The scam that backfired.
For the past few weeks we have heard about a rare earth minerals deal between the US and Ukraine. It would have involved hundreds of billions of dollars in US investment in Ukraine, plus the security that such an investment would provide to Ukraine. All that is gone now. Friday we all witnessed a complete breakdown of talks between the US and Ukraine on the very day that Zelensky was supposedly going to finally (after 3 attempts) formally sign the deal.
There are now reports surfacing that certain democrats had spoken to Zelensky immediately prior to his meeting with the President on Friday. Most notable was the investigative report by Michael Goodwin of the New York Post:
"Before meeting President Trump, Zelensky met with anti-Trump Democrats who advised him to reject the terms of the mineral deal that the president was offering, according to Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
“Just finished a meeting with President Zelensky here in Washington. He confirmed that the Ukrainian people will not support a fake peace agreement where Putin gets everything he wants and there are no security arrangements for Ukraine,” Murphy’s office posted on X at 11:15 a.m. Friday.
He attached a picture of Zelensky at a conference table, with Murphy seated on the opposite side.
Forty minutes later, Zelensky arrived at the White House, where Trump met his car, smiled, shook his hand and walked him into the Oval Office.
Arrogant ingrate
The meeting, as the world now knows, quickly went off the rails and ended with Trump angrily ejecting the arrogant ingrate from the White House.
The earlier meeting with Dems undercuts wild claims that Trump and Vice President JD Vance staged an ambush. In fact, it was Zelensky who came with an ulterior motive.
The purpose of the meeting was to sign the mineral agreement that he and Trump representatives had negotiated. He had twice refused to sign it after promising to , and thanks to Murphy, we now know he had no intention of signing it Friday.
By listening to the nakedly partisan advice of Dems instead of dealing forthrightly with the current president, Zelensky betrayed his countrymen and, for now at least, leaves them without the military and diplomatic protection that only America can provide.
Good luck counting on Britain, France and the rest of Europe to save Ukraine. Maybe the Germans will send strudel.
In a perverse way, Murphy and other Dems got the outcome they wanted. The fireworks at the White House gave them an excuse to replay their Russia Russia Russia hoax.
Once again, they and their media handmaidens are dishonestly insisting that Trump is in Vladimir Putin’s camp.
Like the original Russia hoax that consumed much of Trump’s first term, Russia 2.0 is born of political desperation. After months of not knowing how to respond to Trump’s fast, populist start to his second term, Dems up and down the food chain decided that the president’s refusal to write a blank check to Zelensky and pledge a military guarantee amounts to a gift to Putin.
Desperate for relevance
The logic is twisted beyond description, but any port in a storm will do. And with Trump off to the fastest start of any president in modern history, Dems are desperate to be relevant.
It’s a mark of their bad judgment that Zelensky is their new hero. He and they have zero chance of persuading tapped-out Americans that an open-ended commitment of their tax dollars and possibly sending troops to Ukraine is sensible.
Certainly Trump supporters didn’t vote for that, and the president himself campaigned on bringing the war to a fast end, not sending our army to fight Russians.
He made it repeatedly clear for three years that he viewed President Joe Biden’s strategy of providing just enough support for Ukraine to keep the war going without any plan for victory as a fool’s errand. He has also been consistent about his desire to stop the enormous loss of life on both sides and the destruction of Ukrainian cities and towns.
To that end, he and his White House came up with the minerals plan that he called a first step to a cease-fire.
The plan went through several drafts and the latest would have America and Ukraine form a partnership to mine the Eastern European nation’s plentiful rare-earth deposits, with much of the proceeds going to help rebuild Ukraine.
A gift to Putin
Zelensky, who privately agreed to the terms, has every right to demand a security agreement — up to a point. But he didn’t get one and his decision to respond by insulting the president and vice president, interrupting them and waving off their responses, was madness.
As Trump noted, the heated jabs made for great television, but it was a disaster for Ukraine and a gift to Putin.
Zelensky had an opportunity to apologize to Trump in a later interview with Brett Baier on Fox, but repeatedly refused to do so, saying, “I’m not sure we did something bad.”
