Donald Trump seems to have abandoned Ukraine, a U.S. ally, in pursuit of his “America First” policy and sided unequivocally with Russia, one of America’s adversaries.
It is a jaw-dropping moment.
Six weeks after his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States, Trump has revealed his true colors as a self-centred, disruptive and unreliable force. His new friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is an autocrat who imprisons domestic rivals and aligns himself with China, Iran and North Korea, the creme de la creme of authoritarian states.
Only days after denouncing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator,” voting against a United Nations resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine, and berating Zelensky in a White House clash, Trump suspended arms shipments to Kyiv.
Trump, myopically, claims that Zelensky is not “ready for peace” with Russia after its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine three years ago in February. This, of course, is untrue and music to Putin’s ears.
The unvarnished truth is that Zelensky yearns for peace, but not at the price of surrendering to Russian demands that would strip Ukraine of territories Russia has brazenly seized since the winter of 2022.
Regrettably, Trump cannot tell the difference between a besieged nation fighting valorously for its very existence and an imperialist regime bent on erasing Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.
As incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on X, “We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.”
French President Emmanuel Macron posted a similar message on social media: “There is an aggressor, Russia. There is a people under attack, Ukraine.”
Trump, in his haste to pivot toward Russia and realign U.S. foreign policy in a major transformation designed to reshape international politics, has lost sight of this moral and political imperative.
Trump’s pro-Russian position comes as no surprise.
During his first term in office, he was demonstrably soft on Putin, waving away his annexation of Crimea, a Ukrainian possession, and his blatant military maneuvers in eastern Ukraine aimed at encouraging the ambitions of ethnic Russian separatists.
And during his reelection campaign last summer and autumn, Trump took issue with President Joe Biden’s laudable policy of extending military and economic assistance to Ukraine.
Trump’s reluctance to assist Ukraine in its existential struggle with Russia surfaced with a vengeance when he and Zelensky met at the Oval Office on February 28. Normally, such meetings take place behind closed doors, but in this instance, their increasingly heated conversation was recorded by television cameras and reporters.
Zelensky arrived in Washington to sign a critical minerals deal with the Trump administration. But during what evolved into an embarrassing news conference, tempers flared when Zelensky said he needed U.S. security guarantees to ensure that Russia would not attack Ukraine again.
Trump’s vice president, J.D. Vance, blithely ignored Zelensky’s understandable plea and instead accused him of ingratitude and undiplomatic behavior. Trump, unwilling to provide Ukraine with such vital protection, lashed out at Zelensky, calling him disrespectful and insufficiently thankful for previous U.S. support.
Due to this unprecedented fiasco, Zelensky was asked to leave the White House without having signed the agreement. Later that day, in a bid to mollify Trump, he said he wanted the war to end “immediately” and told Fox News, a Republican outlet, that nobody desires peace more than Ukrainians.
The following day, in London, Zelensky was greeted warmly by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders, who promised Ukraine political and military support.
Putin did not comment on Zelensky’s disastrous encounter with Trump and Vance. However, Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, exuded glee, crowing that Zelensky had gotten his comeuppance, a “solid slap,” from Trump.
Despite Zelensky’s sincere efforts to patch up the quarrel with the Trump administration, Trump remains in a foul and vindictive mood.
On March 3, in a stunning betrayal that must have brought a smile to Putin’s face, he suspended military aid to Ukraine. Trump’s order affects more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition already in the pipeline and on order. Trump’s directive also halts economic assistance programs enabling Ukraine to buy new military equipment in the United States.
The flow of U.S. weapons to Ukraine will not be resumed, if at all, until Trump is satisfied that Zelensky’s government is committed to peace negotiations with Russia. According to a report in The New York Times, Ukraine has enough key munitions to last until the summer. Ukraine can thank Biden for that. Before he left the White House, Biden approved the shipment of artillery shells, rockets and armored vehicles to Ukraine.
In the hours since the clash in the White House, Zelensky has bent over backwards to appease Trump, a narcissist who basks in fulsome praise. In a statement on X, he stated he was “thankful” to Trump, Congress, and the American people for their support, and that American help has been “vital” in Ukraine’s survival.
“It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support,” Zelensky wrote. “He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival … Our situation is tough, but we can’t just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow.”
The Ukrainian parliament on March 4 offered Trump another sop. “We are convinced that the security and stable development of our nation are ensured by the unwavering support of the United States and reflect the values that have been the foundation of America’s historic success, inspiring millions of Ukrainians,” the legislators wrote.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said his government is ready to sign an agreement granting the United States full access to Ukraine’s natural resources.
On the same day, Zelensky issued yet another conciliatory statement. He described last week’s White House spat as “regrettable” and said it is “time to make things right.” He noted that Ukraine is “ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,” and expressed a willingness to work under Trump’s “strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
In his State of the Union speech last night, Trump voiced “appreciation” for Zelesnky’s remarks. But it is debatable whether Trump will agree to work with Zelensky. In the meantime, European leaders are stepping up. They are planning to convene in Brussels on March 6 to discuss support for Ukraine and the need for Europe to bolster its own defences.
“This is Europe’s moment and we must live up to it,” said Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Union’s executive arm.
She is correct.
With Trump having cozied up to Russia in his quest to upend the global order, Europe has no alternative but to fill the vacuum and significantly assist Ukraine in its hour of duress.
Russian aggression should not be allowed to prevail in Ukraine.