The die was cast: A peace agreement was in the works between Russia, acting in concert with the United States, and Ukraine. The outlines had been framed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between American Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The talks were insular: representatives from Ukraine and the European Union were not invited. That only made sense given the assumption on which peace was to have been concluded, namely, what President Donald Trump termed a "very big deal" that would have given the United States virtually free access to Ukraine's untapped mineral resources in exchange for a "reconstruction investment fund" jointly managed by the two nations.
Essentially, this deal would recompense the United States with $500 billion in profits for the $130 billion in aid -- not $350 billion as claimed by Trump -- that it had extended to Ukraine as insurance against further Russian aggression. Repayment through the extraction of minerals would have begun immediately while American investment would have taken place later; not exactly a formula for "joint" management. Given the shift in American policy to Ukraine, moreover, belief that an economic deal will somehow stem President Vladimir Putin's imperialist ambitions is ï ? ? žnaà ï ? ?veï ? ? at best; indeed, North Korea has already agreed to send another 10,000 troops to support Russia. Worst of all, invasion's victim winds up paying to secure the invader's gains and defense against further invasion.
That Zelensky should have protested only makes sense. But that his administration lacked a "Plan B" to back up his protest verges on the irresponsible. Even had Biden been re-elected, American support could not have gone on forever. Trump not only proclaimed his sympathy for Putin over the years, but stated throughout his campaign that he would either curtail or even end American aid to Ukraine.
More foresight on the part of Europe was also not too much too ask. The EU now finds itself in exactly the same position as the Biden Administration regarding (unlimited) support for Ukraine. It will now grudgingly take the lead in resisting Russia, There is already talk of creating a European army that would only heighten global economic and political instability. instability.
Serious negotiations should not be undertaken in public. However, Zelensky accepted Trump's invitation for a pubic deliberation about the peace that was supposedly transpiring. The foreseeable hitch was that . Trump and his Vice-President, JD Vance, who was also at the meeting on February 28th 2025, wanted to see the Ukrainian president not only accept their demands for a cease-fire and peace, but grovel in public and show the appropriate gratitude to Trump personally for a policy initiative that would prove unfavorable to his country. The public character of these discussions public set the stage for precisely the kind of bullying rhetoric that Trump in particular always employs.
The world is still recovering from this debacle. Zelensky keeps his pride intact for having publicly stood up to an authoritarian demagogue. But, there is little doubt that Trump will seek "retribution:" from the Ukrainian president -as he does from all his critics. Citing ingratitude, he might call for lifting sanctions on Russia and placing them on Ukraine, or he might call for cutting aid entirely - and throwing the entire Russo-Ukraine problem squarely in the lap of the Europeans. It seems clear that the United States has decided to contain China rather than confront Russia and treat Putin as the primary threat to global peace
Under Trump, America is no longer a reliable ally. NATO is imperiled by his "transactional" foreign policy along with old fashioned ideas about "spheres of influence." Multilateral decision-making is derided by the new administration, traditional alliances should no longer be taken for granted, and arbitrary exercises of American power are on the agenda. Unpredictability is the hallmark of Trump's politics, the unthinking, split-second decision, often resulting in a policy reversal that will have the most dramatic effects.
Turkey, France, and the United Kingdom are already talking about sending troops to Ukraine thus heightening the possibility of a broader war. Meanwhile, Zelensky finds himself in the position of either resigning, tightening control over Ukraine, or returning to Washington on bended knee. Whatever else one wishes to say about Trump, he knows his public. It would be a mistake to think that America will condemn the rudeness and chauvinism displayed by Trump and Vance.
Of course, the original deal could well be signed tomorrow or the day after. But behavior of America's leaders should teach Europeans and the rest of the world something that we in the United States are finally learning, namely, that it's time to stop laughing and making jokes about America's president. He isn't funny; he's manipulative, narcissistic, and dangerous -really dangerous.
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