Add ignorance to his list of flaws.
Unfortunately for him, there is an audience egging him on. Beyond Washington Dems, the European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, wrote on social media that “the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge. We stand by Ukraine.”
Sure, Europe stands by Ukraine — and will continue to stand by as it gets carved up by Putin’s war machine.
‘Ukraine is our ally’
Murphy and other Dems are no better, celebrating Zelensky’s stupendous failure as if it were a victory. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wrote that “Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work” and the always repellent Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called Trump a “coward.”
New York’s daffy governor, Kathy Hochul, who seems to pick a daily fight with Trump, added her two cents, saying, “Ukraine is our ally. Putin is not. It’s not complicated … This president may not stand with democracy, but we will.”
Oh, please. Hochul can’t even keep the peace on New York’s crime-ridden streets.
Meanwhile, Zelensky’s rejection of the mineral deal means there will be no American interests and businesses in Ukraine, which, as Trump repeatedly said, would help deter Russian attacks.
Moreover, Trump said a final settlement would require Putin to return some of the lands he has taken, and that France, Great Britain and others likely would station peace-keeping troops in Ukraine.
All that should have given Zelensky more than enough confidence to go forward, or at least to raise any concerns in private. Instead, he used a friendly meeting in front of the press to complain that no agreement was sufficient without an American security guarantee, despite being told repeatedly that none would be included in the minerals deal.
He’s right that Putin can’t be trusted, but he’s a fool for rejecting Trump’s plan and counting on Europe and feckless Dems to help him get a better deal from Trump.
As the president reminded him three times, “you don’t have the cards” to make the demands he was making, but Zelensky ignored the advice and the facts.
What a tragic mistake."
Dems lead Zelensky, Ukraine off a cliff with pressure to reject mineral deal
What were the democrats looking to achieve?
Were they hoping that Zelensky could get Trump to commit to putting US troops in Ukraine?
Or maybe they just wanted to counter the Trump peace plan?
They have been caught once again. All they achieved is that Zelensky is now dependent on the unreliable Europeans and is likely to lose his country. Trump's legacy will be that he tried to bring peace but was sabotaged.
In other news:
Canada and Mexico have tried to show that they are increasing border security, but President Trump is not satisfied with it. Extra tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China are set to begin tomorrow. Mexico, spurred by the Trump administration, is cracking down on organized crime. Several cartel operatives said that, for the first time in years, they genuinely fear arrest or death.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio bypassed Congress to send $4 billion in weapons aid to Israel. The first phase of the cease-fire in Gaza is over. Israel and Hamas have continued negotiations, but they are also both prepared to return to war.
Vice President JD Vance was forced to move his family to an “undisclosed location” after hundreds of pro-Ukraine protesters swarmed the Vermont ski resort where they were vacationing Saturday, just days after his public dust-up with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the measles outbreak in West Texas is a top priority.
European leaders met in London on Sunday to further discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Zelensky says a minerals deal with the United States is “ready” to be signed despite his recent dust up with President Trump. I think an apology may now be a precondition for even getting to see President Trump again.
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Good morning and welcome to the news of the day.
Did anyone catch the Academy Awards ceremony last night?
Remember when that thing used to be glamorous and sophisticated?
A comedy-drama about an exotic dancer from Brooklyn who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, won five Oscars and was the big winner of last night’s awards.
Murphy and company need to be investigated for trying to negotiate on the behalf of the US without the consent of the president. He is not the first one to do this against Trump. Lurch Kerry did the same before Trump took office the first time.
Once these people see that doing this type of sabotage will not be tolerated, they will get the message and stop doing it, especially all in the name of "get Trump".
There are those who want him prosecuted for treason.
BTW there are unsubstantiated reports about Susan Rice, the Obama operative, also getting to Zelensky. I don't know if they are true, so on those I will wait for some kind of verification. Murphy made the mistake of going on record.
From past actions of the Obama operatives, I do not find this surprising and believe she did everything she is accused of.
Seems almost treasonous, doesn't it?
I will always remember her going on all those Sunday morning shows and blatantly lying about the reason for the Benghazi attack.
Seems almost treasonous, doesn't it?
