What do we have here, President Zelensky? A little election interference perhaps?
That is what it sounds like. Zelensky gave an interview to The Guardian, a left-leaning U.K. publication, in which he opined about the possibility of former President Trump winning the presidential election and returning to the White House. Zelensky isn't looking forward to that outcome in November.
Zelensky doesn't want to see an end to his sweet, sweet gravy train. As of May 2024, the Biden administration has handed out $175B in aid to Ukraine since its war against Putin's invasion began.
Since the war began, the U.S. Congress has voted through five bills that have provided Ukraine with ongoing aid, doing so most recently in April 2024. The total budget authority under these bills—the “headline” figure often cited by news media—is $175 billion. The historic sums are helping a broad set of Ukrainian people and institutions, including refugees, law enforcement, and independent radio broadcasters, though most of the aid has been military-related. Dozens of other countries, including most members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), are also providing large aid packages to Ukraine.
Former President Trump has made it clear that he wants to see the war come to an end. He wants to stop the flow of billions of American taxpayer dollars to a corrupt Ukraine which does not provide a complete accounting of where the dollars are going and how the money is being spent. Trump said he could quickly end the war.
Donald Trump risks being a “loser president” if he wins November’s election and imposes a bad peace deal on Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said, saying it would mean the end of the US as a global “player”.
If Trump beats Joe Biden, he is widely expected to cut off US military support to Ukraine. Last year Trump boasted he could end the war in “24 hours”.
Trump’s aides have previously sketched out a possible plan that would involve giving Ukraine’s eastern regions to Russia, as well as Crimea. But Zelenskiy made clear that “Ukrainians would not put up with that”. Nor would they accept a Russian “ultimatum” that forced Ukraine to abandon integration with Europe and future membership of Nato, he said.
After spouting off about weakening America on the world stage and Trump looking like a loser, Zelensky admitted that his doomsday scenario isn't likely to happen.
Zelenskiy acknowledged that a re-elected Trump could, if he really wanted to, impose a crushing military defeat on Ukraine. He could cut off “support, weapons and money”, and even “make deals” with Kyiv’s partners so they stop deliveries of vital arms.
“Ukraine, barehanded, without weapons, will not be able to fight a multimillion [Russian] army,” Zelenskiy told the Guardian.
Speaking inside his presidential headquarters, he said he thought this scenario was unlikely. But he said if it happened there would be grave consequences for the US’s standing in the world – as well as for Trump personally. “Does he want to become a loser president? Do you understand what can happen?” Zelenskiy said.
Americans have grown tired of funding the war. Trump voices an opinion that reflects that. There is no indication, though, that he would immediately cut off financial aid and munitions to Ukraine. He's a dealmaker. Allowing him to work on ending the war might not be a bad idea. The re-election of Joe Biden guarantees an endless flow of American financial and military equipment support. Biden is a compromised president. That includes Ukraine, a country where its biggest energy company put Hunter Biden on its board. However, he had no energy experience or special knowledge of Ukraine and paid him handsomely. The Biden family is corrupt. It sells access to Joe Biden.
Zelensky said that the United States would no longer be the world's leader.
Zelenskiy continued: “This is not about him [Trump], as a person but about the institutions of the United States. They will become very weak. The US will not be the leader of the world any more. Yes, it will be powerful, first of all, in the domestic economy because it has a powerful economy without a doubt. But in terms of international influence it will be equal to zero.”
Realising that Washington was no longer “a player”, other mostly authoritarian countries and leaders would “come into the arena” and emulate Putin’s aggressive “approach”, Zelenskiy suggested.
And this would ultimately end in global disaster: “The beginning of what everyone is so afraid to talk about. This is reality. And this is the real third world war.”
Interesting theory you have there, Zelensky.
Former President Trump's first impeachment revolved around a phone call to Ukraine. Biden reluctantly entered the war, leading from behind, following other NATO countries and their responses. Biden said "a little incursion" would be acceptable by Russia into Ukraine. We can also point out that during the Obama-Biden administration, Russia annexed Crimea. Biden was supposed to be Obama's point man for Ukraine.
Zelensky used former Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a go-between with Trump. He said he thinks Johnson and Trump have spoken about the war. “I think he tried, and I think he spoke to him. I think so, yes, as far as I know. I am sorry that I am using Boris as an instrument.”
Someone should gift Zelensky with a Dale Carnegie book. His pleas for help could use some work.
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