LOS ANGELES (OC).–President Donald Trump continues to work on Ukraine War peace despite Democrats and fhe fake news saying Trump couldn’t deliver on his promise to end the war in 24 hours. Well that hasn’t stopped Trump from forging a peace deal in Gaza and now turning his attention back to Russian President Vladimir Putin. After meeting with Putin Aug. 15 in Anchorage, Alaska, Democrats and the fake news slammed Trump for not getting a peace deal, despite the fact that his meeting with Putin demonstrated high-end global diplomacy. Former President Joe Biden only made war with the Kremlin, barely ever met or talked with Putin during his four years in office. Yet Democrats and the fake new spare no indulgence to slam Trump, despite all the obstacles thrown in his path. Ukraine’s President Voldymyr Zelenensky was the biggest obstacle of all to peace.
Meeting with Zelensky at the White House tomorrow, Zelensky will tell Trump he needs Tomahawk Cruise Missiles with a range of 1,000 miles to bring Putin to the peace table. But Zelensky has showed no interest in peace, insisting he would not in any long-term settlement cede sovereign land to Putin. Zelensky has lost the land in three-and-a-half years of war but has not intent of surrendering it in any peace deal. Zelensky’s approach to peacemaking tells Putin it’s his way or the highway, something that doesn’t play well with the victor in over three-and-a-half years of war. Putin has seized nearly 25% of Ukraine best sovereign territory, all because Zelensky refused to negotiate when Putin offered in March 2002, only weeks after the Feb. 24, 2022 start of the Ukraine War. Zelensky asks Trump for Tomahawks knowing they’d wreck U.S.-Russian relations.
Zelensky prefers to see Trump on bad terms with Putin, because that’s the way it was with Biden. Biden broke off relations with Putin, refused to discuss new security arrangements in Ukraine for months before Putin moved the Russian army into Ukraine. So, Zelensky liked when Biden gave him a blank check and unlimited arms to wage war with the Kremlin. Three-and-a-half years of war with over $300 billion given to Ukraine, Zelensky lost some 25% of Ukraine’s best sovereign territory. Trump can’t possibly believe that handing Zelensky Tomahawk Cruise missiles would make any difference in the outcome of the war. If Trump has bigger plans to end the Ukraine War, giving Tomahawk Cruise missiles would set back the peace process. Putin has already told Trump that giving Zelensky Tomahwak Crusie missiles would harm U.S.-Russian relations,
Fresh off his big victory in Gaza, Trump wants to ride the momentum, meeting with Trump in Budapest. Budapest is friendly territory for Putin and Trump, both with close relationships with Hungarian President Viktor Orban. “First, we have to get Russia done,” Trump said, telling his special peace envoy Steve Witkoff to redouble efforts.”We got get that one done. If you don’t mind, Steve, let’s focus on Russia first. All right?” Trump said. Trump knows that Zelensky already has long-term weapons supplied by the U.S. Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM, missiels and Army Tactical Missile System, AKA ATACMS, already approved for use in Ukraine. Giving Zelensky a key part of the U.S. arsenal would be a big mistake to deplete existing stockpiles. Why should Trump sacrifice his relationship with Putin because Zelensky wants Tomahawks?
Trump’s big concern meeting with Zelensky are the optics played out in the fake news. Zelensly likes to use the fake news to pressure the EU and U.S. to give him more cash-and-arms. He’s looking to Tomahawk Cruise because he thinks it will intimidate or at least provoke Putin. Zelensky would do anything to provoke Putin, knowing that Trump hold certain sway over the Russian leader where no one does in the EU. Zelensky abandoned Trump’s peace plans long ago, asking the EU to resist Trump’s efforts to get a peace deal by forcing Zelensky to trade land-for-peace. But Zelensky doesn’t want to admit to the Ukrainian people that he’s lost some 25% of Ukraine’s best sovereign territory. Zelensky fears a coup d’etat if he admits to the Ukrainian public that he’s lost sovereign land. Trump won’t give Zelensky Tomahawks because he doesn’t trust him.
Zelensky liked when Trump said he could get all his land back from the Russian Federation, not realizing Trump was facetious. Zelensky has no peace plan other than to continue fighting the Kremlin, something that could go on indefinitely. Trump told Zelensky he doesn’t have the firepower, with or without Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, to compete with the Russian Federation. Yet Zelensky is content to collect his cash from the EU and continue the war claiming he’s fighting for European democracy. Trump also isn’t keen on backing Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) legislation to slap Putin with more sanctions. Meeting Putin in Budapest in the exact right place to find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine War. If Putin agrees to pause the air war, he would put pressure on Zelensky to make the kind of concessions on land needed to end the war.
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.