Have they ever been held accountable for their plots & schemes?
Utter stupidity. Neither Murphy or anyone else convinced Zelensky not to sign the deal. He had no intention of signing it without security guarantees before he even met with Murphy or anyone else.
How do you know that.
Why else would he meet with Zelensky before the White Hose visit....THAT HE AGREED TO TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT?
How many hundred other people did he meet with prior to the Whitehouse staged fiasco?
Don't know and don't care.
Bottom line is Murphy, et al, broke the law by trying to influence US policy without the approval of the president.
If you pay attention to credible sources, you will find that there was nothing staged, except for the acting Zelensky did on the behalf of democrats.
What a dumb ass move that was.
I don't know how to put this in more plain terms - Zelensky said PRIOR to the White House meeting that there would be no agreement without security guarantees.
He said it before he went to Washington. Are Trump and his officials too fucking stupid or damn lazy to read the news every day? Zelensky's mistake was in thinking he could get there in person with Trump and Vance and actually influence what they are thinking by telling them the truth.
What the oval office debacle showed more than anything is how unstable Donald Trump is.
The Ukrainian government announced acceptance of the deal before Zelensky came to Washington.
Then why did he accept an invitation to the White House to SIGN A DEAL?
Murphy and his band of idiots gave him bad (and illegal) advice and he is paying for it today.
Who was happier watching the deal Ukraine agreed to fall apart, Democrats like Murphy or Putin?
And Trump made clear there would be no security guarantees on the minerals deal. That deal was the purpose of Zelensky coming to the White House Friday.
He said it before he went to Washington. Are Trump and his officials too fucking stupid or damn lazy to read the news every day?
The stupid fuck is Zelensky. Security is something he gets AFTER SITTING DOWN WITH PUTIN AND PUTIN GETTING SOMETHING. Now the pompous ass gets nothing.
Zelensky come in with his hand out and it got slapped away.
For those with their heads in their fourth points of contact, what it showed was Trump is no longer carelessly handing over money to Ukraine like his predecssor did. Let the EU do that.
It looks like they're thinking about it. That's enough "bread" to feed the war machine for quite awhile
"For those with their heads in their fourth points of contact, what it showed was Trump is no longer carelessly handing over money to Ukraine like his predecessor did. Let the EU do that.
As Europe Mobilizes Behind Ukraine, It Sits on a $218 Billion Ace Card - Business Insider
And one thing people don't understand. It's the US ALONE vs. the EU as a GROUP. No other single country has matched what the US has already provided. Yet they are all crying that the US didn't hand over anything.
Yesterday one of the left wingers took MSDNC's bait and put up a graph that showed the US as giving 120 billion to EU 138 Billion, at the time.
When I pointed out that the EU comprises of 27 countries, we no longer heard from that person.
It is telling that when actual facts are pointed out they start running.
Reality is what you saw reflected that individually EU nations only provided about a petty $5 billion (some gave more, some gave less). Then they want to come at the US talking shit like they made some massive show.
... and together they have taken in well over 6 million Ukrainian refugees supplying food, housing, education, medical assistance and employment.
Gotta love facts. Here's another one.
Then he is too fucking stupid to lead a country.
ESPECIALLY since he took advice from members of a party that got their asses handed to them only a few short months ago.
Seriously. To believe that was a good strategy with a possibility of success is disqualifying from ever claiming to have even an average IQ. .
Imagine this thought process:
"Let's reach an agreement and request a big, public stage to sign it. Then, once on stage, make more demands. Knowing Trump, I'm sure he'll appreciate being played for a chump and will meekly go along with our double cross..."
Obviously missed that we have a new president. He must have been surprised to see it was not Biden sitting across from him.
I bet his first thought was "Hey, where is my bitch Joe"?
2 thoughts.
Nope, they read it. Now Trump can claim that Zelensky didn't break up with him, HE broke up with Zelensky.
I think there's no question that this was a setup.
Susan Rice on Trump-Zelensky Clash: "No Question That This Was A Setup," "JD Vance Did That Deliberately" | Video | RealClearPolitics
Right on cue.
