Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine were supposed to take place in Istanbul. The meeting was supposed to start the frameworks of ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. The meeting was set to take place May 16th, with Donald Trump, President Zelenskyy, and Vladimir Putin all present. Donald Trump, who promised to get a peace deal done on his first day in office, had yet to make any progress towards that promise prior to the meeting in Istanbul. Trump often boasts of his strength as a leader, speaks of how he has strong diplomatic skills, and that world leaders respect him. This was all displayed when Vladimir Putin didn’t even show up to the meeting. Here is what needs to be understood about America’s involvement in the Ukraine war, and why it is proving that Donald Trump is not only anti-Ukraine, but he is also an enabler of megalomaniacs such as Vladmir Putin.
The war between these two countries is the largest land war in Europe since World War II. But the size of this war is not what needs to be focused on. This war is proof that Putin does not value anything other than land and power, not even the life of even his own people. He is nothing but corrupt and malicious. Between 160,000-250,000 Russians have died in this war, and Russia has only gained about 10 percent of Ukraine land. To compare, about 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died because of this war. Yet many reports, and Donald Trump himself, say that Putin believes he is winning this war. Throwing away hundreds of thousands of your own people to get percentages of land is what Putin see’s winning as. That is the epitome of corruption. Additionally, Putin’s political opponents have all been either drugged, killed, jailed, or all three. This is the very type of autocracy that should disgust any American. Any self proclaimed patriot should be disgusted by the selfish, authoritarian nature of Putin and his leadership.
But so many American’s arent. When Trump was still seeking election last year, he called to end America’s support of Ukraine, saying that it was wasteful spending. Despite these claims, many European countries gave more money to Ukraine per capita. This idea gained heavy support from Americans, especially conservatives. Trump then falsely claimed that it was actually Ukraine that started the war with Russia. He called Zelenskyy “a great salesman”, undermining the fact that Ukrainian lives were being lost.Then, after a fiery meeting between Zeleskyy and Trump, the United States pulled funding to Ukraine completely. Trump’s behavior is an enabling of Putin. It is an enabling of autocracy, and anti-American.
Van Jones, a prominent political spokesperson, often refers to America as the United States of Amnesia. In this instance, he is right. Do we not remember the Red Scare in America? The reasons why we sent troops into South Korea and Vietnam? Why did we send a man to the moon? The entire Cold War? All of it was to stop the spread of “communism” (a term many people confuse with authoritarian government). America was a country founded on liberty and democracy. But you can not be pro-liberty if you only do it within the constraints of our borders. That simply makes you pro-privilege. Additionally, did we not learn that during the American Revolution, we received financial foreign aid from the French? That without that foreign help, we may not even be a nation today?
Any American who puts the flag on their pickup truck, any party that loves to display our flag everywhere, any college student who hangs the flag in their dorm, and any president who claims to be “America First”, must also support Ukraine. If they do not, then they are pro-autocracy, and as a result, anti-liberty. If reading that offends you, then look in the mirror and realize you are part of the problem.
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