EU claim Kent as a future member because it was once?
If the EU defines these provinces as regions, like Scotland and Catalonia, and they left Russia, they could not join the EU without becoming independent countries first. Did no one pay attention to Barnier in the Brexit negotiations?
The idea that these provinces could be regained by Ukraine at some future date, like the GDR, is a conceit to save face over their permanent loss. The GDR was a sovereign state, not like Konigsberg.
Ukraine has won this war.
They need to pat themselves on the back and retrench with what they saved.
The next one is coming and they need to be prepared for it.
Yes, and Europe must rearm for the next one too, because Russia will always be its enemy.
Whomsoever really.
You can conceive of a time when Russia and the West are friends? I can’t! Russians are complete barbarians!
If Putin thinks he’s won it won’t be a win for Trump or America.In 1919 a young American artillery captain travelled around Germany and wrote in his dairy words to the effect “this isn’t finished because these people don’t know they’ve lost and we”ll have to come back”.You may of heard of him,his name was George Patton,and he was right.
In 2018 Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin in Helsinki to discuss a variety of issues privately, man to man. Afterwards they held a press conference. Donald Trump was asked about Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. He replied that Vladimir Putin had denied any interference, and that he would take his word for it.
That created an uproar. The late senator John McCain said that was the most disgraceful thing any American president had ever said. Others accused Donald Trump of believing a Russian dictator over his own FBI. Nancy Pelosi demanded Donald Trump’s translator’s notes to see what other horrendous things had been discussed.
Experienced negotiators like me recognized the tactic and applauded it. If you will never win on a point a good thing to do is concede it to the other party without any concession in return. That demonstrates that the negotiations are not a zero sum game, but a search for a win win.
Donald Trump made a statement confirming that’s what he intended. I believe the FBI, he said, but I thought it better to look to the future instead of rehash the past. A very reasonable statement, but it did no good.
Also in 2018 Donald Trump tried to get Russia engaged with the rest of the world, while at the same time warning Germany and NATO not to trust their energy security to Russia– indeed, not to trust Russia at all. Yet he was vilified for the former and laughed at, literally, for the latter.
How prescient can you get? Had Donald Trump been able to work with Vladimir Putin, would he have invaded Ukraine? Had Germany firmed up alternatives to Russian gas, would it be struggling with the energy problems that are testing its economy now?
We should take a lesson from all that happened in 2018. Instead of condemning Donald Trump’s kissing up to Russia, we should realize that it is a negotiating tactic and not a strategy of appeasement. And if Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders were better negotiators, they would be puckering up themselves.
Because the best prospect for a lasting and profitable peace is not to punish Russia, but to find a win-win solution for both Ukraine and Russia. When asked year or so ago if he wanted Ukraine to win, Donald Trump said he didn’t think about winning or losing, but instead to stop the dying. After we do that, the two sides can work out the future.
I don’t like the way Donald Trump is humiliating Volodymyr Zelensky. But that seems to me more a tactic than anything personal. Let it slide, and focus on the proposals Donald Trump makes. That’s my advice to both Ukraine’s president and European leaders. Let the master of the art of the deal exercise his art.
The master who lost his shirt running casinos, one of the surest of all sure things? The same guy who bankrupted just about every business he touched? The same master of Trump Steaks, Trump University and so many other disasters? Yeah, let’s let this guy run the negotiations – what could go wrong?!?!?
You call yourself an experienced negotiator? I’d love to have been on the other side of those deals!!!
Hmm. You need drugs.
Everybody needs drugs….
The best prospect for a lasting and profitable peace is to knock Russia to the ground, and to keep kicking it in the ribs for the next 100 years.
So brave, so far from danger. My hero!
Haha, I like the Brit;)
Which “Brit” are you talking about?