She had to say that to try and not get the spotlight on her.
It failed.
We can always count on them to project from what they are doing.
2 questions for you then.
So the idiot anti-Trump Democrats are responsible for tanking the deal. I really wish I could say I'm surprised.
That's a possibility that can't be ruled out. They do like war.
I recently saw a poll, I believe from Gallop, that showed 60 percent of Americans wanted this war to end quickly, but only 30 percent of Democrats wanted it to end quickly.
You are right...Democrats do love thier war.
Stupid Zelensky doesn't even understand that Americans working on mining in his country is the security buffer that would protect him. Ukraine would have the security of NATO in that regard, but Zelensky has always stood with democrats. He felt comfortable with them and as the VP noted, he even campaigned for Biden.
Now Zelensky screwed himself.
Tough shit, I say.
Perfect partisan thinking. Forget about the specifics of the situation, because Zelensky 'stood with democrats' GOP partisans emotionally say 'fuck Ukraine'.
The focus should be on ending this war in a way that dissuades Putin from continued aggression against his neighbors. That should be the objective. It does not appear to be so with Trump.
And US companies working in Ukraine is not a security buffer. You think Putin would not invade Ukraine merely because US companies have workers there (mostly Ukranian citizens most likely)? That is ridiculous. Putin clearly does not give one shit about factors like that. What would happen is that the US companies would shut down operations and bring their people back to the USA. The USA would retaliate with sanctions, etc. and Putin would continue to spend the blood and treasure of Russia in spite of the opposition. Just as he has been doing for three years now.
Putin has to lose.
Tell us how we reach that objective peacefully?
You think Putin would not invade Ukraine merely because US companies have workers there (mostly Ukranian citizens most likely)?
Correct. That was a brilliant plan, which benefitted both Ukraine and the US. Biden didn't come up with that plan, Chris Murphy didn't come up with it, nor did Susan Rice. President Trump came up with that plan.
Putin has to lose.
Then you want to fight it out .... which btw IS the partisan democrat position.
I am not so sure it can be done peacefully. But the approach is to amass overwhelming commitment USA and EU against Putin. It amounts to making the stick bigger.
Putin, however, is a madman. He has shown that he will continue to spend the blood and treasure of Russia in his obsession to regain all the lost territory of the former USSR. So, unfortunately, I suspect that he simply must be defeated.
No, I want a negotiated peace where Ukraine is secure and Putin cannot claim victory. I just do not think it is likely. That is very different from wanting to fight it out.
Also, where do you get the idea that the Ds want this war to continue?
What you can't seem to understand is that Putin is not going to lose. That's the reality TiG. Sadly, he has the manpower and hardware to go on indefinitely....Ukraine has very little, no matter how much money is wasted on this lost cause. The US has made it clear via Trump that we cannot financially keep sending good money after bad into this mess, and sending US troops is not an option. Can you present a workable viable option, or do you just want to continue bashing Trump
"Also, where do you get the idea that the Ds want this war to continue?"
Then why do the progressives vehemently reject Trump's plan? A first common sense first step is to get Trump and Putin talking, then call for a ceasefire so that negotiations can begin, accepting the fact that Russia holds all the cards. Ukraine has no chips with which to bargain.
Which means you don't believe it can be done peacefully, otherwise you would be forced to concede THAT PUTIN HAS TO GET SOMETHING TOO. AND IT IS OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE THAT YOU CAN"T GO THAT FAR.
No, I want a negotiated peace where Ukraine is secure and Putin cannot claim victory.
That is not a negotiated settlement. For the hundredth time: What would Putin get out of the deal????
That is very different from wanting to fight it out.
That is precisely wanting to fight it out. Putin is not accepting surrender terms. Zelensky has not won anything.
Also, where do you get the idea that the Ds want this war to continue?
From the three years of tossing billions to Ukraine without ever trying to end the war.
Any idea of a plan B then?
Maybe Ukraine should "find" a couple tactical nukes they forgot to hand in in 94. That would give them a pretty big stick.
Calm down. Shouting does not make your points logical.
It means what I wrote. Of course both Putin and Ukraine must get something out of any deal. That is basic logic. I do not think Putin will accept any reasonable terms for peace.
