En gelant son aide militaire, Trump trahit l'Ukraine
Apres l'humiliation infligee a Volodymyr Zelensky dans le bureau Ovale, le president americain consolide le rapprochement russo-americain.
Alors qu'il lance dans le meme temps une guerre commerciale avec le Canada et le Mexique,
les allies d'hier sont devenus des adversaires.
This is in French, so Perrie may delete it directly. OTOH, "Google Translate" is available to everyone... Le Monde is Franc's major newspaper, it's "newspaper of record".
There are links in the seed.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Depuis la reprise sans conditions des discussions directes le 13 février avec le maître du Kremlin, Vladimir Poutine, Washington brouille en effet avec application les cartes dont il dispose. La trahison que constitue la « pause » brutale, le 3 mars, d’une aide militaire américaine cruciale pour permettre à Kiev d’arriver dans la meilleure position possible, le jour venu, à des négociations de paix, est le dernier exemple en date d’un choix stratégique. Il intervient après le refus de reconnaître aux Nations unies, le 24 février, l’agresseur dans la guerre qui ensanglante l’Ukraine depuis plus de trois ans et l’humiliation infligée, le 28 février, au président ukrainien, Volodymyr Zelensky, coupable de ne pas se résigner à une capitulation, dans le bureau Ovale de la Maison Blanche.
Pendant ce temps, le rapprochement russo-américain va bon train. Dans la foulée des entretiens des chefs de la diplomatie des deux pays, Marco Rubio et Sergueï Lavrov, le 18 février, à Riyad, deux délégations de haut niveau se sont rencontrées, le 27 février, pendant six heures à la résidence du consul des Etats-Unis, à Istanbul, en Turquie, pour parler du renforcement des liens bilatéraux et d’un éventuel rétablissement des vols Washington-Moscou. Deux jours plus tard, la suspension des cyberopérations contre la Russie était évoquée.
Coup de poignard
L’objectif de l’administration Trump ne doit donc plus laisser de doute : il s’agit bien de jouer la carte russe et de soumettre l’Ukraine, en laissant les Européens gérer les conséquences de ce retournement. Dans la vision du monde de Trump, les alliés d’hier sont devenus des adversaires, ce que confirme la guerre commerciale relancée le 3 mars contre les partenaires historiques que sont le Mexique et le Canada, traités sans plus de ménagement que le rival chinois.
Lire aussi le décryptage | Article réservé à nos abonnés Donald Trump gèle brutalement l’aide militaire à l’Ukraine pour amener Volodymyr Zelensky à un cessez-le-feu
Le président Donald Trump n’a pas non plus l’intention d’accorder de délai de grâce aux Européens, menacés également de taxes douanières, pour leur permettre de s’organiser afin de compenser le retrait américain. Ils ont pourtant commencé à le faire avec le sommet de Londres, le 2 mars, et l’élaboration d’un plan franco-britannique en vue d’une trêve en Ukraine. Loin de vouloir les y encourager, les décisions prises ces derniers jours à Washington montrent que Trump veut précipiter les choses en Ukraine, notamment en contestant la légitimité du président ukrainien et en instillant l’idée de sa démission au moment où, précisément, les dirigeants des pays européens font bloc derrière lui.
C’est un coup de poignard de plus dans le flanc de l’Europe : Trump sait parfaitement que les alliés européens ne sont pas à même de fournir à court terme l’équivalent de l’aide militaire américaine aux Ukrainiens. A la veille du sommet européen extraordinaire convoqué le 6 mars par le président du Conseil européen, Antonio Costa, il les met brutalement au pied du mur, les pensant de toute évidence incapables de relever un double défi, sécuritaire et commercial.
Whatever
Here's the first paragraph:
A little over a month after the start of Donald Trump's second term, an illusion has disappeared. That of a President motivated by purely transactional relations with the world, diplomacy being reduced to a business like any otherto which this self-proclaimed champion would apply the same recipes as in real estate. That illusion does not resist the treatment reserved over the last six weeks by the resident of the White House for the Ukraine file.
I took a crack at it from my college French
Rough translation but I think I got the gist of it
ChatGPT translation into English:
“
A Month Into Trump’s Second Term, an Illusion Fades
A little more than a month after the start of Donald Trump’s second term, an illusion has disappeared—the illusion of a president driven by a purely transactional approach to the world, treating diplomacy as just another business venture, applying the same strategies he used in real estate. This illusion has not survived the way the White House has handled the Ukraine issue over the past six weeks.
