Republicans want Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mind his business regarding American politics. At the same time, they feel free to tell Zelensky how to respond to Russia’s invasion of his nation.
Former President Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans want Zelensky to surrender and hand over to Russian President Vladimir Putin the territory he has occupied over the last two years following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to Trump, since Putin has bombed the eastern part of Ukraine to the point that “those cities are gone,” Zelensky should just give them up. Of course, over one million Ukrainians still live in those eastern cities, and regardless of their destruction by the Russians, it is their homeland.
For Trump, since the real estate in eastern Ukraine has been destroyed, it has no value. To the people of Ukraine, it is their country and home. One has to wonder: If Mexico invaded southern Texas and much of their infrastructure was destroyed, would Trump hand over parts of south Texas to Mexico as he expects Zelensky to hand over his eastern border?
Trump and his supporters say that Zelensky “refuses to make a deal” with Russia. Would Trump “make a deal” with Mexico if they invaded Texas, or would he, as Zelensky has done, demand that Mexico get out of Texas? The “deal” that Trump wants Zelensky to make is nothing short of a surrender to Putin’s aggression.
How convenient is it for Putin to have a former president of the United States advocating on his behalf? How nice would it be for Putin to have Trump back in the White House? Do you know who else is advocating for Putin? North Korean President Kim Jong Un, who shared “love letters” with Trump, has also denounced U.S. aid to Ukraine. Isn’t it interesting that Trump and Kim are on the same page about helping Putin?
During a Mint Hill, North Carolina, campaign speech, Trump said the United States is giving “billions of dollars to a man who refused to make a deal.” The United States and our European allies are supporting democracy in Ukraine against aggression from Russia, something Trump fails to understand. While Trump’s policy is that Ukraine should surrender to Russia, U.S. policy, under President Joe Biden, has been for Russia to leave Ukraine.
Trump also said in the speech, “You have a country that has been obliterated, not possible to be rebuilt.” Thank goodness Trump was not in the White House after Nazi Germany obliterated Europe during World War II. With American help, Europe was rebuilt and has been a rock-solid ally of the United States since. Perhaps Trump would have just handed over Europe to Adolf Hitler as he wants to give parts of Ukraine to Russia today.
It should be noted that during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump refused to state that he wanted Ukraine, our American ally, to win against Russia after being asked the question twice.
During a speech at the United Nations last week, Zelensky said that “Ukrainians will never accept why anyone in the world believes that such a brutal colonial past … can be imposed on Ukraine now, instead of a normal, peaceful life” in Ukraine.
Interestingly, during his speeches on the war in Ukraine, Trump has nothing negative to say about Russia’s aggression into Ukraine or about Putin. Instead of blaming Putin for Russia’s invasion and the murder of tens of thousands of civilians, Trump blames everyone else, including the United States.
Trump makes it clear that he is on Russia’s side as he blames America for Putin’s aggression. His refusal to condemn Putin’s aggression into Ukraine has only prolonged the war. Putin knows that if Trump wins in November, Trump will cut off support for Ukraine, a significant win for Putin.
“Ukraine is gone,” says Trump, who has given up the fight for democracy and freedom there. In fact, contrary to Trump’s proclamations, most of Ukraine is alive and well, as this small nation has successfully stood up to Putin for over two years.
If only Ukraine had made a deal and given Russia the territory they wanted, according to Trump, Ukraine could have prevented Russia’s invasion. I wonder, however, where does this end if Trump believes that Russia should be given parts of other nations in Europe so those nations can avoid a Russian invasion?
If Putin demands that a future President Trump give him parts of Alaska, a land Russia once owned, to avoid a war, would Trump agree? Isn’t that just what he says Ukraine should have done to prevent a war?
During his visit to the United States to speak at the United Nations, Zelensky visited a Pennsylvania ammunition plant to thank them for their weapons and support in defending his nation. This was upsetting to Republicans who understand that Pennsylvania is home to a significant number of people of Ukrainian ancestry and that Trump’s anti-Ukraine policies could hurt his chances there.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Zelensky to fire those who organized the factory visit, calling it “election interference.” Interestingly, Johnson has had nothing to say about Russia’s election interference supporting Trump since 2016. And, of course, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, the king of worthless House investigations, says that he will investigate Zelensky’s visit.
Who would have ever imagined a Republican Party at war with the American defense industry for producing weapons to defend democracy at home and abroad? If you needed any evidence that the party of Ronald Reagan is dead, here it is.
Republicans want Zelensky to stay out of American politics, yet Trump and his fellow Republicans have no problem telling Zelensky that he should surrender to Russia. We should not forget that Trump tried to force Zelensky to open an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter during a recorded phone call when he was president. This effort led to Trump’s first impeachment, and Trump has never forgiven Zelensky for not doing his bidding.
For Trump, his policy on Ukraine is all about personal grievances. It has nothing to do with America’s long-term national security, the security of Europe and our other allies from Russian aggression, or the defense of democracy. It is all about the fact that the president of Ukraine would not do Trump’s bidding and help him win the 2020 presidential election.
For Trump, it is always Trump, not America, not democracy, and certainly not a fight for freedom for the people of Ukraine.
Tom Zirpoli is the Laurence J. Adams Distinguished Chair in Special Education Emeritus at McDaniel College. He writes from Westminster. His columns appear on Wednesdays. Email him at [email protected].
