Mick Ryanin analyysi ovaalista.
- USA-Ukraina -suhde on vapaapudotuksessa. mineraalidiilin epäonnistumisen jälkeen trumppia kiinnostaa rauha välittämättä enää sen hinnasta Ukrainalle
- USA asetuki saattaa päättyä. Eurooppa?
- tuen julistuksetkaan Ukrainalle eivät nyt ole turhia korulauseita, vaan osoitus trumpin tuomitsemista
- putler 'väittelyn' voittaja. myös Xi käyttää tilaisuuden lännen epäyhtenäisyydessä tavalla tai toisella
“This is going to be great television…I will say that.” This is how the American president summed up the conclusion of the most fractious meeting to have occurred in front of journalists between an American president and his foreign counterpart in the modern era. An assessment of the Oval Office ambush of President Zelenskyy.
2/ The signs earlier in the week had pointed to a more productive meeting. President Trump had rolled back his narrative about Zelenskyy being a dictator, and the minerals agreement may have seen America having an enduring interest in the security of Ukraine. All that disintegrated in an explosive, unseemly exchange between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vance.
3/ What are the immediate implications of the Oval Office brawl that will be studied for years to come?
4/ First, The Ukraine-America relationship is now in freefall. Ukraine does not have a deal with the Americans. The U.S. president’s focus on ‘peace’ over ‘advantage’ means that he is focused on peace at any price. Ukraine is not. It cannot and should not accept an unjust peace that will subject them to the predations of Russia.
5/ Second, while the Americans have been a vital aid provider for Ukraine in the past three years, that aid appears to potentially be at threat. The Europeans need to act fast to ensure that any drop off in American aid can be at least partially backfilled from the EU and other sources on the continent.
6/ Third, while it might earn the ire of the Trump administration, statements of support for Ukraine now are even more important than ever. This will provide an important test of courage for many western leaders. But it is a test they must pass. Remaining silent in the face this bullying of the Ukrainian president is not an option.
7/ Finally, the big winner in the Oval Office on Friday did not even have to participate in the fight. President Putin, whose disinformation campaign has cleared influenced the Trump administration, will continue his onslaught in Ukraine to solidify the notion only Russia can win this war. It isn’t true, but that doesn’t matter. If the Trump administration believes it, facts have no bearing.
8/ The events in the Oval Office will be amplified by Putin and his Chinese counterpart to provide further ‘evidence’ of the decline of the west. Today’s events, and those of the past few weeks, demonstrate that we are now in the midst of a full-scale geopolitical tempest that Putin and Xi are sure to exploit.
9/ Sadly, the ultimate outcome of the raucous meeting in the Oval Office is that this unnecessary war, begun by Putin and in which he has overseen large-scale rape, looting, torture, murder and destruction, will continue. Indeed, the war may intensify in the coming weeks.