Since resuming direct talks with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on February 13 without preconditions, Washington has deliberately blurred the cards it holds. The abrupt “pause” of crucial U.S. military aid to Ukraine on March 3—assistance essential to positioning Kyiv as strongly as possible for future peace negotiations—amounts to a betrayal and represents the latest example of a strategic choice. This decision follows two earlier moments: the refusal on February 24 to formally name the aggressor in the war that has bloodied Ukraine for more than three years at the United Nations, and the humiliation inflicted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28 in the Oval Office, where he was effectively punished for refusing to accept surrender.
U.S.-Russia Rapprochement in Full Swing
Meanwhile, U.S.-Russia relations are warming quickly. Following a meeting between the two nations’ top diplomats—Marco Rubio and Sergey Lavrov—on February 18 in Riyadh, two high-level delegations met on February 27 for six hours at the residence of the U.S. consul in Istanbul. Their discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties and possibly resuming direct flights between Washington and Moscow. Two days later, the prospect of suspending U.S. cyber operations against Russia was raised.
A Stab in the Back
The Trump administration’s objective is now unmistakable: to play the Russia card and force Ukraine into submission, leaving European nations to deal with the fallout. In Trump’s worldview, former allies are now adversaries—confirmed by the trade war reignited on March 3 against long-time partners Mexico and Canada, who are being treated no differently than China.
Trump has no intention of granting European allies a grace period to reorganize and compensate for the American withdrawal from Ukraine. Despite their efforts—evidenced by the London summit on March 2 and the development of a Franco-British plan for a ceasefire—Washington’s recent decisions suggest that Trump is pushing to accelerate events in Ukraine, challenging the legitimacy of Zelensky and floating the idea of his resignation just as European leaders are rallying behind him.
This represents yet another stab in Europe’s back. Trump knows full well that European allies cannot immediately replace U.S. military aid to Ukraine. On the eve of an extraordinary European summit called for March 6 by European Council President Antonio Costa, Trump has cornered European leaders, betting that they will be unable to handle the dual challenge—both security and economic—posed by his sudden policy shift.
”
WOW!
That didn't take long! Seems likely Zelensky has recovered his sanity and realized he isn't going to defeat Russia by any means. No amount of money is going to put Ukraine back together again. The first step in diplomacy is getting everyone to the table and then start talking.
Zelensky Caves, Extends Olive Branch to Trump After 'Regrettable' Meeting
Where do you get the notion that Zelensky has changed his position from wanting to negotiate peace?
Zelensky did not blow things up, Trump did.
Zelensky ready to work under Trump 'strong leadership' afta 'regrettable' showdown
It's amazing what you can find via google.
[Deleted][✘]
That is not a change of position. What the hell do you think Zelensky has wanted?
Zelensky is being diplomatic unlike Trump and Vance who were assholes and an embarrassment to our nation.
Zelensky offers a truce to Putin, "correct things" with Trump, and work "under his strong leadership"
Came to his senses. Almost like he is blowing off the Europeans
I think the reality of relying on European military aid woke him up from whatever fever dream the Cheneys and Murphys of the world had tried to talk him into.
This is exactly what a rational diplomat would do. He is stuck with Trump as PotUS so he is doing the best he can with what he has.
The only way to deal with Trump is to stroke his pathetic ego.
Damn. He seems to have forgotten that in the OO. Don't tell Trump how Americans are "going to feel". That started the whole shitshow. He was a guest and should have been able to enlist some restraint. Reminds me of Nikita Khrushchev slamming his shoe on the table.
Zelensky was very presidential in the Oval Office. He was attacked stupidly by Vance and then Trump came in and blew the meeting apart.
Trump was the one slamming his shoe. Zelensky was just trying to reason with Trump.
This is so obvious. Watch the video. With just a hint of objectivity.
Zelensky explained what he has observed with Putin and Vance unreasonably started attacking him and lying about him. No matter what Zelensky said, Trump and Vance attacked him. It was sickening and embarrassing.
You're entitled to your opinion, can you support it?
No matter how many times you repeat this nonsense that Zelensky is some of diplomat that only wants peace, it's still not true. He just wanted more funds to continue an unwinnable war.