It sure as hell would be.
Take a breath. Cease with the ridiculous exaggerations.
There are many ways to formulate a deal. The key is to first understand what Putin wants and what Ukraine wants, and then formulate scenarios that get closer to that then what we have. I have explained in detail how I would approach this and also noted that I do not have the resources that Trump has. I am not going to explain this all again since clearly it is not registering with you.
That is what we should try. And, as I noted, a strong, unified, committed USA-NATO/EU-Ukraine position would provide a bigger stick sitting in the corner which will help with negotiations. Given Putin strikes me as obsessed, I am not convinced he will accept any deal short of winning the land he occupies and no NATO for Ukraine, but a strong attempt should be made.
Then you just illogically presume the Ds want to keep fighting it out. Partisan emotion.
What you should realize is that we have a PotUS who is parroting Putin's talking points and is siding with Putin against an ally. Trump is a disgrace and is too stupid to realize that Putin is manipulating him via his immature ego. Trump will never see this, but at some point his apologists should. When will that happen?
An irresponsible, non-serious comment.
Are you suggesting this has not taken place the last 3 years? At this point anything short of boots on the ground will be a waste of time.
Again, how would this differ from the last 3 years where Putin would finally see the light?
No, I am suggesting that we can do better. I had originally hoped that Trump would be able to take advantage of the fact that we have a new administration to produce a strong show of force against Putin. I obviously no longer give Trump the benefit of that doubt.
And I doubt that Putin can be persuaded (as I noted) but we should still try. (Although now I think Trump has blown that up.)
Read what I wrote. You are asking questions already answered.
Maybe, maybe not. It is called thinking outside the box which is different that proclaiming what Putin has to do when the world knows he won't.
It seems we keep giving more powerful weapons to Ukraine in hopes they will scare Putie Pute, might as well go right to the end conclusion.
That would fit right in with your "committed USA-NATO/EU-Ukraine position would provide a bigger stick sitting in the corner which will help with negotiations".
Not really. You have yet to have anything concrete other than "we can do better".
Bullshit. I laid out how I would approach this to Vic days ago.
And just here I pointed out that a key step is to rally the allies and build a stronger show of force as the backdrop for new negotiations. That Trump could have done that but now he has basically fucked that up.
Only the United States can provide security guarantees to Putin and Russia. It is the nuclear umbrella of the United States that provides security for Europe. Ukraine, Europe, and NATO have been threatening Russia with US nuclear weapons. But Ukraine, Europe, and NATO have not contributed to maintaining and upgrading the US nuclear arsenal. Europe has not been giving submarines, aircraft, or missiles to the United States. The US tax payer has been required to pay for the nuclear umbrella that guarantees the security of Europe.
IMO there has to be an element of punishment towards Russia for invading a sovereign nation. I think you could do that and also "give" Putin something at the same time. Let him keep HALF the territory he conquered. That's where I would start the negotiation.
There are plenty of scenarios which can be devised. While I have my doubts that Putin can be reasoned with, it is not as if we are out of options for negotiation. Just keep the buffoon out of the negotiation room.
Bullshit is right. I have no idea what you said to Vic the other day.
That is nothing more than wishful thinking unless you actually have a plan on how to do that. I have yet to see that plan. It is like saying we need to eradicate world hunger by coming up with a way to feed more people
Just more of the same. You are happy too blame Trump for something you have not defined what it is he had to do other than some pie in the sky bumper sticker slogan .
Name a few and tell us why they were not tried over the past three years. Were they waiting for Trump to be president?
I think Putin has made it clear about his feelings about negotiation. With him there seem to be no options. What makes you believe there are more options?
Assuming you are talking about Trump and not Biden he has not been in the negotiation room in the past 3 years. How has that gone for us?
Your loss.
I have to lay out the plan? If I were PotUS, I would. I would tap into the experience and intelligence at my disposal and formulate a negotiation strategy.
That is ridiculous. Get to an equivalent scale.
I have defined it. I laid out an obvious method for devising a strategy.
