LOS ANGELES.–Ukraine’s 47-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky demands that President Donald Trump do something to stop the onslaught of Russian drones and missiles raining down all over Ukraine. Well, Trump was an inch away from a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin when Zelensky rejected Trump’s overtures claiming he favored Russia in any peace deal. Zelensky denounced Trump at the Munich Security Conference, telling delegates he didn’t care about European security, all because he stopped funding former President Joe Biden’s proxy war with the Kremlin. So, Zelensky pitted the European Union against the United States, telling the EU that Trump was selling Ukraine down the river. Trump was within 90% of a ceasefire and peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin until Zelensky sabotaged it, complaining about giving in to Putin.
Zelensky finds himself in quicksand over his own making, starting the war with the Kremlin Feb. 24, 2022, instead of finding a diplomatic solution. Putin invaded Ukraine to send a loud message to Biden that he could not arm Ukraine to the teeth against Kremlin objections without consequences. Biden rejected all of Putin’s overtures to discuss new security arrangements for Ukraine, instead continued arming Ukraine to battle the Kremlin. Putin viewed the war in Ukraine as one between Washington and Moscow, not primarily with Ukraine. Trump changed everything when he came to office, ending the proxy war with the intent of restoring normal diplomatic relations with the Kremlin. After five months in office, Putin now considers that U.S. a strategic global partner again. Biden turned Russia into a mortal enemy, something Trump vowed to fix when he came to power.
Zelensky has no one to blame but himself and the European Union, who joined him to sabotage all of Trump’s painstaking peacemaking work. Zelensky had a golden opportunity with Trump to end the destructive war that’s cost Ukraine thousands of civilians and soldiers, exiled millions, destroyed the country’s infrastructure and lost 20-25% of its best sovereign land. All Zelensky had to do to end the war and rebuild his country was follow Trump. But no Zelensky ran to the envious European Union who was easily seduced into sabotaging Trump peace plans. EU officials led by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer all agreed with Zelensky that Trump was giving away too much of Ukraine’s sovereign land to get a peace deal. So, no Zelensky is left watching his country destroyed before his eyes.
Talking from desperation, Zelensky takes no responsibility pretending he doesn’t have to negotiate and compromise to end the war. Zelensky went around Trump to the EU without any gurantees that he’ll get a far worse deal that Trump would have got him to end the war. EU officials deliberately competed with Trump out of pure ego, all because French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.K. Prime Minister wanted to feel included in the peace process. But they gave Zelensky the wrong impression that they could get a better ceasefire and peace deal than Trump. Brussels has a far worse relationship with Putin than Trump, giving the U.S. president more leverage with any final settlement. Zelensky refuses to admit to the Ukrainian people that he lost the Ukraine War, sacrificing more Ukrainian lives and sovereign territory.
Zelensky now desperately pleads and demand that America to something more to stop Putin’s onslaught on Ukraine. “It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action,” Zelensky said in a statement. Zelensky wants the EU and U.S. to slap the Kremlin with more economic sanctions. Trump has been reluctant to join the EU sanctions knowing it works against his peace overtures to Putin. Zelensky has painted himself into a corner rejecting any peace deal that involves trading land-for-peace, the only practical way to end the war. So, instead of ending the war, Zelensky opted to hide behind a defensive EU that buys his narrative that Putin seeks to takeover more European territories, especially former Soviet satellites. Brussels has no facts to support their accusation of Putin seeking more EU territory.
Zelensky finds himself in a desperate state demanding more sanctions from the U.S. and EU against the Kremlin. “Action from America, which has the power to force Russia into peace,” Zelensky said. “Action from Europe, which has no alternative but to be strong. Action from others around the world who called for diplomacy and an end to the war—and whom Russia has ignored. There must be strong pressure for the sake of peace,” Zelensky said, ignoring his rejection of Trump’s peace talks. Why should the U.S. take any action to punish Russia when Zelensky is the one who rejected Trump’s peace plans? Zelensky rejects any peace plan that calls for Ukraine to trade land-for-peace, something called for by numerous countries urging negotiation and compromise on both sides. Zelensly only wants peace on his terms. But he continues to gaslight the U.S. and EU.
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.