Yes, and I have repeatedly and in detail. What you have done in response is to offer 'nuh uh'.
Where do you come up with such nonsense? Of course Zelensky wants peace. He does not want to fight. He did not start this war, all he has done throughout is try to push back Putin and end this war.
He is not willing to simply capitulate and basically surrender so without the help of the USA to broker a fair peace, he has no choice but to keep defending his nation from the aggressor.
If you were Zelensky, what would you do? Explain your plan to us all.
Sorry TiG, but i cant shake the nagging feeling that what was presented last fri in the oval office and that we all saw , wasn't staged and a skit for the world audience.
I would not be at all surprised if it were staged, Mark.
To me, that makes it even worse.
I try to avoid conspiracy theories
I presume you are making a joke.
Now, let's see if you can see the difference between:
1: "nagging feeling that what was presented last fri in the oval office and that we all saw , wasn't staged and a skit for the world audience"
-and-
2: The Oval Office fiasco was staged for a world audience
-and-
3: "I would not be at all surprised if it were staged"
Which of those would you consider a conspiracy theory?
And then consider this:
China intentionally let COVID-19 escape their boundaries to infect the USA and cause Trump to lose the election.
Is this a conspiracy theory in your mind?
Butt may bee is tiem to putt tar ifs on alumen and steal two mayk tins write?
It was definitely a staged skit by Zelenskyy- he knew before going into the meeting he was going to torpedo the deal.
He thought Trump would bow to leftist media outrage if he presented his case in public. His tirade against Trump and Putin accomplished nothing except for letting the Ukraine government know they have the wrong person in charge.
Zelenskyy didn't have a change of heart- he doesn't want to get impeached and replaced.
Sounds like you have an issue with the author of the article.
I think Zelensky pulled that shit because Biden allowed it (if here even knew what was happening). The leadership of the US has made a drastic improvement and, as Zelensky found out, the bullying isn't going to work any longer.
So you believe Zelensky secretly worked with Vance to start berating him so that he could ... what ... calmly provide information while Vance and Trump trolled and tried to bully him.
staged by Zelensky? that's the dumbest comment I've seen all week
Where the hell did you get that?
Imagine thinking Vance started it with the entire video available.
No reasonable person who watched the entire video and not just edited clips things Zelenski comported himself well.
Given Vance is the agent who turned the meeting into berating Zelensky, if this was staged by Zelensky then he clearly was working with Vance.
I am pointing out how utterly stupid it is for someone to suggest that Zelensky staged this. That Zelensky wanted Vance and Trump to publicly berate him and lie about history.
Trump supporters are coming up with some crazy shit.
Zelensky was presidential and calm considering how he was attacked. Vance and Trump were ridiculous. It is the reasonable, objective individuals who are not blinded by Trump support who can easily see that the negativity and disrespect came from the assholes we elected.
If Zelensky was attacked then why did he come back and "correct things"? One only does that when they realize THEY fucked up.
Be specific. What do you consider "correct things"?
In general, Zelensky needs the USA. So he will (as he has) suck up his pride, control his emotions, and try to work with assholes like Trump.
Just the same way other allies such as Mexico, Canada, France, the UK, et. al. try to work with Trump. Trump supporters elected this buffoon and allies are trying to play with the hand that the electorate dealt them.
Since I started this, maybe I need to explain why I have that hunch or feeling.
Trump has always wanted more money out of Europe for defense.
Zelensky has been saying for the last 3yrs he needs ,more money amoung other things.
Watching what and how things happened on Friday, it's not a stretch to feel both these people could have been putting on a political kubuki show to both get what they wanted from those watching it unfold.
Now I know some will claim Trump couldn't pull off such an acting job, thing is all he has to do is act like himself, and all Zelensky had to do is act like the aggrieved party.
After that all either had to do is sit back and let the pieced fall into place.
Zelensky had a pretty good weekend when it came to raising funding from Europe,as well as other promises and declarations from those countries.
My final thought, and why I can't shake the feeling I have, which is mine alone, they are both carnival barking politician's, could anyone be blamed for not putting it past either of them?
Watching the last 10 minutes where the meeting went off the rails, there is nothing that Zelensky did that would trigger the shit storm. Vance instigated the negative, berating, domineering tone and then Trump took things off the chart. Zelensky was trying to provide information ... and just get a word in edgewise.