Well to be honest, I’m truly glad I paid my little stipend for access to these comments section…cuz I’m liking you all the more, all the time. I was honestly angry at Europeans for scorning the United States and especially with the cost of this war, hypocrisy, ingratitude and condescension! If you haven’t noticed, our country is a mess too and none of ya are paying billions to help us. It’s very enlightening and of course…I see you normal people are the complete opposite of your leaders and media. Just like US. Plus, very very funny. Haha. I learn a lot, and appreciate that we are actually far more aligned than this current cultural downturn would have us believe. Big loves to all of ya!! Wish we could share a beer!
Hmm. Interesting sentiment, but as it happens, I am Australian. I recall that Australia recently gave the US a heap of money as a down payment on some nuclear submarines, so that should help you out a bit. No doubt we’ll give you more money when you deliver them.
Give me the nuclear button, and I’ll push it. I would have pushed it back in ’48 too. It would have saved everyone a lot of trouble.
”Zelensky may additionally turn to Keir Starmer.”
Guaranteed to result in total disaster
About time an adult backed this criminal git into a corner. No More Grift, Zeee. It’s over.
Well, unlike everyone else on here it would seem, I am utterly disgusted by Trump’s behaviour. And no I’m not a leftist. Far from it. I voted Reform. I think unless Farage distances himself from Trump, he may not stay at the top of the polls. Whatever Americans think, the British generally support Ukraine; a country which wants to be independent and democratic and to escape from the barbaric Russians.
The American government under Trump no longer seems to stand for any values other than its own economic interest and bullying allies. So perhaps we should consider whether its still worth having as an ally. We used to like America. We used to think they were the good guys. If Trump carries on as he is, there will be no countries left that like or admire America. Is that making America great again?
Well said. When I was a kid, America was putting people on the moon, and was widely respected and admired, at least among Western nations. It has fallen a long way since then, and seems to have forgotten who its friends and enemies are (Hint: Russia is always in the latter category).
Europeans have really never seemed to “like” Americans, definitely do not respect them, and generally always speak with disdain and superiority as above and in many comments I see. We are just your piggy bank and tool to make you feel superior. Ohh boo hoo, Europe is insulting us AGAIN. When you are an absolute tyrannical wreck, going down fast. What are the values you refer to? Paying for everything for you, so you can always point the finger and let yourselves completely decline?What do you do to support the security of the United States? It’s only a one way relationship. You are correct, the United States should certainly rethink our NATO allies. Europe needs to find leadership and stop whining and projecting all your misery on United States citizens. Our citizens will be happy to stop funding all the wars, paying your tariffs and taxes and listening to you bash us, as your leaders trample the civil liberties of your own citizens and your economy retracts rapidly. The truth is, EU has neglected its defense, military, security, economy, borders, it’s people, and culture. Are you blaming the United States for that too? I think you’re envious we have elected Trump and that we have a leader that takes bold action for the citizens and doesn’t fall for this BS from Europe, as you sway in the wind, like helpless babies crying for welfare. JD Vance was right. Your biggest enemy is from within and no one can save you from yourselves. Whew, I’m glad we have an ocean between us.
Are you making Europe great again, or is that the United States responsibility too?
What do we do to help you? I expect it’s helpful to the US to have allies. If you have no friends, your place as the most powerful country may not last, however strong you appear now. The values I was referring to were support for democracy and freedom. Trump doesn’t seem to care a toss about them. I would much prefer a world in which an America which did stand up for those values was the most powerful country.
I agree wokeness is an internal enemy here ( and in America ). But just as people should have the courage to resist the crowd who support the woke nonsense, people should have the courage to resist the crowd who support the nonsense Trump comes out with.