Obviously you are just blindly defending Trump. This idiot is supposed to be the facilitator of a diplomatic peace deal. So what does this moron do? He publicly sides with Putin and throws our ally Ukraine under the bus. He blames Ukraine for starting the war and labels Zelensky a dictator with a 4% approval rating.
That is what I am blaming him for. Instead of engaging in normal methods for diplomatic negotiation, this loose-cannon buffoon starts parroting Putin's talking points.
And you are here trying to defend him. Sickening.
PM Starmer says he’ll put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” in Ukraine.
Moments later he says he’ll only do so with “strong U.S. backing.”
But Trump has always ruled out U.S. troops in Ukraine.
Strange, isn't it?
Is that who Zelensky is depending upon?
The idea of Europe, which is now essentially a museum for people who accomplish things to visit, being able to provide the military armaments to sustain years of high intensity warfare is pretty funny.
That's right.
Zelensky has only one place to go if he really wants peace.
That now begins with a public apology.
IMO Starmer is talking about a peacekeeping mission. (Remember Bosnia and Herzegovina? Russia was one of the peacekeepers.)
Now might be a good time for a cursory review of the . Of course, the purpose of that sort of thing would be to intentionally provoke Russia. Starmer can't commit the UN to peacekeeping and Putin won't accept a NATO peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
This is a good example of how European diplomacy poisons a peace process by provoking a reaction. It's a very liberal type of politics.
Trump tried to take advantage of Ukraine's situation to extort them without giving them security in return. Trump then engaged in truly disgusting tactics in the Oval office —the most unpresidential behavior the public has ever seen from a sitting PotUS outside of the traitor who tried to steal the 2020 presidential election— when he realized that his extortion was not going to work and that he could not fabricate something to brag about.
The problem, unfortunately, is the scoundrel we elected as PotUS and those who continue to blindly support this asshole.
Zelensky could have had a special relationship with the US, which would have provided security to his country long after the man you hate is gone.
Instead Zelensky listened to the democrats. Over the weekend Russia hit Kyiv with missiles. At some point soon, I am afraid the Ukraine will fall.
Pure fantasy. Trump was out to extort Ukraine. There was no security deal. You are just making shit up in blind support of a tyrant.
Those who view Zelensky as the bad guy in this situation have proven to me that they will support Trump no matter what the scoundrel does.
And you have proven that the left will support anyone or any other country other than the one led by President Trump.
That is just emotional nonsense, Vic.
Further, it presumes that Trump is representing the interests of the USA. He is not. He operates for the benefit of Trump.
Trump is an embarrassment and a danger. Giving a loose-cannon narcissist the power of the USA presidency is irrational, irresponsible, and unpatriotic.
at the left will support anyone or any other country other than the one led by President Trump.
Literally the same people like Murphy who worked with the ayatollahs to oppose Trump.
All of that amounts to nothing.
You don't want a deal, and you hate Trump. We got it already.
Murphy is a traitor. Pure & simple.
Trump could be the president of Mexico and magically the left would hate Mexico and demand all illegals get deported.
LOL what kind of idiotic foolishness is this
Not according to leftists on here.
The new definition only covers Trump and supposedly has nothing to do with treason.
Your blind partisanship is showing, and here comes those tired and worn out cliches.
Is it not illegal for someone to try and negotiate a deal on the behalf of the US without the approval of the president?
Another stupid comment. You have no argument so you engage in taunting ... with projection no less.
A blind partisan is one who follows a particular party no matter what. Given I was supporting Sununu and then Haley for the presidency (against Biden) that alone contradicts your ridiculous claim. The Ds on this site know this, what is your excuse?
Make an argument instead of engaging in witless, irrational taunts.
Actually, in reality, that is very illegal...
Thank you for agreeing.
Nothing in return? That's exactly what the US has gotten for the $163.3 billion the US has already sent. Or did you forget about that?
I know. How dare he tell somebody "No".
If you were Zelensky, would you make a deal to provide mineral rights to the USA if the USA was not going to provide security in return?
How pathetic. You totally ignore the disgraceful, unpresidential behavior which contradicts the long-standing position of the USA (and the PotUS) as the leader of the free world and simplify it down to merely saying 'no'. Just pathetic.
