LOS ANGELES.–Visiting 46-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since becoming NATO Secretary-General Oct. 1, 55-year-old former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte pledged his support to Ukraine but offered nothing new. Zelensky has complained about the U.S. and NATO not fulfilling commitments for advanced weapon systems, especially long-rage missiles, claiming 71-year-old President Vladimir Putin was making gains in securing more territory in Ukraine’s besieged Donbas region. Zelensky opted for war against the Kremlin Feb. 24, 2022 when Putin moved 200,000 Russian troops across the Ukraine border to stop the influx of U.S. and NATO weapons pouring into the country. Zelensky had been asking 65-year-old former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for fast-track membership. Zelensky never received NATO membership or any future timetable.
Rutte visits Kiev at a precarious time for Zelensky already facing criticism at home for the protracted war that has no end in sight and continues to kill Ukrainian troops at alarming rates, leaving conscription difficult with many young Ukrainians fleeing the country. Zelensky had a choice in March 2022 to settle the conflict with Putin to agree to no NATO membership, accept independence of Donetsk and Luhansk and Russia sovereignty over Crimea. Zelensky rejected Putin’s offer and went to war with 81-year-old President Joe Biden being his chief benefactor with NATO following suit with less commitment. “It is my priority and my privilege to take this support forward . . . working with you to ensure Ukraine prevails,” Rutte said, knowing there’s only so much NATO can do without dragging itself in Ukraine war with the Kremlin, something NATO doesn’t want.
Zelensky admitted to Rutte that without U.S. and NATO support Ukraine could not win the war with Russia. But it’s questionable that with all the U.S. and NATO cash-and-arms Ukraine can prevail at all, with its armed forces already beleaguered from nearly three years of a grinding, bloody conflict. Zelensky worries that if 78-year-old President Donald Trump wins the White House Nov. 5, the jig is up. Trump won’t give him a blank check like Biden and will work with Putin to move the conflict to the peace table. Zelensky depends 100% on U.S. government largess to pay for his bankrupt Kiev government, unable to pay civil servants without U.S. cash. He says he’s frustrated because he wants Biden’s permission to start using U.S. long-range missiles to drive deep inside Russia. Zelensky knows this could spread the conflict to the U.S. and Europe.
Zelensky told Rutte that delays in getting U.S. and NATO weapons sets Ukraine back on the battlefield where Russia continues to make gains in Donbas. “We need sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, including long-rage weapons, that in my opinion, our partners are already dragging out,” Zelensky said, blaming it for a lack of battlefield progress. “We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones,” Zelensky said, asking Rutte to have NATO partners engage the Russian military by shooting down its weapons. Rutte has no love lost for Russia when he was prime minister he watched a Russian missile shoot down Malaysian Flight MH17 in 2014 killing all 238 passengers and crew. “For their security and ours,” Rutte supports Ukraine. Rutte has his hands tied about giving Zelensky the green light to start attacking Russian military facilities. Zelensky know all bets are off on U.S. funding if Trump gets elected.
Zelensky should want to end the war at the earliest possible time but, for some reason, he wants commitments from Biden and Harris to continue the fight indefinitely. You’d think he’d welcome peace efforts by Trump to end the conflict. At his Sept. 10 debate with fake news ABC, moderator David Muir asked Trump if he wanted Ukraine to win. If that’s not a Democrat talking point then what is? Trump told Muir he wanted to end the bloodshed on both sides, saying that Ukraine’s death toll has been grossly underestimated. Asking Trump if he wanted Ukraine to win get to heart of how the fake news works night-and-day to get Kamala elected. But what vested interest does the fake news have in keeping the war going? You’d think everyone would want the carnage and bloodshed to stop. But Zelensky shows no interest in peace, rejecting a recent China-Brazil peace plan.
NATO’s new Secretary-General Mark Rutte can give Zelensky only moral support, knowing that any decision about allowing Zelensky to fire U.S., U.K. or NATO weapons into Russia would come from the White House. Zelensky only prays that Trump loses the election so, for purely selfish reasons, he can keep the war—and the cash-and-arms—going indefinitely. You’d think after nearly three years of war Zelensky would have smartened up that he’s not going beat the Russian Federation. Only Zelensky and Biden have pushed the idea of winning the war. All other countries urge Biden and Zelensky to move the conflict to the peace table where a ceasefire and settlement can be reached. If Trump wins the election, he’ll know exactly what to do to settle the conflict with compromises required on both sides. Trump won’t stand for Zelensky refusing to negotiate.
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.
