[guest post by Dana]
I’m adding this video here so that we can understand from the get-go that Trump, the sitting President of the United States, is either dumber than a rock or is in Putin’s back pocket. Or both! He willfully ignores that, while Russia illegally invaded a sovereign nation and continues to occupy its cities by wreaking havoc and destruction, as well as murdering Ukraine’s civilian population, Ukraine is DEFENDING ITSELF from Russia’s non-stop barrage of attacks. A sovereign nation has a right to defend itself. There is NO moral equivalency here!
FYI:
Trump’s post makes clear that he again didn’t take the opportunity to remind Putin that it was the Russian leader who started the war and it is the Russian leader that could stop the war at any time. That Putin said “he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” is laughable. Does he think we don’t know that he hasn’t stopped Russia’s nightly attacks on Ukraine’s cities and civilian populations? Trump could’ve taken the opportunity to point out that the Ukraine’s brilliant attack on Russian munitions was so precise and exact that no civilians were killed. Trump apparently had nothing to say about that either. He didn’t say, with strong resolve, that Ukraine continues to defend itself in any and every way possible against Russian attacks, and that democracies everywhere continue to support their efforts. Including the United States. It’s bizarre, too, that the president didn’t respond to Putin’s suggestion that he could be a mediator for the Iran situation. Rather, Trump gave tacit approval to the nuttery. Does Trump realize that Russia has been using Iranian drones in the attacks on Ukrainian cities? Does he realize that Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles as well? It’s pathetic and embarrassing that a sitting U.S. president refuses to stand strong against Putin and inform him that, because he has made zero effort toward peace, severe sanctions will now kick in and frozen assets will be seized and used to rebuild Ukraine. What we’ve got instead, is a president who wondered for a fleeting moment whether Putin was stringing us along. But then he reminded himself that he and Putin are buds, so back to giving the the murderous thug the benefit of the doubt, while the honorable leader fighting for his country’s survival, gets spit on. Frankly, Trump’s silence, loudly and clearly sent Putin a message of approval for his plans. Shame on Trump. This weenie of a U.S. president is beyond frustrating.
Meanwhile, here is Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg sounding like Trump, and repeating the same, old tired excuse that has been soundly and repeatedly refuted by Russia experts:
Ukraine’s drone assault on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, known as Operation Spiderweb, could escalate the war and provoke unpredictable responses from Moscow, U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said in an interview with Fox News on June 3.
. . .
“I’m telling you the risk levels are going way up,” Kellogg said. “When you attack an opponent’s part of their national survival system, which is their nuclear triad, that means your risk level goes up because you don’t know what the other side’s going to do.”
“Ukraine is basically, ‘We can play this game, too.’ And they can raise the risk level to levels that are basically, to me, they’ve got to be unacceptable,” he added.
Ukraine’s levels are unacceptable? What about Russia’s non-stop barrage of Ukraine? Can someone with true power in this administration actually push back on the true threat and danger that is Russia, just for once?
Kasparov is spot-on when it comes to assessing Putin and Trump, and today is no different:
Trump’s latest statement makes one thing very clear: he is abandoning his promises to work to end the war.
There are no more calls for peace, no more “Vladimir, stop” moments. And what Trump wrote should be taken as nothing other than “Yes, Russia will kill. And I’m not going to do anything about it.” Instead of taking a clear stance or offering a real solution, he shifts the focus—this time, toward Iran.
This is exactly what dictators like Putin see in Trump: someone who gives up easily, who changes the subject when things get complicated. They don’t see strength—they see a man who retreats when challenged. And it’s only a matter of time before other dictators, including Iran or China, realize just how morally weak Trump is—if they haven’t already.
What’s even worse is that Trump once again tries desperately to save Putin, pretending that Putin somehow has real influence over Iran and that he’s someone you can actually negotiate with. Trump acts like Putin is partially aligned with the West, as if there’s common ground to be found.
But it’s obvious that Putin’s once again, simply playing Trump like a fool—manipulating him effortlessly, like an adult dealing with a naive child full of overconfidence.
P.S.
—Dana
