I wonder how the USA & Trump can support the rogue state of Russia, which three years ago attacked Ukraine, resulting in the loss of 700,000 Russian soldiers and 300,000 Ukrainian soldiers, who are now dead. This is incomprehensible to us in Denmark, who have supported the USA since 1945. I am attaching an article from today:
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky was, from the beginning, a strange fantasy.
A distant dream of close relations between Kyiv and Washington, which no longer exist.
But it is not only Trump who is pulling Ukraine away from the USA. After the meeting, it became clear that another factor is also at play.
The shocking images from the Oval Office are spreading worldwide.
Never has a meeting gone so wrong—at the absolute most critical time for President Zelensky.
It actually started quite peacefully, and it seemed like it would be a relatively calm meeting between the two presidents.
But one must also acknowledge that from the beginning, it was an odd setup.
Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, the USA has moved away from Kyiv and closer to Moscow—while the US president has criticized Zelensky and praised Putin.
It has been described as a complete departure from the Western, rule-based world order, where the USA and Europe have stood together against the world's autocracies.
Not anymore.
We already saw this when the USA recently voted alongside Russia at the UN.
We know that Trump believes NATO also bears some of the blame for Russian aggression. And we read Trump’s post on the social media platform Truth, where he called Zelensky a dictator.
So what was really expected from this mysterious meeting between Trump and Zelensky, where they were supposed to sign an agreement on Ukraine’s minerals—without American security guarantees?
Zelensky’s hope, of course, was that any agreement with the USA was a good idea; perhaps, at the very least, it could provide a false sense of security that friends across the Atlantic were still there.
They are not.
Donald Trump seemed pleased that the controversial meeting was broadcasted from the Oval Office.
Trump sees Zelensky as a Biden ally.
That is what became clear after today’s meeting, where Trump and J.D. Vance labeled Zelensky an ungrateful president who does not respect the USA.
This is about many things. It is everything from old baggage:
Trump appears to have been influenced into believing that NATO bears part of the blame for Putin’s war.
That the Russians were backed into a corner when the transatlantic alliance floated the idea of Ukrainian membership in the late 2000s.Trump’s infamous phone call to Zelensky, where he sought dirt on Biden before the 2020 presidential election.
This led to Trump’s first impeachment trial.Zelensky’s close ties with the Biden administration.
Let’s focus on the last point.
Vice President Vance also used this point during the catastrophic visit to the Oval Office.
It is clear that Trump and Vance are furious over Zelensky’s visit to a weapons factory during the election campaign last fall in the swing state of Pennsylvania.
This has become a significant problem for Zelensky, as Trump and Vance see him as an ally of the previous administration and the Democrats, especially since the Biden administration poured so much money into the war.
And Trump and Vance are in the process of changing everything in Washington, which also means that relations with Ukraine are being severed.
J.D. Vance plays a key role in the Ukraine issue in the USA.
We already saw this at the Munich Security Conference, where the US vice president shook European allies.
Vance has long held anti-Ukrainian views and has been a strong critic of US involvement in the war.
"I actually don’t care what happens in Ukraine," Vance said in 2022.
It is understandable that many in Denmark are puzzled by the USA’s current stance on Russia and Ukraine,
especially in light of Denmark’s longstanding support for the USA since 1945.
The recent developments in US-Ukraine relations have been marked by tensions and shifts in diplomatic ties.
Recently, a heated meeting took place at the White House between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During the meeting, a public dispute arose between the two leaders regarding the war with Russia,
leaving Ukraine in a vulnerable position.
Trump criticized Zelensky for a lack of respect and threatened to withdraw US support,
while Zelensky insisted on no compromises with Russia.
As a result, Zelensky left the meeting early without signing an important agreement on natural resources.
(Quote from REUTERS.COM)
Furthermore, Trump has publicly called Zelensky a "dictator" and accused him of not holding elections, further worsening relations between the two nations.
This statement came after a meeting between the US and Russian foreign ministers, where Ukraine was not represented.
(Quote from AVISEN.DK)
Trump has also threatened Russia with sanctions if President Vladimir Putin does not engage in negotiations for a peace deal with Ukraine. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that he does not want to harm Russia but that the war must end.
(Quote from UPDAY.COM)
These actions and statements indicate a significant shift in US foreign policy under Trump’s administration,
raising concerns among European allies and prompting questions about the USA’s commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Best regards,
Leif Tullberg
64 years in Danish business
51 years in Venstre (Liberal Party of Denmark)
