From the Hill / Yahoo!News:
"Opinion - Trump’s jarring disconnect on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s talking points on ending the war in Ukraine are alarmingly being parroted by President Trump. It is clear from his interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns that he is buying into the Russian narrative.
Asked who has the stronger negotiating position, he answered “It’s Russia.” Pressed on whether Ukraine should hold elections — constitutionally prohibited during states of emergencies or martial law — Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of “using war to not hold an election.”
That played into Putin’s false narrative that Zelensky is not a legitimate president and bolsters his goal of toppling him one way or another.
It is not useful for Trump to validate Kremlin positions, nor to remind us all again that this is not his war — “It wouldn’t have happened if I were president.”
It is his war now and has been for more than 10 months. On his watch, Russia has taken over 356,000 casualties, while record numbers of drones and ballistic missiles rain down upon Ukrainian cities and critical energy infrastructure. On Saturday, there were 704 missiles and drones in all. Ukraine successfully intercepted 87 percent of them, but 13 percent found their targets.
The killing will not stop until Russia stops attacking. Team Trump inexplicably fails to grasp this simple reality.
The man known for ‘the art of the deal’ is chasing ‘economic opportunities’ at the expense of Ukraine and NATO. The strategy is to make money, not war. Trump is overly invested in a single instrument of national power — economic.
Noticeably absent from his negotiations — his military advisors, the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. Also absent are senior intelligence analysts from the CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency, and career diplomats.
Instead of pressuring the Kremlin to stop attacking Ukraine, Trump Special Envoy Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner offer ill-advised incentive packages to keep Russian President Vladimir Putin at the negotiation table.
Meanwhile, Trump keeps pressuring Zelensky to accept the 28-point peace deal authored by Kirill Dmitriev — Putin’s handpicked negotiator.
As the saying goes, “‘Want it bad, get it bad.” Trump wants it badly, and is he pressuring Zelensky to take a bad deal. But the one-point Zelensky absolutely refuses to compromise on — his red line – is ceding the Donbas to Russia.
Zelensky stated Ukraine would not make territorial concessions to Russia, adding, “Under our laws, under international law, and under moral law, we have no right to give anything away. That is what we are fighting for.”
According to Newsweek, Trump has issued a new deadline for Zelensky, giving the Ukrainian president “just days to decide whether to accept the U.S. plan,” which requires Ukraine to cede territory to Russia in exchange for unspecified security guarantees.
What part of Ukraine’s “no” did Trump not understand?
Militarily, Zelensky understands the strategic importance of the region. The pathway to Kyiv and Odesa runs through the Donbas, and together with Russian demands for a smaller standing Ukrainian military, restrictions on munitions and weapon systems, and denying NATO forces to be stationed in Ukraine, sets the conditions for another invasion. Ukraine is mindful of what happened to Chechnya in the 1990s and is determined to not let history repeat itself at their expense.
Zelensky needs binding security guarantees codified in a treaty, not another Budapest Memorandum. He knows that the only security guarantee the Kremlin will honor — one that will prevent another invasion — is the physical presence of NATO troops in Ukraine.
Putin may talk of war with NATO, but he knows the consequences. It is not a line he is prepared to cross.
There was a time when Trump supported Ukrainian sovereignty. Specifically, when he signed Public Law 115–44 into law on Aug. 2, 2017. Section 257 of the law, entitled Ukrainian Energy Security, states that it is the policy of the U.S. to “to support the Government of Ukraine in restoring its sovereign and territorial integrity; to condemn and oppose all of the destabilizing efforts by the Government of the Russian Federation in Ukraine in violation of its obligations and international commitments; to never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Government of the Russian Federation or the separation of any portion of Ukrainian territory through the use of military force; and to deter the Government of the Russian Federation from further destabilizing and invading Ukraine.”
That was then. Trump 45 and Trump 47 no longer share the same vision.
Trump 47 is out of sync with the American public and Congress as well. According to a 2025 Reagan National Defense Survey, the “majority of Americans — 62 percent, say they want Ukraine to prevail in the war with Russia.” Sixty-four percent support sending U.S. weapons to Ukraine, and 70 percent do not trust Russia to honor any peace agreement with Ukraine.
Forty-five percent support “backing Ukraine’s defense of its full territorial sovereignty until all Russian-occupied territory is liberated.” Just 23 percent support Ukraine ceding territory for peace and security guarantees. Yet Trump presses on.
The same survey reported that 68 percent of Americans support NATO, an alliance the Trump administration is increasingly pulling away from. On Sunday, Congressional leaders released the text of their 2026 National Defense Authorization Act that keeps the White House in check concerning continued support to NATO and funding for Ukraine...
As Europe comes to grips with the release of the Trump Administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy, they realize the security of Ukraine and Europe is increasingly their problem. And much to Trump’s dissatisfaction – they choose to stand with Zelensky.
Meanwhile, the U.S. increasingly stands alone."
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