LOS ANGELES (OC).–Begging 79-year-old President Donald Trump for more patriot missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin struck Ukraine with 550 missiles and drones, the biggest attack in over three years of war. Trump finds himself in a real dilemma knowing that any help he gives Ukraine undermines his attempt to normalize diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation. Trump said last week he was pausing weapons to Ukraine large due to depleted U.S. stockpiles, something questioned in Congress. Zelensky still has many fans, both Republican and Democrat, in Congress who agreed with former President Joe Biden’s proxy war strategy against the Kremlin. Trump came to office wanting to change the policy, renew confidence with the Russian Federation and restore normal diplomatic relations with the Kremlin.
Whatever the horror of war in Kiev with Russia, Trump gave Zelensky every opportunity to make peace, something he rejected, looking for backing by the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer have all undermined Trump efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine. Trump sent in personal envoy to the Kremlin four times to speak directly with Putin to understand the conditions for peace talks. “Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kiev. One of the worst so far. Hundreds of Russian drones and ballistic missiles rained down on the Ukrainian capital, right after Putin spoke with President Trump,” said Urainian Foreign Minister Adril Sybiha. Ukrainian officials are heaping pressure on Trump to supply Ukraine more cash-and-weapons when it would undermine U.S.-Russian relations.
Zelensky doesn’t respect or care about the long history between the U.S. and Russia since the end of WW II. Every American president except Biden tried to develop cooperative, pragmatic relations, with Biden turning Russia into a mortal enemy. Zelensky blames Trump for pursuing normal diplomatic relations with his mortal enemy, driving Zelensky to seek a better peace deal with the European Union. EU officials have little clout with Putin, recently slapping the Kremlin with more economic sanctions. Zelensky has put pressure on Trump to implement his own sanctions, given Putin all out assault on Ukraine. “I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin., because I don’t think he’s there,” Trump said. “I’m just saying I don’t think he’s looking to stop, and that’s too bad,” Trump said, knowing resistance to peace put up by Zelensky.
Putin’s attitude toward the war is that he will continue to press the fight until there are concrete steps by Zelensky to show he’s serious about peace. Zelensky called Putin’s recent peace proposals delivered in Istanbul “blackmail,” rejecting any suggestion that he would trade land-for-peace. Trump has told Zelensky he doesn’t have the cards to call the shots in any peace proposal, encouraging Zelensky to run to the European Union to oppose Trump’s peace plans. So, Putin reigns down more drones and missiles on Kiev to remind Zelensky that if he wished to continue the war, Russia will oblige him. Zelensky keeps telling Trump that Putin’s recent strikes on Kiev prove that he doesn’t take the peace process seriously. Zelensky hopes he can turn Trump away from Putin, to, once again, restore Ukraine’s military shipments to Kiev. Trump must not fall for Zelensky’s bait.
Zelensky had every opportunity to end the war by following Trump but chose, instead, to run to the EU thinking he would get a better deal. EU officials have told Putin that if wishes to end the Ukraine War he needs to pull out his forces from Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula. Putin finds the EU peace plans laughable, realizing after three years of war he’s not going to pull out of anything. Zelensky thinks with EU backing he can demand that Putin pull all his forces out of Ukraine. All the EU has done is delay the possibility of a peace deal Trump was within 90% of deal. But with Zelensky accusing Trump of selling Ukraine down the river, there’s little at this point for Trump to do. Kremlin aide Uri Ushanov said Putin and Trump were “on the same page” with their sixth phone call. Trump said he can’t get Putin to act unilaterally without Zelensky agreeing to a peace plan.
Trump has some tough decisions to make about whether to release Patriot cruise missiles to Ukraine, knowing the consequences to U.S.-Russian relations. Recent attacks show that Putin still believes that as long as there’s no formal peace agreement, he has no choice but to keep the intensity of attacks. Trump has a hard time explaining to Putin why he would supply Ukraine with any advanced weapons at this point. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would try to pick up the slack coming from the U.S. to Ukraine. Better for Merz to send arms to Ukraine than the U.S. Brussels has replaced the U.S. and the enemy of Russia, with EU officials promising Ukraine more cash-and-arms. If Trump gives Zelensky what he wants, it would kill any attempt to reset U.S. Russian relations. Russian went into Ukraine to demilitarize the country from U.S. arms shipments.
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.