So one could hypothesize that this was staged by Trump (he is, after all the person who controlled the venue). It is substantially more difficult to see how Zelensky —who did not control the venue and did not instigate or even further the controversy— could have wanted or engineer this fiasco.
Read the links in 4.1.4 and 4.1.1.
does that mean they couldnt have worked together to get what they both wanted?
not a hard or demanding act in my view.
Every single one of them. Next please....................
Why would Zelensky want to be publicly berated?
I do not see this.
What is more likely is that Trump wanted to show the world what a tough guy he is.
Staged by ANYONE, in this case, is the dumbest thought anyone should have.
A conspiracy theory represents a firm belief that a particular outcome was most likely the intended result of individuals working (conspiring) together.
Having a nagging feeling or acknowledging a reasonable possibility is NOT conspiracy theory.
Conspiracy theory is "The Oval Office fiasco was staged for a world audience" since it presents a conspiracy as the most likely scenario. (And in this case it presents it as THE scenario.)
It should be unthinkable, but that is with a normal, rational, presidential PotUS.
Remember that Trump got on the world stage and declared that Ukraine started the war and that Zelensky is a dictator with a 4% approval rating.
Trump is capable of all sorts of sophistry and lying and nobody should be surprised by almost any stupid act by this histrionic narcissistic buffoon.
Well now that Merz has announced 100s of billions for defense spending in order to be free of American opinions, his next step will be to expand the definition of "defensive" and spend that money on offensive standard weapons. Can you hear that wheel of time creaking?
France will look like superstars since they withdrew from Nato in 1966, not reintegrating partially until 2009.
Nato today has no say in Frances nuclear programs and NATO has no say over French troops in peacetime.
The French while choosing to participate in NATO are fully autonomous.
Merz wants the French nukes stationed in Germany, assuming the US will eventually withdraw.
The purpose of Zelensky being there was that he was going to sit with the President and then sign the minerals agreement (something Zelensky put off twice before.) Ronin has every right to question what happened, based on the fact that Zelensky met with democrats before he went to the White House and also based on how "political" Zelensky has been.
Oh, that's right, you like to ignore certain facts. Let me hit you with a few FACTS.
1) In 2016 the Ukrainian ambassador wrote op-eds endorsing Hillary Clinton and condemning Trump.
2) During Trump's first term a Ukrainian with dual citizenship, listen in on a taped phone call between President Trump and Zelensky. At the time Zelensky had offered this individual a job as Ukraine's defense minister. This person notified congressional democrats that it sounded like Zelensky was being coerced. It launched the first impeachment. BTW democrats tried to say it was somebody else who listened in an told the individual whom we learned was Alexander Vindman. In that lie Vindman was simply reporting what a whistleblower was telling him. It didn't take long for everyone to find out that it was all Vindman.
3) Finally, there was Zelensky coming to a munitions plant in Scranton PA during the height of the 2024 election with a bunch of democrats. Obviously Zelensky was campaigning for Kamala Harris, whether he was duped or not. The message was clear for those workers: If you want your job vote against Trump.
That is why everyone has the right to question why Zelensky acted as he did, but also why that minerals deal is still unsigned.
If the deal was all worked out then the Oval Office meeting would have been a ceremony. That did not look like a signing ceremony. If it was, then Vance blew that to hell with his instigating comments and trolling of Zelensky. Did you not notice?
A flat out lie. Yet again, another blatant lie.
What is this fantasy you have about how Zelensky acted? How did he act? How would you have reacted to Vance badgering / trolling you and then Trump chiming in and taking it to the next level? Do you think you would have remained presidential as Zelensky did when your nation's sovereignty was on the line and the nation you depended on is being lead by two assholes?
That was a sickening display on the world stage. It was an insult to the Oval office and the presidency. Trump and Vance are embarrassments.
You can question why Zelensky did not sign the deal. That is fair. But if you want to deliver relevant facts, then provide the facts that inform us all why the deal was not signed. Your speculation is of no value.
