LOS ANGELES.–After the dust settles with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, 47-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has grown increasingly shrill with his demands that the Western Alliance not acquiesce to Putin’s request for direct talks to end the war. Without admitting it, there’s a new sheriff in town in the name of 78-year-old President-elect Donald Trump who promised to end the Ukraine War in 24-hours after winning the Nov. 5 election. Zelensky shows his desperation speaking to European Leaders in Hungary, where Hungary’s 61-year-old Prime Minister Viktor Orban 100% backs Trump’s plan of trading land-for-pace to end the bloody war that only looks to further destabilize the European Continent and the world. Zelensky has been reluctant to criticize Trump but clearly he’s kicking-and-screaming now that Ukraine’s European partners line up behind Trump.
Zelensky knows that since the Feb. 22, 2014 Maiden Revolution, where a CIA-backed, pro-Western coup toppled the Kremlin backed government of Viktor Yanukovych, resulting in 72-year-old President Vladimir Putin annexing Crimean and occupying Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas region. So, when it comes to ceding territory, Russia already occupied Crimea and Donbas before the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion that’s brought only destruction to Ukraine with Zelensky stubbornly resisting peace talks, instead going to war with the Kremlin. Almost three years of war has killed thousands, destroyed Ukraine’s infrastructure, ruined its industrial base, driven millions into exile and bankrupted the Kiev government. Zelensky convinced 81-year-old Joe Biden to fund proxy war with the Kremlin that’s all but wrecked U.S.-Russian relations, but, more importantly, endangered all of Europe.
Zelensky wants to pretend he can cut separate deals with his European partners, trying desperately to revive a failed plan to perpetuate war with the Kremlin at great expense to the European Continent. “There has been much talk about the need to yield to Putin, to back down, to make some concessions,” Zelensky told the gathering in Budapest. “It’s unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all Europe,” Zelensky said, repeating the same claptrap about how Ukraine protects European democracy. Zelensky protects no one other than Ukraine, but, in reality, doesn’t do that because his war with the Kremlin has failed. Zelensky only loses more ground and causes more destruction. Trump recognizes that the Ukraine War must end over Zelensky’s objections.
When thinking about the Ukraine War, what right does Zelensky have to dictate any terms of a settlement when he doesn’t pay for his own defense but expect the U.S. and European Union to foot the unending bill for the war? Trump recognizes that Zelensky keeps digging Ukraine into a deeper hole, begging for more cash-and-weapons to continue his futile fight with Putin. Unlike Biden and Harris who funded the misguided proxy war in Ukraine, Trump wants Ukraine to cut its losses and start the rebuilding process that will take years to complete. Zelensky is no position to lecture Trump or the EU about what should be done in Ukraine. Zelensky is wholly dependent on U.S. cash-and-arms to continue the war and pay for his bankrupt Kiev government. Refusing to admit failure, Zelensky knows that his days are numbered as president of Ukraine.
Biden and Harris completely ignored the undercurrent of discontent with Zelensky’s leadership in Ukraine, with Kiev’s 53-year-old Mayor Vitali Klitschko biting his tongue but is utterly disgusted with Zelensky’s leadership. Zelensky is so unpopular in Ukraine he wouldn’t get elected to dog catcher, certainly not president. Zelensky thinks he can undermine Trump’s credibility when he knows that Trump will now take charge of the Ukraine War situation. Whatever war hawks are left in Congress, they’re about to get their wings clipped on continuing to back the unending Ukraine War. Zelensky is in no position to tell Europe what’s “suicidal” when it comes to the Ukraine War. Trump knows that restoring workable, pragmatic diplomatic relations with the Kremlin is good for all. European leader see firsthand Zelensky’s desperation now that Trump has won office.
Unlike Biden, who was too old to conduct normal U.S. diplomacy, Trump will take charge and Europe will follow his plan for ending the Ukraine conflict and restoring normal diplomatic relations with the Kremlin. “We need sufficient weapons, not support in talks. Hugs with Putin won’t help. Some of you have been hugging him for 20 years and things are only getting worse,” Zelensky said, know what’s getting worse is the Ukraine War. Zelensky’s fight with the Kremlin has lost some 25% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory and destroyed Ukraine infrastructure and economy. Trump knows that war is not the answer in Ukraine. Why Biden went along with Zelensky’s madness to take on the Kremlin is anyone’s guess? Things are about to change quickly with Trump at the helm.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of Onlinecolumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Cha
