LOS ANGELES.–President Donald Trump chief Ukraine envoy, Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, announced that the U.S. would no longer share intel on Russian defense movement in Ukraine, already announcing March 2 that Trump would pause military and financial aid to Ukraine. Kellogg said the Ukraine brought White House actions on itself by its deplorable Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting where Zelensky engaged Trump and 40-year-old Vice President J.D. Vance in a shouting match. Zelensky came to the White House to sign a rare earth minerals deal that would have the U.S. committed in a joint-business venture for the foreseeable future. Zelensky treated Trump like an enemy of Ukraine after receiving upwards of $300 billion in U.S. military and civilian aid. Zelensky saw red with Trump made clear that he was restoring normal U.S.-Russian relations. Zelensky thought the U.S. was his ally.
Zelensky can’t reconcile how Trump can make peace with Russia and the same time promote a fair peace deal without catering the 72-year-old President Vladimir Putin. Since Zelensky’s falling out with Trump, certain members of the EU, like European Commission President Usula von der Leyen have become more belligerent toward Putin. Whether it’s all one big bluff to show support to Zelensky is anyone’s guess. But von der Leyen called Putin “a clear and president danger” to Europe, a provocative claim not intended to help the peace process. Von der Leyen followed another war-like speech from 47-year-old French President Emmanuel Macron, trying shore up support after his no confidence vote in the French parliament. Whatever the reasons, the EU should be backing Trump’s efforts to find an acceptable deal for both Russia and Ukraine.
Kellogg said the Ukraine brought the whole mess on themselves in their big to win favor with the European Union. Kellogg wasn’t aware of Zelensky’s attempt to split the EU away from the U.S., getting its leaders to back Ukraine, blaming Trump for reversing the Biden policy of supporting proxy war. EU officials haven’t turned the corner, realizing that all the Biden White House propaganda about Putin was designed to justify the war. Biden said repeatedly the war was “unprovoked and unjustified,” something that of course wasn’t true. No one in Washington or Brussels wants to admit that arming Ukraine to the teeth on the Russian border was a provocative threat the Russian Federation. So, when it comes to Macron and von der Leyen they only blame Putin for threatening Europe. Where’s any two-sided understanding of the Ukraine conflict?
Kellogg said the pause in intel was designed to get Zelensky to stop his relentless attacks on the U.S. to the EU. Macron and von der Leyen act like Europe has been directly attacked by the Russian Federation. Both know that Ukraine was never part of Europe until the current Kiev government decided it wanted in 2014 to be part of the Western Alliance. Putin has said that NATO membership was a red line for the Kremlin. Ever since Putin annexed Crimea March 1, 2014, Putin has become the enemy of the U.S. and EU. Ukraine had no status in Europe at all before the CIA-backed Oct. 22, 2014 Maiden Revolution toppled the Kremlin-backed Kiev government of Viktor Yanukovych. Before that, Ukraine was looked at as a former Soviet satellite, seeing independence after the 1991 end to the Soviet Union. But certainly Ukraine was not considered part of Europe.
Trump has a much bigger job because of Zelensky’s attempt to pit the EU against the White House. Kellogg’s announcement about withholding intel from Ukraine’s StarLink satellite space surveillance infuriates Zelensky and the EU. “The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose. You got their attention,” Kellogg said, but further antagonizing U.S.-EU relations. Some members of the EU see it as their sacred honor to defend Ukraine against what they see as U.S. bullying. Kellogg said he hopes the “transactional diplomacy approach” would have some impact on pushing Russia to the peace table. When Kellogg talks about “transactional diplomacy” he’s talking about new sanctions if Russia refuses to join the peace process. Putin doesn’t need to hear any idle threats from the U.S. to engage in peace talks.
Zelensky still thinks he can change to outcome of peace talks by using the EU as leverage. But because the EU has such a hostile relationship to the Kremlin, they have very little clout with Putin when it comes to a peace deal. Any peace deal in Ukraine is better than no deal at all that would continue the carnage and destruction. How much more sovereign land does Zelensky want to lose continuing to battle the Kremlin? Trump tried to tell Zelensky Feb. 28 that he doesn’t hold any cards with Putin. Trump’s analysis clearly shows that Zelensky lost his three years war with the Kremlin. He sees no other path for Ukraine that cutting its losses and moving on to reconstructing the country. Kellogg wants to be helpful but threatening either Ukraine or Russia is counterproductive at this point. Both parties have minimum requirements to nail down any peace deal.
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 Charisma.
