As an American, I apologise to Ukraine. I am horrified by the US President and VP trying to bully the President of Ukraine. They invited him as their guest in the White House and Oval Office. They then let him be insulted for not wearing a suit and tie before double-teaming and berating him in rapid fire English in front of the press.
In true racketeering style, thinking he had made an offer to Ukraine that Zelenskyy could not refuse, Trump and his VP went ballistic when Zelenskyy had the backbone to refuse an ambiguous and high risk minerals ‘deal’, which had all the hallmarks of modern-day colonialism. I can’t imagine how such a deal would be good for Ukraine, particularly without any defence commitments attached to it. Ukraine may have brought up the topic of its rare mineral resources, but the US President took it so far as to risk Ukraine’s sovereignty. So, the two bullies ambushed Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in a last-ditch attempt to make Zelenskyy capitulate.
Leaders across Europe are standing with Zelenskyy, realizing that they can no longer depend on the US as an ally. As one commentator put it, the US has moved from having a rogue President to becoming a rogue nation. Recently calling Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’ and voting in the UN against labelling Russia the ‘aggressor’ in the war illustrates his willingness to betray Ukraine and Europe more generally. The US has flipped from one of Europe’s most trusted allies to siding with its enemy. As others put it, the US is left with no ‘soft power’, as it has been losing any moral high ground.
In the process of bullying the President of Ukraine, Trump and Vance exposed their limited knowledge of Ukraine and the brutal war on Ukraine and their animosity over their failed ‘business’ deal. In Trumpian fashion, it looks like Trump wants to normalise relations with Putin and get Ukraine to pay for it!
Trump has tried to treat Ukraine (like he treated Gaza) as a business deal rather than a major diplomatic challenge in a rules based international order. This may ring like a good business deal for Donald Trump but it is not clearly a sensible, just, or even strategically wise decision within the local and international ecosystems at stake. For the time being, the President of Ukraine has bravely stood his ground, and the world should respect his statesmanship. Stand with Ukraine.