I agree and disagree. Agree on the woke, absolutely and hope we can all change direction, so damaging to our cultures and especially children. Disagree on freedoms. Censorship has been a major problem with the last administration, likes of which weve never seen in this country. Rampant Persecution of dissdent voices. Collusion with big tech to silence and paying media to propagandize. With our money! I’m thinking you have seen that also. Trump is fully free speech and tackling and clawing back this trend. He’s transparent, he shows us everything he’s doing, not hiding anything. This is refreshing. The sunlight is the best form of freedom. We have many, many problems in the US. And many from within. Radical transparency is the only way forward. He also reinstated all servicemen who were released due to not taking the Covid vaccine and reversed Bidens executive order allowing men in woman sports. This was wildly unpopular. I do not know that I agree with everything or that I will but he’s addressung the biggest problems head on, in the open and quickly because it will take a lot, a miracle to stop us from careening into a great depression. Americans see all these issues, including the border as imminent and the corruption with our tax dollars that’s because he exposed it! makes us all the more adamant, we must have peace, can’t afford this war over there. Really, it’s not a priority anymore because we are just throwing money in a hole, debt ballooning and it needs to stop. Trump is doing every single thing he promised, but he’s doing it the way he does it. He has a way of throwing things out there as a way to negotiate, get people talking and lead the narrative. And the large majority support it because our country is in big trouble. That’s important to emphasize. He has almost 70% support across the entire population right now. I’m just not sure what you mean about him being against freedom?
I agree.Trump seems to be painting the war as between co-belligerents,a European “Iran,Iraq War”.Utter rubbish.Ukraine didn’t invade Russia and Putin has made quite clear that his aim is to simply have Ukraine removed from the map as a nation.If Russia stops fighting,that’s the end of the war,if Ukraine stops fighting,that’s the end of Ukraine.When he was running for Labour leader in way back in 2010 John Mcdonnell (John Mcdonnell for f##k’s sake) called out Putin as a mafia boss running a criminal regime.If even one of the most hardline socialists in the British Parliament can see the man for what he is,15 years ago.why can’t some of the posters here? To all Putin’s bum kissers here I would politely tell you the same thing as the Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island said to the Russian warship.
This is obviously a very fraught situation with America providing the military hardware to thwart Putin’s invasion.
What I feel is being missed by liberal European elites is that Putin’s entire logic is to protect Russian ethnic communities in the former Soviet bloc with the relationship between Ukraine and Russia perhaps the most complex.
Putin’s logic is central to a peace plan in that if America sides with Ukraine and demands the return of captured territory, this puts Russian ethnics in east Ukraine at risk with the worst case scenario being that these Russian ethnics will either be persecuted or repatriated to Russia.
This will not stop the war since Putin will simply maintain his invasion which will either require continued American support or else lead to Russia pushing on to Kiev without American support.
The alternative is for Trump to side with Putin and allow Russian ethnic communities in east Ukraine to either be absorbed into Russia or to grant them autonomous status free from Ukraine. Thus the human rights of these Russian ethnic communities are protected especially now that sentiment towards Russian ethnics in east Ukraine will be at a dangerous low.
Thus Trump has had to make the hard decision to protect Russian ethnic enclaves in east Ukraine knowing full well that if he sides with Ukraine the war will never end with Putin claiming to protect the international human rights of these Russian ethnic enclaves as a minority grouping. So Trump has no choice but to side with Putin if he wants the war to end which was part of his manifesto.
Meanwhile liberal European elites have not once signalled the human rights of these Russian ethnic enclaves and could actually be accused of ideological bloodthirst which will not bring the war to an end.
Admittedly, in terms of cause and effect, it does seem appropriate to push back on Trump to a certain degree, to ensure that the human rights of Ukraine are protected as well.
Like much in politics, it is easy to take sides on an ideological basis but as an analyst it is necessary to see the whole ☯️ picture and see which chain of cause and effect will lead to peace. With no assurances by Europeans to protect Russian ethnic communities, then it will be simply be a case of having to pour more money into an unwinnable war and therefore the continued loss of life and devastation in people’s lives.
Putin’s motivation for the war is to rebuild the territory of the Russian empire, rather than to protect Russian ethnics from any alleged persecution. As far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been any persecution of them, anyway. Nor do I think Putin would care about the welfare of his own people – otherwise why would he sacrifice so many of his own soldiers every day and for so little gain?
Remember Putin said the the fall of the Soviet Union was the greatest tragedy of the twentieth century. Also he wrote a book in which he claimed that Ukraine was not really a separate country. However, at the fall of the Soviet Union, every region of Ukraine, including the Russian speaking ones, voted to be part of Ukraine not Russia.