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Only Trump’s minions pretend Zelenskyy ambush was a success [1]
['Daily Kos Staff']
Date: 2025-03-03
President Donald Trump’s decision to ambush Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday during negotiations over the Ukraine-Russia war has widely been decried as a low point for American diplomacy and a capitulation to Russia’s dreams of further regional dominance.
Democrats led the condemnation of Trump, with the party’s official social media account describing the Trump policy as “Putin first.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker noted, “President Trump’s simpering fealty to Vladimir Putin and Russia is embarrassing and dangerous.”
But unlike nearly everyone else in the world, save Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and a few other international autocrats, Trump’s inner circle thought he did an amazing job and spent the following three days trying to spin the mess.
“What we witnessed in the Oval Office today was an American President putting America first,” Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X. Johnson also touted the meltdown as evidence that “the days of America being taken advantage of and disrespected are OVER.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told reporters, “I have never been more proud of the president.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the shouting session with Trump calling for Ukrainian capitulation was proof Trump “is going to be a president that tries to achieve peace.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appeared for a friendly discussion of the issue with the administration’s allies at Fox News and claimed—falsely—that Zelenskyy was attempting to escalate hostility in the region.
“President Zelenskyy’s immediate escalation there was frankly quite a surprise, this has created a huge rift in the relationship,” she told Fox News Sunday.
An article for FoxNews.com attempted to deflect from the missteps that the relationship between former President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy was equally as contentious as the Trump debacle. The article tried to cite a 2022 report of a phone call between the two world leaders as evidence—but a private call is nothing like an open press event conducted in real time before the entire planet like the Trump event.
Meanwhile, Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz told CNN that Zelenskyy was “disrespectful” because he rejected Trump’s attempt to blame Ukraine for Russian aggression.
Trump financier Elon Musk chimed in to complain that Zelenskyy was choosing to “suffer severe loss of life for no gains,” completely ignoring the fact that it was Russia who was the primary actor in invading Ukraine.
Blaming Ukraine, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox the country has “continually denied the pragmatic reality of where their country stands today.”
As the Trump administration was pivoting away from the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine democracy and independence, the rest of the world rejected the American position.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Zelenskyy and made clear that the United Kingdom would continue to support Ukraine. Other regional leaders, like French President Emanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed their alliance with Ukraine and opposition to Russian aggression.
Russia, on the other hand, had praise for America’s act of betrayal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision.”
Democrats and most international leaders are standing alongside Ukrainian freedom and independence but Trump, his inner circle, and Putin want that to end.
Donate now to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
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