My guess is that the details were not agreed to prior to the meeting. That Zelensky needed a security guarantee. But that is just a guess. So if you have something factual to offer then do so. I do not care what fantasies you dream up based upon Zelensky's prior actions.
like i stated , this feeling i have is mine and mine alone , i simply put it forth because it is possible in my observation.
what was it Spock said ? when all other logical explanations are exhausted , then the impossible is likely to become possible .
many i think have a predetermined definition of trump and what he is about and how he acts , I individually think he knows this and is not above using it to his as he sees its , advantage .
i can think of at least one instance where someone's reputation was used to fool others into thinking one thing was going on when something entirely different was going to happen .
And i fully admit i am both a skeptic and pessimist when it comes to any politician world wide in their ability to lie to the public to get what they want . If im wrong , then no one is out anything .
You might want to consider replying to others who are criticizing your view. I am not criticizing your view.
I do not think they planned this fiasco, but as I noted, it would not surprise me if true since this is consistent with Trump's braggadocios showman style.
One of the dumbest.
I thought this seemingly innocous comment about Pelosi (comment # 3 1 2)) was pretty dumb ) as illustrated by the green link in my reply comment # 3, 1, 5 )
The left will never understand that no matter who you are, you do not disrespect the President of the United States in the Oval Office, even if it is Donald Trump.
Their hatred for one man blinds many to the reality that Zelensky will agree to the terms of the US without the addition of security, and not negotiate that until the mineral reserve contract is signed.
That is where their problems started. If Zelensky did not try to negotiate outside of what was already agreed to, then he deserved the treatment in which he was given.
I find it curious s/ how those on the left refuse to acknowledge that Senator Murphy and other democrats acted illegally by meeting with Zelensky before the WH meeting to get him to do what they wanted him to do. Murphy committed an illegal act and a prosecutor should indict him and every other democrat in the room for doing what they did.
Any rebuttal of this is illogical, pathetic and UnAmerican.
But since it was Trump, those on the left, especially on here, don’t care about illegal acts committed by their own as long as the end means is to ‘get Trump’
Where exactly did Zelensky disrespect Trump? Show us the disrespect.
I see Branco has fallen for b.s. ... Zelenskyy has never asked for American troops. So let's go to a verbatim source:
Zelenskyy, Feb. 24: I would like to thank the American people.
I would like to thank all of the American people that are supporting Ukraine — the Congress, the president, the TV channels, the journalists, and everyone that has been supporting us.
And that percentage of Americans, as you’ve mentioned, is increasing. I can tell them only one thing — if they do not change their opinion, if they do not understand us, if they do not support Ukraine, they will lose NATO, they will lose the clout of the United States, they will lose the leadership position that they are enjoying in the world that they are enjoying for a very fair reason, and they will lose the support of the country with 40 million population, with millions of children. Are American children any different than ours? Don’t Americans enjoy the same things as we do? I don’t think we’re that different.
I’m actually very happy that we have bipartisan support, but we keep hearing those messages from time to time and they’re dangerous. There are political leaders that are elected by people, and if this issue is raised, those political leaders need to be responsible and cautious because people are looking at them.
Who wants a third world war? Would anyone be willing to accept that risk? The U.S. is never going to give up on the NATO member states. If it happens so that Ukraine, due to various opinions and weakening and depleting of assistance, loses, Russia is going to enter Baltic states — NATO-member states — and then the U.S. will have to send their sons and daughters exactly the same way as we are sending [our] sons and daughters to war and they will have to fight because it’s NATO that we’re talking about and they will be dying — God forbid, because it’s a horrible thing. I wish peace and Ukrainian support to the United States.
He would like to thank the American tax payer for being fucking sheep and allowing their government to support the corrupt quagmire that is Ukraine. Without US billions in military and financial aid hundreds of thousands of dead Ukrainian and Russians; and many more wounded would still be alive and whole today.
Fuck the blood sucking leeches in NATO that refuse to maintain a military to defend themselves; and fuck those fascists in Ukraine- starting with Zelenskyy.
He, like NATO, and Democrats are wrong- and continue to be wrong. Russia is not a threat to the Europe, much the less the world. They are militarily incompetent; and now greatly diminished. If it wasn't for their nuclear arsenal- the US would have rolled into Moscow a long time ago.
Xi would like to thanks all of the dupes so easily manipulated into wasting US resources on Ukraine- while China (Democrat's best friend) moves ever closer to taking Taiwan and increasing their influence throughout the world. They couldn't have done it w/o you.