The mineral rights are in and of themselves security.
Russia would not dare attack Ukraine again with US interests in the country, and even more so, with US troops there to provide security for the mining operations, if that were the case.
The original agreement called for mineral rights first, then negotiation on security measures if a ceasefire or end of the war were to be agreed on.
"How pathetic. You totally ignore the disgraceful, unpresidential behavior which contradicts the long-standing position of the USA (and the PotUS) as the leader of the free world and simplify it down to merely saying 'no'."
Seems like you were perfectly OK with the last president rolling over when Ukraine said they needed something. I guess his "losing his temper" in 2022 was just a show as he didn't seem to be concerned with turning over billions more of American dollars since then.
We have a different president in office now, and that is what makes you upset.
THAT is pathetic.
Marco Rubio said this morning Trump is "the only person on Earth" that could get Putin to the negotiating table.
They MUST be best friends then.
So you either did forget about the $163.3 billion in aid or you are willingly ignoring that fact. My guess is the latter. The US has no obligation to provide any kind of security. They aren't a member of NATO, they owe the US $163.3 billion.
What's pathetic is prior to Zelensky's arrival the Ukrainian government was expecting to sign the agreement. Then there was a meeting between Zelensky and the Democrats to talk Zelensky out of the agreement. When you go on one of your expected partisan rants, explain:
Wrong. And Zelensky is smart enough to realize that. Putin does not care if there are USA companies (hiring mostly Ukranians by the way) in Ukraine. There were quite a few technology, agricultural, energy, manufacturing, etc. firms operating out of Ukraine when he started this war.
Clearly (see above) you are wrong.
Was that part of the 'deal'? How many troops? What were the limits of their orders?
And of course you cannot deal with the point so you run to the cliche and feeble attempt to identify hypocrisy where none exists.
Another utterly stupid fantasy. I wanted a different PotUS. The problem is not that we have a different PotUS but that the PotUS we have is an irresponsible, incompetent, narcissistic, lying sack-of-shit buffoon.
All you did is deflect from the question. You have no argument.
I totally recognize the aid we have supplied to Ukraine. So you think Zelensky should just cover that with a mineral deal and not ensure that the USA will stick with Ukraine?? That would be putting a lot of trust in Trump ... a stupid thing to do.
Trump just engaged in another first. He is the only PotUS who has publicly attacked and tried to extort an ally. Trump is the most unpresidential PotUS in our lifetimes. He is ostensibly trying to negotiate peace yet he publicly demeans and insults Ukraine and Zelensky with claims that Ukraine started the war, that Zelensky is a dictator with a 4% approval rating, etc.
Your comments suggest pride that the PotUS is, for the first time in our lifetimes, siding with Russia against the free world and an ally who was invaded by Russia.
Disgusting.
Don't cry about avoiding a question when just now answer the question.
The US has no obligation to provide security. NATO can step in and provide it. But, even NATO has taken the stance that the US is important to that. So, with that being said, it puts the US in a position to ensure we get back our money. It also gives the EU to step up and provide aid. Especially NONE of the EU nations have come close to what the US has provided.
So we are going into the fiction and opinion side again. Have fun with that.
Correct. That is why Zelensky would be smart to NOT give up mineral rights without protection. See how that works?
And I think the nations will provide more support. They have serious, adult leaders who understand consequences. We have a transactional buffoon who thinks he is the star of a reality show and is only concerned about how transactions affect him personally.
And with that he can expect nothing to be coming from the US. Going to cause problems when NATO won't do anything without the US.
Yeah, I'm not holding my breath. COLLECTIVELY they barely matched or surpassed what the US ALONE has provided. And none of it can provide a victory for Ukraine, not with out putting boots on ground.
You mean the ones that have already stated the US is important when it comes to what they want? They are going to have to really step up for once to make up for when the US tells them no as well.
Given Trump as PotUS, that may indeed be reality.
Who cares. Logically, these adults understand the big picture and know that the long-term stability of the region depends on curtailing Putin.
