LOS ANGELES.–When 46-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed 66-year-old German Chancellor Olaf Schoz for a phone call with 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin, it showed the madness of the current Ukraine War, pitting the European Union against the Russian Federation. Putin has done nothing pernicious to the EU since invading Ukraine Feb. 24, 2024 in response to Ukraine receiving unlimited cash-and-arms from 82-year-old President Joe Biden. EU officials were sucked into Biden’s conflict, all because he refused to talk with Putin about new security arrangements for Ukraine. Since the Feb. 22, 2014 CIA-backed Maiden Revolution, Biden has armed Ukraine after Putin annexed the Crimean Peninsula March 1, 2014. Putin said the CIA operation threatened his Sevastopol, Crimea Black Sea naval base once pro-Western rebels ousted Kremlin-backed Viktor Yanukovych.
Whatever border dispute Russia has with Ukraine, it’s not the EU’s fault but a war created Feb. 24, 2020 all because Putin found Biden’s actions of arming Ukraine unacceptable. What would the EU do if the country on its border was arming for an invasion? Putin responded to the threat to Russian national security because Biden kept provoking the Kremlin. Putin announced before the invasion if Biden wouldn’t discuss new security arrangements in Ukraine, he would take a “special military operation” to “demilitarize” and “de-Nazify” Ukraine. Putin received much criticism for his term “de-Nazify” because Zelensky happens to be Jewish, trying to make fun of Putin’s analysis. But Putin recalls the history of Ukraine joining the Nazis in WW II to round up Jews and fight the Soviet Union. So, it’s really not that farfetched for Putin to see Ukrainians as the aggressor.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said it was a strategic mistake for Scholz to speak to Putin on whatever subject. Tsahkna thinks that all Europeans must speak with the same voice to isolate Putin, not giving the Kremlin mixed messages. “It was a strategic mistake,” Tsahkna said. “We have had a principle agree that we keep Putin in isolation,” acting like Scholz isn’t at liberty to openly talk with anyone he sees fit, including Putin. “It just weakened out unity and our positions,” Tsahkna said, showing the kind of weakness inside the EU because of 78-year-old President Donald Trump’s Nov. 5 landslide election. Tsahkna can’t tell Scholz or any other leader with whom to speak, even if he has an ax to grind with Putin. Baltic States, once former Soviet satellites, are especially worried about Putin seeking to takeover their independent democratic governments.
Scholz tried to open the doors to communication with Putin to let him know that Germany wants the Ukraine War to end, letting Putin know that he wished he’d consider deescalating the conflict before a ceasefire and peace talks could take place. Scholz did nothing to weaken EU unity he opened up a line of communication to inform Putin about Germany’s intent to end the war and return to normal business and diplomatic relations with the Kremlin. Zelensky said Scholz “opened up Pandora’s Box” that makes isolating Russia more difficult. Scholz understands better than Zelensky that Putin isn’t isolated at all in China, India, Brazil, South Africa, North Korea, Iran and several other countries that back the Russian position on Ukraine. Putin doesn’t want Zelensky joining NATO, knowing that it could lead to WW III with Russia against EU countries.
Scholz communicated to Putin that EU resolve to recognize Ukraine’s independence has not wavered. Putin doesn’t want to undermine EU resolve for Ukraine, he wants the EU to understand the Russian position on battling the Western Alliance. Scholz told Putin that he hoped Russia would compromise on controlling so much Ukrainian territory, a hard-fought battle with Ukraine causing hundreds-of-thousands of Russian casualties. Whatever any future peace deal, Scholz is in no position to second guess what Trump would find acceptable in any peace settlement. Scholz still takes Ukraine’s side that Russia should pull its forces from Ukraine. But Scholz knows that since the Feb. 22, 2014 Maiden Revolution, Russia had troops in Crimea and the Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine. Scholz agrees with Trump that something urgent must be done to end the war.
Zelensky has showed no inclination toward peace, rejecting all peace proposals to end the war by trading land for peace. Zelensky knows that Russia was in Crimea and Donbas before the Feb. 24 invasion but wants to move the goal posts for any peace settlement. If Trump withdraws U.S. funding for the war, the EU will quickly follow suit, knowing that they can’t go it alone battling the Kremlin without the U.S. Trump recognized that Biden and Zelensky lost the war with Putin a long time ago and now must save face because of a failed policy. Trump wants to promote peace and prosperity in the U.S. and EU, not the continued uncertainty of a war that could, at any time, morph into WW III or nuclear war. Zelensky doesn’t take the risks to the EU and U.S. seriously since he’s the one making the most sacrifices. But instead of EU resolve to support Zelensky, how about EU resolve to find a political settlement? Zelensky cannot win the war and everyone knows it.
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.
