LOS ANGELES (OC).–President Donald Trump learned something again about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he’s out-for-himself, not really interested in peace only collecting more cash-and-arms from anyone willing to pay. After spending about $300 billion on the failed Ukraine War, Trump had enough of Zelensky’s gaslighting, refusing to face reality and step up to a realistic peace plan. Zelensky played the EU off Trump for nearly a year, claiming Trump does the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin. EU official don’t know what to do with the prospects of confiscating frozen Russian assets growing dimmer by the day. Opposition now comes from French President Emmanuel Macron who doesn’t want to saddle his country with endless lawsuits after taking Russian assets. Belgium Prime Minister Bart De Wever vehemently opposes confiscating Russian assets.
Zelensky doesn’t care what happens to French or EU debt from stealing cash from the some $215 billion euros held in French and Belgium banks. De Wever thinks it would set a dangerous precedent for the EU to take cash from any depositor, with EU banks holding a fiduciary duty to protect the assets. Zelensky, an some members of the EU, thinks that Russian should pay substantial reparations for the Ukraine War. Many members of the EU agree that Russia shouldn’t be rewarded by receiving Ukrainian land. But whether Zelensky likes it or not, Russia has controlled Eastern Donbas, including Donetsk and Luhansk, since the Feb. 22, 2014 Maiden Revolution when a CIA-backed coup toppled the duly elected, Kremlin backed government of Viktor Yanukovych. Putin responded to the pro-Western coup d’etat by annexing the Crimean Peninsula March 1, 2014.
Meeting in London today, flanked by his EU backers, Zelensky rejected any peace plan that involved ceding land to Putin. Russia has “no right to give anything away”—under Ukraine’s Constitution, Zelenksy told foreign journalists. Zelensky knows he hasn’t controlled Donetsk or Luhansk in over 11 years, despite saying he wouldn’t give anything away. Zelensky has nothing to give away because Putin controls about 90% of Eastern Donbas, with the Ukrainian military pushed back and losing ground. Rejecting Trump’s peace plan, the only one that makes any sense, puts Zelensky as a persona non grata at the White House. Trump knows for sure that Zelensky fights peace every inch of the way. Zelensky’s EU backers have no peace plan at all, only talk about stealing frozen Russian assets to keep the war going in the indefinite future.
Listening to Zelensky declare that he would never cede territory to the Kremlin is beyond ironic because he hasn’t controlled Eastern Donbas since before the Feb. 22, 2014 Maiden Revolution. Zelensky likes to talk tough flanked by his EU friends, when he knows that EU has served notice that they can’t fund the war too much longer. Only stealing Russian assets would work to keep the war going, something Macron now has second thoughts. So, what’s Zelensky doing rejecting Trump’s peace plans when he knows he’s going to run out of money at some point. EU officials don’t have the resources long-term to keep the war with the Kremlin going much longer. Consensus has been building in Brussels to leave frozen Russian assets alone, despite Zelensky’s pleadings. Brussels would face serious consequences for breaching their fiduciary duty.
Trump can never trust Zelensky to make a rational decision. He’s been fed false hopes by his EU partners but they all know the war must come to an end. EU officials want to resume doing business with the Kremlin, including buying cheap Russian oil and natural gas. Zelensky doesn’t care if he creates WW III on the European Continent as long as the EU foots his bill for his cash-strapped government and the war. When you look at how much destruction, carnage and loss of sovereign land have taken place over the last four years, you’d think Zelensky would jump at the opportunity for peace. But for Zelensky it’s all about the cash-and-arms he receives as a charity case. Trump could never trust Zelensky again know he says one thing to U.S. negotiators and the opposite to the EU. Zelensky continues to hold a grudge after his infamous Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting.
Trump said Zelensky “isn’t ready” to accept peace, seeking more abuse-and-punishment at the hands of the Russian Federation. Zelensky could stop the destruction-and-carnage at an instant’s notice but prefers to collect the cash from the EU. But once his cash cow runs out, Zelensky will be forced to see it Trump’s way, since the last four years haven’t gone his way. Zelensky talks about security guarantees but isn’t ready to develop the real security of peace. Trump can’t promise Zelensky NATO-like Article 5 protection, coming to the defense of Ukraine if Putin decides Zelensky has breached the peace agreement. Trump has been restoring U.S.-Russian relations to start back up arms control and global cooperation. Zelensky liked it whenBiden saw the Kremlin at the U.S. enemy. Trump sees global cooperation as essential to U.S. national security.
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.