Yes, those leaders. And yes, they recognize how critical the USA is to long term stability. And yes the recognize that they are dealing with an egotistical man-child and a bunch of supporters who apparently do not see or do not care about the big picture.
THAT is the reality. Did you not pay attention?
Then let them fill the void they are expecting the US to fill.
Then they need to put on their big boy underwear and figure out how to do it themselves. They've relied on the US for far too long.
This seed is chock full of Putin apologists showing their fealty to rightwing authoritarianism. Disgusting and shameful. For those who love Putin and strong men so much, why not immigrate to Russia? Clearly that's the society you want and it's already built over there. No free and fair elections, just a strong man assassinating his political opponents which seems to be exactly what rightwing conservatives in America want. They have clearly abandoned any respect and love for our constitutional Republic so why don't they just get the fuck out.
What are the security guarantees that Zelensky wants? Isn't Zelensky wanting to use the United States nuclear arsenal as a threat? That is how the United States has guaranteed the security of Europe over the last 85 years. But no European country or NATO member contributes to the maintenance, safeguarding, and upgrades for the United States nuclear arsenal. Remember Barack Obama telling us that there was an urgent need to spend between $1 and $1.5 trillion on the nuclear arsenal? And that cost has gone up at least 20 pct due to Biden's inflation.
Europe's sphincters are burning because it looks like Trump could withdraw the security of the United States nuclear umbrella. Trump is raising doubts that the US would nuke Russia if there is an incursion into NATO territory. Europe may have to rely on British and French nukes. OMG.
Using the United States as a threat is not a substitute for defense planning and preparation.
We're going to see a parade of European leaders through the Oval Office cajoling Trump to extend nuclear protection to Ukraine. And maintain that guarantee for Europe. Europe wants to continue relying on US taxpayers maintaining a nuclear umbrella for their benefit. Europe has been spending our money to defend itself for well over half a century.
Why would Putin want Ukraine? Ukraine is sprinkled with 15 potential Chernobyl zones. Most of those nuclear power stations are of the same vintage and design as Chernobyl. Chernobyl bankrupted Russia and was a major contributor to the collapse of the Soviet Union. And Russia wants 15 more? Does Zelensky's demands for security guarantees include expectations to clean up Ukraine's Soviet past? Are we to believe that the anti-nuke activists won't dump that problem onto US taxpayers?
Lithium deuteride (LiD) is the fuel for thermonuclear reactions in the big bombs. Ukraine's lithium reserves guarantees their security. As long as US taxpayers cover the cost of the bombs, missiles. and safeguards. European leaders will pressure the US using the threat of a nuclear Ukraine. (Ukraine was a bomb factory for the Soviet Union. Ukraine knows how to build nukes.) The US taxpayer has been on the nuclear front line since 1952 when the US military demonstrated it could kill cities. The US taxpayer has been on a war footing since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis made annihilation a bed partner. The US taxpayer has been on the hook for preventing nuclear proliferation by making security guarantees. That's why Russia wants to negotiate security guarantees with the United States. Russia wants a guarantee that NATO won't threaten Russia with the US nuclear arsenal. Ukraine and Europe cannot offer any sort of security guarantee to Russia. Only the United States can make those kind of promises by committing the US taxpayer to pay for it all.
Maybe we should have allowed the unthinkable. Nukes for the one European nation we denied nuclear weapons to.
Is Zelensky a Russian agent? I doubt it, but would he be acting differently at this point?
He just sabotaged a deal his government agreed to and Russia opposed that would give his country the ability to fight on. Rather than make amends he now goes on a media tour and continues to publicly shit on Trump's plan for a negotiated settlement, telling the AP we are far from peace. Trump's "demands" are pretty simple. Enter into talks to stop the war that is destroying Ukraine. He refuses.
Someone who wants Ukraine to win should kidnap Zelensky and keep him far away from a microphone. He's Russia's best weapon at this point.
So the traitorous democrat's met with Zelenskyy to undermine the negotiation with the duly elected president of the United States, this is treason, but the left will ignore it. because Orangeman bad overrides everything. maybe Gabbard should start the process of revoking security clearances with Bondi charging these unamerican assholes with treason.